Our Team
Chief of Staff
James “Bud” Sexton
Bud Sexton was born in California, and raised in the agriculture-based Central Valley in Northern California in a small farming community. Bud married his wife Kathy in 1991 with three daughters born several years later. Bud’s experience included working for the California State Assembly, and Government Relations for a large healthcare company.
Bud and his family moved to Alaska in 2009 and quickly became involved in the Nikiski community. They were active in their church and Bud volunteered with the Nikiski Fire Department. Recognizing a passion for working in emergency situations, Bud became a full-time Firefighter/ paramedic with Nikiski Fire Department before transitioning to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management as the Operations Manager.
Mr. Sexton’s work on the Borough’s Incident Management Team included managing and coordinating responses to emergencies and disasters. Bud maintains qualifications as a Public Information Officer with the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection including deployments on wildland fires in Alaska and the Lower 48.
Bud is looking forward to serving the residents of Kenai and Soldotna as the Chief of Staff for Alaska House District 7 Representative Justin Ruffridge.
Staff
Braeden Garrett
Braeden Garrett was born in Hawaii, while his father was stationed there in the army. After his father was relocated to Fort Lewis, Washington, Braeden resided there for his early life until his father retired from the Army to become a middle school teacher in Nevada. Braeden left Nevada to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of South Dakota, which he completed in 2017.
Braeden met his wife in 2015 in South Dakota, and learned she was from Alaska. He quickly learned the love she had for her home state and decided to visit in the summer of 2017. After a kayak trip to Cain’s Head, he discovered the vast possibilities of outdoor activities that Alaska has to offer. Between hunting, fishing and hiking, Braeden knew he would be able to call this place home. He began working in the restaurant industry in Soldotna at Whistle Hill in several different positions. He worked extensively in guest experience, customer relations, and garnered quite a fondness and proficiency for wine and coffee education and procurement.
Braeden eventually worked up the courage to ask his wife to marry him and they were wed in September of 2022. Braeden is incredibly grateful to have the support of his wife to be able to come down to Juneau and serve during session while she stays behind to manage a restaurant and take care of their two cats and home.
