Cory is a lifelong resident of North Snohomish County. 
After graduating from WSU Pullman ’94 he worked in various capacities for the City of Arlington focusing on comprehensive planning and intergovernmental coordination, including managing the Arlington Airport. In 1999 Cory moved to the private sector and joined the Arlington Pharmacy team and in 2013 became the principal owner of the company. Cory is a member of various regional and national committees supporting Community Pharmacy and healthcare. Cory has and continues to volunteer and support many community organizations and is the past president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of Arlington. Cory and His wife Desa reside in Arlington and have 2 children: a daughter currently at WSU Pullman and a son at Arlington High School.

Crystal Donner
President/CEO
Perteet, Inc.

A professional civil engineer for nearly three decades, Donner is president and CEO of Perteet, Inc., an employee-owned infrastructure consulting firm focused on transportation design and planning, transit and utility design, construction management, environmental projects and emergency preparedness.

Bob Drewel
Senior Advisor to the President
Washington State University

Bob is well known for his leadership in promoting regional solutions to the many challenges facing the Northwest, including economic development, effective land-use regulation, transportation, and environmental enhancement. Within Snohomish County, he has helped build community partnerships as a board member of the Economic Development Council, Healthy Communities Initiative, United Way, Snohomish County Tomorrow, Snohomish County Needs Assessment Project, Economic Investment Plan, SnoNet and City/County Task Force on Criminal Justice.

Bob Drewel previously served for 10 years as the Executive Director of the Puget Sound Regional Council. The PSRC was formed in 1991 by the local governments in the central Puget Sound region as a forum for making key decisions on regional growth and transportation issues. Mr. Drewel completed his third and last term as Snohomish County Executive in December 31, 2003. He was first elected to that position in November 1991. Bob is former chairman of Sound Transit, and former president and chief executive officer of Everett Community College.

Bob is a 1970 graduate of the University of Washington. He lives on Whidbey Island with his wife, Cheryl. They have two grown daughters.

Brian Evans
Principal/Wealth Manager
Bauer Evans, Inc. P.S.

Brian is the owner of Madrona Financial Services, and Bauer Evans CPAs. He serves as Chief Investment Officer, and lead planner. Brian also hosts a weekly radio show on KTTH 770 AM and KVI 570 AM, is a nationally published author, and has been a regular guest on CNBC and Fox television. In 2011 Brian was honored to ring the bell on the NYSE. He graduated from WSU, Summa Cum Laude in 1984.

Cassie Franklin
Mayor
City of Everett

Cassie Franklin has the distinction of being the first woman to be elected mayor of Everett, taking office on January 1, 2018. Mayor Franklin is a local and regional leader. She serves on the Puget Sound Regional Council, the Economic Alliance Snohomish County Board of Trustees, and the Executive Board of the Greater Seattle Partners. In 2018, she was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to the Choose Washington New Mid-Market Airplane Council, and was one of just 36 individuals selected to participate in the Department of Defense’s prestigious Joint Civilian Orientation Conference.

Franklin’s past work includes serving on the Everett City Council in 2015 and being the council’s vice president in 2017. She joined the nonprofit Cocoon House in 2005 and led the agency as CEO from 2011 – 2017, where she collaborated with leaders across the region to develop best practices for serving at-risk youth and preventing homelessness. An active community volunteer, Franklin is Past President of the South Everett Mukilteo Rotary Club and has served on a variety of local boards.

Franklin holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore, and completed her Graduate Studies Program in Psychology at the University of Munich in Germany, specializing in Family Systems Therapy.

George Henny
President
Whidbey Telecom

Mr. Henny is Co-CEO of Whidbey Telecom and is a 30-year veteran in the telecom and technology fields providing vision and strategy for the company. Mr. Henny has been instrumental in the initiation and development of the company’s Internet, Broadband, Data Centers, and other innovative initiatives. Mr. Henny continues to serve as Co-CEO with his sister Julia Henny, and is a member of the Company’s Board. Mr. Henny is passionate about building community, and is a well-respected speaker nationally.

Mr. Henny holds a BA in Drama and an MBA from the University of Washington, and has served on numerous community boards. Mr. Henny is proud to be a Rotarian since 1993 and has served as president of the South Whidbey and Whidbey Westside Rotary Clubs.

Tom Hoban
CEO
Coast Group of Companies

Tom and his brother, Shawn Hoban, are co-founders of the Coast Group of Companies, a 30+ year old group of firms headquartered in Everett and involved in management and investment of commercial real estate throughout the Pacific Northwest. A product of Everett Public Schools, Tom earned a BA from the University of Notre Dame in 1984. A columnist and speaker, Tom also serves on the Santa Clara University Real Estate Advisory Board and is a Trustee at The University of Portland.

As a people-person who truly does enjoy meeting new people, I thrive on new connections and partnerships. I also relish in problem solving, mediation, and bringing people together.

After graduating from the University of Washington, I went to work at a large telecom company and became an HR manager. A few years later I made a career move into the insurance field and my career quickly evolved from starting off as a captive carrier agent in 2006, to opening Mosaic Insurance Alliance in 2010.  

One of my skills is bringing people together and uniting them for a joint cause. I love building teams to be successful, utilizing each person’s unique traits/gifts. I believe in the power of short and long-term strategies working together to both create the best results and build a strong, robust, successful business. The belief in the power of giving back and paying it forward is something I do in and out of the office.

Living a balanced life of work and play, I strive for the happiness and safety of my clients, teammates, family, and friends. Out of the office, I enjoy traveling, gardening, wine tasting, oyster farming, going to sporting events, emceeing local non-profit events and helping community causes. I serve on a number of boards, including YMCA of Snohomish County, Future Workforce Alliance Snohomish County, Washington State University Advisory Council, Homage Senior Services, and Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

John was born in Pullman and is a lifelong supporter of WSU.  He received his M.A. in Communications from WSU in 1985, and spent most of his career as an educator at Everett Community College. His interests include expanding higher education options for students in our region.  He and his wife Mary Kate raised their three children in Everett.  They have volunteered in support of many community organizations focused on making our region a better place to work and live.

Lisa Lefeber is the CEO of the Port of Everett in Washington state, a position she has held since August 2019.

Prior to her appointment to this role, Lisa served as the Port’s Deputy Executive Director, and stepped in as Acting CEO in 2018 when the Port’s former CEO was deployed to Afghanistan. Lisa’s years of service to the Port span nearly 20 years, including a previous 13 years as the Port’s Chief of Policy and Communications.

Lisa leads the organization’s three lines of business, including:

1) the Port’s international seaport – the third largest container port in Washington state, and 5th largest export customs district on the West Coast supporting $29B in trade,

2) the Port of Everett Marina – the largest public marina on the West Coast – with 2,300 slips surrounded by a hub of commercial and recreational boat services, and

3) the Port’s commercial and industrial real estate, which includes a variety of heavy to light industrial job centers, and a new 65-acre mixed-use development know as Waterfront Place

Since 2016, Lisa has led the Port’s seaport modernization and expansion efforts, facilitating more than a $150 million in infrastructure investment to allow for larger ships, heavier cargos and increased rail volumes, which is critical to support the economic vitality of our region, move freight efficiently and support 40,000+ family-wage jobs. To date, these efforts have resulted in the completion of the Port’s $57M South Terminal modernization, $40M Norton Terminal development, $8M+ in on-dock rail upgrades, and designation as a Strategic Seaport.

Lisa is a graduate of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Professional Port Management Program (2021) and serves on the AAPA Board of Directors. She serves on other industry and community boards as well, including the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, Economic Alliance Snohomish County and YMCA. She has a Masters in Public Administration from Seattle University and a Major in Journalism from Western Washington University.

Nona Larson
Director of Program Management & Operations
PACCAR Technical Center

Nona Larson is currently the Director of Engineering at PACCAR Parts. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington State University, and MBA from City University. She has her PE license in Environmental Engineering, is a certified Project Manager, Six Sigma Black Belt and Champion. Nona started her career as a materials engineer at Boeing, specializing in corrosion control, hazardous waste minimization, and manufacturing methods for long term aircraft durability. Nona has been at PACCAR for 26 years, starting as a corrosion control and coatings engineer, moving through Engineering and Operations Management and Program Management.

Monte Marti
Executive Director (Emeritus)
Snohomish Conservation District Board

Monte Marti is a WSU Pullman alumni with a BA and MA in Agricultural Economics. He has been actively engaged with several WSU College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences CAHNRS) committees, including the current appointments to the Student Experience Advisory Council and the School of Economic Sciences Friends Development Committee. Monte worked for GTE and Verizon for 25 years in a variety of capacities. Additionally, he was a member of the Snohomish Conservation District Board of Supervisors for 25 years before spending 10 years as the Executive Director for the District.

Gabriel Mast
Dean of Instruction
Skagit Valley College

Gabriel Mast is Executive Dean for Instruction at Skagit Valley College. He has held several previous administrative positions in Washington’s community and technical college system and has served as both high school and community college faculty. He is currently a co-PI on several National Science Foundation grants working to improve equity and effectiveness in science and technical education. Mast also serves on the WECU (Whatcom Educational Credit Union) Board of Directors. His professional interests include a strong focus on equity in higher education and his research is focused on institutional contributions to student success, and the role of higher education in social mobility and equity. Mast’s dissertation on the effectiveness of Washington States community and technical colleges was awarded the Washington Education Research Association’s Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College, Master’s degrees from Brown University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington.

Pat McClain
McClain Insurance Services

Now retired from the City of Everett after 22 years, Pat McClain served Mayor Ray Stephanson as Executive Director for Governmental Affairs for twelve years.
McClain previously served Mayor Bill Moore from 1980-1990 in a similar capacity as Executive Assistant for Legislative Affairs, Economic Development and Community Relations. Before returning to the City of Everett in 2004, McClain was the Vice President for Community Relations at Everett Community College.

He is the former General Manager of the Everett Chamber of Commerce, Community Relations Manager for Weyerhaeuser Company’s Everett operations and Executive Director of the Maritime Alliance of the Pacific Northwest.

Presently McClain serves Washington State University Everett as the immediate past Chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Council and Chair of the Advocacy and Academics Committee. McClain holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English from Loyola University of Los Angeles, (now Loyola Marymount University). He served in the United States Air Force from 1968-1972.

Pat and Claudia McClain have two adult children and a grand-daughter. Son Tim is the Perkins Grant Program Administrator for the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Daughter Caitlin is the Assistant Athletic Director and the Director of Rowing/Head Crew Coach at Holy Names Academy in Seattle.

Jon Nehring
Mayor
City of Marysville

Jon Nehring has served as the Mayor of Marysville since 2010 following two full terms on the Marysville City Council. Prior to becoming Mayor, Jon worked for 17 years in private sector business in both the paper products and advertising industries. Mayor Nehring has also volunteered time in community service throughout his tenure as a Marysville Rotarian, with local youth sports programs, and in multiple other areas. He and his wife, Mari-Anne have lived in Marysville since 1993 and are the parents of three grown children: Nate, Kristin and Nicholas.

Jessica Parsons
Senior Manager in Production Engineering
The Boeing Company

Jessica Parsons is a Senior Manager in Production Engineering at Boeing and has worked in aerospace and manufacturing for near a decade. She received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. in Materials Science Engineering from WSU and is actively pursuing her Executive MBA with the global campus.  A first-generation Coug, Jessica is passionate about supporting her local community, Alumni Association and WSU Foundation. Over the years, she has enjoyed supporting STEM initiatives with the local schools and community, volunteering for fundraisers, participating in charity races or events, as well as mentoring others as they transition in and out of the university.  Jessica and her husband Adam reside in Snohomish County. They expect their first child this fall. 

Judy Rogers
Community Volunteer

Judy Rogers is a life-long Community Volunteer supporting organizations such as Washington State University Foundation, Kiwanis, American Association of University Women (AAUW), environmental/conservation groups and local schools, food banks and sports programs. Judy worked for over 20 years in the software industry developing applications for the aerospace, medical, business and computer tools fields. Following that she was a public school teacher in secondary mathematics. Judy has been recognized for professional and volunteer excellence. She graduated from WSU with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics and then earned a Master’s in Teaching from Seattle University.

Dr. Ian Saltzman
Superintendent
Everett School District

Dr. Ian Saltzman is superintendent of Everett Public Schools. Before joining Everett in 2019, he served for twenty-nine years in the Palm Beach County School District in Florida. He has been privileged to have served students as a teacher, principal and superintendent positions. Documented student achievement is evident throughout his career and is his highest priority, which has also earned him multiple Principal of the Year awards. He is on the Board of directors of the YMCA Snohomish County and the United Way of Snohomish County. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Florida State University, a Specialists Degree and Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Ray Stephanson
Mayor Emeritus
City of Everett

Ray Stephanson was Mayor of Everett from 2003 thru 2017. During this time he was instrumental in bringing WSU to Everett and ensuring the 777X would be built in Everett. He continues to serve the community on the Providence Hospital Foundation board and is Co-Chair of Snohomish County Economic Recovery and Resiliency Task Force.

John Sternlicht
CEO
Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County

John Sternlicht has served as the CEO of the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County since August 1, 2015. John brings senior executive expertise in law, economic development, community relations, public policy, finance, and government relations with a domestic and international focus (he speaks French, German and Spanish). John has over 25 years high-level experience negotiating and executing multi-billion dollar business locations and expansions involving public and private sector financing, higher education, infrastructure including all modes of transportation and legislative initiatives. In his previous positions at the state and local level in Virginia and Washington, and also in the private and non-profit sectors, John has developed a wide-ranging view of economic development and its importance to the entire community.

John, who currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), speaks and writes nationally and abroad on various topics in economic development, including the design, protection and assessment of incentives, economic development practices in the US, the process of negotiation, building public consensus, strategic planning, commercialization and innovation, and others. Originally from Barrington, Rhode Island and raised primarily in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sternlicht earned his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and studied journalism and communications at the Université de Fribourg in Switzerland on a Rotary International Graduate Fellowship before earning his Juris Doctor at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill. He earned his certification in economic development from the International Economic Development Council in 2001.

John married James Finley in 2010, and together they have three adult sons and two daughters-in-law who make them very proud. John and James live in Anacortes, WA.

Barbara Tolbert
Mayor
City of Arlington

Barb Tolbert is Mayor for the City of Arlington elected in 2011, 2015, and 2019. Barb’s family settled into Arlington in the mid 1980’s, establishing an aviation business on the Arlington Airport. Mayor Tolbert became the first Executive Director of the Arlington Fly-In in 1994, quickly building it into Arlington’s biggest tourism event, continuing to serve in a volunteer capacity for the event. Actively involved with many of Snohomish County and Arlington’s volunteer organizations Mayor Tolbert has served in board positions with Snohomish County Tourism, Washington State Aviation Advisory Committee, Arlington Airport Commission, and the Arlington Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce.

Robert Williams
Rainier Valley Community Development Fund
Program Manager- Community Development Impact Loans

After graduating from WSU with a BA degree – College of Business – Finance, Robert began his career in the banking and financial services industry in 1979. Prior to joining Rainier Valley Community Development Fund Robert worked as a Director of CRA Loans & Investment Manager at Union Bank where he led the enterprise wide strategy to provide growth capital to middle market companies that create meaningful jobs and wealth building in underserved communities around the country.

His professional background includes building relationships and the trust of his clients by developing customized strategies to assist with obtaining their goals, dreams and aspirations. Robert has spent much of his career working with Non -profit organizations and corporate sponsors to provide scholarships to the underserved to obtain higher education.

Robert is a past Trustee of Seattle Colleges, and served as past Board Chair for Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Trustee for Washington State University Foundation Advisory Council Member – Washington State University Everett and former Board Member of the Woodland Park Zoological Society.

Robert, a Seattle native, resides in West Seattle. When he is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, golf, exercising and great food.

Jeff Moore is a lifelong Everett resident and a 1986 Graduate from the WSU School of Architecture. After practicing commercial architecture for 10 years, he joined the Everett Public Schools as the Director of Construction. His commitment to serving K-12 students continued as he transitioned to oversee the business operations of the district. Mr. Moore retired from the school district in 2023 after 27 years of service as the Chief Financial Officer. He has been active in our community including 31 years of membership in the Everett Rotary Club as well as serving on the Everett City Council for 12 years, retiring in 2022. After his work in the public sector, Moore joined Coastal Community Bank as a Business Development Officer.  Throughout his career he has been a strong supporter of WSU Everett and what it offers students in our community.