Staff
Meet the Staff
Kathleen McArdle
President/CEO
Kathleen McArdle joined the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce as President/CEO in October 2023 after a 13 year tenure with Verizon Wireless. Kathleen brings dual academic qualifications, first earning a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, and later returning to graduate school for an MBA. Prior to Verizon, she practiced counseling as a licensed therapist with individuals and groups in clinical settings. Raised by entrepreneurial parents, she was exposed early to the realities of small business ownership and the value of resilience and creativity. Since moving to Anchorage from Phoenix in 2014, Kathleen and her husband, and their two dogs, have fallen in love with the vibrant and welcoming environment that Anchorage provides.
(907) 677-7109 | kathleen@anchoragechamber.org
Tosha Swan Pereira
Chief Operations Officer
Tosha Swan joined the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce in June 2016 as the Manager of Programs & Communication, and was later promoted to Vice President of the department in 2021. She served as the Director of the Young Professionals Group from February 2019 to July 2023. And in September of 2023, Tosha held the Interim CEO position before being promoted to Chief Operations Officer.
Tosha graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2007 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Public Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and Advertising. In 2019, she completed a Bachelor of Science Degree Program in Graphic Design from Full Sail University. She has over a decade of experience in journalism and publishing, PR and marketing, graphic design, and event management.
Tosha believes that in life, you should never stop learning. She is the current board president of AIGA Alaska, and a member of the Public Relations Society of America Alaska Chapter, the American Marketing Association Alaska Chapter, and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). In 2020, Tosha was recognized as one of the ACCE's top 40 Under 40 of the chamber industry’s emerging leaders and later honored by the Alaska Journal of Commerce in the 2021 Top Forty Under 40.
She has volunteered on the board of AIGA Alaska, the professional association for design, since 2016. She has been a member of advisory committees at the UAA Department of Journalism and Public Communications, and the Anchorage School District's Career Technical Education program. She currently holds seats on the Anchorage School Business Partnerships board, the Academies of Anchorage Steering Committee as well as the UAA College of Business & Public Policy Advisory Board.
Tosha grew up in Kenai, AK, and is a member of the Kenaitze Indian Tribe. She has lived in Anchorage since 2003 and enjoys traveling, live music, the great outdoors, and adventuring with her daughter, LilyAnn, and husband, Carlos.
(907) 677-7103 | tosha@anchoragechamber.org
Brooklynn Spooner
Events Manager
Brooklynn is a native of Anchorage, Alaska, and has always been enthusiastic about engaging with her community and making new connections. After graduating from Service High School, she attended the University of Oregon where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, in 2018 (Go Ducks!). This academic achievement equipped her with the interpersonal abilities to collaborate with a wide range of individuals, paving the way for experiences in sales, customer service, and community engagement. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her three dogs, creating art, and traveling.