Photo description: LeeAnn Garrick, Chief Operating Officer, and Tasha Pineda, Chief Program Officer, attend the 2026 Economic Forecast Luncheon hosted by AEDC. (Photo courtesy of AEDC)

I think the best way to learn something is to jump right in and do the work. In my role as Chief Operating Officer, I’m responsible for growing Rasmuson Foundation’s organizational culture. That means supporting fun things like volunteer activities and staff parties — but it also means working on document structures and systems. Shaping the Foundation’s culture is about transparency and purposefulness. It’s important to me to understand and convey the reasons behind the modifications we choose to make to our systems and strategies. 

I understand that the last thing you want to do when you’re the new person in the office is to try to change everything. But sometimes, you don’t have a choice. When I stepped into this role in December, my first assignment was to review and organize the Foundation’s policies and procedures. On the heels of that, I soon began working with the team to update our talent management program, while also exploring how we could improve the user experience of our grants management system. So much for not rocking the boat in my first few months! 

The updates I’m leading aren’t arbitrary, though. They’re part of strengthening organizational culture. 

Take our policies and procedures. When I started my position, I discovered a robust and thoughtful library of policy-related documents developed by my predecessors — a solid foundation from which to build systems that flow naturally across the Foundation’s work groups. With the help of our HR manager, I’ve been looking at how each policy and procedure informs the work we do. In the spirit of continuous improvement, we’re combining similar policies and procedures to create a more accessible and usable library that better defines how we go about our daily work. 

We’re bringing that philosophy of continuous improvement to our talent development program, too. By providing our directors and team members with clear guidance and useful tools to set goals and measure their progress, the updated talent development program will help the people who work at the Foundation feel confident in their roles, supported in their growth, and more connected to our mission. 

Finally, we’re working to improve accessibility by making our grant application process simpler and more user-friendly. This process is a continuous effort to improve systems for our partners — ultimately making it easier for people and organizations to apply for Foundation grants. 

As the saying goes, the only constant is change. Change can be difficult — or, with transparency and purpose, it can be a welcome update that better supports staff members in their work of serving Alaskans.