At the time of her sabbatical, Pauline Smith had worked at Alaska Literacy Program for nearly 35 years. She began as a volunteer in 1980 and worked off and on handling special projects, beginning in 1992. She was the executive director since 1999.

For her sabbatical, Smith planned to visit her children and grandchildren in the Lower 48, travel, learn to sail in California and study weaving at a school in Ecuador.

“I hope my time away will benefit Alaska Literacy Program by giving staff the freedom and confidence to make decisions for the agency and the program,” she wrote. “I hope new ideas and insights may be fostered without me and my particular frame of reference.”