1950s
The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication recognized Roberta (Bobbie) Ulrich (’50 English) in its Hall of Achievement for more than 50 years of work in the journalism industry. She reported for a number of media outlets, including The Oregonian, and published a pair of books about late twentieth-century Native American history.
1960s
Don Weller (’60 Fine Arts) was recently chosen as this year’s featured artist for “The America’s Horse in Art” show and sale. With an affinity for “cowboy culture” plus decades of graphic design and illustration experience, Weller’s award-winning Western art has appeared on posters, magazine covers, postage stamps, and more.
Bill Brubaker (’61 Comm.) was recognized by the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication in its Hall of Achievement for a career in journalism spanning more than three decades. Brubaker has worked as a broadcast journalist for outlets like KXLY in Spokane and KOMO in Seattle, served two terms on the Snohomish County Council, and authored two books.
Dennis Kloke (’61 History) retired after 51 years of coaching at Marysville, Anacortes, and Stanwood High Schools, primarily for boy’s basketball, football, and track.
1970s
Thomas W. Cox (’76 Police Sci., ’77 Poli. Sci.) was recently appointed as the new Garfield County District Court judge. Throughout a 25-year career as a criminal defense attorney, he has also served as in-house counsel for a company in Oregon and operated his own law firm in Everett for 12 years.
Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory (’76 Poli. Sci.) retired after 33 years with the Sno-Isle Libraries in Snohomish and Island, including time as executive director overseeing 23 libraries in the region.
The WSU Alumni Association honored Ron Mittelhammer (’78 PhD Ag. Econ.) with the Alumni Achievement Award, reflecting his more than 40 years of service to the University. Mittelhammer taught economics since 1977, and recently stepped down as dean of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. He also served as coprovost, was appointed as a Regents Professor, and received the Eminent Faculty Award.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association recently honored Walt Rostykus (’78 Zool.) with the Distinguished Fellow Award. Rostykus was recognized for his outstanding work as principal consultant for Humantech Inc., where he has helped lead a wide range of industrial hygiene, occupational safety, and environmental health projects for more than three decades.
John Kieffer (’79 MS Entom.) released his sixth photography book, Boulder, Colorado: A Photographic Portrait, a hardcover book, with 128 pages and 160 captioned, color photos.
Produce industry veteran Steve Lutz (’79 Comm.), based in Wenatchee, is the Produce Marketing Association’s new regional vice president for the United States and Canada West.
1980s
Steve Schmelz (’80 Crim. Jus.) was promoted to Hawaii district manager for boating and ocean recreation in December 2017. His agency is responsible for all commercial and recreational boating off the island of Hawaii. He spent 10 years as an employee of the state of Hawaii and previously worked in law enforcement positions in Washington and Nevada.
Bioanalytical Systems Inc., a pharmaceutical development company providing contract research services and monitoring instruments, welcomed Michael Baim (’82 MS, ’84 PhD Chem.) as vice president of bioanalytical operations.
Ron E. Claudon (’82 Busi.) of Valley Buick GMC in Auburn received the Robert P. Mallon Dealer of the Year award at the Washington State Auto Dealers Association.
Nautilus Minerals Inc. selected Jay Layman (’82 Busi., Mech. Eng.) as an independent non-executive director. He joins the Toronto-based company in the firm’s endeavors to deliver the world’s first deep sea mines, bringing decades of experience in the mineral exploration industry to his new role.
Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma has a new chief financial officer, James Hansen (’83 Acc.). Hansen has more than 20 years of health care financial experience.
James L. Barnhart (’84 Elec. Eng.) was named the senior vice president of operations at Nanometrics Inc., an advanced process control solution provider in California. James has more than 30 years of experience in the semiconductor manufacturing industry and previously served as an engineering division officer in the U.S. Navy.
Michael Griffin (’84 Poli. Sci.) has been bestowed the title of Kentucky Colonel, the highest honor awarded by the state of Kentucky, by Governor Matthew G. Bevin.
The Eastern Idaho Engineering Council recently honored Steven Shropshire (’85, ’88 MS, ’91 PhD Phys.) with the STEM Professional of the Year Award for his contributions to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. A physics professor at Idaho State University for more than 20 years, he has reached thousands of students across the country through a variety of science education outreach programs.
Representative JT Wilcox (’85 History) was recently elected as the new leader of the Republican Caucus in the Washington State House of Representatives. He currently runs a consulting firm with his wife in addition to representing Washington’s 2nd Legislative District, has served as floor leader, and sat on the House Appropriations, Finance and Rules committees since taking office in 2010.
Greg Goodnight (’86 Gen. St., Ed.) was named as the next superintendent of the Pateros School District in north central Washington.∞ Chubb, the largest commercial insurer in the United States, appointed Mike Williams (’86 Fin.) as executive vice president and manufacturing industry practice leader.
Mt. Hood Community College selected Lisa Skari (’87 Apparel Merch., ’11 EdD) to be the school’s eleventh president. Currently serving as the vice president for institutional advancement at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Skari has more than 26 years of higher education experience.
The Oregon Bicycle Racing Association appointed Chuck Kenlan (’88 Kinesio.) as the organization’s new executive director. Formerly the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation director, Chuck is an avid race promoter, officiator, competitor, and fan of the local cycling scene.
The Hall of Achievement at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication recognized Lorie Dankers (’89 Comm.) for her work in the public affairs and media relations industries. Currently the public affairs manager for the Transportation Security Administration, she has also worked at the U.S. Senate and served as a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
1990s
Underriner Automotive in Billings, Montana, recently selected Beth Swanson (’90 Kinesio.) as the company’s new marketing director. She was a dedicated volunteer in the Walla Walla area and has spent more than 14 years in marketing and public relations positions.
Diamond Assets, an Apple product trade-up partner for schools and enterprises, announced the hiring of experienced educational technology professional Pete Vraspir (’90 Biol., Ed.) as vice president of business development for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Digital Risk LLC selected Sadie J. Gurley (’91 Econ.) as head of diligence services, to ensure compliance, quality, and confidence in secondary market mortgage, consumer lending, and financial services companies. Gurley is a former Goldman Sachs vice president with more than 20 years of experience in mortgage banking and real estate.
Ernie Iseminger (’91 Soc. Sci., Ed.) is the new vice president of development at The Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute. He previously oversaw development at the Claremont Graduate University.∞ Former WSU quarterback Drew Bledsoe (x’93) and Be Bottle, which sells stainless steel insulated bottles, teamed up to help raise money for Hilinski’s Hope, a foundation created by the parents of Tyler Hilinski, Mark and Kym Hilinski, to educate, advocate, and remove the stigma associated with mental illness for student athletes.
Cristofer I. Leffler (’93 Psych.) joined law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP’s trial group in Seattle as a partner. He specializes in intellectual property and commercial litigation.
Middle school principal and high school basketball coach Mark Lovelady (’93 Kinesio.) is leaving Tacoma to become the new high school principal at Gilbert Christian Schools in Arizona. Mark has worked at Life Christian Academy for 25 years, coaching both the girl’s and boy’s basketball programs and collecting more than 400 wins during his career.
Michael Ramsey (’93 Soc. Sci.) joined Wilmington Trust in New York City as a client development officer for the insurance collateral solutions team. He has over 25 years of experience in sales and business development, including 11 years overseeing sales of insurance trust product. Prior to joining Wilmington Trust, Ramsey was a business development officer for Wells Fargo’s Collateral Trust Division.
The Ecological Society of America elected Jizhong Zhou (’93 PhD Genetics & Cell Biol.) as a fellow for his contributions to the study of climate change and microbial ecology. Currently a biology professor at the University of Oklahoma, Zhou has also earned recognition such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award during a more than 40-year career in ecology.
Tracy Hacklin Dennis (’95 Busi.) celebrated 10 years of the alumni-owned Cougarwear, a WSU-themed retail store in downtown Gig Harbor. The company has been online for 17 years and opened the retail store in June 2008.
The Cuesta College library in San Luis Obispo, California, showcased the work of fine arts instructor Marcia Harvey (’95 MFA) during the months of March and April. The display included sculptures, paintings, and drawings, which Harvey spent more than five years constructing from personal journal entries.
Christine McDaniel (’95 Soc. Sci., ’96 MIT) joins Kelso High School as its new principal. She has 22 years of experience in education, and grew up in Kelso.
Ryan Koval (’96 Comm.) was appointed the new assistant director for Washington Technology Solutions in Olympia. Ryan joined the firm in February as head of all agency customer care functions and has served in an array of customer support roles at organizations such as the Washington State Department of Health.
The Utah Science Teachers Association awarded South Sevier High School teacher Scott Brady (’97 MS Env. Sci.) the 2018 High School Science Teacher of the Year.
Matt Drew (’97 Comm.) has entered the craft spirits and brewing industry as the maltster for Bently Heritage Estate Distillery in Minden, Nevada, one of only four estate distilleries in the country. His responsibilities include cultivar research and selection of malting barley types, as well as rye, corn, oats, and other grains to be grown, harvested, and malted on Bently’s 60,000-plus acres.
Governor Jay Inslee appointed Marcus Glasper (’97 MEM Eng. Mgmt.) as the new director of the Washington State Lottery. He has served in a variety of capacities for a range of government organizations, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the state Department of Corrections, and was honored with the Governor’s Award in 2010 for Leadership in Management.
Teresa St. George (’97 Human Dev.) invites visitors to her artist website at soulartist.pixels.com. She has shown her artwork in regional art galleries in Washington and California.
Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap (’99 English, Ed., ’11 EdD) has been named next president of South Seattle College. She has worked at the college since 2000 and served as vice president of student services.
2000s
Jason Morse (’00 Landscape Arch.) was recently chosen as principal associate for AHBL in Seattle. Throughout his 21-year architecture career he has led projects such as the healing garden at Whidbey General Hospital, the Centennial Garden at the Washington Park Arboretum, and the nature playground at Tacoma’s Arlington Elementary School.
The Washington Association of School Administrators honored Frank Hewins (‘02 EdD) as the 2018 Washington Superintendent of the Year. As superintendent of the Franklin Pierce School District in Tacoma, he has worked to close the academic achievement gap and improve on-time graduation rates since joining the school in 2007.
Holly Jones (’02 Eng.) recently published her new young adult novel titled I Want Everybody to Love Me. The book is a sequel to I Want Everybody to Like Me, which she published in 2016.
Nick Graham (’03 Socio.) recently joined sleep-aid supplement company Som Sleep as an affiliate. Currently serving as a graduate assistant for the Iowa State University men’s basketball team, Nick previously played point guard for WSU and now mentors thousands of college and professional athletes through his organization AN’A Basketball. His father, Paul Graham, was head coach for the WSU men’s basketball team.
Planet Turf of Spokane selected Dan Salois (’03 Crop Sci.) as regional turfgrass sales specialist for the Pacific Northwest. An expert in research, agronomy, operations, and sales, Salois has also served as superintendent at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Ohio and as a sales and technical specialist at Helena Chemical Company in Pullman.
Toby Davis (’04 Acc.) was recently promoted to the role of vice president of finance at employee management firm Limeade in Bellevue. From past leadership positions with companies like Microsoft and Moss Adams, he brings more than 15 years of management and financial expertise to the new role.
Julie Rickard (’04 PhD Couns. Psych.) was named program director of the new Parkside Mental Health Residential and Crisis Stabilization Center in Wenatchee. As founder of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of North Central Washington, the local psychologist has made a name for herself through more than a decade of work to integrate psychologists into medical settings and improve mental health across the state.
The Port of Vancouver USA hired Mike Bomar (’05 MPA Poli. Sci.) as its director of economic development. He previously served as president of the Columbia River Economic Development Council, led the Southwest Washington Contractors Association, and worked in government affairs for the Building Industry Association of Clark County.
Dan Ciani (’05, ’06 MS Civ. Eng.) recently transferred to GeoEngineers’ Boise office from Redmond. Ciani is a senior geotechnical engineer with 11 years of experience in the private- and public-sector development industry.
Zoku International, a hotel that facilitates global living and working, appointed Christoph Hager (’05 Hosp. Busi. Mgmt.) as rollout lead Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The Reflector newspaper in Battle Ground hired Dan Trujillo (’05 English) as a reporter. Trujillo has won several awards from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association including Sports Writer of the Year.
Dave DeMarco (’06 Soc. Sci.) was selected as fire chief for the city of Everett. He joined Everett Fire as a firefighter-EMT in 1994.
Jill Neyenhouse (’06 MEd) was named as South Ridge Elementary School principal in Ridgefield.
Ben Olin (’06 Hosp. Busi. Mgmt.), a hospitality executive with more than 12 years of progressive industry leadership experience, has been named general manager of Le Méridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh, a historic luxury boutique hotel.
Associate professor Aleks Sternfeld-Dunn (’06 MA Music) is the new director of Wichita State University’s school of music. A conductor and string bassist, his compositions are performed in the United States and Europe.
Keenan French (’07 Busi.) joined Greene Realty Group in Olympia.
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission of Wenatchee recently named Rob Curtiss (’08 MS Entom.) its new special projects coordinator. He brings five years of entomology experience with the state of Hawaii to his new position, in which he will work to enhance communication with industry partners and develop a longer-term management plan for the organization.
Bryan McKinney (’08 Elem. Ed.), previously the principal at East Minico Middle School in Rupert, Idaho, has been selected as the new principal at McDermath Elementary School in Aberdeen.
SOVAH Health-Danville’s chief financial officer, Cindy Rios (’08 MBA), was awarded CFO of the Year recently by parent company LifePoint Health. She was recognized for displaying the company’s core values of honesty, integrity and trustworthiness, inclusion, compassion, and legal and ethical compliance since joining the hospital in 2016.
2010s
The Economic Development Advisory Commission of University Place has a new member, Joshua Koontz (’10 Fin.), to help recruit new businesses to the city.
The Conway School Board in northwestern Washington hired Jeff Cravy (’11 Elem. Ed.) as their new superintendent. He previously served as principal of South Whidbey Elementary School.
Pam Comini (’12 DVM) recently became the owner of Orofino Animal Clinic in Idaho. Previously a veterinarian at Ferdinand Veterinary Clinic, she will treat small animals in her new ownership role.
The Kennewick School District honored Kris Mars (’12 Elem. Ed.) as one of the region’s best educators with the Crystal Apple Award. Working as an appraiser for Franklin County, Mars and her family were devastated by the death of her husband of 14 years, Bob, inspiring her to answer her calling of becoming a teacher at Hawthorne Elementary.
Jessica Levy (’14 Ani. Sci.) joined the Chewelah Veterinary Clinic in May.
Cassidy Cordon (’15 DVM) has joined the staff at Animal Clinic and Hospital in Moscow, Idaho. She treats small animals and specializes in exotics, reptiles, birds, and pocket pets.
Alissa Coupe (’15 Civ. Eng.) has been promoted to project engineer with PCS Structural Solutions in Tacoma. In her two years with the firm, her projects include Glacier Middle School in Buckley, Bonney Lake Performing Arts Center, and South Sound Behavioral Hospital in Lacey.
Kaylan Forbis (’15 Crim. Jus.) recently joined Premier Realty in Montesano as the firm’s newest real estate agent. Forbis is also an avid supporter of local sports in Grays Harbor, where she officiates high school games and helps with youth development at the YMCA.
Washougal School District hired Mary Templeton (’17 EdD) as their next superintendent. She was the human resources director for certified personnel for Spokane Public Schools for four years and has 27 years of educational experience.