Winter 2023 Class Notes

Karsten Boysen, B.A., art, and BAE, completed an 8-foot, bronze, abstract sculpture, “Lotus Blossom,” for a roundabout in Lakewood on Gravelly Lake Drive and Washington Blvd.

Barbara Luther, BAE, secondary vocational home ec, recently retired as the longtime director of Early World Montessori school in Mercer Island, with plans to move to the Big Island of Hawaii.

After graduating from Western, John A. Simpson, B.A., history, earned an M.A. at the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. at the University of Oregon. He retired from Kelso School District following a 33-year career in teaching. His sixth book, “All for the Union: The Saga of One Northern Family Fighting the Civil War,” released in April 2022 by Stackpole Books, is a non-fiction account based on 180 letters written by family members from a rural western New York community during the Civil War.

David Swanson, B.A., sociology, is an emeritus professor of sociology at U.C. Riverside and a population research associate at Portland State University. He and co-authors Jack Baker and Jeff Tayman recently received the E. Walter Terrie Award for State and Local Demography at the Southern Demographic Association conference. The study, “Boosted Regression Trees for Small Area Population Forecasting,” resulted in David’s third Terrie Award; the others were in 1999 and 2016.

Bob Gray, B.Mus., music education, plans to retire after 41 years as a music teacher and band director in the Blaine School District. During his tenure, the district has grown the program from the pep band to add several grade-level bands as well as high school jazz and concert bands and a wind ensemble. Bob also traveled with band students to Japan five times during his career—and hopes to return in retirement.

Gary Thomas, B.A., English, is the author of several best-selling books about Christianity, faith, marriage, parenting, and intimacy. His 26 books, including “Sacred Marriage,” “Sacred Pathways,” and “Authentic Faith,” have sold a total of more than 2 million copies. Gary, who travels to speaking engagements all over the world, and his wife Lisa, ’90, B.A., English, are based in Colorado.

Dan Steelquist, BAE, elementary education, plans to retire at the end of the school year from the Blaine School District, where he’s been coaching and teaching, mostly in the middle school, since graduation. He coached varsity soccer teams and led 26 groups of eighth-graders on trips to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Peter Bloch Garcia, BAE, English-secondary, is president and executive director of the Latino Community Fund of Washington State, which helps build leadership and capacity among non-profit organizations to improve the lives of the state’s Latine residents. Peter is also a force behind Progresso, which focuses on Latine voter registration and civic participation.

Gary Thomas, '84, B.A., English, is the author of several best-selling books about Christianity, faith, marriage, parenting, and intimacy. His 26 books, including “Sacred Marriage,” “Sacred Pathways,” and “Authentic Faith,” have sold a total of more than 2 million copies. Gary, who travels to speaking engagements all over the world, and his wife Lisa Thomas, B.A., English, are based in Colorado.

Dann Mead Smith, B.A., political science, is a consultant on public policy issues and the co-leader of Project 42, a non-profit advocacy group that funds, launches and mentors organizations that prioritize free markets and personal liberty. Previously, Dann spent 20 years as president of the Washington Policy Center.

Mike Nagle, BAE, history-secondary education, and ’93, M.A., history, teaches history and political science at West Shore Community College in Scottville, Michigan. In fall 2022 his second book, “The Forgotten Iron King of the Great Lakes: Eber Brock Ward 1811-1875,” was published by Wayne State University Press. His first book, “Justus S. Stearns: Michigan Pine King and Kentucky Coal Baron, 1845-1933,” received the Kentucky History Award.  

Hiro Yamamoto, B.S., chemistry, was recently inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame. Hiro was one of the founders of Soungarden and is a former bassist for the Grammy award-winning grunge band.

Sean Hackney, BAE, English-communication, is the broker/owner of NextHome Northwest in Bellingham. He’s a contributing author to “Next Level Your Life,” in which he shares how a football injury changed the trajectory of his life. The book was scheduled for late January from publisher Kyle Wilson.

Real estate brokers Kena Brashear, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, and Peter Ahn, ’13, B.S., manufacturing engineering technology, recently bought their company, The Muljat Group, a residential real estate brokerage in Bellingham. Kena has worked for the company for 20 years, and Peter, a U.S. Air Force veteran, joined the company seven years ago.

Mike Ho, M.Ed., student personnel administration, is manager of Student Life and Leadership at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix and is the 2022 recipient of the NASPA Region VI Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional Award.  

Darin Detwiler, B.A., history, and ‘98, teaching certificate, was included in Quality Assurance and Food Safety magazine’s recent list of 21 people who have shaped the last 30 years of food safety. Darin, who was featured in the fall 2021 edition of Window, is a food safety expert and an associate teaching professor at Northeastern University.

Richard Shockey, BAE, history, elementary, plans to retire from the Blaine School District after 17 years in the Blaine High School career center, coaching golf teams and, more recently, working as a paraeducator at Blaine Middle School.

The Jefferson Transit Authority board recently appointed Nicole Gauthier, B.A., political science, as general manager of the transit agency that runs buses in and around Sequim, Poulsbo, Kingston, and east and west Jefferson County. Nicole had served as the interim general manager for several months.

Lindsey Salvestrin, B.A., business administration – human resources management, became the president/CEO at Columbia Credit Union, based in Clark County.

Karen Osborn, M.S., biology, is a researcher and curator of marine invertebrates at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. When she’s not in Washington, D.C., she’s often at sea studying critters that dwell in the deep, open ocean.

Seattle Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Braden Abraham, B.A., English – writing, is moving to Chicago to lead the Writers Theatre of Chicago. During his 20-year tenure at the Seattle Rep, Braden worked to stage early productions of “Come From Away,” which went on to be a hit Broadway musical, and “All the Way,” which won a Tony award.

Amy Vira, B.A., German, was recently elected to be the San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney.

Michael Visser, B.A., economics, recently became the interim dean of the Sonoma State University School of Business and Economics.

Anna Marie Adams, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, opened Hela Provisions, a gourmet specialty store in Bellingham.

Travis Silvers, B.Mus., performance, is a fulltime, tenure track instructor of world music and guitar at Modesto Junior College in California.

Painter and fiber artist Christen Mattix, BFA., art, recently created “Root to Rise,” a large mural commissioned by the city in downtown Burlington, featuring Mexican ballet folklórico dancers.

The Benton-Franklin Health District Board selected Aren Giske, B.A., general studies, as the new medical officer for both counties. Aren, who specializes in occupational medicine, completed his medical degree at the University of Vermont and most recently worked as medical director of MaineGeneral Workplace Health, the largest community occupational medicine program in Maine.

Amy Chaloupka, BFA, art, is curator of art at the Whatcom Museum, where she recently cocurated an exhibit about Japanese textile art, “Katazome Today,” with Art Professor Seiko A. Purdue.

Mary Miller, B.A., recreation, was promoted to communications lead for the Public Works Board at the Washington State Department of Commerce.

Luke Ande, BAE, physical education and health, became the athletic director for Bainbridge Island School District.

Zoe Fraley, B.A., journalism, became the director of Communications and Marketing at Bellingham Technical College. Previously, Zoe was the social media coordinator at Western and wrote several stories for Window magazine.

Ryan Pemberton, B.A., psychology, became the assistant director of the Center for Faithful Business at Seattle Pacific University. Previously, he was the communications and marketing manager at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.

Adam Lincoln, B.A., political science, became the interim city manager of Pasco. He has been Pasco’s deputy city manager since 2020.

Matthew Nixon, B.A., Fairhaven upside-down program, recently became a broker at The Muljat Group of Bellingham. Matthew, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, also coaches football and basketball at Bellingham High School.

The J. Rinehart Gallery in Seattle recently held “Swimming Naked,” a solo exhibition featuring the work of illustrator Kelly Bjork, B.A., art-drawing and ’09, BFA, art.

Jesse Raymond, B.A., design, a game and software designer and developer specializing in user experience and user interface, was recently promoted to Technical UI Design director for Fortnite at Epic Games.

Amy Harder, B.A., journalism, was named the 2022 Energy Writer of the Year by the American Energy Society. Amy is the executive editor of Cipher, a weekly newsletter supported by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy that focuses on technological innovations that address climate change.

Aliza Hauser, M.A., rehabilitation counseling, is the Return to Work manager for the Puget Sound Educational Service District.

Zachary E. Davison, B.A., accounting, was promoted to partner at the international law firm Perkins Coie. Based in the Seattle office, Zachary is an attorney in the firm’s Business Litigation practice, focusing on real estate, securities and corporate governance disputes.

Jane Gershovich, B.A. international business, is a professional photographer in Seattle whose specialties include sports photography— she has been photographing Seattle’s OL Reign FC since the team began. Jane has also shot photos for the Seattle Sounders, Amazon, the National Football League, Brooks Running, Nike and the Seattle Seahawks.

Cumulus, led by Alexandra Lockhart, B.A., communication, recently released its third album, “Something Brighter,” whose songs carry a theme of “gratitude and the bittersweetness of learning from the past,” according to the band’s website.

Real estate brokers Kena Brashear, '95, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, and Peter Ahn, B.S., manufacturing engineering technology, recently bought their company, The Muljat Group, a residential real estate brokerage in Bellingham. Kena has worked for the company for 20 years, and Peter, a U.S. Air Force veteran, joined the company seven years ago.

Savannah LeCornu, B.A., theatre, is the production manager for Western’s Department of Theatre and Dance, and the lighting designer/manager for Mount Baker Theatre. She’s also a visual artist whose work is drawn from her multi-tribal background of Tsimshian, Haida and Nimiipuu (Nez Perce). Savannah’s painting, “Still Here” WWU Variant, hangs in Parks Hall. She was also accepted into her first artist residency as the Spring Native American Fellow for the Visual Arts at Wyoming’s Ucross Foundation.

Debbi Kenote, BFA, studio art, completed her MFA in 2016 from Brooklyn College and is a contemporary artist based in New York. Her paintings were included in several exhibitions in 2022 in Beijing, Montreal, Seattle, Oakland and Connecticut.

Jen Monnier, B.A., philosophy, completed a master’s degree in journalism at New York University and is now a freelance writer based in Seattle, specializing in the sciences, business, arts and entertainment, and profiles. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Bloomberg, Medscape and the Los Angeles Times. She is also a book fact-checker.

Anna Nakae, B.S., environmental science and certificate in global information systems, is the projects coordinator for the Eagle River Watershed Council in Gypsum, Colorado. She recently joined the Eagle Open Space and Recreational Advisory Committee.

Carly Roberts, B.A., political science, graduated in May 2022 from Gonzaga Law School, where she was a Thomas More public service scholar and editor-in-chief of the Gonzaga Law Review. Carly was sworn into the Washington State Bar in November and is completing a judicial clerkship in Seattle.

Jason Smith, superintendent credential, is head of the International School of Arizona and was recently selected to attend an intensive, two-week Heads of School Program at the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership at Columbia University.

Kayla Adams, B.A., theatre, is a theatre artist based in Chicago who recently returned to campus to direct “what the Gods gave me,” written by Eryn Elyse McVay, ’18, B.A., theatre. Eryn is working toward an MFA in playwriting at Ohio University, where “what the Gods gave me” premiered last fall.

Nora Selander, B.A., history and political science, is Western’s new director of Government Relations. She came from The Evergreen State College, where she served as Government Relations Director.

Zoë Fejeran, B.A., art history, is the Western Gallery’s new museum educator. Before returning to Western, Zoë completed a master’s degree in art education at the University of Texas at Austin.

Jacob Dodrill, B.A., Spanish, wrote “Poetry for Me,” a volume that includes poems influenced by Latin American poetry classes Jacob took at Western. It’s available from Dorrance Publishing Co.

After spending four years conducting research at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, Anna Marie Yanny, B.S., behavioral neuroscience, is in graduate school at University of California, Santa Cruz, studying science communication.

Kayla Adams, '16, B.A., theatre, is a theatre artist based in Chicago who recently returned to campus to direct “what the Gods gave me,” written by Eryn Elyse McVay, B.A., theatre. Eryn is working toward an MFA in playwriting at Ohio University, where “what the Gods gave me” premiered last fall.

The University of North Texas Press just published “There Is Only Us,” a short story collection by Zoe Ballering, MFA, creative writing, who won the university’s 2022 Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction. In 2021, Zoe’s short story, “Double or Nothing,” won the Rougarou Fabulism & Speculative Fiction Contest.

Daniel Hovander, B.S., is in dental school at the University of Washington and will begin his residency this year at Neighborcare Health Dental Clinic at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.

Karlee Foster, B.A., theatre, is an actor and theatre artist in the Los Angeles area and a member of the Wallis Studio Ensemble at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. She recently performed in the ensemble’s production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Karlee is also on the technical crew at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

Colton Rasanen-Fryar, B.A., journalism-public relations, was promoted to assistant managing editor of the Wahpeton Daily News in North Dakota.

Isabel Vander Stoep, B.A., communication studies, was promoted to assistant editor of the Chronicle newspaper in Chehalis. Isabel began at the paper as an intern and was soon promoted to full-time reporter.

Irina Reinhardt, B.A., communication studies, became a business administrator for the solar energy company Unico Solar Investors.

Doris M. Maxwell, 93, a retired teacher of kindergarten through second grade, on June 21, 2021, in Olympia.

Bettyjane Evich, 94, a retired teacher and longtime artist, on July 14, 2022.

Norris McHeffey, 95, a World War II veteran and retired superintendent of the Edmonds School District, on Sept. 14, 2022, in Texarkana, Texas.

Charles Lowell Aukland, 97, a World War II veteran and retired middle school science teacher for Seattle Public Schools, on Sept. 25, 2022.

John Preston Samples, 93, on Dec. 27, 2020.

George Cole, 93, a Korean War veteran and retired elementary school teacher in Bellingham, on Sept. 19, 2022, in Seattle.

Alton John Gregor, 94, a Korean War veteran and retired elementary school principal in the Lake Washington School District, on Oct. 27, 2022.

Charles David Northrup, 88, a retired teacher, counselor and high school principal who worked in Cle Elum and Yakima, on Sept. 24, 2022.

Edward Morrow, 88, retired principal of five elementary schools and one middle school in the Everett School District who also served on the Everett City Council and Port of Everett Commission, on Nov. 25, 2022.

Maryalice Brockway, 87, who retired after 40 years teaching in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District in California, on Sept. 8, 2022.

Norman Foster Keck, 87, a retired teacher, principal and administrator in the Everett School District who toured Australia, Scotland and Germany with the Snohomish County Windjammers barbershop singing group, on May 4, 2022.

Clyde “Skip” Baker, 86, a retired teacher and coach in Mount Vernon, on June 23, 2022. His wife (and classmate) Shirlene Ann Baker, 85, also a retired teacher in Skagit County, died Sept. 5, 2022.

Clyde “Skip” Baker, 86, a retired teacher and coach in Mount Vernon, on June 23, 2022. His wife (and classmate) Shirlene Ann Baker, 85, also a retired teacher in Skagit County, died Sept. 5, 2022.

Maureen Couplin, 87, a retired kindergarten teacher in Anacortes, on Dec. 9, 2022.

Bud L. Holten, 89, a longtime teacher and coach in Skamokawa and Cathlamet in Wahkiakum County, on Dec. 7, 2022.

Stanley Edward Moe, 92, a retired math teacher at Puyallup High School, on June 5, 2021.

Marcella Ann Gossage, 86, a former high school teacher who owned Town and Country Apparel in Bellingham for 25 years, then ran a bed and breakfast on Lummi Island, on Nov. 8, 2022, in Bellevue.

John David Pakusich, 86, on Dec. 16, 2022, in Bellingham.

Theodore J. Waterhouse, 89, a retired teacher and tennis coach in the Seattle School District and an avid skier, on Sept. 7, 2022.

Mozelle K. Workman, 84, a Spokane resident, on April 4, 2022.

Kenneth D. Cline, 83, a retired teacher and coach in Okanogan who later worked as a school district bus driver and cook at Camp Progress, on Sept. 26, 2020, in Wenatchee.

Mary Kudsk, 83, who taught at Sumas Christian and Lynden Christian schools and owned and managed rental properties, on Oct. 15, 2022.

Lawrence Rayner, 79, a retired English teacher who coached baseball and cheerleading, on March 18, 2022.

Shirley Ann Tollefson, 87, on Nov. 24, 2022, in Burlington.

Janet Nunamaker, 80, a retired teacher, on June 17, 2020.

Richard Soth, 86, a retired teacher and coach in the Snohomish School District, on Dec. 13, 2022

Brian O’Neil, 85, a retired teacher and coach in the Elma School District, on March 20, 2022.

Jim Freeman, 81, a WWU Athletics Hall-of-Fame inductee and longtime mathematics and science teacher at Mount Baker High School who coached cross country, track and field, and basketball, on Nov. 27, 2022. His students won a total of eight state titles, and he was inducted three times into the Washington High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Ann Hagerhjelm, 79, a Sunday school teacher and homemaker, on Oct. 26, 2022, in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Wayne Jensen, 78, retired from WR Grace and Co., on Dec. 23, 2022.

Daniel W. Meins, 76, a veteran of the U.S. Army and gifted artist who painted in California and Washington, on Dec. 23, 2022.

Steven Allen Gordon, 75, a retired restaurateur and caterer, on May 26, 2022.

Gale Waterland Scott, 75, a musician and former music teacher who ran a financial advisory business with her husband in Florida, on June 11, 2022, in Tacoma.

Doris Sterling, 93, on June 23, 2022.

Susan L. Swan, 79, a retired history professor at Washington State University, on Dec. 4, 2022, in Pullman.

James Carlson, 75, a retired professor of politics at Providence College, on Sept. 27, 2022.

Douglas E. Forrest, 91, a retired school administrator in British Columbia, on Dec. 3, 2022, in Nanaimo.

Marvette Gwinner, 74, retired accountant for the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department, on Sept. 13, 2022.

Edward Allen Lofdahl, 76, a retired teacher at Tacoma Baptist Schools and Washington Baptist Teacher’s College, where he served as dean of students, and who had a second career in the fire protection industry, on Sept. 24, 2022.

Oleta Niderost, 77, retired teacher at Cascade Middle School in Sedro-Woolley, on Jan. 26, 2022, in Corvallis, Oregon.

Francis McKee Adams, 94, a U.S. Navy veteran and pilot who later taught math and physics and established a Naval Junior ROTC program at Issaquah High School, on July 23, 2021.

Stephen Walter Irving, 77, a former land steward with Whatcom Land Trust, on Dec. 5, 2022, in Bellingham.

Susan Irene (Tarr) Dunn, 70, a retired teacher, on Oct. 11, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.

Linda Jean Boyd, 70, a retired special education teacher in Forks, on Sept. 1, 2022.

Glenn Hyatt, 77, a retired accountant for the federal government and a military historian, on Sept. 20, 2022.

Bonnie Smitch Rehberger, 77, a retired case worker and juvenile probation officer for Whatcom County, as well as a secretary for the Washington State Juvenile Courtworkers Association, on Dec. 7, 2022.

Eugene Charles Arthur Wiggins, 91, a retired teacher and counselor in the Everett School District, later a faculty member at Seattle Pacific University, Western Washington University and Nazarene Indian Bible College, on Sept. 7, 2022.

Jean Marie Arneson, 69, on Sept. 13, 2022, in Anacortes.

Patricia Duggan, 67, retired from Confluence Health, on Nov. 14, 2022.

Bette C. McDaniel, 91, a retired educator who lived in Huntsville, Alabama, on Dec. 22, 2022.

Kay Eileen Roetcisoender, 83, a retired teacher, athletic director and assistant high school principal, on Dec. 21, 2021.

William Raymond Ross, 69, a retired nursery worker specializing in the cultivation of tree seedlings, on Nov. 11, 2022.

Marianne Louise Murphy, 65, a retired Christian missionary in Japan, on Oct. 6, 2022.

Gary Allen Feil, a U.S. Navy veteran and retired air traffic controller, on Feb. 24, 2022.

Kimberly Ann Ross-Potter-Rich, 65, a social worker, on May 21, 2022.

Benice Muller-Cody, 78, a retired counselor at Naselle Youth Camp, on Sept. 7, 2022, in Pe Ell.

Lane Ashton DeLarme, 67, who worked for government agencies largely in geographic information systems, on Oct. 11, 2022.

Tara Felder, 63, a former teacher and accomplished back country horsewoman, on Aug. 25, 2022.

Anita S. Jackson, 86, retired director of Early Childhood Opportunities Northwest, who helped establish the Head Start Program in Whatcom County, on Oct. 25, 2022.

Diane Lynn (Slovberg) Schuh, 62, who worked for Applied Digital Imaging in Bellingham, on Oct. 29, 2022.

Stephen McCombs, 73, a retired teacher, volunteer fire fighter, and wildland fire dispatcher, on Nov. 11, 2022, in Fairbanks, Alaska.

David T. Quitugua, 62, who worked in security for Reed College, Emanuel Hospital and Home Depot, on July 8, 2022.

Paul McKenna, 73, a decorated veteran who worked as an illustrator and in art therapy, on May 20, 2020, in Bellingham.

Norman Wayne Peters, 71, on Nov. 1, 2021.

John M. McClenahan, 66, on Nov. 19, 2022.

Lynn Rene Ohls, 58, a paralegal and legal assistant, on Oct. 31, 2021.

Loren Howard Reynolds, 72, on April 21, 2021.

Eric Jack Larson, 60, a former commercial fisher with a 20-year career in real estate, on July 16, 2022.

Pamela Sue Coshun, 65, a retired math teacher who taught in Minnesota and Wisconsin, on June 3, 2022.

Shannon Jane Wiggs, 63, retired assistant superintendent of the Peninsula School District who in retirement taught at the Purdy Women’s Correctional Center, on Jan. 4, 2020.

Barbara Yeast Sandifer, 81, on Jan. 7, 2022, in Holly Lake Ranch, Texas.

John Erik Pabarcus, 52, a human resources professional, on May 4, 2020.

Spencer Cearns, 43, an attorney who worked for the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, on Dec. 10, 2022.

Paul Winston Goddard, 64, a pastor, teacher, writer and instructional systems designer, on March 18, 2019.

Myrl Beck, 89, professor emeritus of geology and a prolific researcher and mentor whose work led to the development of the Baja-BC hypothesis on the tectonic history of the North American Cordillera, on Jan. 4, 2023, in Bellingham.

Charlene Dolores Ambrose, 92, a retired nurse and supporter of the Chemistry Undergraduate Fellowship Fund, named in honor of her daughter, on Dec. 5, 2022. (Denice Ambrose Hougen, ‘85, B.A., and ’88, MBA, is the retired manager of the Chemistry Department.)

Charlene E. Knowlton, 91, retired secretary in the Physical Education Department, on Sept. 11, 2022, in Bellingham.

V. Earlene Poole, 86, who retired after 25 years working in administration, including assistant to the vice president of Business and Financial Affairs and as benefits manager, on Sept. 18, 2022.

Jordyn Berg, ’16, B.A., English-creative writing, and Andrew Reeves on Oct. 1, 2022, in Monroe.