About us

Molly Walker is a Midwesterner living her dream in the mountains. She has lived in Alaska since 2018 and has been copy editor and writer for the Copper River Record since 2022.  Molly holds a B.S. in political science and a Masters of Library and Information Science. She had worked in newspapers and libraries in some capacity for the past 20 years.  In her spare time, she enjoys reading, paddleboarding, skiing, and hiking. Molly lives in Valdez with her partner and pets.

John Tierney came to Kenny Lake as a farm volunteer decades ago and stayed. He purchased the Copper River Record in 2020 to keep the paper within the community, despite having no newspaper experience. He is grateful for the Society of Professional Journalists for helping the paper adopt a code of ethics when he was getting his start. He is a volunteer at the Copper River Resource Council Food Bank and works seasonally as a wildland firefighter. He is committed to visibility for all communities we serve. John lives in Kenny Lake with his family in an off-grid home he built himself.

Carol Cozzen is the Ahtna Language Teacher for Copper River Native Association in partnership with the Copper River School District. Carol channels her passion for photography and arts into helping local youth, giving freely of her time to help students with senior photos and to make regalia. Carol won an Alaska Press Club Award for Best Portrait – All Media – in 2024. She received her Alaska Certification as an Ahtna Language Teacher in 2026.  Carol Cozzen is from the Naltsiine clan. Her mom is Evelyn Hash-Koonuk. Her daughters are Tiana Cozzen and Madison Cozzen. Carol lives in Kluti-Kaah with her family.

Andrew Carlson has been a Special Education teacher in Alaska for 11 years. He holds a master’s degree in special education and bachelor’s degrees in history with a minor in German and in Special Education. His work has been published in Alaska History (2016), Journal of the West (2022), Montana The Magazine of Western History (2023) and the Yearbook of German American Studies (2025), and "Short Rows" of the Agricultural History Society (2023). Andrew is currently studying the Ahtna language. Fun fact: His family survived the Fairbanks flood of 1967 by piling into a canoe his Uncle Donald made in his Lathrop High School shop class.

Allison began freelance writing in 2016 with a focus on science. She began working for the Copper River Record in 2020. She worked with a volunteer from the Society for Professional Journalists to adopt ethical standards for the paper in 2020. Allison supports her writing habit with a variety of other jobs and has been a fisherman, wilderness guide, research analyst, field technician, and human stop sign. She divides her time between Girdwood and her rustic property on the Richardson Highway Corridor. She is a volunteer for the Challenge Alaska Adaptive Ski program.

Ben Murphy is a longtime sportswriter based in the Midwest. He loves telling unique stories and giving student athletes their time to shine in the local paper. When he is not typing at his computer he enjoys spending time with his family, camping and fishing. 

Lakota McRoberts is an Agriculture Specialist and community educator. Her work is rooted in Indigenous food systems, permaculture, land stewardship, and the belief that food is medicine. She loves creating hands-on learning opportunities that reconnect people to the land while honoring traditional ecological knowledge. Writing is one of her favorite ways to connect with her community. It allows her to express emotions, share stories, and highlight community events and local voices in a way that inspires others to get involved and stay connected to what’s happening around them. Lakota is a volunteer for the Copper Basin Food Bank and the VFW Auxiliary.

Michelle McAfee is a freelance Photographer, Writer and Graphic Designer based in Southern Oregon with strong ties to McCarthy and the Copper River watershed. She has a collection of short stories nested under her Substack publication called StoryLife and created, produced, wrote, and edited articles for SONGBONES Magazine & Podcast, a publication highlighting grassroots singer-songwriters. Her photos have been featured in American Forests Magazine, and on album covers for Ava Earl, David Jacobs-Strain, Alice DiMicele, and Mark Elliott.  Michelle is on the Board of the Hivve Art Hubb nonprofit in Southern Oregon, connecting community with art and empowering artists by giving them a platform to tell their story and share their art. She also shares her garden with neighbors as a community food hub, and we donate fresh vegetables to our local rural food bank.

Kristin Link is a science illustrator, field artist, and educator based in an off-the-grid cabin on the Nizina River near McCarthy, Alaska. Her work combines careful observation, scientific accuracy, and drawing from life to explore the natural world. She is the author of Discover the Art of Field Sketching (Timber Press, 2026) and shares her weekly illustrated nature journal column in the Copper River Record. Kristin's work earned the best illustration award from the Alaska Press Club in 2021 (for Edible Alaska Magazine) and in 2022 (for the Copper River Record). You can see more of her work at KristinLink.com

Anna Somers moved to Glennallen in 2006 and is happy to call the Copper River Valley home. She and her husband have raised three kids. Anna is an art and theater lover, and her first pieces covered theatrical performances around the state. She is a frequent substitute in the Copper River School District.