Powered by Purpose
Demography — the study of populations and how they change over time — is more than just numbers on a spreadsheet. For Terri Coker, B.A. ’13, G.Cert. ’25, it represents a way to make the world better through understanding. Coker has long been fascinated by how data can guide the decisions that shape communities. Whether she’s managing a coffee shop, operating a nonprofit or co-founding a tech startup, the question of how information can drive change continues to guide her work.
A lifelong Alaskan, Coker enrolled at UAA due to being “very invested in Alaska and the future of the state.” She double majored in dual languages and international studies, combining Japanese and Spanish while adding a minor in sociology. What began as a curiosity about language became a deeper inquiry into culture. Her sociology courses, especially in demography, gave that interest a new dimension: the ability to turn individual stories into measurable data. For the first time, Coker saw how the blend of lived experiences with macro-level population data can inform social change.
“I love systems,” said Coker. “I love to see how things work. I love to take data as a puzzle and see how we can do something constructive with it. Like with demography, how do you take things like census data, look at it from a macro level, and then use that to influence social change?”
Graduation, however, didn’t go according to plan. Coker had intended to take a position in Japan, but instead stayed in Alaska to care for her grandmother following the death of her grandfather. That decision redirected her career path entirely. What began as a temporary barista job became a seven-year journey through Anchorage’s coffee industry, managing two Kaladi Brothers Coffee locations and helping transition one business, Café del Mundo, into the now-beloved Black Cup. The experience sharpened her operational instincts and taught her what makes organizations tick — not just their products, but their people and purpose.
That foundation proved vital when she pivoted to the nonprofit sector. Joining the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association (Four A’s), Coker rose from finance and records coordinator to director of operations and development. In this position, she became especially aware of the burnout caused by the sheer administrative load on employees navigating grant reporting, compliance standards and casework documentation. For someone already passionate about systems and social impact, the challenge was clear: there had to be a better way.
Then came a moment that changed everything — the release of ChatGPT 3.5. Coker stumbled across the new tool the night it was publicly released and stayed up all night testing it out. By morning, she realized she was witnessing the start of something transformative, recognizing that artificial intelligence (AI) could help nonprofits overcome obstacles and automate tedium so humans could focus on the work that matters most.
“Staff at nonprofits get very burned out because of all the administrative requirements in addition to providing very direct support,” said Coker. “On top of all the other barriers, I saw all the ways we could use this technology to streamline things and really transform many of the biggest challenges within really resource-constrained organizations.”
That insight led Coker back to UAA for her Master of Business Administration, earning a graduate certificate in business analytics and AI along the way. During this time, she met others who shared her vision for accessible, ethical AI. Among them were alumni Kyle Easterly, B.B.A. ’12, B.B.A. ’12, with whom she co-founded PromptLab, a startup that tailors AI solutions for small and medium-sized nonprofits, helping them overcome barriers of cost, data sensitivity and technical literacy that often keep such groups from adopting new tools.
Eventually, Coker sought a more direct way to advance technical literacy in her community, leading her to become president of UAA’s AI Club and participate in a mentorship with Carlos Machuca, B.B.A. ’98, M.B.A. ’18, director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center’s AI Resource Program.
Perhaps most prominently, Coker works as a graduate student assistant at UAA’s Alaska Data Science and AI Lab (ADSAIL), which was co-founded by College of Business and Public Policy Professor Helena Wisniewski, Ph.D., and College of Engineering Dean Kenrick Mock, Ph.D., through an initial gift made by founding donors Rob and Stacia Gillam from McKinley Management.
In her role coordinating the lab, Coker connects with students, faculty and community partners to explore the areas where AI can make enhancements. That support is backed by ADSAIL’s wide range of resources. Among its most popular features is the telepresence robot, which lets remote students attend class as if they were physically present — a nod to Alaska’s geography and UAA’s commitment to access. Another standout, VirtualSpeech, incorporates virtual reality to help users practice public speaking, interviews and conflict resolution in immersive, low-stakes environments.
Working in ADSAIL has also reminded Coker of what originally drew her to UAA: the people. The university’s scale fosters connection across disciplines, creating lessons and experiences that remain with her to this day. She remembers taking a class taught by a Buddhist monk, who deepened her understanding of mindfulness, as well as being mentored by then-Vice Chancellor Bruce Schultz, who introduced her to the principles of servant leadership — the idea that real change starts with empathy and service.
“My time at UAA made me believe that change is possible,” said Coker. “Some systems are big and complex, and they are self-reinforcing and difficult to change, but they are also made up of people. So it is harder than you would think, but also more possible than you would think. I’ve seen it over and over, the things that people thought wouldn’t be able to change, I have seen them change.”