THE LINK: OCTOBER 2024 44 External affairs coordinator will be asset to team Michael El-Khoury joined our Alliance team this summer as our External Affairs Coordinator. He brings with him experience both in Alaska government service and in service to our country as a U.S. Marine. Here’s more to introduce you to our newest team member. Who was your mentor in this industry and what did they teach you that remains true today? I still hold onto many of the lessons taught to me by my leaders during my time in the Marine Corps: remain honest, listen more than you speak and do what is expected of you. What brought you to resource development in the first place? I’ve lived in Alaska for most of my life. This is home. I had always heard how reliant Alaska was on its natural resources but did not really understand how important it is until I began working for the Municipality of Anchorage. Oil, gas, mining, these things heat our homes, power our appliances and toys, and provide well being for Alaskans. What lessons have you learned that you want to share? We are at a very interesting crossroads in Alaska at the moment, where several massive decisions need to be made about how and where we get our energy. There is no single solution to this problem, but Alaska has vast resources and a lot of hard-working people ready to solve it. What would you do differently? Understand that there is no one solution to where we find ourselves today, just as there was no one cause. Now, more than ever, it is important that we listen to what everyone at the table has to say, what solutions they have, and what they have to offer. What was one experience you will never forget? Having the opportunity to work in the Office of the Mayor of Anchorage. This is where I first began to understand the connection between the people of Alaska and the natural resources that drive our economy. It was also another amazing chance to lend a direct hand to my local community. What do you love most about this business? And about Alaska? I love feeling like I am lending a direct hand to fostering our most important Alaskan industries. It makes me proud to know that I, even in some small way, am helping the thing I love most about Alaska: the people. We’ve heard it more times than we can count, but it truly is mind blowing the lengths Alaskans Welcome to The Alliance: Meet Michael El-Khoury
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