Eastern Washington names trustees

Bertha Ortega, who has served on Eastern Washington University's Board of Trustees since 2002, and Isaura Gallegos, the ninth EWU student to serve as a trustee, have been reappointed to the Board by Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire.

Ortega, a higher education administrator from Zillah, Wash., serves on the Board's business and finance committee as well as the student affairs committee. She is a founding member of Heritage University in Toppenish, Wash., where she is currently the vice president of External and Academic Affairs.

“I look forward to serving another term with the current talented and devoted trustees from Eastern,” said Ortega. “We will continue to improve the programs for Eastern students and employees.”

Ortega has a BA in Spanish and a Secondary Teaching Certificate from the University of Washington. She also took postgraduate courses in childhood education at Eastern before earning her Master of Education from Fort Wright College in Spokane.

Her second term runs through September 2013.

Gallegos, the student trustee from East Wenatchee, is a senior with a double major in biology and political science who enjoys being a voice for the students. At EWU, Gallegos has participated in the McNair Scholar Program, written for The Easterner student newspaper, served on the ASEWU diversity committee and is a member of Kappa Delta Chi, a Latina based sorority.

“I am grateful and I feel privileged to have been part of the Eastern Board of Trustees,” said Gallegos.

During her second year on the Board, she will serve on the academic affairs committee and the student affairs committee.

Gallegos' term expires June 30, 2008.

Also serving on Eastern's board of trustees are King County administrative officer Paul Tanaka, board chair, consultant Ines Zozaya-Geist, Inland Power and Light of Spokane CEO Kris Mikkelson, Neil L. McReynolds, president of McReynolds Associates, Inc., a corporate governance consulting firm, Jo Ann Kauffman, owner and chief executive of Kauffman and Associates, Inc., a specialized consulting firm and Gordin E. Budke, a retired managing partner of Coopers and Lybrand, an accounting firm.