Governor Gregoire Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments

For Immediate Release: March 23, 2007

Citizens appointed from East Wenatchee, Olympia, Rochester, Seattle, Spokane, Tenino and Vancouver

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

Douglas County Boundary Review Board
Charles Mosher of East Wenatchee has been appointed to a term effective March 19, 2007, ending January 31, 2011. Mr. Mosher is a consultant with Chuck Mosher L.L.C. He was the mayor of Bellevue in 2001 and served on the Bellevue City Council from 1996 - 2003. He was the president of the Association of Washington Cities from 2002 to 2003. Mr. Mosher is the board chair of the Wenatchee Valley Dispute Resolution Center and the citizen representative for the Douglas County Shoreline Advisory Committee.

The Board has jurisdiction over municipal annexations, incorporations, disincorporations and the creation or annexation of certain special districts. They also have jurisdiction over extensions of sewer and water services outside the city or district.

Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board
Dennis Hession of Spokane has been appointed to a term effective March 13, 2007, ending June 30, 2010. Mayor Hession has served as the Mayor of Spokane since January 2006. He served on the Spokane City Council for four years, including two as council president and is on the board of the Spokane Parks. Mayor Hession is an attorney and worked at Richter-Wimberley, P.S., from 1982 � 2005.

The Board designates strategic freight corridors within the state, reviews and evaluates freight mobility funding applications and makes recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on projects that will enhance freight mobility.

Governor�s Affirmative Action Policy Committee
Dariush Khaleghi of Olympia has been appointed to a term effective March 16, 2007, ending May 31, 2010. Mr. Khaleghi is the information technology, quality, performance and strategic planning manager for the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, and was the interim executive director for the Human Rights Commission from 2003 - 2004. He is a member of the Thurston County Cultural Diversity and Human Rights Commission and is a senior mediator for the Thurston County Dispute Resolution Center.

The Committee reviews the state affirmative action program and reviews and approves state agency affirmative action plans.

Interagency Committee of State Employed Women
Kathleen Bilhimer of Rochester has been appointed to a term effective March 16, 2007, ending June 30, 2008. Ms. Bilhimer is a paralegal with the Labor and Personnel Division of the Office of the Attorney General. She is a member of the Backcountry Horseman of Washington and the secretary of the Mossyrock Horse and Rider Club.

Tammy Risner of Tenino has been appointed to a term effective March 16, 2007, ending June 30, 2009. Ms. Risner is a communications consultant in the State Treasurer�s Office. She is responsible for the publication of the Treasurer�s monthly report, the annual report and the Local Government Investment Pool quarterly newsletter.

The Committee examines and defines issues pertaining to the rights and needs of women employed in state government and makes recommendations to the Governor and state agencies with respect to changes in programs and laws.

State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Tom Koenninger of Vancouver has been reappointed to a term effective April 4, 2007, ending April 3, 2010. Mr. Koenninger is Editor Emeritus of The Columbian, serves on The Columbian editorial board and writes a weekly column. He is the chair of the Fourth of July Advisory Committee and the Vancouver School District Management Advisory Task Force. Mr. Koenninger is a member of the Conservation Land Trust Advisory Board, the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, the Clark College Alumni Association board of directors and the steering committee for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration.

Elizabeth Willis of Lakewood has been reappointed to a term effective April 4, 2007, ending April 3, 2010. Ms. Willis is the Director of Corporate Relations for the World Trade Center Tacoma. She was a Pierce College trustee and was chair of the trustee board from 2001 to 2002. She is on the board of the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, the Governing Board for Higher Education Funding, the Seattle-Taejon (Korea) Sister City Association, the Washington Council on International Trade and is the president of the Pierce County Arts Commission,

The Board is the governing board for the state's community and technical college system and prepares and submits to the Governor the budget for the community and technical colleges system, disburses funds to the 30 colleges and establishes standards for staffing, financial procedures, curriculum, degree and admission policies.

Work Force Training and Education Coordinating Board
Troy Hutson of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective March 14, 2007, ending June 30, 2010. Mr. Hutson is the executive director of the Health Work Force Institute of the Washington State Hospital Association and previously was the Association�s director of legal and clinical policy. He was an Army medic at Fort Lewis and was assigned to an Army Reserve Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. He is a member of the University of Washington School of Law Alumni Ambassador program, which recruits and mentors minority law students.

Beth Thew of Spokane has been reappointed to a term effective March 14, 2007, ending June 30, 2010. Ms. Thew is the secretary-treasurer of the Spokane Regional Labor Council. She is on the board of Washington Learns, the Higher Education Task Force, the Spokane Area Workforce Development Council and is the vice president and chair of the Economic Development and Job Retention Committee of the Washington State Labor Council.

The Board provides planning, coordination, evaluation, monitoring and policy analysis for the state training system and advises the Governor and Legislature concerning the state training system.

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