Anchorage assembly names new active mayor

The municipality of Anchorage will have a new acting mayor next week.

Austin Quinn-Davidson has been named acting mayor and will assume her new role after current mayor Ethan Berkowitz leaves his post Friday. Berkowitz resigned Oct.13. The announcement came at Tuesday’s regular assembly meeting. Berkowitz was not present, but a letter was read by the mayor’s chief of staff, Jason Bockenstedt.

“It is with profound sadness and humility that I resign as mayor of the municipality of Anchorage. My resignation results from unacceptable personal conduct that has compromised my ability to perform my duties with the focus and trust that is required. I know my conduct has done great injury to my family, my staff, to municipal employees, and to the people of our community, and for that, I am deeply sorry. To make this transition as smooth as possible, my resignation will be effective Friday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.,” Berkowitz wrote in the statement read by Bockenstedt.

On Oct. 12, Berkowitz submitted a press release apologizing for having an ‘inappropriate messaging relationship’ with local TV news anchor Maria Athens. The assembly followed minutes later with a rebuke of the mayor’s behavior.

Berkowitz was set to term out after the election in April 2021.

Quinn-Davidson has been the Anchorage Assembly Vice Chair, representing District 3. She was originally elected in 2018 and earned her second term in 2020. The Sacramento, California, native earned degrees from the University of California-Santa Barbara and the University of California-Davis Law School.

Before serving on the assembly, Quinn-Davidson was a member of the municipality’s budget advisory and women’s commissions. She is also the founding member of Our Alaska, which she told the Anchorage Press was formed to explore long-term, statewide, nonpartisan fiscal solutions.

The Anchorage Press contributed to this report.