Background

Sharon M. Cissna – Democrat – US Representative

 

RESIDENCE ADDRESS:          2612 East 20^th
                                       Anchorage, Alaska 99508

MAILING ADDRESS:           P.O. Box 141669
                                      Anchorage, Alaska 99514

WEBSITE:   scissna.org

AGE:  70

PLACE OF BIRTH:  Seattle, Washington

NAME OF SPOUSE:  Sid Atwood

CHILDREN’S NAMES:  Robin Naughton; the late Thomas Naughton

OCCUPATION:  State Legislator, 7 terms;  Mental Health Counselor;  Publication Business Owner

LENGTH OF RESIDENCY IN ALASKA:   45

ALASKAN COMMUNITIES LIVED IN:   Anchorage, 1967 until present; Fairbanks, 1993-1994; Kodiak, 1974-1979; Juneau, Session staff, volunteer or Legislator 1971 to 2012             

EDUCATION:
University of Washington, UAA Bachelors- Sociology
APU MS - Counseling Psychology
UAA Post-graduate, 20 hours Public Administration MPA courses including Fiscal Resource Management, Economic Courses including Global Economy credits. 

POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENT POSITIONS: 
Alaska State House; Co-Chair, Joint Legislative Health Caucus (www.akhealthcaucus.org). 
Standing Committees:  Education/Early Childhood; Health/Education/Social Services (HESS); Community and Regional Affairs; Military/Veterans Affairs; Budget Subcommittees:  Health and Social Services, Courts, UA, Public Safety.
Forum Coordinator:  Conversations on the Budget, Affordable Health Workgroup, Senior Issues.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS:
Commander, Legislative Squadron, Alaska Wing, Civil Air Patrol; Chair, Chugach State Park Ad Hoc Committee 1969-70 proposed legislation winning park status in 1970; Chair, member, Chugach State Park State Advisory Board 1985-1987; Co-Chair, Alaskans for Open Primary; Former president, Airport Heights Community Council

SPECIAL INTERESTS: 
Co-Chair National State Legislative Caucus, United States for Travel Freedom (ustravelfreedom.com) TSA reform nationwide.



STATEMENT:
Upholding the Constitutions of the U.S. and State of Alaska:   Like others, when I came to Alaska 45 years ago, I stayed because I knew I was home.  Recently I had a life-changing experience which motivated my interest in the U.S. Congress.  Because of my position as an elected official and awareness of Alaskans’ impact by poor government policies, many I have seen and experienced in person, I recognized the Congressional shortcomings in protection of Constitutional rights.  During the past Legislative Session I worked to gain Alaskan solutions for poor travel policy required by U.S. Congress policies and funding: akfreedomtotravelusa.com.  I filed for the U.S. House seat in this year’s election when it became obvious that Legislation we’d introduced to correct harmful federal policies would not be addressed by the Alaskan State Legislature.

    Following are experiences that have been preparing me for my immediate future:

o   Working with many children as a mom, adoptive mom, foster mom and youth counselor;

o   Beginning a home-based business (1972) for necessary family income, working steadily for 27 years with many small businesses and organizations in communities across Alaska;

o   Lessons learned motivated my need to become a State Legislator;

o   My public service began in 1999 when Alaska’s government faced a one-billion dollar deficit!

o    As a 1999 public forum series Co-Chair, hosted state experts.  In a statewide teleconferenced series, we learned the need to build Alaska’s local resilience and leadership;

o   Following cancer survival in 2003 I began travel throughout the state to better understand the source of Alaskan’s poor ratings in preventable health indicators.  As of a few months ago the total number to date is 70 Alaskan communities visited.  The people met and many continued relationships have become a part of my everyday life.  These communities began nine years ago and have required many forms for transportation (including bicycle, canoe, car, motor-home, aircraft, bus, and the Alaska Marine Highway)  to best understand the broad diversity in our state’s life-styles,  Transportation has become one of my key State issues;

o   The second goal to understand Alaska and well-being issues followed my cancer survival, that was founding the Joint Legislative Health Caucus in 2004.  Our many forums held in these years gained the strong support and aide of Co-Chair Senator Donald Olson, a medical doctor from the Seward Peninsula.  The Caucus has held more than 60 forums, with audio and video teleconferencing across Alaska.  They have focused on critical health issues.  In recent years the importance of many State departments having significant health responsibilities has brought each to the table to build stronger awareness and bonds.  Professionals, State Government officials and more than 2,000 people from throughout the state have attended and been a part of these programs;

o   The oath to uphold the US and Alaska Constitutions each term increased my study of them;

o    Having taken the Oath of Office six times prior to events at Sea-Tac in 2010 and 2011 built awareness of the violation of rights when receiving immoral touch.  After screening profiling highlighted the scars gained in my life-saving cancer surgery, I was subjected to abusive public touch by a poorly trained TSA employee. The second year I refused the body-touch procedure when full-body screening set off the alarm again;

o    Making personal experiences public begins public conversation and debate.  The result has been more than 2,000 communications from Alaskans and others’ TSA experiences and steady ongoing updates from those who I see around the state;

o   Work as Co-Chair of National Legislative group working on TSA reform is building networks.  This has helped to understand the challenges State Governments have dealing with Congress. There is a vital need for strong inter-state networks building at community grassroots level, to local government, to State government, to Congressional relationships.

   I am running for the only Alaskan seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Protection of security, human safety and constitutional rights must be restored. Building American recognition of the importance of building equity in community services is vital for Alaska’s role to safeguard U.S. borders in the fast approaching changes.  World-wide pressure has already begun in using Northern waters and resources.  I pledge work as a team member to listen, then work for productive and local growth in Alaskan statewide economic, social and long-term well-being for our people.  I would be honored and am prepared to take that responsibility.