FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 27, 1996

Billings, Cammermeyer named to Governor's HIV/AIDS council

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Mike Lowry today announced the following board and commission appointments:

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Judith Billings has been named to the Governor's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. Billings, of Puyallup, has served two terms as Washington's top educational administrator. She earned her law degree from the University of Puget Sound. Her many years of experience in education and government include teaching in Washington public schools, working in the agency which she now heads (OSPI) and working on staff in Congress. Diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1995, Billings has been a national advocate for AIDS education in public schools.

Dr. Margarethe Cammermeyer of Langley has been appointed to the Governor's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. Cammermeyer, a Vietnam veteran, served 30 years as an Army nurse on active duty, in the Army Reserves, and in the National Guard. She is currently a clinical nurse specialist at American Lake near Tacoma. Cammermeyer earned her master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Washington and has been active in Hands Off Washington, the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Her term expires in 1999.

Mary Swenson of Bellingham has been reappointed to the board of trustees of Western Washington University. Swenson, a graduate of Stanford and Georgetown Universities, is currently assistant city attorney for Bellingham. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and has been active with the Bellingham School Board, Bellingham Public School Foundation, Whatcom County Opportunity Council, Evergreen Legal Services, Washington Women Lawyers, and the Coalition for Child Advocacy. Her term expires in 2002.

Four-year regional universities are served by a seven-member board of trustees that establishes policies for the university. Members serve six-year terms.

The advisory council assists the governor in developing sound state policies on the HIV epidemic, reviews and makes recommendations about proposed HIV/AIDS related programs and legislation, and identifies gaps in existing programs and services.

Lourdes Alvarado-Ramos of Olympia has been appointed to the Affirmative Action Policy Committee. Alvarado-Ramos, a Vietnam-era Army veteran, is superintendent of the Washington Soldiers Home and Colony in Orting. She served as affirmative action program manager at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma. Alvarado-Ramos has been active in various professional and civic organizations, including the MG Patrick Madigan Foundation Board of Directors, the Washington Ombudsman Program Advisory Board, Hispanic Women's Network and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Her term expires in 1999.

Serving as a policy and review body for the state's affirmative action program, the committee reviews and approves state agency affirmative action plans. There are 15 members on the committee.

Shane DeWald of Issaquah has been appointed to the Board of Registration for Landscape Architects. DeWald, a graduate of the University of Idaho, is senior landscape architect for the Seattle Engineering Department. DeWald has been active at the local level in Issaquah on environmental/development issues and with the St. Joseph's Youth Group. Her term will expire in 2001.

The five-member board examines candidates for licensure, investigates complaints of violation of landscape architect law and rules, conducts disciplinary hearings, and adopts rules for administration of the registration law. Members serve five-year terms.

For more information, contact the Governor's Communications Office at 360-753-6790.