Ron Bechtel,  Pastor, Fourth Corner Community Church:

Ron and his family recently moved to Whatcom County.  He previously lived and worked in New York City for nearly twenty years and was involved with immigrant affairs, ESL, and assisting immigrants in adjustment to the U.S.  He also had some involvement with mental health issues.  His special interests are mental health and immigrants, and his talents are in ESL and counseling.

Kristi Gruett - Smith Barney Financial Advisors

Jim Harber - State Farm Insurance:
Jim is past president of the Kulshan Kiwanis, board member of Lydia Place, and area coordinator for the Salvation Army Food Drive.  His special interests are public speaking and leadership training.

Michael Henniger - Associate Dean, Woodring College of Education:
Mike previously served at Woodring as Chair of the Elementary Education Department and Professor, Early Childhood Education.  He is a member of the Bellingham School District - WWU Partnership Board.  His research focuses on childhood play and home/school relations in early childhood education.  He is a member of the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  Mike has published text books, journal articles, and has made numerous presentations on the subject of teaching young children.  He is currently working with community and alumni relations and fund development for the college.

Karen Hoelscher - Woodring Elementary Education Faculty:  Since 1992 Karen has led K-8 teacher preparation courses focused on anti-bias education, culturally appropriate teaching practices, and effective interaction with diverse families.  Her K-12 public school teaching experience includes working with convicted felons in the U.S. Department of the Interior Job Corps Program and with Eskimo students in rural Alaskan villages.  She has served as co-chair of the Kaleidoscope Project, a university-wide task force advising WWU President Karen Morse on diversity issues, and has consulted on an NSF-funded multi-institution collaboration to train future tribal resource managers from Northwest Indian tribes.  In 2001 Karen received Western Washington University’s Diversity Achievement Award.  She is currently co-authoring a book aimed at improving the ability of university faculty members to recognize and respond to difficult interpersonal situations with students. She is committed to modeling a balanced life as an educator and spends time away from campus kayaking, walking, and swing dancing with her husband, enjoying her two children, playing trumpet in a community orchestra, and keeping up with her teammates on a women’s recreational soccer team.  Karen is a member of her local neighborhood association and Block Watch groups, the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, and local human justice groups

Lorraine Kasprisin - Woodring Educational Foundations/Secondary Faculty and Director of the Center for Educational Pluralism
 

Rachel Myers - Whatcom Literacy Council:
Rachel was previously the Executive Director of Allied Arts of Whatcom County. She currently serves on the Adult Education Advisory Committee and Alcoa Intalco Works Community Advisory Board.  She has served on the Downtown Renaissance Network's Promotion Committee, and was a volunteer literacy tutor.  Her special interests include adult literacy and ESL tutoring.  Rachel firmly believes that improving literacy skills helps students improve many other parts of their lives including parenting, employment, and health.

Gregory Pesho - Washington Latino Business Assocation:
Gregory is a student in the Continuing and College Education program and the the Teaching English as a Second Language program at WWU.  His family has hosted international students for 16 years, and foster parents for 11 years.  He is a member of the Headstart Policy Council and Governing Council.  As a representative of the WLBA, he hopes to see outreach into the Latino/Hispanic communities that markets college programs to graduating high school students and returning adult students.

Michael Reinke - Woodring Major Gifts Officer

Kay Sardo - Retired, Opportunity Council:
Kay has been actively involved in leadership roles for Head Start, school integration, magnet schools, literacy, continuing education, alternative high schools, and out-of-school to work for youth projects.  Her special interests are increasing access for youth and adults who are excluded from community or participation and resources because of race, religion, age, cultural literacy or income.

Linda Schleef - Woodring Assistive Technology Resource Center: Linda is an instructor in the Special Education department and coordinator of the Assistive Technology Recourse Center.  She serves on the board of the ARC of Whatcom County and provides assistive technology training for teachers throughout the region. This reflects her interest in providing technology support for pre-school through grade 12 students with diverse learning needs (e.g. special education, English language learners, remedial, and exceptionally talented)

Sue Stremler - Retired, Whatcom County Association of Realtors: Sue has served on numerous community action groups including “Let’s Pool It,” state highways clean-up, PTSA, school bonds and levies, BTC endowments and scholarships and has volunteered with March of Dimes, Cancer Fund, Lydia Place and food drives.  Her interests are event planning and working with volunteers.

Russel Weston - Bellingham Kiwanis:
He has been active in numerous community organizations including MADD, Rome Grange, Chamber of Commerce, City Club, NW Business Club, Masonic Lodge, League of Women Voter, Moose Lodge, and Toastmasters.  Russel's special interest is community networking.

Gail Weiss - Arts Education Consultant:
Talented in program development, Gail has been involved with arts education and non-profit organizations since 1980.  She has been a board member for the past five years with the Friends of the Deming Library, now focused on a major expansion project.  Gail's special interests include traveling, gardening, attending performing arts, and she hopes to get back to weaving someday!

Susan Zoller - Bellingham School District:

Susan is a member of the Bellingham School District - WWU Partnership Advisory Board.  She volunteers for Hospice and the Sister City Program and is involved in Rotary.  Her special interests are gardening - "dirt therapy", sewing, and photography.

Woodring contacts:

Stephanie Salzman
Dean
(360) 650-3319

Kimberly Caulfield

Administrative Support
(360) 650-3723

FAX: (360) 650-6472