Board of Directors

Pat Shuman

President

Bertha Ortega was appointed January 2021 to the Yakima Valley College Board of Trustees. 

Bertha holds a master's in education from Fort Wright College and bachelors degree from the University of Washington. Prior to helping establish Heritage University, she worked as an instructor for health and human services at Seattle Central College, director of education transportation and early childhood specialist for the Yakama Nation and as a state bilingual liaison for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

President-electwendy bohlke

Wendy Bohlke was appointed November 2017 and  reappointed to the Whatcom Community College Board of Trustees in October 2019.

Wendy served as the Board Vice Chair, 2020-21; ACT Member At-Large, 2020-21; ACT Nominating Committee, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24. In addition to the Former Senior Counsel, WA. State Assist. Attorney General; Counsel to Western WA. Univ. & Bellingham Ed. Team Leader; Counsel to Skagit Valley College and Whatcom Community College; Section Chief, Bellingham Regional Office of Attorney General. 

paula arno martinez

Secretary

Paula Arno Martinez was appointed October 2020 to the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees and served as the ACT Member At- Large 2023-24. 

Attorney/Owner, Arno Martinez Law, PLLC. Former Staff Attorney, Colectiva Legal del Pueblo; Associate Attorney, Rios & Cruz, P.S.; Staff Attorney, NW Immigrant Rights 
Project. Bachelor's Degree, Univ. of Texas, San Antonio; Juris Doctorate, Texas Southern Univ. Affiliations: National Pres., Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc; Latino, a Bar Assn. of Washington; National Lawyer's Guild, Wenatchee Chapter.

rebecca choi chanTreasurer

Rebecca Choi Chan was appointed June 2021 to the Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees.

Rebecca is a licensed CPA and Labor Efficiency Manager at Providence St. Joseph Health, with more than 15 years of healthcare finance experience. She earned a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of Washington, where she was active with Asian American groups on campus. Previously, she was employed at non-profit Student Loan Finance Association. In 2019, Rebecca was appointed to a partial term on the King County Women's Advisory Board, District 1. She is now serving her first full 3-year team on the advisory board. In 2021, Rebecca and her husband were awarded PTA Lifetime Membership for recognition of significant contribution to the development and growth of the Cascade K-8 PTSA. 

Past President

Image of Pat Shurman standing outside on a sunny day.

Pat Shuman was appointed November 2018 to the Tacoma Community College Board of Trustees. 

Pat is a former organizational/employees development professional with Weyerhaeuser Company, Puget Sound Bank and Puget Sound Power and Light. She earned  a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire and a Master of Science degree from Central Washington University. Pat has served as a board member for Tacoma Community College Foundation, Children's Museum of Tacoma, Tacoma Art Museum and Tacoma Actors Guild. 

 

Member at Largelouise chernin

Louise Chernin was appointed August 2015 to the Seattle College Board of Trustees and reappointed October 2019. She served as the Board Chair in 2017-2018; 2018-2019; 2021-2022; ACT LAC Co-Chair, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023; and as the ACT Member-at-Large, 2023-2024.

Louise is president  & CEO, Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA), Washington State’s LGBTQ and allied Chamber of Commerce; BA Sociology & Psychology, CUNY Brooklyn College; Board member: Outright International; Antidefamation League Pacific NW Region; Named by PSBJ top 20 most influential women; Seattle Storm 2013 Inspiring Women award; 2016 PSBJ Lifetime Achievement Award; Business Equality Magazine named as one of 50 over 50 Legacy Leaders in the US; 2019 Crosscut Media Courage in Business Award; Lambda Legal Leadership Award; 2021 GenPride Leadership Award; 2022 GSBA Lifetime Impact Award. 

richard leighMember at Large

Richard Leigh was appointed February 2018 to the Bellevue College Board of Trustees and reappointed October 2020.

Richard has served as Board Chair 2021-2022. ACT Treasurer, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. He is the Chief Legal Officer/General Counsel for the SEIU 775 Benefits Group, a family of nonprofit trusts that provide training, healthcare and retirement benefits to 50,000 caregivers in Washington; Chair of the Audit Committee of Seattle Credit Union; former Board member of the Seattle Seahawks Charitable Foundation, and Casey Family Programs.

In addition to his current role, he has also served as general counsel to both public and privately held companies.  Prior to serving as the first-ever Vice President and General Counsel at the Seattle Seahawks and then at Vulcan, he spent eight years as a corporate attorney with the Seattle law firm of Foster Pepper & Shefelman (now Foster Garvey), where he was a Partner.

Legislative Action Committeeclaire roney

Co-Chair

Claire Roney was appointed October 2021 to the Peninsula College Board of trustees. 

Dr. Roney works as a psychologist in Port Townsend, specializing in geriatric and health psychology.  Previously she served as the Founder and Executive Director of the Van Vleck House, a Teton County youth service in Jackson, Wyoming. She served on the Board of the Peninsula College Foundation until 2021 in addition to numerous other volunteer positions.

Legislative Action Committeewilma cartagena

Co-Chair

Wilma Cartagena was appointed February 2020 to the Wenatchee Valley Board of Trustees.

Wilma is a Civil Rights Investigator with the WA State Human Rights Commission; former Marketing Specialist, Numerica Credit Union; School Registrar, Department of Defense Dependent Education Activity (DODEA). B.A., Education, Univ. of Maryland Global Campus; M.A., Human Resources, Webster University.

ACCT WA State Regionaltodd woodard Coordinator

Todd Woodard was appointed June 2022 to the Spokane Colleges Board of Trustees.

Todd is the Director of Marketing and Public Affairs, Spokane International Airport and Felt Fields. Former Press and Legislative Assistant to the Honorable Thomas S. Foley, Speaker U.S. House of Representatives. Todd has a legacy of volunteer roles on boards including Visit Spokane, Leadership Spokane, the Northwest Chapter of American Association of Airport Executives and numerous others. He has served Spokane Colleges Foundation since 2015, including as past president. He is a graduate of Washington State  University.