Education briefs

Jay Manning, former director of the Washington State Department of Ecology and an Eastern Washington University alumnus, has been appointed to the university’s board of trustees by Gov. Jay Inslee, effective through Sept. 30, 2021.

Manning, who also served as chief of staff for former Gov. Christine Gregoire, is currently a partner with Cascadia Law Group in Olympia where he focuses on environmental and energy issues.

“I am thrilled to join the board of trustees for Eastern Washington University,” Manning said in a news release. “I am well acquainted with decision making and budget building in Olympia, and I look forward to working with President Dr. Mary Cullinan and the board to make sure Eastern fares well in the legislative process.”

Manning replaces Jo Ann Kauffman, who completed her second term on the board in September.

Inslee has also appointed Michael Finley to the board for a six-year term. Finley was first appointed in 2014 to complete the term of former trustee Mark Mays, who passed away.

Finley earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Eastern. Born and raised in Inchelium, Wash., Finley is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and is a two-time chairman of the Colville Business Council.