Class Notes

Skagit County Superior Court Judge Tom Verge, B.A., business administration, retired Dec. 31 after a 37-year legal career, which included time on the bench in three different court systems  

Stacie Pratschner, B.A., and '18, M.A., anthropology, recently became Oak Harbor's Community Development director, where she'll help develop the city's marina. Previously, Stacie was the Community Development director in Mount Vernon. 

Liberty Stansberry, B.A., human services, founded Solutions HR Consulting, based in Seattle. Previously, Liberty worked in chief HR roles with Northwest Kidney Centers, Optum and Brookdale Senior Living. 

Sandra Cullis, M.Ed., natural science, was recently appointed the superintendent of the Denville Township School District in New Jersey. Sandra has served as assistant superintendent since 2013 and will begin as superintendent in July. 

Jaya Flanary, B.A., visual journalism, was recently promoted to be managing editor for visuals and design at the Cascadia Daily News, where she's worked since the newspaper's beginning in 2022

Audra Anderson, B.A., journalism, was promoted to managing editor for news at the Cascadia Daily Herald, where she's served as assistant editor since 2022. 

Dr. Devon "Fritz" Kuhlmann, B.S., biology, is passionate about rural healthcare and recently joined the medical staff of Sidney Health Center's primary care clinic in Montana. Fritz earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Western University of Health Sciences COMP Northwest in Lebanon, Oregon. He also served as a hospital corpsman with the U.S. Navy's Fleet Marine Force.

Jackie Zils, B.A., journalism, is a content strategist at JayRay, a branding, advertising and strategic communications firm in the South Sound. 

Celine Parton, B.A., business administration - marketing, is a musician who helped organize the 2026 Bellingham Folk Festival. Celine is a fiddler who performs with Dream Goats. 

Alana Schachtel, '15, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, and Erik Fure, B.S., psychology, are musicians who used to jam together at Western and are now in Chicago as creating music as Immaterialize. Their songs "blur the lines between indie rock, dream pop, and experimental textures."

Alana Schachtel, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, and Erik Fure, '16, B.S., psychology, are musicians who used to jam together at Western and are now in Chicago as creating music as Immaterialize. Their songs "blur the lines between indie rock, dream pop, and experimental textures."

Sam Wallin, B.A., theatre, also goes by Crash Solo works for the Whatcom County Library System helps organize the Salish Sea Poetry Festival. He's also a judge for the 2026 Sue C. Boyton Poetry Contest. 

Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor, B.A., English, M.A., English, performs as a storyteller specializing in stories based on Filipino folktales and Filipino-American history. She is also a judge of the 2026 Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest. 

Libby Hale, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, recently became the marketing coordinator for the architecture firm McGranahanPBK in Tacoma

Charmaine Riley, B.A., journalism - public relations, is communications director at American Beverage, the trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry, and just began her term as the 2026 president of Washington Women in Public Relations.

Rick Reichert, B.A., history, is a major gifts officer for Yale New Haven Health in Connecticut. He also runs a tax practice, Taxwork. Rick would love to see fellow Vikings in the NYC area. 

Gabrielle Kazuko Nomura Gainor, B.A., journalism, is senior director of communications for Plymouth Housing, the region's largest permanent supportive housing provider. They were recently included in the Puget Sound Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list of honorees.

Tanya Bjornsson, B.A., French, was named "A Washington winemaker to watch" by the Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine. Tanya's label, Esja, is named after a mountain range in Iceland, where her parents are from, and specializes in "minimally intervened Washington wine, that is funky, fresh, and fun." 

Matthew Maury, B.A., '89, business administration - international business, was appointed as the CEO for the Australian Council for International Development, the peak body for the international development sector in Australia. Matthew's wife Susan Connelly Maury, B.A., English - writing, earned her Ph.D. at Monash University in Australia, and after several years leading the Research Fellows portfolio at the Victoria Health Foundation she has recently started as the Policy and Advocacy director for MND Australia. Both Susan and Matthew worked for 18 years in Africa in the international development sector before moving to Australia several years ago.

Matthew Maury, B.A., business administration - international business, was appointed as the CEO for the Australian Council for International Development, the peak body for the international development sector in Australia. Matthew's wife Susan Connelly Maury, '88, B.A., English - writing, earned her Ph.D. at Monash University in Australia, and after several years leading the Research Fellows portfolio at the Victoria Health Foundation she has recently started as the Policy and Advocacy director for MND Australia. Both Susan and Matthew worked for 18 years in Africa in the international development sector before moving to Australia several years ago.