Last night at the April 28 Regular Assembly Meeting, the Anchorage Assembly certified the 2026 municipal election results and swore in new members Sydney Scout (District 1: North Anchorage), Donald Handeland (District 2: Eagle River, Chugiak, JBER), and Janice Park (District 4: Midtown). The three new members were sworn in with re-elected members Anna Brawley (District 3: West Anchorage), George Martinez (District 5: East Anchorage), and Zac Johnson (District 6: South Anchorage).
The Midtown race was exceptionally close with Janice Park receiving only 26 more votes than Dave Donley. The Anchorage Election Commission conducted a recount and found “no changes in the outcome of the Assembly District 4 – Seat G race.” The full recount certification document can be found here: 12.A.2.–AM 313-2026.pdf.
Also at last night’s meeting, the Assembly elected Anna Brawley (District 3) to Chair and Daniel Volland (District 1) to Vice Chair via a secret ballot vote.
New Member Biographies
Sydney Scout, District 1
Sydney Scout is a born and raised Anchorage kid and a proud product of our public schools; she graduated from Dimond High School and the APU Early Honors program. Sydney left home for college and earned her Bachelors degree from Oregon State University, followed by a Masters of Public Policy and Graduate Certificate in Energy Policy and Management from Portland State University.
Sydney worked in Anchorage’s service industry throughout high school, then was employed on her college campuses where she supported successful unionization efforts. She has spent the past decade-plus organizing to advance workers’ rights, clean and affordable energy, and local civic engagement. This work brought her across the country and ultimately, home to Anchorage, where she is an active and engaged member of a housing cooperative, supporter of local nonprofits, and outdoor enthusiast.
Scout will serve on the Rules Committee-of-the-Whole, Budget and Finance Committee-of-the-Whole, and the Infrastructure, Enterprise & Utility Oversight Committee-of-the-Whole.
Donald Handeland, District 2
Donald Handeland has not provided a biography.
He will serve on the Rules Committee-of-the-Whole, Budget and Finance Committee-of-the-Whole, and the Infrastructure, Enterprise & Utility Oversight Committee-of-the-Whole
Janice Park, District 4
A 27-year resident of Midtown, Park brings a diverse professional background to the Anchorage Assembly. She has worked extensively as a registered nurse and a paralegal, and for 15 years, she co-owned and operated a commercial water treatment business serving the North Slope and local areas. Driven by a strong desire to help others, Janice later attended the paralegal program at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She put this education to use by successfully arguing her own case before the Alaska Supreme Court, setting a state precedent for marital property rights. She spent 13 years working alongside former Alaska State Senator Patrick Rodey, dedicating much of her time to pro bono work, assisting vulnerable women with domestic violence, divorce, and custody cases.
On the Assembly, Janice focuses on securing vital municipal funding from the state. She seeks to prioritize directing resources toward critical public programs, specifically those addressing homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health issues. She is dedicated to finding practical, results-oriented solutions to keep essential city services effective for everyone. Outside of public service, Janice has four children, seven grandchildren, and a very good pup named Dougal. She remains deeply committed to ensuring all of Anchorage is a vibrant, safe place to live.
Park will serve on the Rules Committee-of-the-Whole, Budget and Finance Committee-of-the-Whole, and the Infrastructure, Enterprise & Utility Oversight Committee-of-the-Whole
Chair and Vice Chair Biographies
Assembly Chair Anna Brawley, District 3
Anna B. Brawley is a planner, project manager, and owns a small consulting firm in Anchorage, with a background in history and urban planning. She likes learning how complex systems work, such as cities, and how to improve them.
Before serving on the Assembly, Anna has served as chair of the Anchorage Budget Advisory Commission, an officer for Spenard and Turnagain Community Councils, on the board of NeighborWorks Alaska, and as a community advocate. She lives in Turnagain with her family and two highly opinionated cats. When not working, she enjoys gardening, creative projects, biking, walking, and Nordic skiing.
Brawley serves as Assembly Chair, Co-Chair of Budget and Finance Committee-of-the-Whole, and Rules Committee-of-the-Whole Chair. She also serves on the Community and Economic Development Committee, Housing and Homelessness Committee, Municipal Audit Committee, Public Health & Safety Committee, Quality Municipal Services Committee, Transportation Committee, and Infrastructure, Enterprise & Utility Oversight Committee-of-the-Whole. Additionally, she is Liaison to the Alaska Municipal League and Liaison to the National League of Cities.
Assembly Vice Chair Daniel Volland, District 1
Daniel is a licensed optometric physician and owner of an independent eye care clinic in downtown Anchorage. He has also provided eye care throughout rural Alaska. Arriving by small plane, boat, snow machine, ATV, and sled, he has performed pop-up eye clinics in over thirty Alaskan communities. Daniel has served as Vice Chair of the South Addition Community Council and has volunteered on the council’s Neighborhood Plan Committee and Land Use Committee. Additionally, he has served on the boards of the Arctic Encounter Symposium and the Alaska World Affairs Council, and been an involved member of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee, Young Professionals Group, and the Anchorage East Rotary Club. In 2021, he was honored to be awarded “Alaska Young Professional of the Year” by his peers. He loves being in nature and exploring Alaska, whether it’s packrafting, backcountry ice-skating, hiking, or walking his dog, Juniper, on the Coastal Trail. Daniel is honored to represent North Anchorage, one of the most diverse districts in the United States. He is passionate about helping Anchorage be a safe, welcoming community that creates opportunity for all.
Volland serves as Assembly Vice Chair, Vice Chair of Rules Committee-of-the-Whole, Co-Chair of Budget and Finance Committee-of-the-Whole, Transportation Committee Chair. He also serves on the Municipal Audit Committee, the AMATS Policy Committee, and the Infrastructure, Enterprise & Utility Oversight Committee-of-the-Whole. He is also an Ex Officio Member of the Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) and a member of the Safe Routes to School Working Group.
Biographies for all Assembly Members can be found at here: Contact the Assembly.
