About WPLAK
The Women’s Power League is a network of Alaskans united for the purpose of strengthening our state’s economy through the empowerment of women. We seek to champion future and existing leaders within the 49th state through mentorship, professional development and community building.
When it comes to the advancement of women and girls, individuals and organizations are stepping up their engagement. Alaska is no exception. WPLAK is responding to this need with a modern organization that advocates for inclusion, civic engagement, community service, nonpartisan activism, philanthropy and sisterhood.
As an organization, we celebrate the incredible assemblage of women who are agents of change and elevate the bar for all who aspire to their absolute potential. We draw on the expertise of those within and outside of the state of Alaska, and encourage thoughtful dialogue about the victories and challenges of women in the 21st Century.
WPLAK’s unique presentations, programs and one-of-a-kind events take an innovative approach to engage women statewide. Thanks to generous support from donors and partners, the majority of our events are free to the public. We devote special attention to raising awareness on policy that impacts women on a local and national level.
Board of Directors
Dr. Ebony McClain
Board President
Through her practice, Ebony Counseling Consulting and Supervision, Dr. Ebony McClain works with adolescents, adults, couples and families with empathy, care, compassion, and a side of humor.
Dr. Ebony is also an Assistant Professor of Psychology with Alaska Pacific University, a supervisor for Licensed Professional Counselor / doctoral candidates and serves as Diversity Chair on the Board of Directors with the Alaska Psychological Association.
Dr. Ebony McClain holds a Bachelor’s of elementary education from the University of Alaska Anchorage, a Master of Science in clinical counseling from Southern New Hampshire University and a Ph.D. in psychology from Capella University. She received a post-doctoral certificate in industrial organizational psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Cristy Curley
Vice President
Cristy Curley manages proposals, events, websites and databases for Davis Constructors & Engineers, Inc. (DC&E), the parent company of Mass Excavations, Inc. (MassX), as their Business Development Manager. She was born in Littleton, CO, and grew up on the west and east coasts of the U.S. Her family moved to Anchorage from Thousand Oaks, CA in 1989. She has over 25 years of experience in advertising & marketing, and the environmental, engineering, and government contracting industries. Cristy is a lover of gardening, cooking, painting and live music. That’s not all; she likes to golf, bowl, bike, play cards, camp and spend time with friends and family.
Cristy studied Biology and English at the University of Northern Colorado (Greeley), and Technical Communications at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (Socorro). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She recently purchased her first home, adopted a rescue kitten from the Alaska SPCA, and plans to stay in Anchorage for the foreseeable future to help further the efforts of WPLAK and similar organizations that promote social equality and justice.
Linda Wei
Treasurer
Linda Wei is the Chief Content Officer for Alaska Public Media (AKPM), leading the creative and operational teams behind television, radio and digital since 2019.
In addition to managing programming for KAKM-TV and KSKA-FM, Linda oversees production for the public affairs television program “Alaska Insight;” the PBS Digital Studio series “Índie Alaska;” statewide radio programs “Talk of Alaska” and “Line One: Your Health Connection;” and KSKA radio programs “Hometown, Alaska,” “State of Art,” and “Outdoor Explorer.”
Linda earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University. She served as a mentor for PBS Digital Immersion Project 2018-2021, chair of PBS’s Digital Media Advisory Council in 2018 and was selected as a Next Generation Leadership Senior Editorial Fellow in 2016, where she embedded with PBS’s signature investigative series, FRONTLINE.
Victoria McCleskey
Multi-Media Chair
In her current role as the Executive Assistant for DCCED Commissioner Julie Anderson, Victoria gets to work on projects that promote international trade and economic development within the State of Alaska. She is also responsible for various communications between the Commissioner’s office and the divisions within the department, including the Department’s social media presence.
Victoria has been inspired by the many strong women in her life and was immediately drawn to The Women’s Power League of Alaska and their mission.
Victoria is a recent graduate of UAA with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Management. She resides in South Anchorage with her fiance Peter and her dog, Brutus. She is an alumni of the WPLAK’s mentorship program and hopes to one day be in a position to mentor others.
Amanda Allard
Board Clerk
Amanda Allard graduated as Honors Scholar and undergraduate researcher from the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA) with a dual Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Management and Marketing with a minor in Communication. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree (MS) in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Leading in Business Settings from Creighton University.
Amanda’s long-term goal is to use her degrees, skills, and experiences to help her community through advocating corporate / social responsibility, volunteerism, and by simply doing good work. Currently, she sits on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Power League of Alaska to help promote gender and racial equality statewide.
Amanda is passionate about the beautiful great Alaskan wilderness, enjoying being outside whether it be cold weather camping, casting and blasting, or the wildlife that won’t hunt her back. The only limits you’ll find with Amanda are how many sockeye salmon she can catch in a day!
Alice Qannik Glenn
Outreach Chair
Alice Qannik Glenn is an Iñupiaq born and raised in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. She hosts and produces her own podcast, “Coffee & Quaq”, to celebrate and explore contemporary Native life in urban Alaska. Her episodes air on KRFF 89.1 FM Voice of Denali, KONR-LP Out North Radio, and KRBD 105.3 FM, and KTOO – and her work has been featured in Alaska Magazine, Anchorage Daily News, AK Humanities FORUM Magazine, CBC Unreserved Radio, and more.
Alice currently serves on the board of Alaska Native Media Group, Women’s Power League of Alaska and the Library Advisory Board. She is one-third of Native Time, a collaborative media platform that highlights the real Alaskan experience through multi-media productions. In 2021, she was nominated by the Pulitzer Center for the Robert F. Kennedy journalism award in radio and earned a first place Columbia Journalism Review’s Covering Climate Now award for the special Coffee & Quaq series AK Natives on the Front Line which highlights the adaptability and resilience of Iñupiat in the face of climate change.
Alice received her bachelor’s degree in aerospace studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2014. She enjoys diversifying her career path and is passionate about providing accurate and authentic Alaska Native representation in media.
Kimberly Waller
Founder/CEO
Kimberly Y. Waller is happily married with one daughter. A Gracie Award winning broadcaster and producer, she began her media career in her home state of Alaska prior to working for MTV Networks, NBC and Power 105.1 FM in New York City. With a media career spanning two-decades, she has held exclusives and produced content around some of the biggest names in recorded music.
Kim has written extensively for the Huffington Post, Global Grind and other national outlets (under Kim Kane). As a successful voice-over talent, she has served as the voice for national campaigns to include Crest, BET’s Black Girls Rock and AT&T.
Kim received her B.A. in Mass Media from New York University, where she was awarded the Stenbeck Scholarship and recipient of the Founders Day Award for academic achievement. She also holds an A.L.M. in Journalism from Harvard University. In addition to being the founder / CEO of Women’s Power League, Kim is the director of Sultana (The Foraker Group). She serves on the board of directors for Alaska Public Media and as the Foundation Chair of Jack & Jill Inc., Anchorage Chapter. She is passionate about mentorship, the nonprofit sector and philanthropy.