BOARD OF DIRECTORS
REP. KEVIN PARKER
ChairKevin was elected to serve as State Representative for Spokane’s 6th District in 2008 and holds a leadership position within the Republican caucus. Kevin is a survivor of the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School and quickly became known for his leadership in that community. He has traveled internationally to share his lessons of leadership learned in that tragedy. Kevin has also served one of the Curriculum Chairs for the past three Leadership Institutes and was elected Chairman on the Board on July 15th.
REAGAN DUNN
Honorary Co-ChairKing County Councilman Reagan Dunn represents the 9th District of King County, Washington. King County is the 12th largest county in the United States. Currently, he serves as the Chairman on the King Council’s Government Accountability and Oversight Committee, Vice Chair of the Committee of the Whole and also the chairman of the Republican Caucus. His committee assignments include Budget and Fiscal Management, Law and Justice and Human Services and Regional Water Quality. Reagan also serves as a board member for the Washington Associations of Counties and Vice-Chair of the Urban Caucus. In addition, he is a member of the King County Ferry District Board and Chairman of the Flood Control District Executive Committee.
Prior to serving in elective office, Reagan was appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., leading the Bush Administration's national effort to reduce gun violence across the United States. Later Reagan worked as a federal prosecutor in the Terrorism and Violent Crime Unit of the US Attorney's Office in Seattle, a job which required Top Secret security clearance. Reagan graduated with a Juris Doctor from the University Of Washington School Of Law (Order of Barristers) and a B.A. from Arizona State University (Magna Cum Laude).
ROB MCKENNA
Honorary Co-ChairRob McKenna is Washington's 17th Attorney General. As the state's chief legal officer, he directs 500 attorneys and nearly 700 professional staff providing legal services to state agencies, boards and commissions. General McKenna’s ongoing priorities are:
1) Keeping communities safer by leading the state in fighting meth, sexual predators and domestic violence; 2) Protecting consumers and businesses from identity theft, fraud and high-tech crimes, such as cyber fraud, phishing and spyware; and 3) Promoting integrity in government by defending the state’s laws, implementing new performance management initiatives in his office and encouraging open access to government.
McKenna received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1988, where he was a member of the Law Review. He earned a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in International Studies, both with honors, from the University of Washington. McKenna was student body president at the U.W. and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He has been an attorney for 20 years since beginning his career in 1988 at the Bellevue office of Perkins Coie, one of the nation's top 50 law firms. He practiced business and regulatory law at Perkins Coie from June 1988 to January 1996.
APRIL CHAPMAN
Vice-ChairApril is a 20-year veteran of the technology field, including work at Microsoft where she managed teams in the MSN group. She left Microsoft to found her own consulting firm to provide technology and strategy services to local, national and international non-profit organizations. She is politically active and serves on several non-profit and community boards. April is a JDLI graduate.
SUSAN STAHLFELD
Secretary-TreasurerSusan Eberle Stahlfeld is a partner and the leader of Miller Nash’s employment law and labor relations practice group. Susan represents employers in cases involving employment and labor law, such as discrimination, wrongful discharge, wage-and-hour rules, and employment torts litigation. She also regularly counsels employers on the various personnel issues they face day to day, and provides clients with training for supervisors and managers, and for all employees.
Susan assists clients from many industries, including retail organizations, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, tribal entities, financial institutions, restaurants, and transportation-related companies. Susan earned her B.S., summa cum laude, at the University of Alabama, and her J.D. at the University of Virginia, where she was named a Dillard Fellow.
CATHERINE BRAZIL
Catherine O'Connell Brazil is a fourth generation Spokane resident. She attended the University of Washington and majored in Political Science and Art History. In 2000, she received a Master in International Management degree from Whitworth University.
She worked for US Senator Slade Gorton from 1993 to 2000 as Eastern Washington Director. She has worked on political campaigns at all levels of government. She recently served as the State Committeewoman from Spokane County for six years.
Catherine currently works as Director of Public Affairs for Cowles Company in Spokane. She serves on state and local boards including Association of Washington Business, Business Institute, Inland Northwest Coalition, Ronald McDonald House Charities, YWCA, Armed Forces and Aerospace Museum, Salvation Army Advisory Board, and the Community Colleges of Spokane Foundation Board.
FRANZ W. GREGORY
Franz is a seasoned public affairs professional with a range of experience that includes legislative and political operations, as well as media relations and public communications. His background includes senior legislative and congressional staff positions,public affairs director for a major real estate developer, and senior partner of a successful marketing communications firm. His education includes a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan and post graduate work at the University of Tuebingen in Germany.
Franz and his family make their home in Redmond, where he has been active in local community affairs, including president of the Redmond Chamber of Commerce, founding member/president of the Redmond Downtown Association, and the Lake Washington School District Foundation. He currently serves as a member of the Redmond Planning Commission.
TONY WILLIAMS
As W2A’s Chairman, Tony sets the vision and establishes priorities for the company. Tony founded W2A in 2001 to continue growing his already 15-year career in federal policy-making and politics. At W2A, he has led the firm’s development of a portfolio of more than 40 clients. He specializes in helping clients identify opportunities and successfully navigate the juncture of public policy and commerce. Prior to W2A, he served in several senior staff roles in Washington, DC and was twice named as one of the “Fablous Fifty” staffers by Roll Call.
JULIE SUND
Julie is currently an attorney in Mason County after receiving her law degree from Seattle University in 2005. She has a background in state and federal level government and politics, having worked for a statewide trade association, U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera's campaign, and the late Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn.
REP. BILL HINKLE
Founder and Dean of the InstituteHe is currently a state representative from the 13th Legislative District and the Minority Whip, serving his 5th term in the Washington State House of Representatives. He is a former Kittitas County Commissioner, elected twice, and throughout his career has served on various boards and commissions. Bill has attended Tacoma Community College, South Puget Sound Community College and is a graduate of the University of Washington Advanced Life Support Paramedic program, working 17 years in the fire service as a paramedic before entering politics. He lives in Cle Elum with his wife and two children.