Finding Community at AHFC

Kang Her joined Alaska Housing Finance Corporation three years ago as a recent college graduate, ready to get started in a new career. 

In her role as an analyst for the budget department, Kang quickly began to appreciate having the opportunity to contribute to meaningful work while enjoying the camaraderie of her team. What began as a job had turned into something more.

"I didn't know I would fall in love with AHFC," she said.

Talking to Numbers

A self-described introvert, Kang prefers to work behind the scenes and quickly discovered that the budget department was the right fit for her personality. 

“Talking to numbers is kind of my thing,” she said. “In Budget, we are in the background and people might not know about us, but we are involved with every department and support them to get their work done. I enjoy getting to see what everyone does across the corporation.”

While Kang and her colleagues in the budget department aren’t usually in the spotlight, she said she can clearly see how her work contributes to making a difference across the state. 

“When a department like Planning or Public Housing has a new program, they send us the budget and we help set it up for them. I might hear about the program on the news and think, ‘Oh, I worked on that!’  It’s so nice to see the programs blossom and come to life. These forward-facing departments are making an impact and we support them.”

An Environment of Teamwork

Kang said it feels rewarding to see the range of programs that her work behind the scenes contributes to, from providing housing for Alaskans experiencing homelessness, to administering vouchers for youth aging out of foster care. But the kindness and support of her colleagues is the primary reason she says she enjoys her daily work.

"I love my team," Kang said. "Everyone’s just so kind and supportive of each other. Whenever there’s a problem, we can easily pick at each other’s brain to come up with the best solution together.

“There are probably people who go their whole career without experiencing such a safe and positive work environment. I feel really lucky to have landed a job with the best coworkers in my first professional role out of college.”

Working Together to Make an Impact

As part of a team that she describes as a “customer service department,” Kang offers her expertise and assistance to colleagues across the corporation. Employees in other departments sometimes turn to Kang for tips if they have questions about Excel or a budget tool.

“I guess I learn stuff quickly,” she said. “If I know a trick, I’m always happy to make suggestions to help my coworkers.”

Collectively, these interactions between employees and departments add up to housing opportunities across the state. 

“After working here a bit, I see what a big impact we actually make for Alaskans.”

---

Looking for a career that makes an impact? View open job positions at ahfc.us.