William Crittenden, Attorney at Law
300 East Pine Street
Seattle, WA 98122-2029
Phone (206) 361-5972; Fax (206) 361-5973
wjcrittenden@comcast.net
William Crittenden is an attorney in private practice. Mr. Crittenden represents parties in litigation and appeals involving freedom of speech and access to public records. He is also Of Counsel to Groff Murphy, PLLC where he represents developers, builders, owners and other interested parties in litigation and in administrative and legislative land use matters. Mr. Crittenden has represented WCOG and the League of Women Voters as amicus curiae in cases involving public records and voting rights. Before entering private practice Mr. Crittenden served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Barbara Durham of the Washington Supreme Court and Judge William W. Baker of the Court of Appeals. Mr. Crittenden is a 1992 graduate of the University of Washington School of Law.
George Erb, Managing Editor, Puget Sound Business Journal
801 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone (206) 447-8505
geoerb@seanet.com
George Erb is editor of the Puget Sound Business Journal. He has worked as a reporter and editor at daily and weekly newspapers in Washington state since 1983. Mr. Erb has a Bachelors degree in History from Hanover College and a Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon. He is a past chapter president for the Society of Professional Journalists a member of the state Bench-Bar-Press Committee. Mr. Erb is also the editor of two editions of "Access; a guide to government information," an open-government manual published by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Mike Fancher,
Former Executive Editor, The Seattle Times
Vice President
3774 W. Commodore Way
Seattle, WA 98199
Phone (206) 285-4699
fanch@mikefancher.com
Mike Fancher retired from The Seattle Times in 2008 after 20 years as executive editor. Fancher served as a 2008-2009 Donald W. Reynolds Fellow in the Missouri School of Journalism. He received a B.A. degree in journalism from the University of Oregon in 1968 and a Masters degree in Communication from Kansas State University in 1970. He received his MBA degree from the University of Washington in 1986.
Fancher currently serves as chairman of the ethics committee of the American Society of News Editors. He serves on an advisory committee to the Fordham University Graduate School of Business and is a member of the board of directors of the University of Oregon Alumni Association. In 2009, he was a consultant to the Knight Foundation Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy and to the Aspen Institute’s Forum on Communications and Society. Also in 2009, the Western Washington Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists presented Fancher its award for Distinguished Service to Journalism. He was inducted into the University of Oregon’s Journalism Hall of Achievement in 2002.
He and his wife, Elaine Bowers, live in Seattle.
Ruth Gordon, Jefferson County Clerk
P.O. Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone (360) 385-9128
rgordon@co.jefferson.wa.us
Ruth Gordon is the elected County Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of Superior Court in Jefferson County and holds the Legislative Star award for 2007 from the Washington Association of County Clerks. She represents WSACC on the Board for Judicial Administration Best Practices Committee, is the Vice-Chair and past Chair of the Jefferson County Law and Justice Council, and serves as a Trustee-at-Large on the Washington Association of County Officials Board. Prior to entering public office she was a counselor in private practice, an online producer for Oxygen Media, and community activist. A founding member of the Port Townsend chapter of the League of Women Voters, she currently serves as the Democratic State Committeewoman for Jefferson County. She graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa from Purdue University and completed graduate studies in curatorial science at the University of Minnesota.
Rita Hibbard, Executive Director, Investigate West
Phone (425) 772-1675
rthibbard@comcast.net
As executive director and editor of InvestigateWest, Rita Hibbard is working to create a new collaborative model for investigative reporting. Her team creates stories that are produced across platforms, for distribution on its Web site and to online, print and broadcast media partners. Her team maintains an active Web site daily, as well as being engaged in producing long-term investigative work that is focused on the Pacific Northwest and West.
Hibbard also served as assistant managing editor for news at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer before the paper ceased publication in 2009. At that time, she also was editor of its award-winning investigative team, and prior to that held government, social issues, business and public policy editing and reporting positions. She is a 2010 Knight-McCormick Leadership Institute Fellow.
Anna Jancewicz, Teamsters Local Union No. 117
anna.jancewicz@teamsters117.org
Anna Jancewicz is Government Relations Coordinator and legal counsel for Teamsters Local Union No. 117. Teamsters 117 is a 16,000 member labor organization that represents both public and private sector employees in collective and political action with the goal of protecting and expanding member rights, wages, benefits and working conditions. In her capacity as the Government Relations Coordinator, Anna coordinates the Union's state advocacy and lobbying efforts. In her legal capacity, Anna represents the Union in all aspects of labor law, including grievance arbitration, NLRB and PERC proceedings and litigating matters on behalf of the Union. Prior to joining Teamsters 117, Anna worked as an attorney focusing her practice on employment discrimination, bankruptcy, lender liability and commercial litigation. Anna received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University in 1999 and graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2002.
Scott Johnson,
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington
800 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4000
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone (206) 686-6000; Fax (206) 464-1496
sawj@stokeslaw.com
Scott A.W. Johnson is a trial lawyer and focuses his practice on complex business and commercial litigation. He has served for many years as a cooperating attorney with the ACLU of Washington for which he has handled a number of public records cases. He also has spoken about public records and open meetings to a number of community groups. He obtained his law degree, magna cum laud, from American University, Washington College of Law in 1985 where he was a Notes and Comments Editor of the American University Law Review. He received his B.A. in Business Administration (Accounting) from the University of Washington in 1980.
Rep. Lynn Kessler, Washington State Representative,Majority Leader
PO Box 40600
339A Legislative Building
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Phone (360) 786-7904
kessler.lynn@leg.wa.gov
Lynn Kessler is serving in her 16th year in the Washington State House, and her tenth year as Majority Leader. In addition to her Leadership duties, she sits on the House Appropriations and Rules committees, the Washington State Arts Commission, and is the only state legislator appointed to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Board of Directors. Lynn is also a member of the Grays Harbor Economic Development Council Board and the Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations. She has served on numerous committees and boards in her community, including ten years as a trustee at Grays Harbor Community College, where she is a past chair, and was the first female president of the Aberdeen Rotary. Lynn is a mother of four and grandmother of Kyle, Ryan, and Arita.
Christopher K. Leman,
Seattle Community Council Federation
Chair, Board Development Committee
cleman@oo.net
Christopher K. Leman is a political scientist (Ph.D., Harvard University) who writes and consults on public governance and policy issues and nonprofit management. He previously taught at Brandeis University and the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs, and in the UW Extension School. Leman's writings have appeared with a wide range of university presses, institutes, journals and newspapers. His volunteer service has included many years as an officer or board member of neighborhood groups, including the Seattle Community Council Federation.
Barbara Levette,
League of Women Voters of Washington
PO Box 427
Union, WA 98592
Phone (360) 490-8355
levette@hctc.com
Biography coming soon.
Jason Mercier, Washington Policy Center
PO Box 3643
Seattle, WA 98124
Phone (360) 485 - 2485
jmercier@washingtonpolicy.org
Jason Mercier is Director of the Center for Government Reform for the Seattle-based Washington Policy Center. Among the Center's priorities is public records reform. Prior to joining WPC, Jason worked on public records issues for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. He also serves as a voting member on the American Legislative Exchange Council's Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force and is a contributing editor of Heartland's Budget Tax News. He received a B.A. in Political Science from Washington State University. Jason and his wife Kristen make their home in Lacey where he serves as president of their homeowner's association.
Catherine Moore,
Attorney, Former Seattle City Clerk
4742 42nd Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
Phone (206) 683-2137
cmoore@drizzle.com
Biography coming soon.
Toby Nixon, Former State Representative, 45th District, Senior Standards Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation
President; Chair, Government Committee
Microsoft Corporation
12113 NE 141st Street
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone (425) 823-9779
toby@tobynixon.com
Toby Nixon served in the Washington State House of Representatives from 2002 through 2006. He was ranking member of the State Government Operations and Accountability Committee, which has responsibility for overseeing Washington's open government and election laws. Toby continues to be committed to preserving and restoring trust in government through openness and accountability. Toby was the 2006 recipient of the "Freedom's Light Award" from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, in recognition of his work to protect and advance First Amendment interests in Washington. He has been previously nominated for the Washington Coalition for Open Government's "James Madison Award". Toby works as standards program manager in the Windows group at Microsoft, focusing on networked devices and "smart home" technology, with particular interest in security and privacy issues. He has worked in the computer field for over 30 years, and holds five patents related to computer communications technology. He serves in leadership roles in several local non-profit organizations and industry standards-setting groups. He, his wife Irene, and their family make their home in Kirkland.
David Norman, Attorney at Law
517 9th Ave. #107
Seattle, WA 98104
(425) 418-8928
dnorman77@gmail.com
David M. Norman is an attorney that worked as an associate attorney at Allied Law Group in Seattle between 2008 and 2010. Allied is a boutique law firm that is involved primarily in enforcing the public's interest in open government matters, including under the Public Records Act, the Open Public Meetings Act, the open courts provisions in the Washington State Constitution and local court rules, and also various issues related to media law. He graduated magna cum laude from Seattle University School of Law, where he served as a Research and Technical Editor for the school’s Law Review from 2007-08. He also served as an extern for the Honorable Marsha J. Pechman at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in 2008. He has been involved in several public records, open public meetings, and constitutional open court record cases, including multiple cases at the appellate and State Supreme Court levels.
Sam Pace, Association of REALTORS®
Treasurer
29839 - 154th Ave. SE
Kent, WA 98042
Phone (253) 630-5541
SamPace@concentric.net
Sam Pace is a REALTOR® with Executive Real Estate and a contracted Housing Specialist for the Seattle-King County Association of REALTORS®. He is a Past President of the Washington REALTORS® and has been honored as King County's REALTOR® of the Year. Mr. Pace served as the founding chairman of the South Sound Chambers of Commerce Legislative Coalition and has served on the boards of more than a dozen community and professional organizations. Prior to his career in real estate Mr. Pace was a partner in the Springfield, Oregon, law firm of Harms, Harold, Leahy & Pace where a significant portion of his practice involved litigation and municipal law. He received his bachelor's degree (double major in urban and regional government, and political science) and MBA from Willamette University, and is a graduate of the University of Oregon School Of Law.
Gerry Pollet, Executive Director & legal counsel, Heart of America Northwest
Secretary; Chair, Revenue Strategy Committee
1314 NE 56th St. #100
Seattle, WA 98105
Phone (206)382-1014
gerry@hoanw.org
Gerry Pollet is Executive Director and legal counsel for Heart of America Northwest, a 16,000 member citizens' group dedicated to "advancing our region's quality of life." Heart of America Northwest is the region's largest citizens' watchdog group for the cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the most contaminated area in North America. Gerry also serves as Executive Director and general counsel for Legal Advocates for Washington, which provides legal advice on non-profit; open government (public records / FOIA / open meetings); electoral; and, hazardous waste law to non-profit organizations. Gerry chaired the "Protect Washington" campaign for Initiative 297 in 2004, to stop Hanford from being used as a National Radioactive Hazardous Waste Dump and to end dumping of waste in unlined trenches. Gerry has been honored as the "National Grassroots Activist of the Year" by the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability; and, the 2006 Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Paul Beeson Peace Award. Gerry was involved in drafting and passing Washington laws to protect state and local government whistleblowers.
Mike Reitz, Evergreen Freedom Foundation
P.O. Box 552
Olympia, WA 98507
Phone (360) 956-3482; Fax (360) 352-1874
mreitz@effwa.org
Michael Reitz is general counsel of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, where he oversees EFF’s legal affairs. He is a member of the Washington and California Bars and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is a co-author of To Protect and Maintain Individual Rights, a reference guide to the Declaration of Rights in the Washington Constitution, and he maintains the Supreme Court of Washington Blog. Michael is a graduate of the Oak Brook College of Law.
Patience Rogge, Private Citizen
Chair, Outreach & Membership Committee
696 Woodland Drive
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone (360) 385-6975
rogge@olympus.net
Patience Rogge holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Government and a Master of Library Science from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked in academic, school and public libraries in Delaware, California, and Saudi Arabia. She has served on the Jefferson County Rural Library District Board of Trustees, the boards of the Washington Library Association, the Pacific Northwest Library Association, and Friends of the Washington State Library. She has chaired the Washington Friends, Foundations and Trustees Association and the Grassroots! interest group of the Washington Library Association. In 2001, she received the Trustee Award from the Washington Library Association, in 2005, she received the Association's Honorary Lifetime Award and was named to the American Library Association's National Advocacy Honor Roll. In addition to her library-related activities, she has been active in environmental, political and educational efforts in California and Washington. She currently directs the Fort Worden Oral History Program at Fort Worden State Park Conference Center in Port Townsend and is vice president of the Friends of Fort Worden.
David Seago,
Retired Editorial Page Editor, The News Tribune
4405 N. 34th St.
Tacoma, WA 98407
Phone (253) 761-0709
daveseago@gmail.com
Retiring in July 2008 as editorial page editor for The News Tribune, David Seago ended a 40-year career with the newspaper. He began with the TNT as an office boy, fetching mail and filling paste pots, then graduated to a reporting job during summers while attending Stanford University. He earned a masters degree from the Columbia University School of Journalism, then began working full-time as a reporter in 1972. After beat reporting on consumer affairs and education, he filled several newsroom editing positions, including city editor, before becoming an editorial writer in 1983. He was named editorial page editor in 1995. The editorial page under Seago consistently supported the cause of open government and the disclosure of public records in particular.
Seago continues to serve on the boards of two nonprofit groups that tutor elementary students in reading and provide services for the disabled, respectively. He also serves on an advisory committee promoting education in ethics at Tacoma Community College.
Brian Sonntag, Washington State Auditor
P.O. Box 40021
Olympia, WA 98504
Phone (360) 902-0370
sonntagb@sao.wa.gov
Brian Sonntag is serving his fifth term as Washington State Auditor. He is the state’s eighth elected auditor. He has had a long career in public service. Brian was elected Pierce County Clerk in 1978 at age 26 and served eight years in that office. He was elected twice to the position of County Auditor, an office his father held for 22 years. Brian held that position until his election as State Auditor in 1992.
He is an outspoken advocate of strong sunshine laws that give citizens access to public records and public meetings. He has received the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s Freedom’s Light Award for his advocacy. And this year, he earned the prestigious James Anderson Award by the Washington Coalition for Open Government for his tireless efforts to keep government’s doors wide open to citizens.
During his tenure as auditor, Brian’s office has received national recognition for its efforts to detect and prevent fraud, for employing innovative audit techniques, and for executing its new authority to conduct performance audits of state and local governments.
Duane Swinton, Witherspoon Kelley Davenport & Toole PS
Chair, Legal Committee
1100 U.S Bank Building, 422 West Riverside
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone (509) 624-5264
Duane M. Swinton is a partner at Witherspoon, Kelley, Davenport & Toole law firm in Spokane, where he has practiced for 29 years. Duane specializes in Media law and has argued a dozen media cases before both the Washington and Idaho Supreme Courts on such issues as access to public records and court documents, defamation and prior restraint. He is an adjunct instructor at Gonzaga Law School in media law. A 1977 graduate of the University of Iowa law school, Duane also has a B.A. degree from Iowa in journalism and has several years experience as a newspaper reporter.
Lucille Walls, Executive Director, Alliance of People with disAbilities
4649 Sunnyside Ave N #100
Seattle, WA 98103
Phone (866) 545-7055
Lucille@disabilitypride.org
Since March of 2009 Ms. Walls has worked as the Executive Director for the Alliance of People with disAbilities. The organization provides an array of services for individuals living with a disability in King County. Prior to accepting this position, Lucille served as the Executive Director of the Ohio Governor's Council on People with Disabilities, as Lead Epidemiologist for a consortium of twelve Indian reservations in California, and as Executive Director of the Community Access Center, a non-profit independent living center.
Ms. Walls completed her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at Michigan State University. She then attended The University of Michigan where she earned a Master of Arts in Social Work with an emphasis in Community Organization and Social Policy. At the University of South Carolina she completed a Master of Science in Public Health with a focus on Epidemiology, Injury and Violence.
Bill Will, General Manager, Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
Chair, Media Committee
12354 30th Ave. NE
Seattle, WA 98125
Phone (206) 634-3838
bwill@wnpa.com
Bill Will is the General Manager of Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. He has worked for WNPA since 1997, where he helps reporters and editors with access and legal questions and monitors First Amendment issues in the Legislature and the courts. Will has more than 20 years of experience in the newspaper business. After graduating from the University of Idaho in 1982, he worked as a reporter at the Newport Miner and worked briefly as sports editor of the Columbia Basin Herald in Moses Lake, Washington. From 1984-88 he was a reporter, copy editor, and later assistant managing editor at The Daily Idahonian/Pullman Daily News (now the Moscow-Pullman Daily News). In 1988-89, he was managing editor of The Sparks Tribune in Sparks, Nev. and helped convert the newspaper from twice-weekly to daily publication. From 1989-1995 he worked as a copy editor at Outdoor Empire Publishing Company in Seattle. He worked as a contract employee at Microsoft Corp. for two years on the launch of Microsoft Network News and MSNBC on the Internet before joining WNPA.
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| Pioneer Newspaper Service Stefan Sharkansky Lucille G. Walls |
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