Gov. Gregoire announces boards and commissions appointments

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced appointments to the following boards and commissions:

Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors:

Lisa Brown of Spokane has been reappointed to a term effective July 10, 2008, ending July 9, 2013. Brown is section manager in the Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program Eastern Regional Office of the Department of Ecology. She has previously represented the Department of Health on the On-Site Designer Licensing/Inspector Certification Advisory Committee.

The board examines candidates for license or registration, investigates and holds hearings on violations of the regulatory law, and recommends and adopts rules and regulations for administering the law.

Child Support Schedule Workgroup:

Kristofer Amblad of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective June 25, 2008, ending June 30, 2009. Amblad is a staff attorney for the Northwest Justice Project.

The workgroup examines laws, administrative rules and practices on child support, and produces findings and recommendations to the Legislature.

Centralia Community College Board of Trustees:

Joanne Schwartz of Chehalis has been appointed to a term effective Oct. 1, 2008, ending Sept. 30, 2013. Schwartz is the economic development administrator for the city of Chehalis. She served as a Lewis County commissioner from 1985 to 1992. In addition, she is a member of several community organizations, including the Washington State Economic Development Association, Providence Centralia Hospital Community Board and the Centralia College Capital Campaign steering committee.

The board is the governing body for the college.

Forensic Investigations Council:

Brad Thompson of Sammamish has been appointed to a term effective June 30, 2008, ending August 10, 2010. Thompson is chief of police for the city of Sammamish. He is a 29-year veteran of the Sheriff�s Office and has served as a captain for the past eight years. His prior captain-level assignments with the Sheriff�s Office have been with the Kenmore and Burien precincts and as the commander of the Sheriff�s Office Emergency 911 Dispatch Center. Thompson is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Northwest Law Enforcement Command College. He retired from the Army Reserves as a chief warrant officer assigned to the U.S. Army�s Criminal Investigation Command, with service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The council oversees the state toxicology laboratory at the University of Washington, studies and recommends improvements in the death investigation system, and reports the findings to the Legislature.

Interagency Committee of State Employed Women:

Altavia Jones of Lacey has been appointed to a term effective June 27, 2008, ending June 30, 2009. Jones is a workplace diversity consultant at the Department of Corrections. She is currently a member of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice.

Annie Williams of Seattle has been reappointed to a term effective July 1, 2008, ending June 30, 2010. Williams is a correctional program manager at the Department of Corrections.

The committee examines and defines issues related to the rights and needs of women employed in state government. It also makes recommendations to the governor and state agencies with respect to desirable changes in the areas of education, training, career development, and other conditions of employment.

Washington Biodiversity Council:

Jamie Tolfree of Stevenson has been appointed to a term effective June 25, 2008, ending June 30, 2010. Tolfree is a Skamania County commissioner.

The council has diverse representatives from the private and public sector and tribal governments to recommend ways to manage and protect our state�s biodiversity.

Washington Council on Adult Education:

James (Jaime) Garcia of Auburn has been appointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2010. Garcia is executive director of the Health Work Force Institute. He is currently a member of the Customer Advisory Committee of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Jill Severn of Olympia has been appointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2010. Severn, a freelance writer, was the assistant superintendent for communications and community outreach with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. She is currently working with South Puget Sound Community College to create an adult education advisory board. She also worked with the Higher Education Coordinating Board to write its master plan.

Karen Shaw of Mukilteo has been reappointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2009. Shaw is director of economic development and human needs for the city of Everett. She is currently secretary and a board member of the Downtown Everett Association and a member of the Everett Public Facilities District Board.

Mary Jane Vinella of Kirkland has been appointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2009. Vinella is a literacy coordinator for the King County Library System. She is a member of the Kirkland Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and the Kirkland Cultural Council.

Ronald LaFayette of Seattle has been reappointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2009. LaFayette is president of North Seattle Community College. He previously served as the interim director of Workforce Education for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. He has also served as interim director of Spokane Community College. He is active with United Way of King County.

Ross Wiggins of Olympia has been appointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2008. Wiggins is retired, having worked for more than 20 years as a program manager and policy analyst for the Washington State Employment Security Department. He is currently chair of the board for Mason County Literacy and an interim board member of the South Sound Estuary Association.

Stephen Ignac of Ferndale has been appointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2010. Ignac is a training coordinator at Carpenters Training Trust of Washington-Idaho. He has previously been a member of the United Brotherhood for Carpenter LADS Local #1144, the Seattle-King County WDC-Youth Council, and the Construction Center of Excellence Steering Committee.

Susan Wilder Crane of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective June 20, 2008, ending Oct. 9, 2010. Crane is the executive director of Port Jobs. She was a legislative analyst for the Seattle City Council, volunteers with the Seattle Aquarium and is a board member of the National Network of Sector Partners.

The council advises the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board on adult basic education and literacy programs.

Washington State Tourism Commission:

Duane Wollmuth of Waitsburg has been reappointed to a term effective July 14, 2008, ending June 30, 2011. Wollmuth is a managing partner at Three Rivers Winery. He previously served on the boards of the Walla Walla Valley Chamber, the Ft. Walla Walla Museum and Historical Society, Washington Wine Country, and the Washington Wine Institute. He was a founding member of the Walla Walla Wine Alliance.

George Schweitzer of Spokane has been appointed to a term effective July 14, 2008, ending June 30, 2011. Schweitzer is senior vice-president of hotel operations at the Red Lion Hotels Corporation. He has previously served as a trustee for Clark College and as president for the Washington State University Hotel Restaurant Administration Board of Directors and of the Jack, Will & Rob Center in Camas.

Kris Watkins of Richland has been reappointed to a term effective July 14, 2008, ending June 30, 2011. Watkins is president and CEO of the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau. She is vice-president of the Hanford Reach Center, a board member of the Benton Franklin Council of Governments, and a board member of the Tri-City Industrial Development Council.

Leonard Forsman of Suquamish has been reappointed to a term effective July 14, 2008, ending June 30, 2011. Forsman is the tribal chairman of the Suquamish Tribe. He is currently a member of the Puget Sound Restoration Fund Board, the Tribal Leaders Congress on Education, the Suquamish Tribal Higher Education Board, and the Washington State Historical Society Board.

The commission shall pursue a coordinated program to expand the tourism industry throughout the state in cooperation with the public and private tourism development organizations.