Applicant Bio Pages

Current Biographical Statements Submitted by Applicants

Click on an applicant's name to read the biographical statement submitted by the applicant. If you have difficulty accessing these documents, please contact the Council at (907) 279-2526.

Applicants for Alaska Public Defender

Molly Banas: Ms. Banas has been an Alaska resident for 7 years and has practiced law for 7 years. She graduated from Regent University Law School in 2019 and currently serves as an Assistant Public Defender in Nome.

Lars Johnson: Mr. Johnson has been an Alaska resident for 17 years and has practiced law for 17 years. He graduated from New York University in 2009 and currently serves as the Deputy Public Defender for the Alaska Public Defender Agency in Anchorage.

Erika S. Kahill: Ms. Kahill has been an Alaska resident for 20 years and has practiced law for 20 years. She graduated from University of Maine School of Law in 2006 and currently serves as a Civil Division Supervisor for the Alaska Public Defender Agency in Anchorage.

Cait McFadden: Ms. McFadden has been an Alaska resident for 7 years and has practiced law for 10½ years. She graduated from Arizona Summit Law School in 2014 and currently serves as an Assistant Public Defender in Anchorage.

Renee McFarland: Ms. McFarland has been an Alaska resident for 25½ years and has practiced law for 24½ years. She graduated from Harvard Law School in 2001 and currently serves as a Deputy Public Defender in Anchorage.

Julia D. Moudy: Ms. Moudy has been an Alaska resident for 50 years and has practiced law for 32½ years. She graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1994 and currently works in private practice in Anchorage.

Chong Min Yim: Mr. Yim has been an Alaska resident for 35½ years and has practiced law for 22 years. He graduated from Seattle University of Law in 2003 and is currently serving as an Assistant Public Defender in Anchorage.

Applicants for Anchorage Superior Court

Seth Beausang: Mr. Beausang has been an Alaska resident for 15½ years and has practiced law for 25 years. He graduated from University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in 2001 and is currently an Assistant United States Attorney in Anchorage.

Ryan Bravo: Mr. Bravo has been an Alaska resident for 11 years and has practiced law for 11 years. He graduated from University of Minnesota Law School in 2015 and is currently a Supervising Attorney at the Public Defender Agency in Anchorage.

Mark Clark: Mr. Clark has been an Alaska resident for 9 years and has practiced law for 10 years. He graduated from Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 2016 and is currently the District Attorney for the Department of Law in Bethel.

Ben Muse: Mr. Muse has been an Alaska resident for 44 years and has practiced law for 15 years. He graduated from the Gonzaga University School of Law in 2010 and is currently an Assistant Federal Defender in Anchorage.

Sam Laffey: Mr. Laffey has been an Alaska resident for 5 years and has practiced law for 6 years. He graduated from University of Wyoming in 2020 and currently serves as an Assistant Public Advocate for the Office of Public Advocacy in Anchorage.

Applicants for Palmer Superior Court

Windy Hannaman: Ms. Hannaman has been an Alaska resident for 43½ years and has practiced law for 27 years. She graduated from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1999 and currently works in private practice in Palmer.

Judge Patrick McKay, Jr.: Judge McKay, Jr. has been an Alaska resident for 35 years and has practiced law for 15 years. He graduated from Western State University College of Law in 2011 and currently serves as a District Court Judge in Palmer.

Brittany Occhipinti: Ms. Occhipinti has been an Alaska resident for 30 years and has practiced law for 9 years. She graduated from Willamette University College of Law in 2016 and currently serves as a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Civil Division at the Department of Law in Anchorage.

Applicants for Fairbanks Superior Court

Heather M. Brown: Ms. Brown has been an Alaska resident for 36½ years and has practiced law for 12½ years. She graduated from Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in 2013 and currently works in private practice in Fairbanks.

Jennifer Page Hite: Ms. Hite has been an Alaska resident for 25 years and has practiced law for 31 years. She graduated from University of Akron School of Law in 1995 and currently serves as an Assistant Public Advocate for the Office of Public Advocacy in Fairbanks.

Risa Leonard: Magistrate Judge Leonard has been an Alaska resident for 37 years and has practiced law for 16 years. She graduated from Syracuse University College of Law in 2008 and currently serves as a Magistrate Judge in Fairbanks.

Anna Elizabeth Ralph: Ms. Ralph has been an Alaska resident for 12½ years and has practiced law for 9½ years. She graduated from Duke University School of Law in 2012 and currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney with the Criminal Division at the Department of Law in Fairbanks.

Spenser Ruppert: Magistrate Judge Ruppert has been an Alaska resident for 39 years and has practiced law for 11 years. He graduated from Seattle University School of Law in 2015 and currently serves as a Magistrate Judge in Fairbanks.

Applicants for Kotzebue Superior Court

Daniel DalleMolle: Mr. DalleMolle has been an Alaska resident for 42 years and has practiced law for 13½ years. He graduated from Arizona State University – Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in 2013 and is currently the Supervising Attorney for the Alaska Public Defender Agency in Kotzebue.

Liz Mering: Ms. Mering has been an Alaska resident for 9½ years and has practiced law for 9½ years. She graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2016 and currently serves as an Assistant Public Advocate for the Office of Public Advocacy in Anchorage.