Tanya Pont is the UAA executive director for University Advancement, having served in this role since April 2023. In this role, Pont provides strategic, operational and administrative leadership to advance the university’s mission through fundraising, alumni engagement, marketing and communications. Pont is responsible for developing and executing fully integrated, data-driven strategies that elevate UAA’s visibility, reputation and engagement with key stakeholders. She collaborates closely with the vice chancellors in support of the university’s academic mission and students.

Pont brings a wealth of experience to her current role, having served as UAA’s interim executive director for Advancement since October 2022 and director of Alumni Engagement from 2018 to 2022. Her leadership in these roles strengthened alumni relations, expanded donor engagement and elevated the university’s public profile. Earlier, as associate athletic director of development, she led marketing and outreach initiatives for UAA Athletics. Pont also spent nearly two decades as regional director of marketing for SMG of Alaska, where she managed marketing and communications, advertising, media relations and stakeholder engagement for multiple Alaska venues. She is deeply committed to connecting communities and serves on several local boards, including the Benton Bay Lions Club, ASC Pop Warner East Anchorage Eagles, and the Service Gridiron Booster Club. As a member of the Joint Elmendorf and Fort Richardson Civic Leader Program, she helps bridge military and civilian communities through advocacy and public engagement.

Pont holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Her accomplishments in her current and previous roles have earned her several honors, including the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Community Engagement (2024), Alaska Armed Services Civic Leader of the Year (2023), and the Achievement in Business Leadership Award (2021).