Next Spark AI Event: Spark Alaska AI Launch, Social Event — June 30th  |  Register Free →
Alaska's AI Community for Business

Helping Alaska
Small Businesses
Save Time and
Scale with AI.

Alaska's only dedicated AI education and implementation community. Built for tourism operators, trades, nonprofits, healthcare, and service businesses who are ready to work smarter — without the tech overwhelm.

Join Free — Instant AccessExplore Spark AI Labs

Free membership. No credit card. Cancel anytime.

Why Alaska-Specific Matters.

Most AI training is built for markets that don't look like ours. Spark Alaska AI is built by Alaskans, advised by Alaskans, and taught through the lens of Alaska industries — where the cost of getting it wrong is higher, and the value of getting it right is greater.

Spark Alaska AI at a Glance
5 Local ExpertsAlaska advisors across marketing, law, tech, health and business — not out-of-state consultants
12 Live Trainings/YearOne focused hour per month. No homework. No overwhelm.
4 In-Person SocialsReal connections with Alaska business owners facing the same challenges you are.
100% Alaska-FocusedEvery resource, tool, and recommendation is filtered through an Alaska lens.

Our founding member cohort opens June 30th at the Spark Alaska AI Launch Event. Founding members get free access to our first 3 months of Spark AI Labs trainings. Spots are limited — join the community now to secure your place.

Claim Your Founding Member Spot
Spark AI Labs

Spark AI Labs — Where
the Learning Happens.

Practical AI classes built for Alaska business owners. No tech background required.

01

Monthly Live Trainings

Real AI tools and workflows, taught live every month.

02

Recorded Replays

Miss a session? Revisit any class anytime, on your schedule.

03

Prompt Libraries & Templates

Ready-to-use prompts and templates you can deploy immediately.

04

Built for Alaska Industries

Classes designed for tourism, trades, nonprofits & more.

How It Works

Everything you need to
lead with AI in Alaska.

AI is moving fast, but Alaska businesses don't need hype. They need practical guidance, trusted local experts, and simple systems that save time.

01

Join Spark Alaska AI

Free membership in the community. Immediate access to resources and the advisor network.

02

Attend Spark AI Labs

Practical, focused AI training every month. Real tools, real workflows — no fluff. Free to start.

03

Read Northern Intelligence

Our bi-weekly publication — the Alaska lens on AI. Curated insights and advisor perspectives.

04

Connect at Quarterly Socials

Four times a year, Alaska business owners gather to connect, share wins, and build relationships.

Industries

Built for the Businesses
That Build Alaska.

Tourism & Hospitality

Automate guest communications, reviews, and seasonal marketing so you can focus on the experience.

Trades & Construction

Generate estimates, follow-up sequences, and job postings in minutes — not hours.

Nonprofits & Ministries

Stretch limited resources further with AI-assisted grant writing, donor outreach, and event promotion.

Healthcare & Wellness

Streamline patient communication, scheduling reminders, and compliant content creation.

Professional Services

Automate proposals, client onboarding, and content so you can serve more clients without adding staff.

Our Founders

Built by Alaskans.
For Alaska Business.

Spark Alaska AI was founded by two women who spend every day helping Alaska small businesses grow. This community is an extension of that mission — practical, accessible, and built for the realities of running a business in this state.

Jennifer Christensen

CEO & Co-Founder, Spark Alaska AI

Jennifer brings 13+ years of experience as a CMO and marketing strategist, including scaling companies 10x and guiding teams to INC 5000 recognition. For the past five years she has been one of Alaska's leading voices on AI strategy and implementation — speaking at the Alaska Leadership Symposium, SBA Conference, Mental Health Marketing Conference, and Valdez Business Conference. She founded Spark Alaska AI because she believes Main Street Alaska deserves the same tools, strategies, and confidence as any major market. Equipping local businesses with AI isn't just good strategy — it strengthens Alaska's economy and the communities we all call home.

  • 13+ Years Marketing Strategy
  • AI Speaker & Educator
  • INC 5000 Experience
  • Alaska-Based

Sara Jokela

COO & Co-Founder, Spark Alaska AI

Sara brings a rare combination of visionary thinking and operational precision to everything Spark Alaska AI does. With a professional background in marketing and project management alongside Jennifer at SparkStory Marketing, she has spent years using AI daily to help clients grow — and has seen firsthand what becomes possible when business owners stop fearing the technology and start using it. Her mission inside Spark Alaska AI is simple: remove the barriers of the unknown. If you've ever thought AI isn't for someone like me, Sara's goal is to prove you wrong — practically, patiently, and in the context of your actual Alaska business.

  • AI Implementation
  • Operations & Project Management
  • Small Business Growth
  • Alaska-Based

Together, Jennifer and Sara operate SparkStory Marketing and founded Spark Alaska AI to bring the same expertise they deliver to clients directly to the broader Alaska business community.

Learn More About SparkStory Marketing →
Advisory Council

Our Advisory Council.

Spark Alaska AI is strengthened by a council of trusted Alaska professionals who contribute their industry expertise, speak at trainings, and help ensure every resource we produce is grounded in real-world Alaska business experience. These are people we trust — and people your peers trust.

Jake Chambers
CEO, Denali Tek
Technology & IT

Alaska's trusted voice on business technology, cybersecurity, and practical IT implementation for small and mid-sized organizations.

Carrie Sheppard
Executive Director, Alaska Women's Business Center
Business & Entrepreneurship

Connecting Alaska entrepreneurs to resources, strategy, and community across the full spectrum of small business growth.

Jim Bates
CEO & Founder, Business Improvement Group
Leadership & Training

Certified Leadership Coach and PMI training expert helping Alaska organizations build stronger leaders and more effective teams.

Coming Soon
Legal Advisor
Legal

Joining the council soon.

Joining Soon
Coming Soon
Healthcare Advisor
Healthcare

Joining the council soon.

Joining Soon

Advisory Council members contribute as speakers, subject matter experts, and community connectors. Spark Alaska AI is founded and operated by Jennifer Christensen and Sara Jokela.

Events

Monthly trainings.
Quarterly socials.

Education builds confidence. Relationships build business. Both happen here.

Free members get access to intro trainings and all quarterly social events. Upgrade anytime for full Spark AI Labs access.

Jun30

Spark Alaska AI Launch — Social Event

Quarterly Social · Anchorage, AK · In-Person

FreeRegister Free →
Jul09

AI for Marketing: Content, Email, Social & Ads

Spark AI Labs · Online · 60 min

MembersJoin Free to Access →
Jul23

Northern Intelligence Social Hour — Q3

Quarterly Social · Anchorage, AK · In-Person

Alaska OnlyI'm In Alaska — Register →
Aug06

AI Safety: Legal, Privacy & Cybersecurity

Spark AI Labs · Online · Advisor Panel

MembersJoin Free to Access →
Aug20

AI for Tourism, Trades, Nonprofits & Clinics

Spark AI Labs · Online · Alaska Use Cases

MembersJoin Free to Access →
Northern Intelligence

Northern Intelligence — The Alaska AI Brief.

Join our founding subscriber list for the Northern Intelligence newsletter.

No spam. No hype. Unsubscribe anytime.

Testimonials

What Alaska Professionals
Say About Spark Alaska AI.

"

Jennifer is an authentic, knowledgeable, and engaging entrepreneur and a leader worth following. She conducted a very popular and successful breakout session on Leadership and AI at the Alaska Leadership Symposium — connecting with her audience in a way that leaves them enlightened and wanting more.

JB
James Bates, PMP, PMI-SCP
Certified Leadership Coach, Business Improvement Group
Alaska Leadership Symposium
"

Jennifer possesses a rare blend of deep expertise in AI technologies and a genuine passion for empowering business owners. She has an uncanny ability to demystify complex concepts, making them accessible and actionable for professionals at all levels. She is not just an expert — she is a guiding light in the Marketing AI space.

CS
Carrie Jean Sheppard
Director, Alaska Women's Business Center
Alaska Startup Week
"

Jennifer has consistently demonstrated a profound understanding of the rapidly evolving AI landscape. She has diligently enlightened us on the ethical considerations and risks inherent in deploying AI — and shown us how to leverage it as a tool to deliver on our most critical campaigns.

AE
Adaweze Ejike-Maduakor, BEng, MSPM PMP
Senior Program Manager, Quintillion Subsea
3-year working relationship
"

I am thankful for Jennifer and Sara. I had found myself in a domain/hosting "contest" with my website and marketing person — refusing to give me critical business credentials to run my website. These intelligent women are currently working on course correction, understanding the key features I have been asking the other provider for and being refused, and rebuilding a beautiful new version for me. Thank you ladies! I am looking forward to a wonderful working relationship. Such a breath of fresh air!

CA
Christine Alexakis
Owner, Solstice Artworks
Google Review
"

Sara and Jennifer ARE INCREDIBLE to work with! Their professionalism and experience really stood out to me, and totally translated into the work that they do. They really listen and invest themselves into your business to understand your brand, and have made my work come to life by connecting it to others in search of the help that I offer! I'm very happy with my website, and would highly recommend them to anyone on the fence. You'll be lucky if you're even able to book with these ladies!

NL
Noelle Locke
Coach & Entrepreneur
Google Review

Community member testimonials coming at launch — June 30th, 2025.

FAQ

Common Questions.

Ready to Lead with AI?

Your next step is free.

Join the community, attend your first Spark AI Labs training, and see what's possible when AI stops feeling overwhelming and starts feeling useful. No tech background required.

Join the Community — FreeBook an Intro Call →