A Pathway to Adventure
Nurse anesthesia alumni pursue exciting careers in a remote place
By Audrey Maynard (’03)
Tucked between the majestic Chugach Mountains and the shoreline of Cook Inlet lies the remote, yet bustling, city of Anchorage, Alaska. Situated at the 61st parallel north, Anchorage is a place of extremes: summer ushers in more than 19 hours of daylight, while winter shrinks to less than six. Those who are drawn to this rare and rugged place are themselves a unique breed—possessing an independent spirit, a strong sense of self-reliance, and an unquenchable thirst for adventure.
“In Alaska, everything is enhanced,” says Tara McCutcheon, a graduate of Westminster’s Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia (MSNA) program (now the Doctor of Nursing Practice—Nurse Anesthesia). “In summer, it’s light all the time, and when the sun comes out, everything is emerald green. There’s nowhere else quite like it.”
Upon graduating from Westminster in 2023, Tara felt ready for “something totally different.” She loved her experience at Westminster and credits the MSNA program’s supportive and collaborative environment for giving her the confidence to pursue the next step in her career. After spending nearly 20 cumulative years of her life in Salt Lake City—as a college student, a ski patroller, and an ICU nurse—Tara knew it was time to make the leap.
“I had Alaska in the back of my head for most of the program,” she says. “But when I heard that Adam Figuracion, who was a year ahead of me at Westminster, got a job up there, I texted him just to keep in touch and see how things were going.”
For Adam, a graduate of the 2022 MSNA cohort, a future in health care seemed like destiny, yet he also dreamed of a life filled with outdoor adventures. So he decided to move west from Michigan to pursue both.
“My grandpa was an anesthesiologist, my grandma was a nurse, my mom’s a pharmacist, and I have one sister who’s a nurse and another who’s a PT,” he laughs. “So I always knew I’d pursue a career in health care, but I also knew I wanted to head out west to learn to ski and climb mountains.”
Adam went on to ski more than 50 days his first winter in Utah, using the commute to and from the resorts to study on the bus. The flexibility of the MSNA program gave Adam the opportunity to pursue his passion for the outdoors—a vital boost to his mental health during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. After graduation, Adam accepted a position at Alaska Regional Hospital as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). In his free time, he volunteers for Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol and is working toward his goal of becoming a trained mountain guide.
“I think getting paid to ski out of helicopters sounds like a lot of fun,” he quips.
Tara and Adam’s colleague, Laura Hales (’20), completes Westminster’s trio of MSNA alumni working at Alaska Regional. Born and raised near Anchorage, Laura earned an undergraduate degree in nursing and worked for several years as an ICU nurse before enrolling in Westminster’s MSNA program, sight unseen.
“My husband and I definitely jumped off the deep end together when we made that move, but I’m so glad we did,” she says. “From day one in the program, I felt like everyone in my cohort looked out for one another. This supportive culture is what really stood out to me at Westminster.”
Although their paths did not intersect while at Westminster, Tara, Adam, and Laura are grateful for the connection they share in Anchorage today; and they’re working together to expand their network for others. In fact, starting in May 2025, Alaska Regional Hospital will become an official site for Westminster’s Doctor of Nursing Practice—Nurse Anesthesia clinical rotations.
“I feel very invested in Westminster,” Laura says. “I had a great experience there, so if I can help other students learn and grow and thrive in Alaska as well, then I’m more than happy to give back.”
About the Westminster Review
The Westminster Review is Westminster University’s bi-annual alumni magazine that is distributed to alumni and community members. Each issue aims to keep alumni updated on campus current events and highlights the accomplishments of current students, professors, and Westminster alum.
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