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Governing Board

The REL Northwest Governing Board provides strategic guidance on REL Northwest work to maximize local effectiveness and leverages its regional networks to amplify and disseminate REL products. Meet the REL Northwest Governing Board:

Headshot of April    Campbell

April Campbell

State: Oregon
April Campbell is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the director of the Office of Indian Education at the Oregon Department of Education. April has 20 years of experience working in Indian Education and works closely with State Education agencies, the 9 federally recognized tribes in Oregon, and native communities and organizations in an effort to close the opportunity gap for American Indian/Alaska Native students and increasing Indigenous educators in Oregon. As a first generation, high-school graduate, April has a passion for learning and helping others on their educational journey. April led the revision of Oregon’s American Indian/Alaska Native Student Success State Plan, which includes efforts for Senate Bill 13 – Tribal History/Shared History curriculum and the implementation of Native American curriculum in classrooms across the state.


Headshot of Nichole    Cruser

Nichole Cruser

State: Idaho
Nichole Cruser is principal at West Elementary School in Mountain Home, Idaho. At an early age, Nikki knew teaching was the career path for her. Inspired by teachers and mentors who shared their time, knowledge, and talents, she tapped into Idaho’s higher education programs to pursue teaching. She earned her elementary education degree in 1995 from Lewis-Clark State College, followed by her special education master’s degree from Boise State University, and an educational leadership degree from the University of Idaho. Her first teaching job was in Mountain Home, Idaho and 25 years later, she is still excited to see how she can help students and teachers alike in this small town. In addition to having a “dream job,” she has kept busy with two daughters – one graduating soon from the University of Idaho and the other attending Lewis-Clark – her husband of 27 years, and the newest four-legged addition to the family, Mila.


Headshot of Jayne    Downey

Jayne Downey

State: Montana
Dr. Jayne Downey is a Professor in the Department of Education at Montana State University, where she serves as the Associate Dean for Educator Preparation and the Director of the Center for Research on Rural Education. As an educational psychologist, she has worked in educator preparation for over 20 years and her research and scholarship are focused on strengthening the preparation of teachers and counselors for rural schools and communities and improving outcomes for rural students. Jayne serves on the board of directors for the Montana Small Schools Alliance, working on behalf of 140 of Montana’s smallest rural and remote schools. She is a co-leader of the Rural Education International Research Alliance and a co-author of Rural Education Across the World and Teaching in Rural Places: Thriving in Classrooms, Schools, and Communities. Jayne has been awarded $10 million in funding for grants and research. She has published over 40 articles, technical reports, evaluations, and professional manuals, and given over 60 peer-reviews, and invited research presentations at regional, national, and international conferences.


Headshot of Joshua Garcia

Joshua Garcia

State: Washington
Joshua Garcia serves the students, staff, and community as the Superintendent of the Tacoma Public Schools. In this role, Joshua’s teams lead several ground-breaking reform initiatives to close achievement gaps, increase graduation rates and to support the Whole Child. Joshua’s previous experiences include Deputy Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Executive Director, High School Principal, Assistant Principal, Athletic Director, and Teacher. Joshua received his doctorate degree from Seattle University and his undergraduate degree from Washington State University. Joshua is an ASCD International Outstanding Young Educator Award and Emerging Leader Recipient, a Washington State Stem Entrepreneur Award recipient, and was recognized as an Education Week 2015 Leaders to Learn From.


Headshot of Vanessa    Hiratsuka

Vanessa Hiratsuka

State: Alaska
Dr. Vanessa Hiratsuka (Diné/Winnemem Wintu; she/her) is an assistant professor of clinical and translational research, and co-director of research and evaluation at the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development. She received a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University, a master’s degree in public health practice from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and a doctoral degree in public health from Walden University. Her community engagement work has spanned regional, national, and international efforts. Her research interests include ethical, social, and legal implications of genomic research and precision medicine among Indigenous populations; evaluation of health interventions in public schools; cultural adaptation of chronic disease and behavioral health interventions; and community-engaged evaluation of health and training programs serving individuals experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities.


Headshot of Jerad Koepp

Jerad Koepp

State: Washington
Jerad Koepp (Wukchumni) has over 12 years of professional experience in Native American education. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (2004) and master’s in teaching specializing in Native education (2008) from Evergreen State College, and he is endorsed in history and social studies. Since 2013, Jerad has served as the Native student program specialist for North Thurston Public Schools in Lacey. He provides cultural and academic support for approximately 230 Native American students from more than 50 tribes, nations, bands, and villages in his 22-school district. Jerad is currently leading the development of his district’s growing Native studies program; regularly teaches Native studies; and provides training and support for staff. He also serves as North Thurston’s tribal liaison, fostering strong relationships with tribal partners. Koepp believes our education system needs a fundamental redesign. He asserts that, by embracing indigenous practices and traditions in our schools and Native contributions to the founding of the U.S. and the current fights for justice, we can have schools that serve all students equitably.


Headshot of Kelly    Manning

Kelly Manning

State: Alaska
Kelly Manning is the deputy director of Innovation and Education Excellence at the Department of Education and Early Development in the State of Alaska. A lifelong Alaskan, Kelly is dedicated to supporting an equitable and rigorous public education system that develops Alaskans for the Alaska workforce. Having worked in disabilities services, local arts education, tribal partnership, and juvenile justice, Kelly brings an understanding of the wide needs of varied student populations to her work at the state level. Kelly holds a BA in English from the University of Alaska Southeast, an MAT in Secondary English Teaching from the University of Alaska Southeast, and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.


Headshot of Michaela    Miller

Michaela Miller

State: Washington
Dr. Michaela Miller is the deputy superintendent at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The deputy superintendent oversees a variety of divisions within the agency, supports the Superintendent to carry out his goals, and provides leadership and resources to support districts in helping all students develop skills necessary for their future. Prior to her appointment as deputy superintendent, she was the director of outreach and engagement for the National Board. From 2007–13, she was the director of Washington’s Teacher and Principal Evaluation Project, National Board Certification Program and Beginning Educator Support Team for OSPI. From 1995–2007, Dr. Miller taught high school, facilitated National Board candidates, and mentored new teachers in the North Thurston Public Schools. She achieved National Board certification in 2002 and renewed in 2011. She earned her doctorate from the University of Washington and holds a Washington state principal certification from Seattle Pacific University.


Headshot of Lisa Parady

Lisa Parady

State: Alaska
Dr. Lisa Parady is the executive director of the Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA). ACSA was created to serve as an umbrella for four of Alaska’s premier educational leadership organizations: elementary principals (AAESP), secondary principals (AASSP), school business officials (ALASBO) and the Alaska Superintendents Association (ASA). ACSA’s unifying purpose is to support educational leaders through professional forums, provide a voice that champions possibilities for all students, and purposeful advocacy for public education. Dr. Parady became Executive Director of ACSA in 2014, after six years in Utqiagvik (OO-tiyag-vik), where she served as the acting and assistant superintendent of the North Slope Borough School District. She led the district through many issues that confront rural districts today – educator recruitment and retention, curriculum that is standards based and culturally relevant and engaging, and the day-to-day challenges of district administration in remote regions. Before moving to Alaska, Lisa served as chief of staff in the Wyoming Department of Education, as a cabinet member and director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, and as senior policy analyst in the Governor's office, where she was primarily responsible for all K-12 education, higher education, health, and social service issues.


Headshot of Rob Sauer

Rob Sauer

State: Idaho
Rob Sauer is in his 28th year as an educator in the Idaho public education system, as of the 2022-23 school year. He has served as a teacher, coach, principal, deputy superintendent for the Idaho Department of Education, district superintendent, and county commissioner. Rob completed his undergraduate work at the College of Southern Idaho and Boise State University, and his graduate work at the University of Idaho. He is an award-winning educator having been awarded the VFW High School Teacher of the Year Award, the Milken National Educator Award, and Idaho Superintendent of the Year.


Headshot of Min Sun

Min Sun

State: Washington
Dr. Min Sun is an associate professor in Education Policy at the University of Washington. Min investigates the policies and practices that drive improvements in teacher workforce and instruction, school accountability and effectiveness, and school finance, with the aim of advancing educational equity. In close partnership with practitioners and policymakers, her work seeks to provide meaningful, innovative, and rigorous research to address pressing educational issues from classroom to state level. Professor Sun innovates in educational research by applying machine learning methods to examine textual and video data about curriculum and instruction, teacher professional networks, and school improvement actions/tasks on a large scale. She then uses econometric models to connect these quantitative measures of school and instructional processes with student success, both short-term (e.g., test scores, attendance) and long-term (e.g., high school graduation, post-secondary education, and employment). Professor Sun’s recent work includes educational technology platform development that are codesigned with K-12 teachers and for them to efficiently plan and deliver instruction and collaborate with one another. Professor Sun is the Founder and co-director of Education Policy Analytics Lab. Dr. Sun’s contributions to the field have been recognized as a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award.


Headshot of Jenn Thompson

Jenn Thompson

State: Idaho
Jenn Thompson is the Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer for Idaho’s State Board of Education. She began her career in public education in 2004 as a high school English teacher at an inner-city charter high school. These kiddos remain her “why.” She has since served as a high school principal, a governing board member, a board trainer, and has spent six years at the Idaho Public Charter School Commission (IPCSC). In 2020 she began serving the IPCSC as the agency’s Executive Director, and in April of 2023 she stepped into her current role with the State Board of Education. Jenn holds a Master of Arts in English Literature, Medieval and Early Modern Studies and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership. She is passionate about accountability and accessibility in public education.


Headshot of Kali    Thorne Ladd

Kali Thorne Ladd

State: Oregon
Kali Thorne Ladd is chief executive officer at Children’s Institute. She is a social entrepreneur who is a passionate advocate for equity and education transformation with a background that spans from teacher to program manager to policymaker to chief executive over the last 20 years. After spending 4 years as education director for Former Mayor Sam Adams, Kali pursued establishing and co-founding KairosPDX, a non-profit dedicated to closing opportunity and achievement gaps for historically marginalized children. Kali led KairosPDX as executive director for 9 years before taking on the role of chief executive officer of the Children’s Institute, a statewide policy, advocacy, and research organization based in Portland. Kali continues to serve at CI. In May 2012, Kali won election to the Portland Community College Board of Directors, Oregon’s largest higher education institution. She served for 7 years and as Chair for 2 1/2 years. In 2016, Kali was appointed by Governor Brown to the Early Learning Council of Oregon where she currently serves. Kali received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and Psychology from Boston College and earned a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University.


Headshot of Ethelyn Tumalad-Granados

Ethelyn Tumalad-Granados

State: Oregon
Ethelyn Tumalad-Granados is Oregon’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. She is a first-generation immigrant who arrived in the Pacific Northwest from The Philippines at the age of 5. Ethelyn is currently an English Language Arts and AVID teacher at Clackamas High School, along with the advisor for CHS Asian-Pacific Islander Student Union. She co-leads the Clackamas High School BIPOC staff affinity group while heavily involved with the NCSD Educator of Color Affinity Group in her district of North Clackamas. She has written for Oregon Education Association (OEA), led affinity group work for OEA, and a part of OEA’s Equity Sparks, championing for equitable causes in Oregon’s education system. She is in her sixth year of teaching. She is passionate about community, identity, culture, and creativity and believes that the classroom can be a place of transformation where students can become change agents within their communities. She received her BA in English Literature from Western Washington University and completed her MA in English Literature and MA in Teaching at Portland State University. Ethelyn loves spending time with her large Filipino family, reading gothic and science fiction, eating wonderful food, and going to the coast.


Headshot of    Carmen Xiomara Urbina

Carmen Xiomara Urbina

State: Oregon
Carmen Xiomara Urbina is the deputy director of the Oregon Department of Education. She is a bilingual and bicultural professional with 30 years of experience working with communities of color and education systems. She is a proven leader who brings diverse and unique lived-experience and skills. She has developed exceptional talents serving in early learning settings, K-12 school districts and ESDs, higher education, and leading culturally specific and highly respected community-based organizations in Oregon. Carmen’s efforts are always grounded in equity, focused on the needs of all our students and families, and designed to bring community and education organizations together in both safe and effective ways. She has facilitated and led asset based complex and targeted outreach in communities of color to implement effective parent involvement and recruitment strategies in districts, schools, and community-based organizations. She attended the University of Santa Monica where she was awarded a masters in spiritual psychology and Oregon State University where she was awarded a B.S. in agriculture and resource economics and a minor in international economics in 1989; she also holds an associate degree in business administration and accounting.

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