Governor Gregoire Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments

For Immediate Release: December 29, 2006

Citizens appointed from Bainbridge Island, Cheney, Kenmore, Longview, Monroe, Mount Vernon, Olympia, Port Angeles, Seattle, Shoreline, Spokane, Vancouver and Veradale

OLYMPIA - Governor Chris Gregoire today announced appointments to the following boards and commissions:

Affordable Housing Advisory Board
Edward Palmer of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective December 7, 2006, ending January 26, 2009. Mr. Palmer is Senior Vice President at the Bank of America. He is a member of the board of Housing Resources board and Helpline House.

The board serves as principal advisory body to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development on housing and housing-related issues.

Commission on African American Affairs
Deena Pierott of Vancouver has been appointed to a term effective December 10, 2006, ending November 20, 2009. Ms. Pierott is employed with the Bureau of Housing and Community development with the City of Portland as a human resources liaison. She also serves as the Bureau�s Equal Opportunity representative. Ms. Pierott is on the board of the Northwest Equal Employment Opportunity Association and the African American Health Coalition Consortium.

The commission examines and defines issues pertaining to the rights and needs of African-Americans and makes recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature and state agencies for changes in programs and laws.

State School for the Blind Board of Trustees
John Driscoll of Spokane has been appointed to a term effective December 7, 2006, ending July 1, 2011. Mr. Driscoll is the Executive Director of Project Access, a program that provides donated medical care to low-income uninsured people. He serves on the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce and volunteers with the Ronald McDonald House of Charities in Spokane.

The board serves educational needs of visually impaired and blind students by developing a comprehensive curriculum to maximize and develop skills to live, work and be independent citizens.

Forest Practices Board
Norm Schaaf of Port Angeles has been appointed to a term effective December 18, 2006, ending December 31, 2009. Mr. Schaaf manages all of Merrill & Ring, Inc timberlands in the United States, Canada and New Zealand. He supervises all harvesting, silviculture, road maintenance and construction, inventory and land acquisition and sales.

Dave Somers of Monroe has been reappointed to a term effective January 1, 2007, ending December 31, 2010. Mr. Somers is a graduate of the University of Washington with a BS in Fisheries Science and an MS in Forest Ecology. He was the protected species policy analyst for the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, helping to develop the Shared Strategy for Puget Sound � a recovery plan for Chinook salmon.

The board establishes minimum standards for forest practices and provides procedures for the voluntary development of resource management plans.

Juvenile Justice Advisory Board
George Yeannakis of Seattle has been appointed to a board effective December 7, 2006, ending December 30, 2009. Mr. Yeannakis is an attorney and currently lectures at the University Of Washington School of Law. He is a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Attorney and the Washington Defender Association.

The board advises the Governor on priorities for granting federal juvenile delinquency funds and improving the juvenile system and implements the federal juvenile justice and delinquency prevention act that provides funds to states to improve the juvenile justice system.

Board of Pilotage Commissioners
William Snyder of Bainbridge Island has been appointed to a term effective December 14, 2006, ending December 31, 2007. Mr. Snyder is a self-employed Puget Sound pilot and is a U.S. Coast Guard licensee as a master of vessels. He is a member of the Council of American Master Mariners.

The board examines and licenses pilots for vessels operating on the inland waterways of the state, fixes pilotage rates and adopts and publishes rules and regulations. The board may also take disciplinary action against any vessel owner or master refusing to comply with its rules.

Public Hospital District Project Review Board
Julie Blazek of Mt. Vernon has been reappointed to a term effective December 6, 2006, ending July 27, 2009. Ms. Blazek is a partner with HKP Architects. She is a member of Sustainability Connection and the Northwest Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Daniel Chandler of Kenmore has been reappointed to a term effective December 6, 2006, ending July 27, 2009. Mr. Chandler is the Managing Principal with Olympic Associates Company and a soccer coach with the Northshore Youth Soccer Association.

Wendy Keller of Shoreline has been reappointed to a term effective December 6, 2006, ending July 27, 2009. Ms. Keller is the Project Control Officer for the King County Finance Division and has over 23 years experience as a project director and manager of facility planning, design, construction and site selection for major capital facility projects.

Jennie Kordenat of Longview has been reappointed to a term effective December 6, 2006, ending July 27, 2009. Ms. Kordent is a journeyman electrician with IBEW Local 970, specializing in industrial construction.

Jim Paapke of Port Angeles has been reappointed to a term effective December 6, 2006, ending July 27, 2009. Mr. Paapke is the Administrative Director for Facilities Management at Olympic Medical Center.

The board reviews public hospital district proposals submitted by public hospital districts to use alternative public works contracting procedures

Washington Technology Center Board of Directors
Katherine James Schuitemaker of Seattle has been reappointed to a term effective December10, 2006, ending June 11, 2009. Ms. Schuitemaker is founder and CEO of The Resonance Group, a business and marketing strategy consultancy. She has 20 years of experience working within and consulting with technology companies, including Aldus, Adobe Systems, PhotoDisc/Getty Images, GreaterGood.com, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Tektronix.

Alex K-Y Jen of Kenmore has been appointed to a term effective December 10, 2006, ending June 11, 2009. Mr. K-Y Jen is the Boeing-Johnson Chair Professor of the Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Washington.

Kim Pearman-Gillman of Veradale has been reappointed to a term effective December10, 2006, ending June 11, 2009. Ms. Gillman is the Vice-President of Marketing for Itron, where she has responsibility for all strategic marketing, marketing communications, regulatory support, customer relationship management and employee communications.

The board provides a collaborative effort between Washington universities, private industry and government in performing and commercializing research to benefit the economic vitality of the state.

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Patrick Oshie of Olympia has been reappointed to a term effective January 1, 2007, ending December 31, 2012. Mr. Oshie is the Vice-Chair of the Energy Resources and Environment Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. He is a member of the National Council on Electricity Policy, the Electric Power Research Institute�s Advisory Council, the National Wind Coordinating Committee and the Gas Technology Institute�s Public Interest Advisory Committee. Prior to his commission appointment, Oshie was a partner in his Yakima law firm, specializing in federal Indian and environmental law.

The commission regulates rates, services, facilities and practices of the state's investor-owned utility and transportation companies.

Northwest Power and Conservation Council
Tom Karier of Spokane has been reappointed to a term effective January 16, 2007, ending January 15, 2010. Mr. Karier was an associate dean at Eastern Washington University and a professor of economics at the university.

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council was created by Congress to give the citizens of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington a stronger voice in determining the future of the electricity generated at and fish and wildlife affected by the Columbia River Basin hydropower dams.

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