Jim Johnsen, the current senior vice president of human resources and process transformation at Alaska Communications, was named the 14th president of the University of Alaska in July. He will assume the presidency on September 1, 2015.

Dr. Johnsen previously served as senior vice president of administration at Doyon, Limited and as vice president of administration and chief of staff at the University of Alaska. He is a member of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce board of directors, a trustee of the University of Alaska Foundation and a commissioner of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education. He earned his doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006.