Leadership Team

Anand Vadapalli serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for Alaska Communications, Alaska's premier broadband and IT managed services provider. Mr. Vadapalli joined Alaska Communications in August 2006, and served in several leadership roles including Chief Operating Officer, before taking his current role as CEO in February 2011. He is leading Alaska Communications through a period of intense competitive and regulatory change, all the while strengthening the balance sheet via de-levering and positioning the company for long-term growth by increasing retail broadband revenues.

Mr. Vadapalli is active in the community through participation at United Way and serving on the Board of Trustees at the University of Alaska Foundation. He has previously served on the Board of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Vadapalli currently serves on the Board of Directors of Premera Blue Cross, a leading health insurance provider in the Pacific Northwest, headquartered in Seattle, WA.

Mr. Vadapalli has worked in the telecom sector for over 15 years, including previous technology and business executive positions at Valor Telecom, Network Telephone Corporation and Broadwing/Cincinnati Bell. Prior to his work in the telecom sector in the United States, he worked in India for five years in manufacturing and consulting. Mr. Vadapalli holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India as well as a Post Graduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta, India.

Bill Bishop serves as Senior Vice President, Business Market, providing executive level leadership to IT services, business sales, product and marketing to provide a consistent, quality customer experience. Mr. Bishop joined Alaska Communications in August 2004, and has served in several leadership roles in consumer and business sales and operations before taking his current role in September 2015.

Mr. Bishop brings more than 25 years of telecom and business leadership experience to Alaska Communications, including positions at AT&T, McCaw Communications, and a federal government logistics contracting company. Mr. Bishop serves on the board of directors for the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce and as chairman of the board for Alaska Business Week. Mr. Bishop holds a bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences from University of Alaska Anchorage and is completing his MBA in Strategic Leadership from Alaska Pacific University.

Laurie Butcher serves as Senior Vice President, Finance, leading the company’s revenue, treasury and finance departments. Ms. Butcher joined Alaska Communications in 1997, and has served in several leadership roles, most recently as Vice President, Finance and Controller, before taking her current role in November 2015. Ms. Butcher is responsible for accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and more for Alaska Communications, in addition to leading strategy for Free Cash Flow growth and EBITDA margin expansion.

Ms. Butcher brings more than 25 years of finance expertise to Alaska Communications, including roles in public accounting at Price Waterhouse and Deloitte & Touche and as controller for Teamsters Local 959. Ms. Butcher serves as a management trustee for the Alaska Electrical Trust Fund and the Money Purchase Plan. A lifelong Alaskan, she holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Alaska and is a licensed CPA.

Randy Ritter serves as Senior Vice President, Shared Services for Alaska Communications. Mr. Ritter joined the company in 2013 to lead its growth in IT managed services, and now oversees network strategy & planning, engineering, service activation, network management, IT, project management, and process improvement to provide a great customer service experience to Alaska businesses and consumers.

Mr. Ritter brings more than 20 years of telecommunications experience to the company. He previously served in leadership roles at Sprint, One Communications and MacroSolve, Inc. His expertise and strong track record in building teams and defining, launching and growing telecommunications and IT services brings great value to Alaska Communications’ customers, employees and shareholders. Mr. Ritter holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Alabama. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Leonard Steinberg serves as Senior Vice President, Legal, Regulatory & Government Affairs for Alaska Communications (NASDAQ ALSK). Mr. Steinberg joined Alaska Communications in 2000 and is responsible for the company's legal affairs and risk management functions. Mr. Steinberg's legal responsibilities include compliance with SEC and NASDAQ rules, corporate organization, compliance with all telecommunications laws, corporate transactions, and litigation. Mr. Steinberg's risk management duties include oversight of contract administration, real estate management, insurance coverage, safety programs, OSHA/EPA compliance, and emergency planning.

Before joining Alaska Communications, Mr. Steinberg was of Counsel with Brena, Bell and Clarkson, P.C., in Anchorage, Alaska, where he represented telecommunications and energy clients. Previously, Mr. Steinberg was a partner at Hosie, Wes, Sacks and Brelsford (since acquired by Perkins Coie) where he focused on oil and gas royalty and tax disputes while working out of the firm's offices in Anchorage, Alaska and San Francisco, California.

Mr. Steinberg holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California's Hastings College of Law. He also holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, a Master of Business Administration degree from U.C. Berkley's Haas School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from University of California at Santa Cruz. Mr. Steinberg is an active member of the bar in both Alaska and California.

Diedre Williams serves as Vice President, Human Resources for Alaska Communications. Ms. Williams joined Alaska Communications in 2003. She provides senior level executive management of employee and labor relations, compensation and benefits and employee development programs.

Ms. Williams has more than 10 years of telecommunications leadership experience with a focus on building teams and creating strong, effective relationships with Alaska Communications’ counterparts. Her work helps ensure achievement of strategic initiatives and brings great value to customers, employees and shareholders.

Prior to this role, Ms. Williams held various positions with Alaska Communications in labor relations and risk management, and spent more than three years as director, human resource operations.

Ms. Williams serves on the Boys and Girls Clubs – Alaska board and is a trustee for the Alaska Electrical Health and Welfare Program.