Scott has been an organizational, public policy, and planning consultant for 15 years, including a decade at McDowell Group and four years with the firm of Brody & Weiser in Branford, Connecticut. He holds a master's degree in Public and Private Management from Yale University and a B.A. from Williams College.
Scott leads many of McDowell Group's most challenging projects. He uses research, facilitation, strategic planning and program evaluation skills to help organizations match their staffing, systems and financial assets to the demands of their missions and the marketplace.
He enjoys working with multi-disciplinary consulting teams and social ventures and agencies of all sorts. Originally from New York City, Scott has lived and worked in Alaska since the mid-1970s, primarily in Juneau where he enjoys sailing, basketball, woodworking, and writing and recording original music.
Since joining McDowell Group in 1998, Donna has managed a wide range of projects including education, health and social services, community development, public policy, and economic analyses. She specializes in coordinating projects that involve high-level interviewing, complex survey research components, and diverse stakeholders. Donna enjoys the ability to develop excellent friendships and long-term client relationships through her work. As one of McDowell Group's senior staff members, she manages the firm's Anchorage office.
Before joining McDowell Group, Donna worked extensively on international business development and emerging market issues for the State of Alaska. Before moving to Alaska in the 1980s, she worked for an Ottawa-based international trade and investment consulting firm and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Donna holds a master's degree in International Political Economy from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.
Chris earned his bachelor's degree in Telecommunications and in English from the University of Oregon. He joined McDowell Group in 1997 and is the firm's senior Seafood Industry Analyst. He has managed the Seafood Market Information Service since 1998, providing market and supply research on Alaska's major commercial species under a long-term contract with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. He is a contributor and advisor for economic, business feasibility, and community planning projects that include the seafood industry
A lifetime Alaskan, Chris has a strong background in commercial fishing. He remains active in seasonal commercial fisheries for salmon, halibut, sablefish and crab. This experience provides him the ability to augment his research and data expertise with real-world experience in the harvest and processing sectors. He also is a founding board member of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association and serves on the board of the United Fishermen of Alaska. Chris and his wife Lisa live in Juneau and have five daughters, all of whom show a keen interest in fishing!
Heather has managed projects and conducted research on numerous assignments since joining the firm 10 years ago. She is considered one of Alaska's leading tourism industry analysts, having worked on a wide array of projects for the State of Alaska, large and small communities, and private sector clients. She has also worked extensively on complex survey projects, education-related projects, economic impact studies, and feasibility studies.
Outside of her work with McDowell Group, Heather runs a Latin dance instruction school. In 2006, she founded a four-day annual dance festival (Juneau DanceFest). She is a former Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeast Alaska.
Heather earned a B.A. from Harvard University and has completed online graduate coursework in market research. Heather was named a "Top 40 Under 40" by the Alaska Journal of Commerce in 2007.
Bob manages McDowell Group's survey department, ensuring high standards of data collection. He also provides project management and analytical support for a wide array of McDowell Group projects including community and economic development. Bob graduated with honors from the University of Alaska Southeast with a B.A. in Business Management. He recently completed a professional advancement course with the Burke Institute on effective survey design techniques.
Prior to joining McDowell Group in 2003, Bob was employed for more than 20 years by the Waterfall Group. He served as a Board Member and Marketing Committee Chair for the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau and the Southeast Alaska Tourism Council. His personal interests include gardening, fishing, hunting, and travel.
Dan joined McDowell Group in 2010 after spending eight years as an economist at the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. He has written extensively about the state’s economy in the Department of Labor’s publication Alaska Economic Trends, and has made many presentations to a wide variety of audiences.
Born and raised in Southern Utah, Dan earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Utah State University. He’s also a graduate of Cornell Law School and lived and worked in New York and Maryland before moving to Alaska in 1997.
He loves running on Juneau’s many beautiful trails and also enjoys biking, hiking, reading, and trying in vain to keep up with his two daughters and one son.
Senior Research Analyst Lori Thomson joined McDowell Group in 2009 after an 18-year career in newspaper journalism. She has worked in Taiwan, Massachusetts, and Alaska, with the last 13 years of her career at the Juneau Empire. At the capital daily, she served as reporter, assistant city editor, design editor, and, from 2003 to 2008, as managing editor.
Lori earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1985 and a master’s in print journalism from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 1990.
In her free time, Lori enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, baking, and working on art projects. Having lived about seven years in Taiwan and mainland China, she also enjoys watching Chinese movies, reading books on China and brushing up on her Mandarin.
Weather worked for McDowell Group as an intern in 2006, helping with Alaska Visitor Statistics Program fielding and data entry. She rejoined the firm in fall 2008, helping to manage a significant aspect of data collection and analysis for the Alaskan Geographical Differential Study. Her professional interests include economic development, tourism and Alaska Native interests.
Weather was born in Cordova, and raised in Juneau. An Alaskan Native, she is a shareholder in Doyon, Limited. She received her B.A. in anthropology from Colby College, and spent a semester studying abroad in Western Australia. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, fishing, swimming, and traveling.
Tasha has managed survey field staff and provided research support to many projects since joining the firm in 2004. She particularly enjoys research projects that support Alaska Native organizations.
Tasha is an aspiring Tlingit speaker and takes courses in the language through the University of Alaska Southeast. She is also working toward a B.A. in economics, with an emphasis in Alaska Native Studies. Outside the office, Tasha likes to sea kayak, volunteer for the Sitka Chamber of Commerce, and is Captain of McDowell Group's Bowl for Kids' Sake team. Other distractions include her two nephews and her dog, Mr. Bob Marley.
Jim joined McDowell Group in March 2005. Jim is responsible for accounting, financial reporting, human resource and many administrative functions within the organization. An 18-year resident of Juneau, Jim's previous job experience included accounting and administrative positions with both non-profit and for-profit enterprises.
As an avid runner, Jim spends his recreation time running the roads and trails of Juneau and serves as the Treasurer of Juneau's local running club. Jim's enthusiasm for running compliments his love of cooking and eating fine food. Jim earned a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.S. in Secondary Social Science Education from Oregon State University.