Nominees for Board of Directors, 2026-27

Voting will be conducted online:

• A link to the 2026-27 ballot will be emailed to CDMA members by April 13
• Votes must be submitted by 5 pm April 22 to be counted at our general meeting

​**Many thanks to all candidates for their interest in serving on the board.

Musher Bios

Michelle Hill (Palmer): I have been a volunteer and have been on the board for several years.   I enjoy our club and I love huskies and mushing. CDMA has amazing trails and a crew that works hard to make every event possible. I was introduced to mushing through CDMA and I want to help in any way that I can to insure that these trails and events are available for all
mushers.
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Scott Maruski (Eagle River): I moved to Alaska in 2002 and I became active in dog mushing in 2007. I became active through Rick Cavens when he was the pastor at St Mark Church and he invited my kids to run his dogs. My first time on a sled was in 2009 at the Chugiak Businessman’s Race. Unfortunately, I became hooked. We bought our first sled dogs in 2011 and we began racing. My kids were competitive junior racers and won many races and I raced the dogs when they were not racing. Over the years, our kennel has grown to 19 dogs with 15 very competitive race dogs. My 2 oldest children are now adults and run most of the races and are active volunteers with CDMA. After a couple of seasons, I became a board member with ASDRA and served on their board from 2011-2020 and was the vice president of their board for the past 5+ years. We moved to Chugiak 5 years ago and became more active in CDMA and I joined the board in 2020. I have been active in both ASDRA and CDMA for years now in racing and volunteering both. With ASDRA, I was part of the executive board, assisting in making Rondy OWC a success, trail crews, construction crews and fund raising. In that time, my wife became a board member as well and the kids have also been active in volunteering with both clubs and we remain active members in the mushing community.

Kourosh Partow (Chugiak): I have served on the CDMA board in many capacities such as VP, Race Committee, Trail Groomer for the last 5+years. I was involved in the trail improvement project these past 5 years and help with trail grooming during the winter time. I hope to continue making improvements next year. We have been racing sled dogs the last 35 years, in Europe, the lower 48 and the last 18 years here in Alaska. We moved to Chugiak to be close to these trails. I believe we should work to get community involvement to sponsor our races, and continue to keep the State sport promoted in the Anchorage bowl
area. I am also Regional Director for ISDRA and on the committee to coordinate IFSS and ISDRA.

Robert Forto (Willow): I have been involved in mushing since 1994 in everything from carts and scooters to multi-day expeditions. I run and operate our kennel with my family in Willow, AK. We have 38 dogs, mostly Alaskans and a few Siberians. I am an adjunct at UAA and teach classes in outdoor leadership. I am also the host of the popular Mushing Radio show, the only weekly mushing show in the world. It is heard locally on KVRF in Palmer. I think I would be a good fit for CDMA because of my experience as a business owner and my vast knowledge of web design, social marketing and event planning. I have experience in dry-land/cart racing and mid-distance racing. I have served on the board for several years, and would like to continue working to promote racing and community involvement in all levels in Southcentral Alaska. I think that CDMA is doing everything right and in a positive direction and I would be honored to assist in whatever way I can.

Mike Parker (Eagle River): Mike has been involved with sled dog sports, kennels and race organizations in the coastal, interior and southcentral areas of Alaska. He has experience racing and handling in distance, sprint, and dryland events. The majority of his training is done at CDMA, giving him a vested interest in successful club operations & a well maintained and entirely available trail system. Mike also started a new mid-distance style race at CDMA, the Solo Sweepstakes. As a returning member of the CDMA board, Mike would continue to focus on increasing club and race participation for all mushers, regardless of disciplines or kennel size, for the benefit of the entire Alaskan mushing community.

Meghan McClelland (Anchorage): Meghan McClelland is an outdoor enthusiast and recreational musher with the Northern Whites Kennel, where she spends much of her time running dogs on the Chugiak trail system. While still new to mushing, she quickly found a strong connection to the sport, the dogs, and the close-knit community. A proud dog mom and someone who really values Alaska’s trail systems, Meghan would be honored to serve on the board of the Chugiak Dog Mushing Association. She’s excited to give back to the trails and community she spends so much time on and continues to learn from.

Ola Urbanski: Ola loves the outdoors, dogs, and is interested in helping the club.​ 

Old Bios (Hidden):

​Robert Bundtzen: I began running sled dogs in 1994 and have completed the Iditarod 15 times, as well as the Knik 200, Klondike 300, Tustumena 200 and Copper Basin 300. I am a current member and have been since 1994 and use the Beach Lake Trails each season to prepare for Iditarod.  I am continually amazed at what the Alaskan Husky can do and I just love spending my time with them.  I am looking forward to serving on the board and being able to give back to the sport and CDMA.
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Robert Forto (Willow): I have been involved in mushing since 1994 in everything from carts and scooters to multi-day expeditions. I run and operate our kennel with my family in Willow, AK. We have 38 dogs, mostly Alaskans and a few Siberians. I am an adjunct at UAA and teach classes in outdoor leadership. I am also the host of the popular Mushing Radio show, the only weekly mushing show in the world. It is heard locally on KVRF in Palmer. I think I would be a good fit for CDMA because of my experience as a business owner and my vast knowledge of web design, social marketing and event planning. I have experience in dry-land/cart racing and mid-distance racing. I have served on the board for several years, and would like to continue working to promote racing and community involvement in all levels in Southcentral Alaska. I think that CDMA is doing everything right and in a positive direction and I would be honored to assist in whatever way I can.

Monica Heath-Brost: Monica Heath-Brost operates her dog training business in Anchorage. She has a bachelor degree in animal behavior and business administration. She owns three dogs and enjoys competing in dryland events. Monica is passionate about dogs and educating people. She enjoys dedicating her time to CDMA to help run races and complete maintenance projects.

Mike Parker (Eagle River): Mike has been involved with sled dog sports, kennels and race organizations in the coastal, interior and southcentral areas of Alaska. He has experience racing and handling in distance, sprint, and dryland events. The majority of his training is done at CDMA, giving him a vested interest in successful club operations & a well maintained and entirely available trail system. Mike also started a new mid-distance style race at CDMA, the Solo Sweepstakes. As a returning member of the CDMA board, Mike would continue to focus on increasing club and race participation for all mushers, regardless of disciplines or kennel size, for the benefit of the entire Alaskan mushing community. Mike lives with his wife, children, and sled dogs in Eagle River, and works as a Technology Project Manager.  

Deanna Partow (Chugiak):  I have been involved with sled dogs for over 30 years, racing locally, nationally and internationally in the sprint 4- and 6-dog categories. In the past 12 years, I have mainly been a sport support person, handling, training, organizing races, working with sponsors and on fundraisers. I believe it is important to keep the trails open and safe, to offer a place where all mushers can train, and to keep the community interested with fun events for all.  It takes a combination of a great volunteer membership, a hard-working board, fundraisers and great sponsors to keep a club running, but as evidenced by the last couple of years, flexibility and innovation may have to come to the forefront as well!  Thank you for considering me for the CDMA Board of Directors.

Susan Selzer (Anchorage): Currently I am the Treasurer and Alaska Charitable Gaming Permittee for CDMA, previously the Treasurer for ASDRA. Alaska resident for over 40 years, sprint musher for 30 years, private pilot for 7 years. I'm a Senior Accountant for Crowley Fuels. 

My goal as Treasurer for CDMA is to keep us compliant with Alaska Charitable Gaming regulations and to support the club with Treasurer duties: keeping accurate records, writing checks, reconciling bank accounts, and tracking our income and expenses. Timely record keeping, attending meetings, and reporting to the Board are all important aspects of being Treasurer, and I work hard to fulfill those responsibilities. I appreciate your vote and support. Thank you.

Kevin Snyder: Kevin runs a kennel of Siberian huskies that compete in mushing and conformation dog shows. He is passionate about preserving CDMA's mushing-only trails and educating the public about dog mushing. He is a veterinarian and Alaska's only board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, owner of Polar Eyes Veterinary Ophthalmology. He travels around the state to local veterinary clinics, providing specialized eye care to animals. He is the current president of the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association on a 3-year term, and a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology.

Kourosh Partow (Chugiak): I have served  on the CDMA board in many capacities such as VP, Race Committee, Trail Groomer for the last 5+years. I was involved in the trail improvement project these past 5 years and help with trail grooming during the winter time. I hope to continue making improvements next year. We have been racing sled dogs the last 35 years, in Europe, the lower 48 and the last 18 years here in Alaska.  We moved to Chugiak to be close to these trails. I believe we should work to get community involvement to sponsor our races, and continue to keep the State sport promoted in the Anchorage bowl area. I am also Regional Director for ISDRA and on the committee to coordinate IFSS and ISDRA.​

Matt Paveglio: I am interested in a two-year board seat. I'm very interested in expanding our current trail system within the confines of the Beach Lake Park system.

Allie Sargent: I am an avid outdoors person, having spent the past 8 years working in the outdoor industry in-field, and now as the Operations Manager for National Outdoor Leadership School in Palmer. I have previously worked as a dog handler where I continued to fall in love with dog sports. I now foster for the August Fund and participate in dryland and skijor events to exercise my own retired sled dog and rotating fosters! I enjoy teaching others how to recreate with their retired sled dogs and am passionate about getting folks involved in dog sports whether they have 1 retired race dog or a whole kennel. I am excited for the opportunity to use my organizational skills to support the club in growing and finding ways to further involve the community in dog sports!
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Chad Smyre: I’m a long time Alaskan who has truly enjoyed and continues to enjoy outdoor adventures around this great State including mountain and fat biking, snowmachining, backcountry skiing, flying fishing and many other outdoor activities. My wife Natalie and I run a small team of Siberians where we train and race around South Central Alaska. Although we are small and mostly recreational, we traditionally make it out to MCDMA, Aurora, CDMA, and ASDRA each season. I even raced the Nome Sign race a couple years ago. I’m a well rounded and experienced Alaskan with over 25 years of military service in the Army currently working as a planner for the National Guard and Alaska Command. With my many experiences I feel like I could bring a very open minded aspect to the club as a board member. 

​John Tichotsky (Anchorage): John is an avid skijorer with over 35 years of experience (over 400 miles this year alone). He got into the mushing world thanks to his daughter, Mara’s interest in mushing and once they linked up with Susan Selzer’s kennel the rest is history! John is Managing Partner for IC Alaska, he has worked all over the world and has been the Chief Economist for the State and the States Department of Revenue. John currently serves on the board and took the lead in producing the 2023-24 CDMA Race Poster.

Sarah Varland: I’ve been involved in the mushing community since 2017 when my kids started dog mushing, and have been mushing dogs myself since 2018. I love the way people and animals work together in the sport of sled dog racing, and I also appreciate how sled dog racing is part of Alaska’s rich history, and we all get to be part of that when we participate in the sport. I’m a high school English teacher and multi-published novelist, and I would love to use my skills in communication and leadership to help CDMA continue to grow. I think it’s important that we continue to invest in those who are already involved in the sport, as well as that we reach out and provide opportunities for newcomers and junior mushers. I have benefited so much in the past years from CDMA’s races and the involvement of all the people who have made those happen and would value the opportunity to give back to the club.

Stacey Batch (Anchorage): I have been mushing since I was five years old, which is pretty much old enough to hold a pointed shovel and scoop poop. For the past couple of years I have been active in dry-land either as a participant or volunteering. My happy place is out seeing the mushers having fun with their dogs and as a board member I will continue to promote the sport and get more volunteers for the club.

Michelle Hill (Palmer): I have been a volunteer and have been on the board for several years. I enjoy our club and I love huskies and mushing. CDMA has amazing trails and a crew that works hard to make every event possible. I was introduced to mushing through CDMA and I want to help in any way that I can to insure that these trails and events are available for all mushers. 

Dutch Johnson: I have maintained trails the last two years, along with volunteering as trail boss. I look forward to helping expand our trail system, promoting their use, and educating new users.

Destiny Lytle (Palmer): I am 24 years old from Palmer Alaska. While I am new to the mushing community, I have an extensive background in dog sports and building the dog sport community. I have dedicated my life to working dogs and preserving the working dog community and life style. I am a 3rd generation dog musher, while I didn’t get the race experience from the start like my parents did, I still managed to make it happen. I grew up helping and supporting my parents working line German shepherd kennel, breeding, raising and training shepherds in the sport of Schutzhund. I have won national, regional and club level competitions in multiple dog sports, ranging from AKC Agility, Obedience, Rally, Confirmation, Dock Diving, IGP & WDA. I have also competed at a world level in Agility. Currently I am a North American Diving Dogs Judge, event organizer, Alaskan Diving Dogs pool manager. I am a past AKSSD K9 Handler, and current support volunteer. I would be honored to serve on the board of CDMA.

Scott Maruskie (Eagle River): I moved to Alaska in 2002 and I became active in dog mushing in 2007.  I became active through Rick Cavens when he was the pastor at St Mark Church and he invited my kids to run his dogs.  My first time on a sled was in 2009 at the Chugiak Businessman’s Race.  Unfortunately, I became hooked.  We bought our first sled dogs in 2011 and we began racing.  My kids were competitive junior racers and won many races and I raced the dogs when they were not racing.  Over the years, our kennel has grown to 19 dogs with 15 very competitive race dogs.  My 2 oldest children are now adults and run most of the races and are active volunteers with CDMA. After a couple of seasons, I became a board member with ASDRA and served on their board from 2011-2020 and was the vice president of their board for the past 5+ years.  We moved to Chugiak 5 years ago and became more active in CDMA and I joined the board in 2020.  I have been active in both ASDRA and CDMA for years now in racing and volunteering both.  With ASDRA, I was part of the executive board, assisting in making Rondy OWC a success, trail crews, construction crews and fund raising.  In that time, my wife became a board member as well and the kids have also been active in volunteering with both clubs and we remain active members in the mushing community.
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