Board of Directors

President

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

President-elect

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

Secretary

Glenn Johnson was appointed to the Community Colleges of Spokane Board of Trustees in 2018. He served as Board Chair 2020-21 and Vice Chair 2019-20. He has served as Mayor of the City of Pullman since 2004.  He was a professor at Washington State University in the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and retired as professor emeritus in 2014. Glenn earned a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He is a community college graduate (Modesto Jr. College, A.A.) with a B.A. from Sacramento State University and a masters from UCLA. Before moving to Pullman to teach at WSU, Glenn worked in news in Los Angeles and Sacramento, managed radio stations in Sacramento and was an adjunct professor at Sacramento City College.  Currently, Glenn is the chair of the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport board and serves on the boards of Washington State Transportation Improvement, Municipal Research and Service, Employee Benefit Trust, Washington State Association of Broadcasters, Pullman Chamber of Commerce, and Community Action Center of Whitman County. He is a member of both Rotary and Kiwanis. 

Treasurer

Richard Leigh was appointed to the Bellevue College Board of Trustees in 2018.  He is the Chief Legal Officer with SEIU 775 Benefits Group, a non-profit healthcare entity and is a current board member for Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum.  Richard is the former General Counsel  for Vulcan Inc. and a former board member for the Casey Family Programs Foundation, Seattle Seahawks Charitable Foundation and the Seattle Metropolitan  Chamber of Commerce.  He has a B.A. from Brown University, M.A. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.

Immediate Past President

Doug Mah was appointed to the South Puget Sound Community College Board of Trustees in 2016. He served as Board Chair 2018-19.  Doug is the Owner and Principal Consultant at Doug Mah & Associates, LLC. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree from Western Washington University.

Doug is a current Board Chair for Washington State Employees Credit Union and the Gateway Rotary Club of Thurston County.  He also served on the Olympia City Council and as Mayor of the Capital City.

Member at Large

Louise Chernin was appointed to the Seattle College Board of Trustees in 2015 and reappointed October 2019. Louise served as Board Chair 2017-18, 2018-19 and Board Vice Chair 2016-17, and will be the Board Chair in 2021-2022. Louise is the retired President and CEO of GSBA, Washington State’s LGBTQ and allied chamber of commerce.  Louise earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Psychology from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College. Louise is a current board member of the Anti-Defamation League Pacific Northwest and a Board member of OutRight Action International, a global LGBTIQ human rights organization.

Member at Large

Paula Arno Martinez was appointed to the Wenatchee Valley College Board in 2020.  Paula is an attorney at Arno Martinez Law, PLCC, where she practices immigration law exclusively.  Paula has been an attorney for seven years and her work experience includes nonprofit organizations and small law firms.  She previously served on the City of Wenatchee Diversity Council and as a Commissioner for the WA Commission on Hispanic Affairs. 

Legislative Action Committee

Co-Chair

Claire Roney was appointed to the Peninsula College Board in 2021.  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 Committee Co-Chair

Gary Chandler was appointed to the Big Bend Community College Board of Trustees in January 2022.  Gary is the Vice President of Strategic Affairs for the Association of Washington Businesses (AWB). He previously served as AWB's Vice President of Government Affairs for 20 years before moving into his current role in October 2021. He serves on the AWB Board of Directors and has served as a legislator (1990-2002) and co-chaired the House of Agriculture and Ecology Committee and served on the Natural Resources and Transportation committees. He was a hay farmer, apple orchardist and also served as a Grant County Commissioner.  Chandler is a proud Big Bend graduate and has served on the Big Bend Foundation Board since 2008.

ACCT WA State Regional Coordinator

Todd Woodard was appointed to the Community Colleges of Spokane Board of Trustees in June 2022.  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 CCS Foundation since 2015, including as past president.  He is a graduate of Washington State  University.