Class Notes

Zoe Ballering, MFA, creative writing, recently received an Oregon Literary Fellowship. Her anthology, "There Is Only Us" received the 2022 Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction, and she has short stories forthcoming in The Cincinnati Review and Story Magazine. In addition to writing, Zoe is senior assistant dean of Admission Communication at Reed College. 

Dorrance Publishing Co., just released "Black Sun and Scarlet Skies," a young adult novel by Thitiya Astleford, B.A., English - creative writing, 

Joel Purdy, M.S., geology, is the Water Resources manager for Kitsap Public Utilities District. 

Kelly Kriss, B.A., art, is principal of Adele Harrison Middle School in Sonoma, California, and was named Middle Grades principal of the Year by Region 4 of the Association of California Administrators, which represents six counties in Northern California. 

Michelle Marques, B.A., German, recently became a radio content producer and the weekday local host of "All Things Considered" for Northern California Public Media, serving NPR stations in the northern San Francisco Bay Area. Michelle has been working in radio in Sonoma County, California, for about 20 years. 

Mike LaDoe, B.A., speech communication, became the director of Consumer Lending for TAPCO Credit Union. 

Miriam Karamoko, B.A., French and B.S., psychology, was recently appointed the inaugural executive director of the Whatcom Racial Equity Commission.  

Danielle Parlin, B.S., biology, completed her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at Pacific University in Oregon and recently became a physician assistant in vascular surgery at PeaceHealth in Bellingham. 

Nate Sanford, B.A., journalism - news/editorial, is a Murrow News fellow working as a reporter at Cascade PBS and KNKX radio, covering policy and politics with an emphasis on issues facing young adults. The Murrow News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to help revitalize local journalism by placing 16 early-career journalists in newsrooms across the state.  

Evan Tablatin, BAE, early childhood education, is a talent acquisition specialist for Seattle City Light. 

Christopher Haveman, B.A., English, is an associate professor of history at the University of West Alabama and the author of "River of Sand: Creek Indian Emigration, Relocation, and Ethnic Cleansing in the American South." 

Steve Kizer, BAE, physical education - secondary, recently retired after more than two decades as head football coach at Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington. 

Amy Heinze, B.A., English and music, recently joined the board of the Tacoma Community College Foundation. 

Rebecca Som Castellano, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, is a professor of sociology at Boise State University, where her areas of expertise include rural sociology, and the sociology of food and agriculture. 

Dustin Till, B.A., history, recently became a partner in the law firm of Troutman Pepper Lock. Dustin has extensive experience in hydropower, environmental and renewable energy law. 

Brooke Bain-White, B.S., environmental science - marine ecology, and '17, M.S., environmental science, is a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Montana's Global Climate and Ecology Lab, where her research investigates ways in which wildfires affect water quality in high-elevation lakes. Her research is funded by the Glacier National Park Conservancy. 

Tom Venable, B.A., political science, has announced he will leave his position as Methow Valley School District Superintendent at the end of the school year and will become the executive director of the Methow Housing Trust in July. Before moving to the Methow Valley, Tom was a teacher, principal and deputy superintendent for Bellingham Public Schools. 

Chris Hartmann, M.Ed., physical education, who coached volleyball at WWU from 1987 to 1991, now coaches varsity disc golf at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia. Chris also designs disc golf courses, plays professionally, and works toward growing other collegiate disc golf programs in Canada.  

Shoko Toyama, B.A., business - finance, is vice president and chief development officer of Plymouth Housing and was recently named part of the Puget Sound Business Journal's "40 Under 40" cohort of 2025. 

This spring, David Wain Coon, M.Ed., student personnel administration, is the acting president of San Jose City College. He retired in December 2024 as president of College of Marin.