OUR TEAM:
Stephen and Elspeth Blayney - Resident Director; Professional Medical Coding Coordinator
In July 2015, Stephen and Elspeth made the 3,300 mile road-trip from northern California to the AEC campus to join our team. Stephen, a graduate of Alaska Bible Institute (Homer, AK) is serving as Resident Director, working closely with the Building Hope Construction program. Elspeth, having been employed most recently for 5 years at a hospital in Sonora, CA, is serving as our Professional Medical Coding coordinator.
As a couple at AEC they are building relationships, mentoring, and serving the residential student population that come from various villages throughout the state. They have recently welcomed a new addition to their family, Jedidiah (2016), and are thrilled to be parents to their adorable little boy.
As a couple at AEC they are building relationships, mentoring, and serving the residential student population that come from various villages throughout the state. They have recently welcomed a new addition to their family, Jedidiah (2016), and are thrilled to be parents to their adorable little boy.
Carmen Franchino - Director of Operations
Carmen and her husband, Scott, first came to Alaska in 1985 and immediately knew they had found home. It’s been Carmen’s passion and joy to work with young people in various ministries, both vocational and volunteer for over 30 years. She was privileged to join the staff at Amundsen Educational Center in 2009 and believes deeply in the mission of AEC. Carmen also serves as Director of Youth Ministries at Peninsula Grace Brethren Church, is part of the worship team and loves her home group. She enjoys photography, scrapbooking and most of all loving her family! Scott and Carmen have three grown children and five grandchildren.
Bridgit Gillis - Program Director, Business Instructor
Bridgit moved to Alaska in 2005 with her husband, Ryan, and they are proud to call the Kenai Peninsula home. Bridgit has a degree in music education, is highly qualified in Alaska to teach both K-12 music and middle school English, and holds a K-12 certificate to teach in both Alaska and Pennsylvania. Since 2005, she has worked in the education field with kids ranging in age from birth to grade 12. After working in the school district as a teacher, Title VII tutor, and Individual Skills Provider, Bridgit moved into ministry and spent 5 years as the Children’s Ministries Coordinator at a local church. Bridgit joined our AEC team in 2015 and is excited to empower our students with the skills and knowledge that will help them succeed in life. Since she began at AEC, Bridgit has earned multiple Microsoft Office Specialist Certificates in Microsoft Office Programs. Bridgit and Ryan have one child, Tysen (2009).
Rhonda McCormick - Business Instructor
Rhonda teaches Accounting, Electronic Calculating, and QuickBooks to our Office Occupations students. She offers a wealth of knowledge and experience in accounting business and practices. We are proud to claim her as part of our AEC team.
Keith Pieh - Director of Building Hope Construction, Construction Instructor
Keith and Mandy Pieh began ministry the summer of ’98 as they moved to Fairbanks to work with Covenant Youth of Alaska (CYAK) in its ministry to Native college students at UAF. Along with doing college ministry, Keith continued working as a carpenter during their 6 years in Fairbanks, and Mandy as administrative assistant/bookkeeper for the statewide CYAK organization. In the spring of ’07, the Piehs responded to God’s call to serve at AEC, and moved to Soldotna. Keith now brings his experience in Native youth ministry and his giftedness in carpentry work to his position as AEC’s carpentry instructor.
They have four children: Emily (1999), Joshua (2002), Andrew (2005), and Rebekah (2009).
They have four children: Emily (1999), Joshua (2002), Andrew (2005), and Rebekah (2009).
Rosemary Reeder - Business Instructor
Rosemary is a long-time Alaska resident and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our AEC team. She teaches Records Management and Skillbuilding.
Karl Rosser - Business Instructor
Karl specializes in computer information technology and currently teaches Introduction to Computers. He keeps our technology up and running and is our go-to guy for troubleshooting needs.
AEC BlogOur blog page featuring current events, news, and articles relevant to Amundsen Educational Center.
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Our History
Rev. Bruckner, Rev. Londborg, Rev. Amundsen, Dr. Fortuine
The Amundsen Educational Center is a faith-based vocational training school that was originally founded to serve primarily Native Alaskan students. Such a school had long been the dream of Rev. Roald Amundsen, a long-term missionary and pilot who was the founder and director of Missionary Aviation Repair Center (MARC) in Soldotna. When a parcel of land was donated to Amundsen for charitable purposes in the mid-90s, he asked the help of Rev. Maynard Londborg and Rev. Donald Bruckner in establishing plans for a vocational school. Londborg and Bruckner added veteran Alaskan physician Dr. Robert Fortuine to the group and the three met regularly to develop plans for the venture, which was finally incorporated in 1996. The founders named the school in honor of Rev. Amundsen in recognition of his dream and his lifetime of service in Alaska.
Much essential developmental work was then carried out over the next few years under the leadership of the first director, Del Corrick. After a pilot project in Fairbanks coordinated through Covenant Youth of Alaska and Byron Bruckner, the school formally opened in Soldotna in the fall of 2001. Shortly thereafter, AEC became authorized through the Alaska Commission of Postsecondary Education to provide graduates with a 1st year Certificate in Residential Construction, and a 2nd year Advanced Certificate in Residential Construction.
This training in construction eventually led to the creation of Building Hope Construction. More than 40 students from 18 rural villages have been trained to build homes through the BHC program. BHC has found a niche serving Native Alaskans through a culturally relevant, student-centered education characterized by small class sizes (1 instructor: 5 students) and intensely practical instruction. Additionally, the community living environment encourages students from rural Alaska in areas of personal development and offers comprehensive training for employment in the Alaskan construction industry.
Today AEC continues to provide vocational training in a faith-based environment for rural Alaskans as well as commuter students from the Kenai Peninsula. This mission is accomplished by providing students with quality vocational and work-readiness instruction, fostering a culturally relevant learning environment, honoring the dignity of every student, building a safe, nurturing community, and by creating a network of synergistic partnerships.
Much essential developmental work was then carried out over the next few years under the leadership of the first director, Del Corrick. After a pilot project in Fairbanks coordinated through Covenant Youth of Alaska and Byron Bruckner, the school formally opened in Soldotna in the fall of 2001. Shortly thereafter, AEC became authorized through the Alaska Commission of Postsecondary Education to provide graduates with a 1st year Certificate in Residential Construction, and a 2nd year Advanced Certificate in Residential Construction.
This training in construction eventually led to the creation of Building Hope Construction. More than 40 students from 18 rural villages have been trained to build homes through the BHC program. BHC has found a niche serving Native Alaskans through a culturally relevant, student-centered education characterized by small class sizes (1 instructor: 5 students) and intensely practical instruction. Additionally, the community living environment encourages students from rural Alaska in areas of personal development and offers comprehensive training for employment in the Alaskan construction industry.
Today AEC continues to provide vocational training in a faith-based environment for rural Alaskans as well as commuter students from the Kenai Peninsula. This mission is accomplished by providing students with quality vocational and work-readiness instruction, fostering a culturally relevant learning environment, honoring the dignity of every student, building a safe, nurturing community, and by creating a network of synergistic partnerships.
