Meet ACEP’s Heidi Shepard
February 7, 2024
By Yuri Bult-Ito
Heidi Shepard joined ACEP as the new assistant to the director a few months ago. Shepard is the face who greets you with a smile when you come into the Fairbanks ACEP front office. In addition to receiving guests and taking calls, in her role as the executive assistant, Shepard supports the ACEP team administratively and works closely with ACEP director Jeremy Kasper.
Shepard has rapidly made herself a valuable addition to the ACEP team.
“While continuing to learn about everything that is happening at ACEP and managing my schedule, Heidi is continually looking for more ways to apply her skills to making things run more smoothly for ACEP as a whole,” noted Kasper.
Shepard received her B.A. in interdisciplinary studies from UAF, a perfect pursuit for someone who thinks across boundaries.
Her career crosses boundaries as well. While a student at UAF, she worked for several offices and programs including Student Leadership and Involvement, Summer Sessions, New Student Orientation and the College of Community and Rural Development.
After college she worked in the Alaska State Legislature and for UAA. In 2016 Shepard returned to UAF to work for the Student Leadership and Involvement office, this time as a coordinator. Subsequently, her enthusiasm for engaging students in meaningful ways brought her to the role of the associate director of leadership and involvement for the Center for Student Engagement.
Shepard then worked for nonprofits, managing the Interior Alaska Center for Nonviolent Living housing program and for the Literacy Council of Alaska as the executive director. Most recently she served as the bar and events manager for Venue, a local bar/café/event space in downtown Fairbanks!
Shepard is also a trained facilitator and a certified coach with CliftonStrengths, an assessment system to identify and develop one’s strengths. She looks forward to having conversations with you about your strengths!
Born and raised in Fairbanks, Shepard has thrived working for and with the community she lives in. For someone who enjoys creating and supporting community in many forms, the community-centered work that ACEP engages in was attractive. She is also interested in learning more about energy and power in Alaska and beyond while at ACEP.