Alaska’s Annie Grenier Honored as NASBLA Western Region Educator of the Year
Grenier, who joined the Alaska Office of Boating Safety in 2016, has significantly expanded the state’s boating safety outreach. She expanded the Kids Don’t Float program to reach more than 100,000 children, including 12,654 students in 2024 alone. Nearly 100 teens have graduated as youth instructors through the program’s ambassador initiative, empowering them to teach others.
She also co-launched the Save It for the Shore campaign, which urges boaters to wait until they’re on land to consume alcohol. Backed by more than 40 Alaska breweries and distributors, the campaign’s non-confrontational tone is embraced by boaters and law enforcement alike, reducing alcohol-related incidents on the water.
Grenier developed in-water training sessions focused on life jacket fitting, rescue techniques, boat stability, and cold water paddling. Despite staffing and facility challenges, she led 69 sessions for 1,391 students in 2024, including seven sessions of the new cold water paddling component.
In a state where boating education is not mandatory, Grenier nearly tripled participation in Alaska’s NASBLA-approved boating course. A virtual option, launched during the pandemic, enables students from remote communities like Sitka and Anaktuvuk Pass to participate and share experiences.
Nationally, Grenier has served as vice chair of NASBLA’s Paddlesports Committee and is a founding state member of the Paddlesports Trade Coalition. Her leadership shone at the 2025 Boating Educators’ Symposium, hosted by her office, where representatives from Alaska State Troopers, hospitals, and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary collaborated to enhance safety programs.
NASBLA congratulates Grenier on receiving this honor. Her passion, partnerships, and commitment to boating safety continue to save lives in Alaska and influence education efforts nationwide.
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The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) is a national nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. We offer a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, we affect the lives of nearly 85 million American boaters.