VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver will celebrate 33 women who have made a difference for others at the annual Women of Distinction event. The celebration and reception begin at 6 p.m. March 26 in Firstenburg Student Commons. The event is free and open to all registered guests. To RSVP and get a parking permit, visit .
Dr. Allen Gabriel, co-founder of the Pink Lemonade Project, will be the keynote speaker. There will be a collection bin for donations of new or used business clothes to the Dress-A-Coug Clothing Drive.
All nominees for the 2015 awards will be recognized for inspiring, mentoring and empowering others. The three Distinguished Woman awards to be announced at the event—high school student, 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø student and community member—are selected by community and 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø representatives.
HIGH SCHOOL NOMINEES
Brittany Curtiss is a senior at River Homelink School in Battle Ground. She also attends Clark College through Running Start. She devotes much of her time to helping others while maintaining top grades in school. She is a preschool teacher’s aide and also volunteers at an assisted living facility, with her church youth group and in community service projects.
Karina Paul is a junior and president of the National Honor Society at Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School. A recent immigrant, she attended Johns Hopkins University in the summer of 2014 and is passionate about neuroscience, with plans to become a neurosurgeon.
WSU VANCOUVER STUDENT NOMINEES
Elizabeth Brodie is the station manager at KOUG Radio. She is a senior who will graduate in May with degrees in anthropology and public affairs.
Kia Calderon is a social studies student who hopes to teach social studies when she completes her degree. She has been married for nine years to her husband, Jeraby, and they have three sons.
Sarah deVincenzi is the director of communications for the Associated Students of 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø. She is a senior in the Creative Media and Digital Culture program who will graduate in May.
Kelsey Gingerich will graduate in May with a degree in public affairs and a minor in business. She is the community service coordinator for ASWSUV and an intern at the National Coalition of Violence Against Women.
Christi Hamilton serves as a senator for ASWSUV. She will graduate in May with a degree in social science, focusing on personnel psychology/human resource management, with minors in psychology and human development.
Christie Isenhart will graduate in May with a degree in human resources. She has served as the director of corporate relations with the student Human Resource Society, and as chair of the Student Media Board.
Stephanie Leeper is a junior studying personnel psychology/human resource management with a minor in psychology. She serves as programming intern for the Office of Student Involvement and monthly event coordinator for the Student Activities Board.
Carly Lowder chairs the Student Activities Board. In May she will graduate with a major in personnel psychology/human resource management and minors in psychology and business management.
Chloe Moesch is the director of leadership development at ASWSUV and a senior who will graduate in August with a degree in personnel psychology/human resource management.
Sami Reel is a junior majoring in psychology and English. Her goal is to become a school counselor. She is a senator and secretary with ASWSUV.
Kirsten Reynolds chairs the Campus Affairs Committee with the ASWSUV. She is also a student ambassador and a staff member at the Office of Student Involvement. She will graduate in 2016 with a major in biology.
Ashlyn Salzman is the director of legislative affairs for 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø. A senior in the Public Affairs program, she will graduate in May and hopes to use her degree to make positive changes in government.
Cambri Shanahan, a senior studying human development and fine art, is the outdoor recreation intern for the Office of Student Involvement and editor-in-chief of the Salmon Creek Journal.
Natasha Sharer is a senior accounting major who will graduate in May. She is the director of student enrichment for ASWSUV and works at the front desk of the Office of Student Involvement.
Amalia Vacca is a recent graduate of the Creative Media and Digital Culture program with a degree in digital technology and culture.
COMMUNITY MEMBER NOMINEES
Heidi M. Johnson Bixby, CFP®, is principal of Johnson Bixby & Associates, a financial planning firm focused on helping clients align wealth to their values. She is chair of Columbia Springs, an environmental program in Vancouver; treasurer for H-RoC, a political action committee that advances women leaders in Southwest Washington; and co-founder of Global Sojourns Giving Circle.
Melissa Boles is an academic advisor at Clark College. She has degrees from Clark College, 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø and Western Carolina University. She is an advocate for education and women’s rights, and is involved in Clark County politics.
Jennifer Cullison created a STEM and Health Sciences program at Woodland High School, where she teaches. She works with the Free the Children international charity and has created a local charity to support these efforts.
Laura Ellsworth graduated from 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø in 2000. Her career in volunteer management has allowed her to motivate others to serve their community. Her work includes organ donation awareness, allocation policy, and reproductive health, rights and justice.
Carla Feltz is a family community resource coordinator for Vancouver Public Schools. She works with students and families at Washington Elementary, providing support to meet basic needs, facilitating family engagement, and advocating for students and their families.
Amy Holmes is the founding principal of Hayes Freedom High School in Camas. She works to ensure that each of her students has support for finding their unique path in life. She models the school’s motto: Be kind. Be proud. Be fearless.
Jennifer McDaniel is a Washougal City Councilwoman and parish administrator for her church, St. Anne’s Episcopal in Washougal. She has served as a mentor for the Business Growth MAP program at 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø and as co-leader of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.
Erica Nicewonger works in gang intervention and outreach with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington. She completed her master’s in teaching at 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø and worked for the At Home At School program.
Michelle Opgrande has been a guidance counselor at Monticello Middle School since September 2000. She values her job as an opportunity to help young people realize their potential.
Merlinda Sain is a human resource generalist for 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø and a 2007 alumna. Last winter she handmade 500 fleece hats for Share Vancouver and 43 for 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø’s Facilities Operations crew. Next, Merlinda will warm the ears of U.S. troops in Greenland.
Debra Sanders has been a professor of accounting at WSU for 30 years. She loves helping students find meaningful accounting careers after graduation. She moved from the Pullman campus to develop a master’s program at 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø.
Sara Scheetz is the vice president and co-founder of At Your Place Senior Care. She volunteers, on average, more than 40 hours per month with Meals on Wheels, Southwest Washington Elder Abuse Prevention Coalition and Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, to name a few.
Margarita Topal graduated from 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø in 2014 with a degree in English. She is operations manager at Home Guard Roofing NW and uses her public relations and leadership skills to engage with the local business community.
Kathy Young is a tutor for the Vancouver School District in the AVID program, a global effort to prepare students for success in school. She is a lifelong volunteer who enjoys making connections and building relationships, whether with a student, an ESL adult or a senior citizen.
Jessica Zachariasen works as a stylist at Teazers Salon and a barista at Starbucks. She attends Clark College and will finish her associate’s degree later this year.
Erica Zutz volunteers with Americorps VISTA, currently working in Billings, Mont., with active military families. She graduated from 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø in 2014.
ABOUT WSU VANCOUVER
91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is located at 14204 N. E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205, or via C-Tran bus service. Parking permits, required for this event, are available online upon reservation at .
91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is celebrating 25 years of creating access to higher education in Southwest Washington. For 25 years, students have chosen 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø for its scenic campus, small classes, close personal attention, topnotch faculty, accessible location and reasonable costs. Here, students gain much more than a degree—they gain a brighter future.
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CONTACTS:
Nikki Hinshaw, Office of Student Involvement, 360-546-9465, nikki_hinshaw@vancouver.wsu.edu
Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu