Last year, Jenny Di Grappa briefly ran for Anchorage Assembly against midtown incumbent Felix Rivera, but dropped after a few weeks. Now, she has filed to run for Anchorage mayor.
She is the chief of philanthropy and community relations at the Food Bank of Alaska. She has worked and volunteered in the non-profit sector for over 17 years, focusing her efforts on organizations that serve Alaska’s youth.
Di Grappa, who has kept her voter registration private at the Division of Elections, received her master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alaska Southeast and her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She completed the Catalyst for Nonprofit Excellence with Context International and the Foraker Group.
Born and raised in Fairbanks, she grew up helping her mom train for the Iditarod and Yukon Quest.
Others in the race are incumbent Mayor Dave Bronson, Suzanne LaFrance, Chris Tuck, Bill Popp, Dustin Darden, and Darin Colby. The first day for filing with the Anchorage Municipal Clerk is Jan. 12, but candidates also have to file with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.
While it’s unusual for someone serious to file for the mayor’s seat just two months before ballots go out in the mail, March 13, Di Grappa may be a candidate who is actually looking to boost her name recognition in advance of another political run — for state Senate, perhaps.
