Who We Are
& What We Do
Bethanna "Beth" Bennett
Creative Designer | Marketing & Advertising Developer Advisor | Consultant
Beth is an accomplished creative designer, business marketing strategist, and consultant, specializing in supporting small businesses with branding, design, and strategic growth. With a passion for developing innovative, impactful, and visually compelling marketing solutions, she works closely with business owners to refine their logo, brand identity, and marketing strategies to ensure long-term success.
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With over 20 years of experience, Beth has held key roles in event planning, design, advertising, and marketing for organizations such as the Anchorage Downtown Partnership and Anchorage Fur Rendezvous. She has collaborated with multiple design and advertising agencies and has contributed her expertise to the Alaska Small Business Administration, helping local businesses thrive.
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Beth has a strong connection to the Alaskan art community, working closely with renowned artist Jon Van Zyle to enhance his digital presence, advertising, and online art sales. She led the development of his website, expanding his marketing reach and managing the sales of his original artwork, fine art prints, and special Iditarod collections.
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In 2001, Beth founded Burnside Creative, a business dedicated to innovative branding and marketing solutions. She is also a partner in two local ventures, Ravenink Fine Art Printing and True Lily Jewelry on Etsy, blending her creative expertise with entrepreneurship.
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Among her most fulfilling professional experiences, Beth served as the Director of Communications for the American Red Cross of Alaska and continues to contribute as a dedicated volunteer. She has deployed to disaster response efforts both in Alaska and across the U.S., gaining invaluable experience while working alongside some of the most committed staff and volunteers. Her work with the Red Cross has allowed her to support families in crisis, explore different regions of the country, and forge lasting connections.
Constance "Connie" Black
Business Advisor | Strategist
Consultant & Mentor
Connie is a strategic business advisor, consultant, and mentor focused on helping people achieve their dreams from start-ups to managing and growing small businesses and nonprofits.
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Her love and passion for everything business began when she started her first business at the young age of six with a lemonade and fruit stand, graduating to selling candies and cookies, selling flowers on the corner, to working in small family-owned flower shops.
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She’s worked for numerous small businesses, large corporations, and nonprofits in diverse industries in manufacturing, distribution, transportation, product sales, construction, engineering, and service-related businesses.
She is an entrepreneurial business leader with broad experience in operations, business administration and support services, financial performance, and program and project management. She achieved her Bachelor of Science degree in Business at ASU, W.P. Carey School of Business, Tempe, AZ with additional certifications in Transportation Management.
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In her spare time, Connie enjoys spending time with her family and Alaskan Malamutt, Mackenzie (“Kenzie”), and she loves photography, hiking, paddle boarding, and kayaking at the family’s lake cabin. She is an avid volunteer, board officer/director, and social media communications manager for animal and wildlife rescues, and local community and humanitarian organizations. She is a third-generation American Red Cross volunteer following in her grandmother’s and aunt’s long-time 35- and 25-year dedicated volunteer service. For the past 18 years, Connie has volunteered with the Red Cross of Alaska Mat-Su as a Public Information Officer (PIO), client casework advocate, disaster responder, and daily support for local, regional, and national social media content, disaster messaging, and crisis communications.
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Her extensive business background, dedication and commitment, and her passion for wanting to help people, and her enjoyment of discovering and fixing problems, finding solutions, looking from a global perspective, and seeing the big picture make her an invaluable advisor and team member on a wide range of projects.