The Western campus viewed from the air looking out towards the islands and Bellingham bay

Class Notes

Class Notes include professional accomplishments, awards, retirements, weddings, obituaries and other news about Western Washington University alumni; they’re gathered from published reports and communication from alumni themselves.

If you have an update you’d like us to share in Class Notes, please email it to window@wwu.edu. Tell us what’s new with you, and we’ll publish it in the next edition and online.

Class Note

Ray Matlock Smythe - 1971

Ray Matlock Smythe, BAE, history - secondary education, has a new book out, "My Life After Loss--A Resource for Gay Men Moving Forward," which provides insights to help gay men move ahead into the future with confidence, strength and hope. 

Audra Anderson - 2020

Audra Anderson, B.A., journalism - news/editorial, is assistant editor at the Cascadia Daily News in Bellingham, 

Brett Ballman - 2006

Brett Ballman, B.A., business administration - management, is the first vice president of business services and consumer lending for Salal Credit Union in Seattle. 

Bobby Black - 2005

Bobby Black, B.A., business administration - management, recently became a senior vice president at Peoples Bank in Wenatchee. Previously, he was a vice president and commercial loan officer at North Cascades Bank. 

Claire Windecker - 2015

Claire Windecker, B.S., biology - marine emphasis, just completed her master's degree in biology from California Polytechnic State University - Humboldt and became the director of instructional support for marine studies and marine science at St. Mary's College of Maryland.  

Preston Boyd - 1971

Preston Boyd, B.A., communication studies, is a retired teacher in Florida where he directs plays for the Venice Theatre. 

Megumi Tsuruoka - 1993

Megumi Tsuruoka, Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, lives and works in Kyoto, Japan, and is active in the preservation of the nearby community of Utoro, a small ethnic Korean community who faced poverty and discrimination and were at risk of losing their homes. She's now a board member for the Utoro Peace Memorial Museum and translates for the museum's exhibition and website. Megumi recently wrote about her experiences with the community of Utoro for the Nichi Bei News, and how she first learned about Utoro during a class at Western with Lorraine Bannai about the Japanese American incarceration. 

Laura Janney - 1990

Laura Janney, B.A., fashion marketing, became the executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Tilly's Life Center, a Southern California non-profit that focuses on social-emotional learning curricula for teens. Previously, Laura was a top merchandising executive at Hudson's Bay and Nordstrom. 

Amanda Eisenberg - 2020

Amanda Eisenberg, B.S., environmental science, is the new interpretive coordinator at the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center in Rockport. Amanda has also worked as a tour guide at Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. 

William Martin - 2018

William Martin, B.A., political science, recently became a policy analyst for Oregon State Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). Willliam recently completed a Master of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Washington and served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a combat engineer officer. 

Jenessa Stringer - 2015

Jenessa Stringer, B.A., human services, recently joined Blue Skies for Children as the enrichment program manager. Blue Skies for Children is a social service agency in Bellingham that funds enrichment opportunities for homeless, foster and low-income kids.  

Alexi Guddal - 2015

Alexi Guddal, B.S., biology - marine emphasis, is an outreach and education specialist with the Whatcom Conservation District. Alexi was recently invited to speak at Western for the Environmental Speakers Series to discuss voluntary incentive-based conservation on private land. 

Patrick Hutchins - 2016

Patrick Hutchins, B.A., environmental education, is a community engagement coordinator with SR3, Sealife Response + Rehab + Research. Patrick was invited to speak at Western's Environmental Speaker Series about the animals receiving care at SR3's new sealife hospital. 

Erin Cavagnaro - 2008

Erin Cavagnaro, B.A., Spanish and linguistics, spent five years teaching in Spain and completed a master's degree in bilingual education at the University of Oregon. Erin is now a teacher of a dual immersion kindergarten in Corvallis, Oregon. 

Lindsey Myhre - 2000

Lindsey Myhre, B.A., business administration - finance, is chief financial officer for STCU, a credit union in Eastern Washington and Idaho, and was recently named one of the 15 most powerful women in credit unions by American Banker magazine. 

Katie McNabb - 2023

Katie McNabb, B.A., English - creative writing and journalism - news/editorial, recently became a program and development assistant at the Clean Energy Transition Institute. 

Kevin Hambly - 2000

Kevin Hambly, B.S., biochemistry, recently became the chief business officer of ProfoundBio, a biotechnology company developing novel antibody-drug conjugate therapeutics for cancer. Kevin has worked for more than 20 years in the biopharmaceutical business, most recently as vice president for corporate development and strategy at Eliem Therapeutics. 

Juhi LaFuente - 2016

Juhi LaFuente, B.S., environmental science - marine ecology, is a fisheries biology graduate student at Cal Poly Humboldt, studying north Pacific krill, which provide a vital food source for sea creatures up and down the food chain along the California coast. 

Ron Carpenter - 1998

Ron Carpenter, B.A., sociology, recently retired after 16 years with University Police, most recently as deputy chief. "I graduated from Western in 1998 and never wanted to leave campus," he told WWU News

Cashmir Cranson - 2004

Cashmir Cranson, B.A., American Cultural Studies, became the vice president of advancement for Ascentria Care Alliance, a social services nonprofit in Worcester, Mass. Previously, Cashmir was director of operations for one of Ascentria's programs, Good News Garage.