Meet Our Team
Susan Erickson
Swimmer, Skater & Business Owner
Susan is originally from Detroit, Michigan and attended Michigan State University. She began her insurance career working in her father’s insurance agency in Detroit. In 1986 she moved to Petersburg and continued working in insurance. In 1998 she purchased P-W Insurance, Inc.
She is married to Jeff, a commercial fisherman and fished with him for several years. She “put her Xtratufs away” when their two sons, Skipper and Britton arrived. She all things water – any state of water; liquid or frozen and swims, water skiis and ice skates at every opportunity. Community involvement includes work with the Boy Scouts, Chamber of Commerce, Viking Swim Club, Little League, public radio station and is active in her church.
Sharon Wikan
Grandma, Baker & Traveler
Sharon was born & raised in Petersburg. She began her insurance career in 1995 as the bookkeeper and became an insurance agent a couple years later. Sharon has semi-retired and now does the bookkeeping for the business. She has three adult children and 6 granddaughters and 1 grandson. She is involved in various business and nonprofit activities within the community.
Katie Eddy
Baker, Berry Picker & Mom
Katie started working for P-W Insurance in 2007 and began her journey in the insurance world. She graduated with honors from Vanguard University earning a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in English. While in college she focused her studies on the cultures of the Tlingit & Haida and took summer courses to learn about the Haida Language.
As a fourth generation Alaskan, Katie returned to Alaska where she answered an ad to become an insurance agent & hasn’t looked back. During her career, she has earned her CIC and is a past president of the Alaska Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers. Katie and her husband, a commercial fisherman, have two young boys, Hakon & Soren. She enjoys spending her free time playing with her boys and teaching them about wildlife, berries and plants in Southeast Alaska.
Dietra Wegener
Jeweler, Outdoor Enthusiast, Personal Lines AgentDietra has been a lifelong resident of Petersburg and while she could not imagine living anywhere else she enjoys getaways to warm exotic tropical islands. After running her own daycare for 7 yrs, her love of helping others moved into the Insurance world and in 2005 she joined the Petersburg Insurance team as a personal lines agent. Dietra and her husband Jeff both work and enjoy the outdoors as a family with her two grown, wonderfully Alaskan children Cody and Victoria. She enjoys commercial crabbing with her husband in the summer, finding unique hideaway camping spots, kayaking and berry picking as much as she can stuff in her bucket. Winter is time for making silver jewelry, sewing, painting, walking with friends and 2 adorable dogs.
Veronica Maldonado
Mom, Cheer Coach & Agent
Veronica began working at Petersburg-Wrangell Insurance in 2013. She graduated a B.A. in psychology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She became a licensed insurance agent in September of 2014 and works primarily in personal insurance.
Veronica was born and raised in Southeast Alaska. At a young age Veronica knew she wanted to spend her life in Alaska. Her large Tlingit family has deep roots in Southeast Alaska and practice the gathering of traditional foods. She spends her free time coaching the Petersburg High School cheerleading team, harvesting local foods, and trying her hand at traditional Puerto Rican recipes. Veronica has two children, Luci and Mateo, with her husband Alex who was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Her goals for the near future are to become a Certified Insurance Counselor and start a Tlingit dance group with her family. Veronica describes her life as “busy but beautiful”.
Niccole Olsen
Builder, Nature Lover & Mom to Superheros
Niccole was born and raised in Petersburg and after attending college in the Seattle Area she realized that Petersburg was always meant to be home. Niccole knows her way around the miter saw and has built several pieces of furniture. In the warmer months she and her husband, and their sons Declan and Oskar, enjoy spending their free time outdoors fishing, hiking, and camping at their cabin. When the snow falls you can find the family snowshoeing and roasting s’mores to warm up. Niccole takes great pride in being a part of her small Southeast Alaskan town.
Amy Hemenway
Artist, Outdoors Woman & Wine Maker
Amy moved to Petersburg in 2015 with her husband, Matt, and started working at P-W Insurance in March 2017. She became a licensed insurance agent in October of 2017 and works in both personal and commercial insurance. She grew up in Colorado, went to college in Colorado and Montana, and moved to Juneau in 2011 to start a new adventure with Matt, who was born and raised in Alaska.
Amy earned a Master of Science degree in biology from the University of Montana and loves all things nature and outdoors. Her previous employment and adventures include living in remote areas throughout Southeast Alaska while working on salmon research. Amy and Matt spent months at a time living out of a tent or cabin while working coho weirs or drift gill-netting king salmon. Eventually, they decided to try their hand at power trolling commercially and moved to Petersburg. Matt continues to fish commercially while Amy works full time at P-W Insurance. In her free time, Amy likes to hunt, fish, hike, kayak, paint/craft, make wine and spend time at home with her cat.
** My video is a little out of date – but still shares a little about me. We’re working on updating my video & I’ll post it soon.
