1815 Fritz Cove
Juneau, 99801
907.321.0788
barbarabakpeo@gmail.com

Barbara was born in Olympia, Washington where she lived for two days before she and her mother left to join her father, brother and older sister who had moved to Astoria, Oregon for her father’s new job. The family, including a new younger sister, moved to Western Washington when Barbara was three. Barbara graduated from Centralia High School in 1972 and started her studies at Centralia College that fall. She earned an Associates of Arts degree after winter quarter of 1974 and worked for the State of Washington in Olympia until she transferred to Central Washington University in Ellensburg in the fall of 1975. Barbara graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Developmental Psychology degree in 1977, and a month later married her husband Jerry, whom she had met during her first term at Centralia College. She again worked for the State of Washington until she began a two-year Master of Education degree in School Psychology at Central Washington University in 1979. Upon graduation, with Jerry’s vigorous encouragement, Barbara applied for a School Psychologist position at the Southeast Regional Resource Center in Juneau, and was hired without ever stepping foot in Alaska after an interview at SeaTac. Again, with Jerry’s encouraging words (“anyone can take Alaska for one 9-month contract”), they moved to Juneau in late summer of 1981 and have been there ever since. Although being a School Psychologist was rewarding, flying on small planes in bad weather to remote locations grew old after two years and Barbara got a job at the University of Alaska Juneau (now the University of Alaska Southeast) as a Recruiter and Admissions Counselor, and was promoted to Financial Aid Director two years later. She retired in 2011 after 27 years with UAS, and was initiated into P.E.O. Chapter N in 2012. Since then she has served two years as Corresponding Secretary, two years as Vice President, and three years as President in addition to serving on almost every Committee. Barbara was honored to be a delegate at the Convocation of the Alaska State Chapter as well as every Convention of the Alaska State Chapter. She served on the State Finance Committee in 2016 and 2017. She attended the International Chapter Convention when the Alaska Chapter was given its charter, and she was humbled and energized by the magnitude of the loving P.E.O. spirit and influence. Barbara and Jerry have two sons, one daughter, and two grandchildren – all but the middle son live in Alaska. They still live in their Juneau home, but bought a house in Sun City, Arizona in 2019 and enjoy spending time in the sunshine. Barbara has been fortunate to be accepted as a Shared Sister in Chapter CH in Sun City. Among other things, Barbara enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, quilting, knitting, reading and just being with friends. She is active in Chapel by the Lake Presbyterian Church in Juneau, Faith Presbyterian Church in Sun City, and the Juneau Yacht Club.

3100 Seaport Circle
Anchorage, 99515
907.337.2088
susan.west.akpeo@gmail.com

Born and raised in Alaska, Susan West is a member of Chapter C, Anchorage. She was initiated into Chapter F, Fairbanks in 1978, then transferred to Chapter C after moving to Anchorage in the early 1980s. Susan received her A.A. from Cottey College in 1976, where she was salutatorian and recipient of the Second Lei award, which is presented to the student voted by the faculty to be outstanding in the areas of leadership, student government, and academic, social and community affairs, and who best exemplifies the spirit and ideals of Cottey College. She received her A.B. with honors from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where she majored in government and was active in numerous campus activities. In1981, Susan received her J.D. from Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York, where she served as an editor of the Cornell International Law Journal, head resident of the law school dormitory, and vice-president of the law school student government. Susan returned to Alaska after law school and spent almost 40 years as a litigator in both private practice and the public sector. She practiced in federal and state courts and handled cases at both the trial appellate levels before retiring in 2021.

Susan has deep ties to the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Both of her grandmothers were P.E.O.s, and her mother was a 1944 Cottey graduate and longtime member of P.E.O. in Fairbanks. Susan’s daughter Erin received a P.E.O. Scholar Award in 2014 and her daughter Tara is a third-generation Cottey graduate. Both are members of Chapter C, Anchorage. Susan has served as President of Chapter C and held several other local officer positions. She served as a delegate to International Convention in 2011, and served as Chair of the Alaska State Chapter Membership Committee. She was honored to serve as the Cottey College convocation speaker in 2010.

Susan and her husband, Taylor, have been married since 1985 and have three adult children: Ryan (Dartmouth College), a former Recon Marine who now works as a flight instructor in New Jersey; Erin (Hamilton College and University of Washington Medical School), an orthopedic surgeon in New Haven, Connecticut; and Tara (Cottey & Drury College), who works as a special education assistant with the Anchorage School District. Susan enjoys gardening, traveling, cooking, reading, and dreaming up home improvement projects for her handy B.I.L.

6134 E. 22nd Ave.
Anchorage, AK  99504-3214
marcia.eskridge.akpeo@gmail.com 
(907) 903-1918

Marcia’s family settled in Colorado Springs when she was eight.  In high school, she participated in theatre, and she majored in Biology, Pre-Med, and English Literature in college graduating with a BA in 1985.  In 1986, she joined the U.S. Air Force serving in a variety of assignments from war zones to Washington, DC. After 19 years of service, she followed her passion to the healing arts.  In 2005, she opened her own massage practice: Add Ministering Hands. She continued to pursue integrative medical training.  Her ELF loan was her introduction to P.E.O. although her P.E.O. legacy goes back to her grandmother.  In 2015, she was initiated into P.E.O. Chapter P in Anchorage.  She served on the State Finance Committee for four years.  She has held chapter offices as president (3 years), vice president, and treasurer, as well as serving on various local committees.  When not pursuing her careers, her key outside activities are construction and home design.  She has been doing a “simple” home renovation for nearly two decades, a long learning process.  Taking opportunities as they came her way, she learned about and participated in areas of interest to her: American Sign Language, handbells, gardening, ethnic cooking, serving on her church board, teaching prayer classes, and parenting her Irish Wolfhound, Deaglan.

90 Spruce St., #303
Juneau, AK  99801-1404
alida.bus.akpeo@gmail.com 
(907) 209-9128

Alida Bus was born and raised in Juneau. She spent college years in sunny Colorado, receiving a B.S. in natural resources. She worked in and around the Alaska State Legislature for ten years – first as a staffer, then as legislative liaison for the Department of Environmental Conservation. During that time, she received an M.P.A. from UAS. During the pandemic, Alida completed the UAA nursing school program and is now working as a hospital nurse. Alida was initiated into Chapter D in Juneau in 2010, her mom Susan’s chapter; later, her sister-in-law Toren joined (in 2015). She was Recording Secretary 2011-13; Vice President 2016-2018 and President 2018-2020. She attended Convocation in 2016 and the 2018 and 2019 conventions. She loves being involved with P.E.O. for the sisterhood and the meaningful impact we make in women’s education. Alida’s hobbies include cooking, reading and scrapbooking. She enjoys adventuring in Alaska’s outdoors – be it ridge running, picnicking, sea kayaking, skiing, or cabin camping with her family. She completed Ironman Alaska in 2022. She co-founded Juneau’s community storytelling organization Mudrooms in 2011 and volunteers with Trail Mix Inc. `

9681 Middlerock Rd
Anchorage, AK 99507-7502
katherinehaghighi.akpeo@gmail.com
(907) 317-8157

Born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, Kathy Haghighi is a member of Chapter C, Anchorage. She was initiated into Chapter BQ, Berea in 1991, and then transferred to Chapter C after moving to Anchorage in 2007. Kathy received her Bachelor of Music Education and Music Therapy degree from the College of Wooster in 1990 completing her Music Therapy Internship at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She completed her M.A. in Music Education at Case Western Reserve University.

Kathy spent 15 years working for Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland caring for terminally ill adults and children. She also created an internship program to train future music therapists in hospice care. She went on to work in Professional Relations educating medical facilities and physicians about hospice care as well as Special Projects Consulting.
Kathy has family ties to the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Her mother and sister are members of Chapter BQ, Berea. Her mother has held various offices in the Chapter including President, attending many state conventions as well as two international conventions. While in Chapter BQ, Kathy served as Chaplain and Treasurer as well as serving on various chapter committees. She was also an ELF Loan recipient! Kathy was happy to find her P.E.O. home in Chapter C, Anchorage where she has served as Chaplain, Vice President and President. Kathy has also served on the Alaska State Membership Committee for the past two years.

Kathy and her husband, Doug, have been married since 1997. They moved to Anchorage with their 3 girls, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Ellen. Though the girls all grew up in Anchorage they are now all in school and graduate school on the east coast. Kathy enjoys writing, being outside, and watching great movies while snuggled up with her two pugs.