OUR TEAM:
Mike Swanson | Executive Director
Mike Swanson returned to Amundsen Educational Center after a 14 year hiatus serving the University of Alaska in 2019. Mike was the original Dean of Students at AEC when the school began in 2001 and served at AEC from 2001 - 2005 in that capacity.
Mike was busy during his time away from AEC. He met his wife Barbara in Dillingham and the two have been happily married for 15 years. Together, they are parents to Shannah, Isabella and Joseph.
Mike is excited to share the vision of the founders of AEC with a new generation of students and to shore up the foundation of the organization and the Building Hope Construction program.
Mike was busy during his time away from AEC. He met his wife Barbara in Dillingham and the two have been happily married for 15 years. Together, they are parents to Shannah, Isabella and Joseph.
Mike is excited to share the vision of the founders of AEC with a new generation of students and to shore up the foundation of the organization and the Building Hope Construction program.
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.
Jacob Barkman | Director of Construction & Construction Instructor
Jacob Barkman joined the staff of AEC in September of 2019 as our Construction Instructor. Jacob has over 30 years of construction experience. In addition to occupational building, he has participated in many volunteer building projects, locally, statewide, and internationally. He is excited about the opportunity to share a passion for building with young people and help them gain skills to help them live life.
He has been married to Jenn for 36 years. They have three adult children, two of whom are married. They have three grandchildren. Hobbies include motorcycle riding with Jenn, time with their grandchildren (and their parents), reading, music, and being outdoors.
He has been married to Jenn for 36 years. They have three adult children, two of whom are married. They have three grandchildren. Hobbies include motorcycle riding with Jenn, time with their grandchildren (and their parents), reading, music, and being outdoors.
Joshua Mathlaw | Elder-in-Residence & Instructor |
Joshua and his wife Alice, returned to AEC in the summer of 2022 to serve at Student Life Coordinator. He had served AEC in the same capacity in the early years of AEC. Josh was discipled and trained directly by AEC founders Roald Amundsen and Maynard Londborg. He is a life long learner, having acquired traditional knowledge from his upbringing on Nunivak Island, graduating from Covenant High School in Unalakleet and going on to a Master of Education from the University of Alaska in Guidance and Counseling. He also served his country honorably in Viet Nam. Josh is gracious to share his culture and knowledge with AEC students, staff and guests.
Marc Lantz | Associate Director
Marc joined the staff of AEC in Fall 2022 after serving with our ministry partners at Covenant Youth of Alaska (CYAK) since 2018. He has over 15 years of vocational ministry experience, most of those pastoring youth and young adults in rural Northern communities. He enjoys organizing people and projects to accomplish a mission while fostering a deeper sense of purpose. Before moving to Alaska, he served for nine years as a youth pastor in a small village church in Alberta, Canada. During this time, he got married to Angela and they had three children: Emma, Brooks, and Ellie. Most of them are true hockey fans. Marc and Angela sense a strong calling to invest in the discipleship and spiritual growth of others as they grow deeper in their faith. They actively serve in their local church and seek to serve other churches in rural Alaska. They appreciate the holistic learning lab that AEC provides through its vocational and life skills training in Christian community. You can find them spending their summers outside at their home in Palmer, on campus at AEC, or exploring the state through subsistence activities like fishing, berry picking, and hunting.
John Hege | Life Coach & Instructor
My name is John Hege and I am a Life Coach and Financial Literacy Instructor for AEC through a partnership with Covenant Youth of Alaska (CYAK). I have been working with AEC for the last 3 years. The Lord called us to Alaska in 1994. We have been here since then, helping in many capacities within CYAK, with ministry partners like AEC, and in cooperation with the Alaska Conference for almost 30 years. I have been a CYAK CO Director, Associate Director, Pastor in Shaktoolik, Youth and Senior Pastor, Alaska Conference coach, 19 years as the Campus Christian Fellowship director and staff in Fairbanks working with CYAK at UAF with many great staff and student volunteers on the Alaska Conference Board two terms, secretary of the Ministerium, am trained and helped with conflict resolution with staff, and I am Ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church. We have 4 grown children, 2 still in Alaska and 2 in the lower 48. We are newly minted and very proud grandparents.
Your Name Here | Student Life Coordinator
Read about our need for a Student Life Coordinator.
- * Do you love Jesus?
- * Are you able to meet people where they are at and show His love to them?
- * Are you organized and responsible?
- * Are you patient and caring?
- * Are you willing to live among and do life together with a small group of young adults that are growing and need structure and guidance?
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 Alaska Native 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, Dr. 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 80 students from 33 communities (26 off the road system) have been trained to build homes through the BHC program. BHC has found a niche serving Alaska Natives through a culturally relevant, student-centered education characterized by small class sizes (1 instructor: 6 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, Dr. 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 80 students from 33 communities (26 off the road system) have been trained to build homes through the BHC program. BHC has found a niche serving Alaska Natives through a culturally relevant, student-centered education characterized by small class sizes (1 instructor: 6 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.
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Serve on a Service Team
If you are interested in leading or being part of a service team at AEC, please contact us for more information about how you can help!
