FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 10, 1996

Lowry announces community college and board and commission appointments

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Mike Lowry today announced the following appointments.

Naomi K. Pursel of Silverdale has been newly appointed to the Olympic College Board of Trustees. Pursel was the sole owner of a Poulsbo technical business services company until it dissolved in a merger earlier this year. She now serves as the new company's division director.

Pursel is an advocate of development in new technology for Kitsap County and works closely with the Economic Development Council in promoting economic diversification. She has been twice recognized for the Business Excellence Award by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Pursel is the northwest region chairman of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and a small business representative on the Drug-Free/Family Friendly Round Table in Kitsap County. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees in zoology at the University of Hawaii. She replaces Larry Robertson, whose term has expired, and will serve until 2001.

Paul D. Burton of Lake Forest Park has been appointed to the Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees. Burton, who recently retired after more than 30 years as president of an electronic equipment manufacturer, has a broad scope of business management expertise. He also served for 12 years on the Shoreline School District Board of Directors and was a YMCA board member for 28 years. Burton earned bachelor's degrees in both business and economics from Whitman College, an MBA from Stanford, and graduated from the University of Washington Graduate School of Business. He is married with four grown children. His term will expire in 1999.

Tom Kneeshaw of Colfax has been named to the Spokane Community College Board of Trustees. Kneeshaw, who is the assistant director of the Palouse Economic Development Council (EDC), is a recognized leader in using telecommunications for collaborative economic development. In 1989, through collaboration with eight other EDCs, he established a 12-county export development corporation that benefits the region's small- to medium-sized agribusiness companies.

In 1994, Kneeshaw managed Project 509, an initiative that connected 12 Eastern Washington EDCs to the World Wide Web; a number that will soon grow to 32 statewide. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University and is married with four children. His term expires in 2002.

Henry Beauchamp of Yakima has been named chairman of the African-American Affairs Commission. Beauchamp is co-founder and executive director of the Yakima Valley Opportunities Industrialization Center, a local community-based center that provides specialized employment and training services. A former Yakima mayor, he currently serves as an at-large member of the Yakima City Council. He has received a number of community service awards, including a 1974 City of Yakima "Henry Beauchamp Day" proclamation by the mayor. His term expires in 1998.

Jennifer Roseman of Spokane has been reappointed to the African-American Affairs Commission. Roseman, district director of communications and development for the Community Colleges of Spokane, is a former editorial writer and section editor for Spokane's two largest newspapers. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from New York University and a master's in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University.

Roseman, a Spokane community activist, has chaired programs within the Junior League, co-chaired the 1991 Spokane County Martin Luther King Day celebration, and was a cultural awareness trainer with the Spokane Police Department. Professionally, she is affiliated with the National Association of Black Journalists, Leadership of Spokane, Hospice of Spokane, and the Spokesman-Review Advisory Board. Her term expires in 1999.

LeRoy J. Williams of Bremerton has been reappointed to the African-American Affairs Commission. Williams, a U.S. Navy veteran, is an internal audit supervisor with the City of Seattle. He is a former Boeing accountant, boardmember of the Bremerton School District, instructor at the Olympic College School of Business, and legislative fiscal auditor for the Seattle City Council. Past and present professional affiliations include the Association of Government Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, and the Washington State Advisory Committee-Kitsap. His term expires in 1999.

Shauna Weatherby of Tacoma has been reappointed to the African-American Affairs Commission. Weatherby, a program coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Pierce County, has a history of service in the public health arena. She has also served as an instructor of health education at Tacoma Community College, a trainer in the Sexually Transmitted Disease Program for Prevention of HIV/AIDS in the Northwest, and a presenter at the Women and HIV/AIDS Conference. Weatherby holds a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Washington and a nurse practitioner certificate from UCLA. Her term expires in 1999.

Wayne Williams of Tacoma has been appointed to the African-American Affairs Commission. Williams is the associate dean for continuing education and workforce training as well as director for Tacoma Community College's (TCC) Downtown Tacoma Business and Industry Resource Center. Instrumental in broadening the scope of community colleges in Washington, Williams established a Learning Outreach Center at the Tacoma Mall, designed and implemented the Job Readiness Planning Program and the Entrepreneurs Succeed program for TCC, and piloted the Displaced Timber Workers Entrepreneurial Program at Grays Harbor College.

He has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Morgan State College and master's degrees from both the Moore School of Engineering and the Wharton School of Business and Finance in Pennsylvania. He replaces Tony Hudson, whose term expired, and will serve until 1997.

The Rev. Ellis Casson of Seattle has been appointed to the African American Affairs Commission. Casson, an ordained minister, is a longtime human rights activist. Since 1972, when he was the first African American to be named "Alumnus of the Year" by Seattle Pacific College, Casson has held a number of influential positions professionally and in the community. Casson is a former president of four chapters of the NAACP as well as a former member of the Portland City Planning Commission and the Oregon State Board of Education. He holds a bachelor's degree from Seattle Pacific University. Casson replaces T.J. Vasser, who resigned, and will serve until 1998.

The Rev. A.R. Obey of Olympia has been newly appointed to the African-American Affairs Commission. Obey, an ordained Baptist minister for 25 years, began as an IBM computer technician in Texas before becoming a full-time minister in the early 1970s. In Texas, he developed the Greater Good Hope Advanced Education Center, a primary school for children; the Amnesty Program to educate the children of immigrants; and the Senior Citizens Nutrition and Research Center.

Since moving to Olympia in 1991, Obey's involvement in the Olympia community has included work on the St. Peters Hospital Board of Directors and he is currently overseeing construction of a new church facility. Obey holds a bachelor of science degree in secondary education from Huston-Tilletson College in Austin, Texas. His term expires in 1997.

The African-American Affairs Commission examines and defines issues pertaining to the rights and needs of African Americans, and makes recommendations to the governor and state agencies for changes in programs and laws.

Michael Saunders of Bremerton has been named to the Advisory Council for the Blind. Saunders, a retired director of vocational education with Bremerton High School, built a distinguished career in his field. He built a four-school co-op for vocational administration in the Vancouver Educational School District, directed the Community Education program with the White Salmon School District, and was a vocational instructor for several years in the Vancouver area.

Saunders holds a bachelor's degree in industrial education from Central Washington University. Past professional and community affiliations include the Washington State Future Business Leaders of America Board of Directors, Clark County Disabilities Board, and the Accreditation Evaluation Committee for Washougal schools. His term expires in 1999.

Maria Bradford of Spokane has been named to the Advisory Council for the Blind. Bradford, who speaks fluent Spanish, is formerly with the state Employment Security Department and the American Handicapped Workers. She holds a bachelor's degree from Central Washington University and a master's in elementary special education. Her term expires in 1999.

The Advisory Council for the Blind advises the director of the state Department of Services for the Blind.

L. Darrel Powell of Seattle has been appointed to the state Cemetery Board. Powell owns and operates a financial services business in downtown Seattle. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in accounting from Tennessee State University and is a graduate of Harvard's Graduate School of Business Administration. His term expires in 1999.

The Cemetery Board grants certificates of authenticity to operate cemeteries owned by corporations other than religious groups or taxing district authorities, grants pre-arrangement sales licenses and crematory licenses, reviews audit results of endowment-care and pre-arrangement trust funds, and consults with the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers on rules for cremation and crematories.

Richard Kale of Quincy has been reappointed to the Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission. Kale, a self-employed chiropractor and U.S. Army veteran, graduated from Logan College of Chiropractics in St. Louis, MO and is a licensed chiropractor in three states. He is affiliated with the American Chiropractic Association, the Washington State Chiropractic Association, and the Washington State Chiropractic Disciplinary Board. His term expires in 2000.

Susan Strobel of Olympia has been reappointed to the Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission. Strobel is also a self-employed chiropractor. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Puget Sound in education and a doctor of chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic College. She is affiliated with the Washington State Chiropractic Association, the International Chiropractic Association, and the Pierce County Red Cross Board of Directors. Her term expires in 2000.

The Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission regulates the competency and quality of chiropractic health care professionals by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing qualifications for licensing, consistent standards of practice, continuing competency mechanisms, and discipline.

Dr. James M. Nania of Spokane has been reappointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Dr. Nania, an emergency medical physician in Spokane, is an established leader in emergency trauma care and treatment of drowning victims. He was officially nominated as Spokane Doctor-Citizen of the Year because of his devotion to his practice. He helped establish a statewide trauma system, is an active consultant with city and county agencies on search and rescue, a disaster planner for Spokane County, and is the director of an annual EMS conference in Spokane. He is a graduate of the Loyola University School Medicine. His term expires in 1999.

Catherine B. Bigelow of LaCenter has been reappointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Bigelow is a registered nurse, EMT and certified emergency nurse for Southwest Washington Hospitals. She is a graduate of Clark College. Professional leadership roles include a past presidency of the local chapter of Emergency Nurses Associations, Clark County EMS Training Committee, and is an American Medical Association certified CPR instructor trainer. Her term expires in 1999.

Dr. Sean Grady of Mercer Island has been reappointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Grady, a neurological surgery professor with the University of Washington based at Harborview Hospital, has been active on all levels of trauma care. He began as a volunteer EMT in a rural regional trauma center prior to his current position.

Grady earned his medical degree at Georgetown University and served his neurosurgery residency at the University of Virginia. Professional affiliations include the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the Puget Sound Neurological Society, and the Washington Association of Neurological surgeons. His term expires in 1999.

Dr. Gary S. Park of Tacoma has been reappointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee, where he serves as chairman. Park is the medical director for the pediatric intensive care unit at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma. In addition, he is a clinical instructor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Park is affiliated with the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the Center for Childhood Safety. His term ends in 1999.

Steve Hubbard of Bellingham has been reappointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Hubbard, owner of an emergency medical consulting business, also serves as chairman of the North Region EMS and Trauma Care Council, director of the Washington State Chapter of the of the American Trauma Society, and director of the Washington Ambulance Association. He holds an EMS degree from Whatcom Community College. His term expires in 1999.

David E. Jaffe of Woodinville has been reappointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Jaffe is a University of Washington professor and CEO of Harborview Medical Center; the sole Level 1 Trauma Center covering a four-state region. He is on the Board of Directors for the Medic 1 Foundation, Airlift Northwest, Washington Poison Control Center, Hospital Shared Services Association, and the University Hospital Consortium. He holds a bachelor's degree from Pace University and master's in public administration from New York University. His term expires in 1999.

Robert G. Berschauer of Puyallup has been reappointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Berschauer, acting general manager of a Seattle ambulance company, is responsible for all operations of a fleet of 42 ambulances and over 100,000 responses annually. Berschauer is affiliated with the North Region Emergency Medical Services & Trauma, the Washington Ambulance Association and the American Economics Association. He is a licensed EMT and holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Washington and an MBA from City University. His term expires in 1999.

Bobby F. Kirk of Kennewick has been newly appointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Kirk currently serves as fire chief for the City of Kennewick. Past and present leadership positions include the Mid-Columbia EMS and Trauma Council, the South Central Region EMS and Trauma Council, and the Washington State Fire Chiefs. Kirk holds associate's degrees in fire science and electronics engineering. His term expires in 1999.

Zachary M. Rinderer of Kennewick has been newly appointed to the EMS and Trauma Steering Committee. Rinderer, an emergency nurse director of Kennewick General Hospital, is responsible for a 40-person staff. In addition, he serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Rinderer holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from St. Louis University and a master's in public administration from the University of Wyoming. He is affiliated with the Washington State Emergency Nurses Association and the Northwest Organization of Nurse Executives. His term expires in 1999.

The EMS and Trauma Steering Committee reviews the requirements for pre-hospital emergency and ambulance services throughout the state and proposed administrative rules relating to emergency medical services, reviews the regional emergency management plans and recommends changes, and advises on rules regarding poison control information centers.

Gary R. McCollum of Pasco has been named to the Hanford Area Economic Development Fund. McCollum is an active business and development leader in the Tri-Cities area. Past professional affiliations include the Board of Directors of the Tri-City Industrial Development Council, the Tri-City Corporate Council for the Arts, Tri-City Arts Council and the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau. His term expires in 1998.

Anthony J. Abeyta of Sumner has been reappointed to the Hispanic Affairs Commission. Abeyta, president of a Seattle labor union, is a well-known member of the Hispanic community. Abeyta also serves as director of the White River School Board and is a member of the Pierce County Ethnic Minority Advocacy Commission, a trustee with King County Labor Agency, and a delegate to the Puget Sound Maritime Trades Federation. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Boise State University. His term expires in 1999.

Robert Ozuna of Grandview has been appointed to the Hispanic Affairs Commission. Ozuna is the director of the Migrant Child Institute, where he operates research programs that address the needs of at-risk students and their parents. He earned a bachelor's degree in public administration at Heritage College and a master's at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Past and present affiliations include the Washington State Council of La Raza, the Region X Public Health Service Regional Minority Health Network Committee, and the Grandview School District Vocational Education Advisory Council. He is replacing Estela Ortega, who resigned. His term expires in 1997.

The Hispanic Affairs Commission ensures that state programs are providing the assistance needed by the Hispanic community, advises state agencies on developing and implementing policies, and plans programs focusing on the needs of the Hispanic community.

Sherry D. Harris of Seattle has been appointed to the Council on HIV/AIDS. Harris, a former member of the Seattle City Council and a Boeing engineer, is a nationally recognized motivational speaker and has been on a national tour speaking on politics, leadership and diversity. Past and present community affiliations include the City of Seattle's Water Comprehensive Plan Advisory Board and the Water Rate Advisory Committee, Residence 12 Treatment Board, Northwest Women's Law Center Board, and the Interfaith Alliance Board. She is an honorary member of the Northwest AIDS Foundation. Harris holds a bachelor's degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA from City University in Seattle.

The Governor's Council on HIV/AIDS advises the governor on related programs and policy issues.

Dr. Donald Shute of Yakima has been reappointed to the Board of Optometry. Shute, a doctor of optometry, is a full partner in an optometric group practice. Shute is an active member of the Sports Vision Section of the American Optometric Association and participated in vision evaluation of athletes at the 1985 Olympic Sports Festival in Houston.

He is also affiliated with the Washington Association of Optometric Physicians, Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Honor Fraternity, American Public Health Association, and the Learning Disabilities Association of Washington. Shute earned his O.D. from Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove, Oregon. His term expires in 1999.

The Optometry Board examines candidates for licensure or registration, holds disciplinary hearings, and adopts regulations to promote safety and protect the public.

Paul Figuero of Chehalis has been reappointed to the Commission on Pesticide Registration. Figuero, a senior research forester with Weyerhaeuser for more than two decades, is the primary program coordinator for the company's Vegetation Management Program. His expertise in the weed research field has led to the publishing of 99 technical and scientific papers dealing with weed management, pesticide application, and similar subjects.

Figuero currently serves on the Lewis County Noxious Weed Board. In addition, he is an active member of Western Society of Weed Sciences, the Western Aquatic Plant Management Society and the Council for Agriculture Science Technology. His term expires in 1999.

Mary K. Gilmore of Lynnwood has been newly appointed to the Commission on Pesticide Registration. Gilmore, a local markets manager for a major agricultural chemical company, is responsible for sales, marketing, and customer support as well as providing technical consultation and vegetation management prescriptions for customers. She holds a bachelor's degree in Horticulture from Washington State University and a master's in horticulture from Colorado State University.

Gilmore has been recognized for excellence in customer service by winning both the Industry Support and the Outstanding Young Women of America awards. Her professional affiliations include the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Foundation, Washington Weed Association, and the National Roadside Vegetation Management Board. She replaces Geralyn West, whose term has expired. She will serve until 1999.

The Commission on Pesticide Registration provides guidance to Washington State University's Food Safety and Environmental Quality Lab in the area of pesticide registrations for minor crops and minor uses in regard to the availability of pesticides for emergency use.

Dr. Priscilla Liscich of Tacoma has been reappointed to the Substance Abuse Council. A consistent voice for cultural understanding and conflict resolution, Liscich is recognized as a leader in education and community organization. She teaches at the University of Puget Sound (UPS) and also serves as executive director of the Safe Streets Campaign. Liscich earned her bachelor's degree in political science at UPS, her master's in education at Arizona State University, and her doctorate from the University of Michigan. Her term expires in 1999.

José J. Hernandez of Kennewick has been appointed to the Governor's Council on Substance Abuse. Hernandez, a former state trooper and currently a community liaison with the Kennewick School District, works to keep kids in school and increase their numbers in post-secondary schooling. He is affiliated with the Washington Substance Abuse Coalition Board of Trustees, the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Communications Team and the Washington State Parenting is Prevention Committee. In the community, Hernandez is a former Boy Scout den leader as well as a softball and soccer coach. He replaces Esther B. Huey, who resigned. His term expires in 1999.

James J. Flynn of Spokane has been appointed to the Governor's Council on Substance Abuse. Flynn, a registered substance abuse counselor, has been working in this field for 25 years. Since his beginning as Spokane County Court's founding director of Rehabilitative Services in 1971, he served a long career as a probation officer before retiring and becoming a counselor. Past and present professional affiliations include the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission's DWI Task Force, the Spokane County Substance Abuse Advisory Board and the Spokane County Mental Health Advisory Board. His term expires in 1998.

The Substance Abuse Council advises the governor on issues and programs relating to substance abuse, assists with implementing strategies to support community efforts to reduce substance abuse, and promotes public awareness and education.

Dr. Alan Nelson of Redmond has been newly appointed to the Washington Technology Center Board of Directors. Nelson, a highly regarded physicist and former professor at Harvard, the University of Washington and MIT, currently serves as founder, president, and CEO of NeoPath, Inc.

He has received a number honors and awards, including the American Nuclear Society Outstanding Professor Award, the IBM Supercomputing Award, and honorary professorships of both the University College of Dublin and Queens University of Belfast. He earned a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Southern California, and master's and doctorate degrees from the University of California at Berkeley in geophysics and biophysics, respectively. Nelson is director of the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association and is involved in several technical and supervisory roles within his field. His term expires in 1999.

Dr. Gary S. Hansen of Seattle has been appointed to the Washington Technology Center Board of Directors. Hansen, an associate professor of management and organization at the University of Washington, also directs the University's Entrepreneurship and Innovation program.

He is the recipient of numerous academic awards, including the 1996 Smith Award for Academic Excellence, Business Week's Outstanding Faculty Award, and the First Interstate Faculty Excellence Award. Hansen earned his bachelor of arts in economics and environmental studies from Principia College and his master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Michigan in finance and business administration, respectively. His term expires in 1999.

Dr. Denice D. Denton of Seattle has been appointed to the Washington Technology Center Board of Directors. Denton, dean of the University of Washington's College of Engineering, is an expert in the development and use of micromachining for the design of microelectronic systems. She is a former professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she received several teaching honors and was named a Presidential Young Investigator by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Currently, she is co-director of the National Institute for Science Education, an NSF initiative to boost the science, math, and technology literacy of U.S. students. Denton earned her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. Her term expires in 1999.

Kathleen P. Wilcox of Bellevue has been appointed to the Washington Technology Center Board of Directors. Wilcox is president of the Washington Software and Digital Media Alliance, a 1,000-member statewide trade organization representing the information technologies industries. Her affiliations include the Technology Alliance, the High Technology Advisory Council for Senator Murray and Representative White, the NW Women's Law Center, Steering Committee of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Southwest Legal Clinic.

Wilcox holds a law degree from the University of Puget Sound, a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of California, and a certificate from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Washington. Her term expires in 1999.

David Giuliani of Bellevue has been appointed to the Washington Technology Center Board of Directors. Giuliani is the president and co-founder of a major Bellevue high-technology dental care company. He is an innovator in the biomedical field, holding 12 U.S. patents. In the 1980s, Giuliani co-founded a research and development company that developed optic sensors for arterial blood gas monitoring. He graduated summa cum laude in electrical engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara and did graduate work at Stanford in electrical engineering and business. His term expires in 1997.

The Washington Technology Center Board of Directors provides a collaborative effort between the state's universities, private industry, and government in performing and commercializing research on a statewide basis to benefit the economic vitality of the state.

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