WSU TRI-CITIES

WSU Tri-Cities is located on 200 acres along the banks of the Columbia River in the southeastern part of the state. The campus serves more than 1,800 students by offering 50-plus undergraduate and graduate degree programs, many of them in STEM-related disciplines. The Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center opened on campus in 2016. The facility—one of the most technologically advanced wine science centers in the world—represents the thriving partnership between the Pacific Northwest wine industry and WSU. The campus also is home to the Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory, built in partnership with nearby Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. In addition, WSU Tri- Cities serves as a clinical campus for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

Meet our Campus Chancellor:

SANDRA HAYNES

Chancellor of WSU Tri-Cities

Doctor Sandra Haynes is the 7th Chancellor of Washington State University Tri-Cities and brings more than 20 years of successful, high-level administrative experience, stemming from leadership at both a doctoral granting university with very high research activities (R1) and a regional comprehensive institution offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Dr. Haynes holds a faculty appointment as professor in the Department of Psychology. As a first-generation student, she recognizes the transformative power of higher education and its ability to be a true equalizer for individuals, regardless of life circumstance.

Doctor Haynes maintains a clear focus on excellence in academics, exceptional student support, and service to the community and industry, which in-turn enhances diversity, equity, and inclusion. She uses innovative, data-driven strategies to best fulfill the campus’ land-grant mission to serve regional industry needs through excellent education, research, and service. Doctor Haynes is a licensed psychologist with a doctorate and master’s degree in experimental neuropsychology from Colorado State University.

Campus Profile

Established: 1989
Chancellor: Sandra Haynes

Student Profile, Fall 2023

Total enrollment: 1,441
Undergraduate: 1,308
Graduate: 133
Students of color: 49.7%
International: 1.7%
Women: 59.1%
First generation: 50.7%

Campus Resources:

Support WSU Tri-Cities Students: Donate to the WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor’s Excellence Fund
WSU Tri-Cities Campus Strategic Plan
WSU Tri-Cities Advisory Council Home Page

ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS:

PHOTO	MEMBER	BIOGRAPHY
	STEVEN ASHBY Director Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	Dr. Steven Ashby has served as the Director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) since April 2015. Under his leadership, PNNL's exceptional staff are advancing the frontiers of science and addressing complex challenges in energy, the environment, and national security. In particular, the Laboratory is providing national leadership in climate science, the power grid, nuclear nonproliferation, and environmental remediation. Steve holds a B.S. in Mathematics/Computer Science from the Santa Clara University. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
	MATT BOEHNKE Representative of the 8th Legislative District Washington State House of Representatives	Rep. Matt Boehnke is serving his second term representing the 8th Legislative District, which includes Richland, West Richland and Kennewick. Matt was raised in Kennewick. He attended Eastern Washington University, where he graduated as an ROTC-Distinguished Military Graduate and received his active-duty commission in the U.S. Army Aviation branch in 1990. He spent the next 21 years in the service, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring and moving back to Kennewick. In the House, Matt is serving on three committees, including in a leadership role as the ranking minority member of the Community and Economic Development Committee. He is also a member of the House Appropriations and Environment and Energy committees.
	JOHN ESCHENBERG President and CEO Washington River Protection Solutions	John is presently the President and Project Manager of Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC where he leads the $7.1 billion contract. His team is responsible for the management of Hanford's radioactive and hazardous waste tanks, in addition to integrating the site-wide efforts to initiate the tank waste treatment mission at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site. John earned a Bachelor of Science degree, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Maryland, is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Va., and the Executive Management Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
	FRAN FORGETTE Attorney (retired) Rettig Forgette Iller and Bowers	Francois X. Forgette is a long-time resident and active community member of the Tri-Cities. After decades of practicing law, Fran retired in late 2019 from the Tri-City law firm of Rettig Forgette Iller Bowers. His full-time practice included business, real estate, agriculture, insurance, defense and health care and related mediation and civil litigation. Fran also served on the WSU Board of Regents from May 2005 through March 2014. Fran graduated from Seattle Preparatory School in 1970 and the University of Washington in 1974 with a B.A. in English Literature. He then attended Gonzaga Law School in Spokane where he graduated with honors in 1977.
	GEORGE GARLICK President and CEO George Garlick Enterprises	George has lived in the Tri-Cities since 1962, when he accepted a position at Hanford Laboratories. He began teaching 30 local students who were working on their Master's degree. In 1967 and with the approval of Battelle, he became Director of the Center for Graduate Study, where he raised funds to build the first campus of what is now Washington State University Tri-Cities campus. Garlick earned his Ph. D. degree in Electrical Engineering and Solid State Physics from Iowa State University.
	BRIAN HARTMAN Senior Vice President Bechtel
	JOHN HAYFIELD General Manager Atkins Energy Federal	John Hayfield is Senior Vice President, Manager of Business of Nuclear and Environment for AECOM's Management Services Group. He provides overall leadership in the pursuit of new business, capture strategies, teaming, and proposal preparation. As a recognized technical expert in the field of nuclear facility deactivation including the formulation of DOE's processes and policies in this subject area during the 1990's, John has participated in many of the highest profile deactivation and decommissioning projects, particularly in the early strategic stages, the DOE has executed to date. John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Washington State University.
	LAURIE HOLLICK Vice President of Contracts and Procurement AECOM	Laurie Hollick is Vice President of Contracts and Procurement for AECOM's ~ $5 Billion Management Services Nuclear and Environment Strategic Business Unit (N&E), located in Aiken, South Carolina. Laurie provides contract administration and procurement management leadership for federal and commercial contracting throughout all phases of the acquisition process, from strategy development through the opportunity phase, contract award, performance and closeout. In addition, she operates as Chief of Staff for AECOM's Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC, (WRPS) which manages the Hanford Tank Operations Contract for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Richland, WA. She is also responsible for WRPS Human Resources, Employee Concerns, Communications and Public Relations.
	PATRICK JENSEN Chief Executive Officer Cadwell Industries, Inc.	Patrick S. Jensen, Ph.D. is Chief Executive Officer at Cadwell, a leading global medical device company that develops, manufactures, sells, and supports advanced monitoring and diagnostic solutions for the neurology market. Dr. Jensen holds 12 patents and has authored 23 peer-reviewed publications on surgical devices, intraoperative diagnostics, and surgical robotics. Dr. Jensen earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University; and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University.
	REZA KALEEL Chief Executive Officer Kadlec Health System	Reza has served as Chief Executive for Kadlec since 2019. He originally joined the Kadlec team in 2016 as Chief Administrative Officer for Kadlec Regional Medical Center, relocating with his wife and daughter from Grand Junction, Colorado, where he served five years as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. Reza has worked in healthcare administration since 1997, beginning his career in strategic planning and finance before working his way up through various leadership roles in health system operations. Reza holds a Master's in Healthcare Administration and Bachelor's in Economics from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
	WAYNE MARTIN Interim Chief Operating Officer, National Security Directorate (retired) Pacific Northwest National Lab	Dr. Wayne J. Martin is the Interim Chief Operating Officer for the National Security Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He is responsible for capability and staff development, including staff recruiting, retention, project management and expert delivery processes, and facilities, infrastructure, and operations within the directorate. PNNL's National Security Directorate provides the science and technologies to support the detection of weapons of mass destruction, help the United States manage its nonproliferation treaties, and secure our nation's borders.
	KATIE NELSON Director of Marketing Gordon Brothers Cellars	Katie Nelson has a long history in the wine industry, having grown up on her family's vineyard. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics from Washington State University in 1998, she worked as a Marketing Coordinator for the Washington State Potato Commission for four years before returning to her family's estate. Along with her husband, Marc Nelson, Katie joined the family business in 2002 and is now an integral part of the winery operation, overseeing marketing activities nationwide. Her inherent knowledge of the agricultural and wine industries has given her the tools necessary to grow the Gordon Estate brand.
	PHIL OHL Managing Partner Entropy LLC	Phillip Ohl retired from full-time work after the sale of his engineering company in 2016. He and his wife, Diane say that they are thirty-three years into their three-year plan for the Tri-Cities. Since selling his company he has worked as an entrepreneur/investor and served as a director on several for-profit corporations in markets ranging from healthcare, to industrial mining, to retail grocery, and internet software-as-a-service. Phil's history with WSU includes a BS in Materials Science & Engineering from WSU Pullman, a Master of Engineering Management from WSU Tri-Cities. Phil also met his wife in the WSU Pullman dorms and raised his two daughters to be WSU Alumni.
	TRACI PIERCE Superintendent Kennewick School District	Dr. Traci Pierce has served as superintendent of Kennewick School District since January 2020. Dr. Pierce spent 24 years in Lake Washington School District, in Redmond, Washington. There she served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal at the junior high level prior to moving to district level administration. At the district level, she oversaw a variety of programs and departments over the years including instructional technology, literacy, curriculum and assessment, special services, and K-12 schools. She served as superintendent in Lake Washington for six years, and in 2018, she was recognized with the Washington State PTA Outstanding Educator award. She and her husband Sherman have been married for 27 years and reside in Kennewick.
	LURA POWELL WSU Regent (Ex-Officio) WSU Board of Regents	Lura J. Powell was appointed to the WSU Board of Regents in March 2014. She was appointed to be the first chair of the Board of Trustees of the Washington State Life Sciences Discovery Fund Authority by Governor Christine Gregoire in 2006 and served in that position until June 30, 2013. Regent Powell is the former Director of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and was a Senior Vice President of Battelle. She received a B.S. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Maryland and is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
	RAY ROBINSON CEO and President RKR, Inc.	Ray has been co-owner, co-founder and managing director of six start-ups and a director and senior executive of three multi-national companies and one regional company. In 1999, Ray was honored with the Tri-Citian of the Year designation and one national recognition as a nuclear materials expert. Working closely with WSU President Sam Smith and his leadership team, Ray, along with enthusiastic local leaders helped WSU get state approval for and then launch WSU Tri-Cities. Ray his spouse, Marilyn, have been active in WSU Tri-Cities' Advisory Councils nearly continuously since inception with Ray serving as Vice-Chair and then Chair of the first Council and both served among the first Tri-Cities' WSU Foundation Trustees.
	ROBERT E. (BOB) SCHUETZ Chief Executive Officer Enery Northwest	Bob Schuetz joined Energy Northwest as Columbia Generating Station's Maintenance Manager in September 2013 and was named Chief Executive Officer in August 2021. Bob served as a submarine officer in the United States Navy for 28 years. His assignments include Commanding Officer of the attack submarine USS HYMAN G RICKOVER and Commander Submarine Squadrons Seventeen and Nineteen in Silverdale, WA. His final assignment was Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff for Commander Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet. Bob holds a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Oklahoma, and a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. He has an SRO Management Certification on both PWRs and BWRs and is a licensed Professional Engineer.
	KEVIN SMITH Manager (retired) U.S. Department of Energy, Office of River Protection	Kevin's Smith career spans over 40 years. Prior to his retirement, Smith was responsible for management of two of the largest projects in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Environmental Management portfolio, the Tank Farms and Waste Treatment Plant projects, and an annual budget of $1.4B. As manager, he led a federal and support service staff of ~250 employees and oversaw ~5,000 contractor employees and their mission activities. A native of Olympia, Washington, Smith is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a bachelor's degree in physics. He also holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master of science degree in management, from Troy State University.