Events

List of Upcoming Events

Refugee 101 – April 26th at 7:00 pm PST via Zoom

Margaret Hinson is the Site Director for IRC Washington’s new Spokane office. Margaret brings over a decade of experience in refugee resettlement services to her role with IRC. Prior to joining the IRC, Margaret worked for the City of Spokane’s Community Housing and Human Services Department, where she managed a $40 million dollar portfolio of Federal funds for housing stability and homeless services.

Kimmie Curry is the Community Engagement Coordinator for IRC Spokane. She spent 5 years as a volunteer host family, sharing her home with newly arrived refugees from around the world until they were able to find permanent housing in Spokane. In the fall of 2021, Kimmie spent 6 weeks volunteering for IRC at Fort Bliss during the Afghan evacuation and began working in their Spokane office in February 2022.

The on-line event starts at 7:00 p.m. To join the forum, please click on the link below at 6:55 p.m.:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84058948835
Or One tap mobile : US: +12532158782,,84058948835# or +12063379723,,84058948835#
Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 253 215 8782 or +1 206 337 9723 or +1 646 518 9805 or +1 470 250 9358 Webinar ID: 840 5894 8835 International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kT0JSTRde

Previous Events

A reverse chronological listing of all previous PEG events can be found by scrolling down through this page. Videos of most previous events can be found on our Videos page.

Political and Social Unrest At Home and Abroad – January 9, 2023

In the U.S., political violence and intimidation is on the increase. We have seen election results denied by sitting and former elected officials at the highest levels, potentially undermining our democratic foundations.

Overseas, there is significant domestic unrest in Iran and China. In Russia, Putin has threatened the use of nuclear weapons in his war with Ukraine and continues his assault on world order.

To say the past two years in domestic and world politics have been disconcerting may be an understatement. From the insurrection of January 6, 2021, to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and all of the atrocities against civilians, and the violent protests in Iran and China, political disorder continues to grow.

What does all of this mean for U.S. and international stability? Is our democracy threatened? What is driving the disorder overseas? What are potential remedies to these numerous threats and challenges?

Retired Career Ambassador Crocker will present his thoughts and insights on these events and the potential geopolitical future. His presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. Join us for what promises to be a very interesting and thought-provoking event.

Bio: Ambassador Crocker served as United States Ambassador to Afghanistan (2011–2012), Iraq (2007–2009), Pakistan (2004–2007), Syria (1998–2001), Kuwait (1994– 1997), and Lebanon (1990–1993). In September 2004, President Bush conferred on him the diplomatic rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the Foreign Service, equivalent to a four-star officer in the military.

Crocker was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, by President George W. Bush in January 2009. In January 2010, he became Dean of Texas A&M University’s George Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Although retired from the State Department and the Foreign Service, Crocker was called upon by the Obama Administration and nominated by President Barack Obama in April 2011 to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. The appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate by unanimous consent on June 30, 2011. When he stepped down in July 2012 as ambassador in Kabul, Crocker was named an Honorary Marine by the United States Marine Corps. In 2020, the West Point Association of Graduates awarded Crocker the prestigious Thayer Award for exemplifying the Academy’s motto: “DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY.”

Since leaving government service, he has taught at the University of Virginia, Yale, and Princeton.

Role of the County Clerk / Success of the Veterans Court – December 14, 2022

The office of County Clerk is an important but little-known part of Spokane County government. Current office holder Tim Fitzgerald will explain the role of the County Clerk. He’ll also discuss the Veterans Court, a relatively new judicial program with a strong track record of success.

Colonel Timothy W. Fitzgerald (United States Marine Corps Retired) was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May 1983 after graduating, With Distinction, from the Virginia Military Institute with a BA in History. Upon completion of The Basic School, he reported for flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Aviator in May 1985.

Throughout his 30 ½ years of service in the Marines, he held multiple command positions ranging from Platoon Commander and Air Mission Commander to Squadron Commanding Officer and Task Force Commander. He held several squadron staff positions including Instructor Evaluation Pilot, Operations Officer, Aircraft Maintenance Officer and Executive Officer. He was designated a Presidential Command Pilot while assigned to Marine Helicopter Squadron 1, the Presidential Helicopter Squadron.

Colonel Fitzgerald served 4 combat tours in the Persian Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

In April, 2014, he was appointed the County Clerk and Clerk of the Superior Court for Spokane County. He was elected in November 2014 to a four-year term and re-elected in November 2018. He currently serves on 19 committees and Boards including the Spokane Regional Law and Justice Council, and the Board of Directors for Spokane County United Way. He is on the Board of Directors for the Spokane Regional Veteran’s Treatment Court/Forum and previous President of the Washington State Association of County Clerks for two terms. He was the Washington State County Clerk of the Year for 2017 and 2022.

Dr. Brian Henning, Gonzaga University, Director, Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment – November 9, 2022

As we begin to experience increasingly significant effects of a warming planet—from obvious impacts like wildfire smoke and extreme heat, to less effects such as increased migration, shifts in precipitation patterns, and warming of rivers and streams—the concept of resilience becomes increasingly important. Climate resilience is the capacity of social, economic and ecosystems to cope with a hazardous event or trend or disturbance. Spokane Beat the Heat is an initiative designed to help our community understand and respond to the impacts of extreme summer heat.

Dr. Brian G. Henning is the inaugural director and founder of the Gonzaga Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment. Originally from Boise, Idaho, Dr. Henning joined Gonzaga’s faculty in 2008 and is a Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Environmental Studies. He earned a B.A. from Seattle University and an M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. from Fordham University.

An award-winning author, Dr. Henning has written or edited more than 10 books and 35 articles and chapters, including Riders in the Storm: Ethics in an Age of Climate Change (Anselm 2015) and Climate Change Ethics and the Non-human World (Routledge 2020).

He has delivered more than 150 talks to general and academic audiences in North America, Europe, and Asia.

For more information on this project, please see Gonzaga University’s website: https://www.gonzaga.edu/center-for-climate-society-environment/our-work/climate-resilience-project/beat-the-heat

The Role and Importance of the Spokane County Auditor’s Office – October 4, 2022

Summary: There has been a great deal of interest in voting rights, voting security, and access to voting in recent years. This forum will focus on the duties of the office and address questions you have about protections from potential domestic and foreign interference and voting changes in other states, including vote-by-mail issues and concerns across the country.

PEG is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) non-profit. We do not endorse or support any candidate for office. For this forum, we invited both Representative Bob McCaslin and Vicki Dalton, current Spokane County Auditor, to spend the evening discussing their views of the Auditor’s role and importance. They are both candidates for the office in November’s election. As of the printing of this flyer, Mr. McCaslin has not responded to email and phone invitations. We sincerely hope he will join us on October 4^th at 7 pm via Zoom!

This forum will delve into the importance and breadth of the Auditor’s Office. It is one of the most diverse offices in the county, responsible for:

administering elections
recording property and personal records, such as deeds, mortgages and marriage licenses
issuing vehicle titles, plates and tabs, and
and performing the accounting for the county, including payroll, vendor payments and the annual financial report.

Bob McCaslin has served as State Representative since 2015. He is a retired public-school teacher, served on the Spokane Valley City Planning Commission, and is a Volunteer Chaplain at Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center. He earned a B.A. at Washington State University, and M.A. in school administration at Whitworth College. His priorities for the Auditor’s office are fiscal responsibility, transparency, accountability, and trust.

For the past 24 years, Vicki Dalton has served as the Spokane County Auditor. During her tenure, Vicki has experienced 5 presidential elections, the 2004 Governor’s election that was decided by 133 votes statewide, the 2005 recall of the City of Spokane Jim West, implementation of vote-by-mail and the implementation of same day registration. Vicki attended Idaho State University, obtaining two degrees – one in accounting and one in computers. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Government Finance Manager and Certified Elections Administrator.

A Closer Look at Homelessness – September 14, 2022

Housing and Help is a new organization focused on exploring the constellation of issues relating to homelessness. They are producing a series of 12 educational video “episodes” looking at the causes and potential solutions to this vexing problem. They have been talking to and documenting their discussions with homeless people and those working to address the problem. They’ve recently traveled to Houston, interviewing people responsible for that city’s successful effort to significantly reduce the homeless population in their city.

In this forum, the principals of Housing and Help will discuss their efforts and some of their findings. They’ll share clips from some of their interviews.

As CFO from 2003 through early 2020, Cooley managed the City’s credit rating from near-junk status to its current AA rating and raised General Fund reserves from near-zero to over 25% of expenditures. Additionally, he institutionalized fiscal policies that moved the City to long-term structurally balanced budgets and dedicated capital funding.

Mr. Cooley is also involved in numerous community activities including education and policy on homelessness issues and Spokane River trail acquisition and management.

Ben Stuckart was born and raised in Spokane, attending Lewis and Clark HS and Gonzaga University. He spent 13 years in the event ticketing industry, 8 years as the Spokane City Council President and is currently the Executive Director of the Low Income Housing Consortium. He originated the Housing and Help project to try and help educate the public about a very complex problem we face in our community today.

June 16, 2022

Spokane’s Housing Crisis–Are we Making Progress?

Our speakers: Tom Hormel, Spenser Gardner, and Chauncey Jones

We all know that Spokane is in the midst of a housing crisis. PEG has explored causes and possible solutions of this crisis in previous forums in 2020 and 2021. In the October 2021 forum, a diverse group of panelists agreed on key changes needed. This forum will explore whether there have been any significant changes in our housing situation and what remains to be done. Panelists include:

Tom Hormel has served the REALTORS® on local, state, and national levels. Tom has served on the Spokane County Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee, Eastern Washington University athletic association board, Spokane March of Dimes, Habitat for Humanity, Longview Homeowners association, Greenacre’s PTSA, Spokane Community Land Trust, & One Spokane. In 2007 He traveled to New Orleans on two separate trips to build with Habitat for Humanity to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Tom has received many industry awards including the 2010 WA state CRS® of the year. The 2019 Spokane REALTOR® of the year award and the 2021 WA State REALTOR® of the year

Spencer Gardner recently started as the Planning Director for the City of Spokane. Before that, he worked as a consultant on planning and engineering projects for communities of varying sizes around the country. Spencer earned a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brigham Young University. He spent the past dozen years working for two private planning and design firms working on a variety of planning efforts. His role includes providing strategic leadership and support to Planning Services while overseeing growth management and comprehensive planning.

• Chauncey Jones, along with his cousin Jerry Jones founded A Better Way JJJ, a Real Estate development company that focuses on affordable housing & Home Ownership. Chauncey is part of a Nonprofit organization called Take Up the Cause. Take up the Cause was formed to bring service-enriched affordable housing to disinvested communities in Spokane. Chauncey jones is also the Community Engagement Board Liaison for Spokane Public Schools where he assists with connecting families to district and community services to promote active participation of families in the education of their children.

May 10, 2022

Understanding the New Inflation Environment

Our speaker: Grant Forsyth, PhD, Chief Economist, Avista Corporation

Summary: Dr. Forsyth’s presentation will focus on addressing questions regarding the re-emergence of inflation in the U.S. and global economies. How is inflation defined and measured? What are the macroeconomic drivers of the current inflation surge? What products and services are currently contributing the most to inflation? What is the current outlook for inflation and why are these expectations important?

Dr. Forsyth will present his thoughts and insights on these topics and the potential impacts of inflation on our economy. His presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. Join us for what promises to be a very interesting and thought-provoking event.

Bio: Dr. Forsyth is the Chief Economist of Avista Corp. Before coming to Avista in 2012, he was Professor of Economics at Eastern Washington University from 1999 to 2012. Before EWU, from 1996 to 1999, he worked in the Czech Republic as an academic and private sector economist. He received a BA in Economics from Central Washington University (1988), his MBA in Finance from the University of Oregon (1990), and his PhD in Economics from Washington State University (1996). He also serves on the Washington Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors; The Citizen Commission for the Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences; and the Spokane Mayor’s Economic Advisory Roundtable.

March 22, 2022

Afghanistan, Ukraine and the New World Disorder after the American Era

The Honorable Ryan C. Crocker, Retired Career Ambassador – U.S. Foreign Service

To say the past 15 months in domestic and world politics have been disconcerting may be an understatement. From the insurrection of January 6 last year, to the abrupt U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan the past summer, to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, it seems we are witnessing the beginnings of a New World Disorder.

How has January 6 and our sudden exit from Afghanistan affected U.S. standing among our allies and our adversaries? China is a growing power, flexing its muscle and asserting its influence around the world – is Xi Jinping trying to demonstrate that democracies are inept and weak? Is Putin showing the world that democracy is not viable in the Eastern Slavic region? Was the West’s response to the invasion of Ukraine appropriate or misguided? Is this the beginning of the end of the American Era?

What does all of this mean for U.S. and international stability? Is our democracy threatened? What would a future without strong International U.S. leadership look like? What are potential remedies to these numerous threats and challenges?

Ambassador Crocker will present his thoughts and insights on these events and the potential geopolitical future. His presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. Join us for what promises to be a very interesting and thought-provoking event.

Bio: Ambassador Crocker served as United States Ambassador to Afghanistan (2011–2012), Iraq (2007–2009), Pakistan (2004–2007), Syria (1998–2001), Kuwait (1994– 1997), and Lebanon (1990–1993). In September 2004, President Bush conferred on him the diplomatic rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the Foreign Service, equivalent to a four-star officer in the military.

Since leaving government service, he has taught at the University of Virginia, Yale, and Princeton.

February 22, 2022

Our Changing Party System – a Threat to Our Democracy

Chris Vance – Former Washington State Representative, Former King County Council Member, Former Chair of the Washington State Republican Party

One year ago, as the U.S. reeled from the horror of January 6th, some dared to hope that with Donald Trump out of the White House, political sanity and stability were on the horizon. It was not to be because our political party system – the seventh in our history – has become fundamentally dysfunctional and dangerous. And in 2021, the first year of what should be the post-Trump era, this bad situation got even worse.

America’s party system, driven now by tribal conflicts over race and culture, is completely broken. The internet is replete with essays and op-eds discussing how dangerous the Republican Party has become and how divided the Democrats are.

Most Americans say, “the two major parties do such a poor job representing the American people that a third party is needed.” People love to hate parties, but there has never been a modern democracy without political parties. It is vital, then, that a nation-state’s party system be healthy and provide voters with reasonable choices that the majority can embrace, or at least tolerate.

Bio: Chris Vance has been a Washington State leader in politics and public policy for over 25 years.

Vance spent two terms in the Washington State House of Representatives before becoming the youngest person ever elected to the King County Council. After eight years on the Council, he was elected Chairman of the Washington State Republican Party.

Since leaving the chairmanship in 2006, Vance has worked as a public affairs consultant, served as a senior advisor to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and now serves as the Communications and External Affairs Manager in the King County Assessor’s office. Vance also teaches part time as an adjunct professor at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance teaching graduate level public affairs. He is a frequent political commentator in Seattle media outlets. Seattle Magazine has twice named Vance to its list of Seattle Most Influential People.

January 25, 2022

Disinformation, Misinformation, Lazy Information & Spokane Trends

Dr. Patrick Jones, Executive Director, EWU Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis

Summary:

Amid the cacophony in today’s media, how do we distinguish between competing claims to the facts? At a national level, the need has led to the creation of groups such as factchecker.org. In regional news, the Seattle Times often runs stories under “Fact Focus” to correct claims falsely made. While less ambitious and restricted to socio-economic phenomena that are measurable, Spokane Trends serves a purpose not too different. The presentation will consider some general issues of our society’s ability to process information and then look at how Spokane Trends may help process local information.

“My career at Eastern Washington University combines pulling together academic insights to address the needs of Eastern Washington. That’s a wonderful combination and very meaningful to me.”

Patrick Jones has been the Executive Director of EWU’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis since its inception in 2002.

The institute provides data on a variety of critical issues facing local governments, businesses and non-profit groups around the Northwest. Jones strives to make the Institute a model for how EWU makes connections to surrounding communities.

Dr. Jones was inducted in the Spokane Hall of Fame 2016.

He was formerly the director of External Affairs at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute (Sirti), where he worked with business development, community outreach and government relations.

He has been the executive director of the Biotechnology Association of the Spokane Region (BASR), chair of the St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute community advisory board, a member of the Spokane Economic Development Council, chair of the Spokane Entertainment Arts Convention Advisory Board (SEACAB), member of the board of the Association of University Business & Economic Research bureaus and board member of the Spokane Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).

He is currently the chair of the City of Spokane Council on Economic Policy and Forecasting.

Dr. Jones has a Ph.D. in applied and agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

December 15, 2021

U.S. Foreign Policy in China – the future of our trade and political relationship

Gary Locke, Interim President of Bellevue College, former U.S. Ambassador to China, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and Washington State Governor

Summary:

As Governor of Washington State (the first Chinese American to be elected governor in United States history and the first Asian American governor on the mainland), U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and U.S. Ambassador to China, Gary Locke has been a leader in the areas of education, employment, trade, health care, human rights, immigration reform, privacy, and the environment. Currently, Gary Locke serves as the interim president of Bellevue College, which is the third largest higher education institution in Washington State serving nearly 30,000 students annually.

As Washington’s 21st Governor from 1997-2005, the nation’s most trade dependent state, Mr. Locke increased exports of Washington State products and services by leading trade missions to Mexico, Europe, and Asia, more than doubling the state’s exports to China.

During his tenure, he achieved bipartisan welfare reform and oversaw the gain of 280,000 private sector jobs, despite two national recessions. Mr. Locke also had the most diverse cabinet in state history. More than half his judicial appointments were women and 25% were people of color.

As U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 2009-2011, he led President Obama’s National Export Initiative to double American exports in five years; assumed a troubled 2010 Census process but which under his active supervision ended on time and substantially under budget, saving taxpayers $2 billion; and achieved the most significant reduction in patent application processing in the agency’s history: from 40 months down to one year. With U.S. Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, Mr. Locke also oversaw a significant first step in the president’s export control reform effort that strengthened national security, while making U.S. companies more competitive by easing their licensing burden for high-tech exports.

As U.S. Ambassador to China from 2011-2014, he opened markets for made-in-USA goods and services; reduced wait times for visa interviews of Chinese applicants from 100 days to 3 days; and through the Embassy’s air quality monitoring program, exposed the severity of the air pollution in China, causing the Chinese people to demand action by the government and the government in turn beginning to address the issue. His innovations in government efficiency, customer focus, and priority-based budgeting, as well as successful and under-budget management of high-risk initiatives, have won him acclaim from nationally recognized authors and organizations, including Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. In his two-terms as Governor, Washington was ranked one of America’s four best managed states.

November 3, 2021

Homelessness in our Society: Let’s discuss this complex issue and what we can do!

Summary:

We were fortunate to present this group of panelists, who are all working on various aspects of homelessness. They have real-world experience with the problems our homeless neighbors are facing as well as an understanding of the needs and barriers to making progress on these issues. We invited this panel to offer their experience and insight, and to discuss aspects such as:

the local homeless population trends & demographics
what it would take to turn that around
what they have learned from other cities’ efforts on this problem
where should homeless shelters be located? How does the location/concentration of shelters affect surrounding communities?
what are the problems and benefits of low barrier vs high barrier shelters? Is there an ideal balance between the two?
an update on projects in the works
barriers to progress
suggestions for solving homelessness.

Karen Stratton – Spokane City Council Member representing District 3. Her community involvement includes numerous boards and commissions including the Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs and the West Central Community Center Board of Directors.
Dr. Rob McCann – President and CEO of Catholic Charities, an organization that provides 1300 units of affordable housing and a variety of social services.
Ben Stuckart – Executive Director of the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium and Chair of the Spokane Regional Continuum of Care Board. Ben was Spokane City Council President for 8 years.
Chud Wendle – Executive Director of the Hutton Settlement, a home for orphaned children. Hutton currently houses over 56 children and young adults and has served over 1600 children in the history of the settlement.
Edie Rice-Sauer – Executive Director of Transitions, a local nonprofit that works to end poverty and homelessness for women and children in Spokane.
Chris Patterson – Community Solutions Advisor for Washington Trust Bank, Founder and CEO of BreakThrough Inc., and founder of Steadfast Supported Living, Inc. which seeks to support clients to and through self-sufficiency and independence.

October 5, 2021

Four Things We Should Do Right Now to Address our Housing Crisis

Jim Frank, Candace Mumm, Chaz Bates, and Amber Waldref

Summary:

We all know that Spokane is in the midst of a housing crisis. This forum will look at possible solutions.
It brings together a group of experienced community leaders with a variety of perspectives to discuss what we can and should be doing to tackle this problem.

Jim Frank is a life- long resident of Spokane and founder of Greenstone, a regional urban development and home building company. He has over 30 year experience in homebuilding and advocacy for affordable housing.

Spokane City Council Member Candace Mumm is serving her second term representing Northwest Council District #3. She has an extensive history of working to improve the city’s business districts, parks and neighborhoods. She was twice elected president of the City’s Plan Commission, which helped create the city’s first Comprehensive Plan. That plan focuses growth in Business Centers and Corridors, established thfoundation for the City’s Shoreline Master Plan and revised the land-use zoning code. She also served as vice-chair of her Five Mile neighborhood and as stakeholder manager for the City’s first neighborhood-specific Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.

Chaz Bates – works as a Senior Planner for the City of Spokane Valley. He has over 20 years of planning experience. He assists with the city’s long range planning efforts and recently managed the development of the city’s first Housing Action Plan. Chaz uses a mash-up of his BA in Philosophy and a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning to think critically of both lofty and concrete ideas for land use planning.

For more than 20 years Amber Waldref has been involved in a variety of community development and leadership roles. As a twice-elected Spokane City Councilmember, she led efforts to expand Spokane’s public transit, oversaw major city investments to reduce pollution in the Spokane River and spearheaded policies to address the impacts of housing foreclosure. Currently she is Director of the ZoNE at Northeast Community Center bringing residents and partners together to improve education, economic and health equity, build neighborhood leadership and support thriving families and schools..

September 21, 2021

Bill Hyslop, Stephanie VanMarter, Rob Chase, Mark Haigh, Nicole Rodin, and Marsha Malsam: The Impact of Fentanyl and Opioid Use in Our Society – What can be done?

Summary: These distinguished panelists will offer their experience and insight into the legal, societal, and public health aspects & costs of fentanyl & opioid addiction. The panel includes:

Bill Hyslop – Former United States Attorney for Eastern Washington, in that role he was the chief federal law enforcement officer in Eastern Washington working closely with all federal, state and local law enforcement. He had a 41 year career as an attorney and is past president of the WA State Bar Assn. Bill and has a long history of community involvement and support.

Stephanie Van Marter – While working part time and full time in the Spokane Police Department’s juvenile programs and crime analysis, Ms. Van Marter graduated from Gonzaga Law School and began her career as a prosecutor with the Ada County Prosecutors Office in Boise ID. In 2002, she was hired as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of WA. In this role, she prosecuted and tried a wide variety of criminal offenses including possession and use of biological weapons; espionage; child pornography, sexual and physical abuse; various firearms cases and a number of drug trafficking prosecutions to include OD related deaths and murder. Among her responsibilities, AUSA Van Marter serves as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Coordinator (OCDETF) for the EDWA.

Mark Haigh – Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Mark is currently the Assistant Special Agent in Charge based in Spokane, WA and has oversight of DEA offices in Spokane, Yakima, Tri-Cities and Coeur d’ Alene. ASAC Haigh has been a DEA agent for 30 years. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.

Lt. Rob Boothe – Instructor with the Spokane Police Department and the WA State Criminal Justice Training Commission, former member of SPD SWAT Team, former President of the Police Chaplains Board. A 28 year veteran of the SPD, he is currently the lieutenant of tactical operations in the investigations bureau, and oversees the special investigations unit, the patrol anti-crime teams, and the safe streets tasks force.

Nicole Rodin, PharmD, MBA I- Pharmacist with a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of New Mexico followed by a Masters of Business Administration from Washington State University. She is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacotherapy at Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and splits her time teaching and practicing pharmacy at Kootenai Hospital. Her current research is centered around public health initiatives including the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.

Marsha Malsam – President of the Rayce Rudeen Foundation (RRF). She taught special ed in the Seattle area, working with behavioral disordered students, and also taught in the education department at Seattle Pacific University. Marsha’s nephew, Rayce Rudeen, struggled with opioid addiction. Her firsthand experience with the difficulty in finding help with addiction inspires her work with the RRF. As president, Marsha’s vision is to engage communities and resources to fight drug misuse in a manageable approach that will sustain over time to create a healthy lifestyle free from addiction.

June 9, 2021

Betsy Wilkerson, Kurtis Robinson, Bill Hyslop, and Craig Meidl : Law Enforcement and Racial Justice

Summary: These distinguished panelists will offer remarks about recommendations made by the City of Spokane Use of Force Commission (created after the Otto Zehm tragedy 15 years ago), what progress has been made implementing those recommendations, and what needs to be done going forward to improve racial and social justice in law enforcement. They will also comment on what the community’s responsibilities are in improving relations with law enforcement and achieving racial & social justice and speak about the challenges facing law enforcement agencies in terms of officer recruitment and the pressures that officers face both professionally and personally.

Biographies:

Council Member Betsy Wilkerson grew up in Spokane and has strong family roots within District 2. She is proud to be the second African American woman to serve as Council Member in the city’s 139 year history and has raised two children in the city. She is also a proud, active grandmother of three. Her mother was a minister and co-founded the Mt. Zion Holiness Church. She owns a business in Browne’s addition, and she’s familiar with the volunteer and non-profit sector most recently chairing the board of the Carl Maxey Center and led two capital campaigns to raise funds for the center, which is named after the civil rights icon from Spokane. Council Member Wilkerson believes in supporting public education and institutions like community centers, non-profits and local business associations because she believes that community is where we find our strength. Council Member Wilkerson is dedicated to making sure that every resident of the city has the tools to succeed in life and that Spokane remains an inclusive, innovative, and vibrant City of Promise that attracts people from all over to make it their hometown.

Kurtis S. Robinson serves as a Commissioner for the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, Executive Director for Revive CFRC/I Did The Time and Spokane NAACP 1st Vice President. He serves on the Board of Directors for Better Health Together, Just Lead Washington, the Advisory Committee for the Spokane County Criminal Justice Admin, the SRHD Covid 19 Equity Task Force, SRHD Advisory Council, Co-Chair for the BHT Community Voices Council, and is a Treatment first Washington Steering Committee member. He is a Governors appointee to the Hate Crimes Advisory Group., a Smart Justice Spokane Executive Committee member, a PSA implementation team member, Revive Center For Returning Citizen’s Board member, a Community Shareholder Group member for initiative I 940, a Re-entry Task Force member, a Justice Taskforce member, a member of The Native American Alliance for Policy & Action, a member of the Racial Equity Sub. Committee for The SRLJC and has previously served as the Spokane NAACP President, NAACP Alaska Oregon Washington State Area Conference Criminal Justice Chair and as a Behavioral Health Advisory Board member. He is a Wildland Fire Fighter of over 10 years and worked for the Department of Natural Resources, Spokane County Fire District 10 and is currently working as a fire contractor. Mr. Robinson is also a Certified Recovery Coach, Veterans Recovery Coach, Reentry Specialist, FCS Employment specialist and a Certified Credible Messenger. He is a BIPOC male, 56 years old and a formerly incarcerated person from 1984 through 1987 with 17 years concurrent abstinence from drugs and alcohol.

Bill Hyslop, a lifelong resident of Spokane, has a long history of community involvement and support. He recently served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington and in that role was the chief federal law enforcement officer in Eastern Washington working closely with all federal, state and local law enforcement. Having also served as U.S. Attorney from 1991 to 1993, he is the first person to serve twice in this manner. From 2012 to 2015, he was the Vice Chair of the City of Spokane Use of Force Commission which was asked by the Mayor to make recommendations to the City on law enforcement improvements following the Otto Zehm tragedy. Bill Hyslop has practiced law in Washington for 41 years, was a long time principal at the Lukins & Annis P.S. Law Firm, and is a Past President of the Washington State Bar Association. Among many honors received, he is a 2008 recipient of the Spokane Bar Association’s Smithmoore P. Myers Professionalism Award. He received his undergraduate degree from Washington State University, his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington, and his JD law degree from the Gonzaga University School of law.

Spokane Chief of Police Craig Meidl serves the Spokane community by overseeing over 400 commissioned and civilian Spokane Police Department employees. Spokane is the second largest city in the State of Washington and serves a community of approximately 220,000 residents. He is also the current president for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) and is currently the chair of the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA). Meidl has had a diverse career in law enforcement since he joined the Spokane Police Department in 1994. He has served in supervisory positions in Patrol, promoted to Detective in 2000, Sergeant in 2001, Lieutenant in 2007, Precinct Captain in 2014, OOG Assistant Chief of Police in 2015, and Chief of Police in September 2016. He also served on the TAC Team and on the SWAT Team. As a proud member of the military, Meidl served in the United States Marine Corps Active Reserves from 1989 to 1995: ‘B’ Company, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division (Yakima, WA); Desert Shield/Desert Storm Veteran (12/1990-5/1991) [2nd TankBn, 2nd MarDiv, HQ Co]. His awards included: Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Southwest Asia Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and Kuwaiti Liberation Medal. Chief Meidl holds a BA from Central Washington University with a major in Law and Justice and a minor in Sociology, and an MA in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University with a Servant Leadership emphasis.

May 19, 2021

Dr. Lois James & Dr. Steve James: Law Enforcement and Bias

Summary: This forum will explain the origins of bias, how the brain processes information, how to recognize implicit bias, and how to safeguard against biased decision making. Attendees will learn that “if you have a brain, you have bias” and will gain insight into how to optimize public safety performance in ways that promote equity. Our speakers have a unique combination of experience and depth of research in policing issues including cross cultural policing, police fatigue, the impacts of stress on policing, the impacts of bias on police decision making, counter bias training, the dynamics of performance in policing tasks such as citizen encounters, crisis intervention, and deadly force encounters. The speakers are nationally & internationally recognized researchers in these areas. In addition, they also are personally experienced in policing and military combat.

Biographies:

Dr. Lois James is the assistant Dean of Research in the Washington State University (WSU) College of Nursing, where she focuses on bias, stress, sleep, and performance in “high stress” populations such as police officers, military personnel, nurses, and top tier athletes. She is one of a handful of research advisors for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, has received multiple honors and awards for her work, and is internationally recognized as a leading expert in her field. Dr. James’s simulationbased research on the impact of bias on police decision making has significantly advanced what is known about how suspect race and ethnicity (as well as other factors) influences police officers during critical encounters with the public. She is the founding director of Counter Bias Training Simulation (CBTsim), a novel and innovative simulationbased implicit bias training program that has been featured in National Geographic and the recent featurelength documentary “bias.” Dr. James’s work has been published extensively in academic journals, practitioner magazines, and mainstream media such as the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Stephen James, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at Washington State University Health Sciences Spokane. His research focus includes the interaction between physical stressors [such as sleep related fatigue], law, policy, training and practice relating to operational performance for military and law enforcement personnel. Dr. James strives to better understand the dynamics of performance in a wide variety of military and policing tasks; driving, citizen encounters, crisis intervention, and deadly force encounters. Dr. James utilizes simulation technology to evaluate training and performance of military and law enforcement personnel. This research has led to more effective, and more cost effective, training and greater public safety. To date his research has been foundational in the development of the DARPA Strategic Social Interaction Module Tactical Social Interaction training development, a program designed to teach young warfighters and law enforcement the balance between tactical considerations and relationship building; the creation of an Enhanced-CIT, a program to move beyond the Memphis model; and the ground up rewriting of the Oregon Basic Police Academy, one that is evidence based and research driven. Dr. James also sits on a number of law enforcement focused committees and working groups including the Department of Homeland Security Human Factors Engineering Community of Practice, the Chicago PD EIS National Advisory Council, and the Spokane Mental Health Committee. Dr. James was a member of the SAFE Driving Initiative for California POST research team. Prior to becoming an academic Dr. James spent more than 20 years in the British infantry as a solider and officer; serving in Cyprus, the Former Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland, and Afghanistan.

April 14, 2021

Summary: Data are ubiquitous in our society. We produce and consume data in almost every social activity, yet key ethical considerations of data in general and big data in particular, have largely been overlooked. While data are assumed to be objective, they aren’t. So who benefits? Who is most likely to be harmed? And how can we harness data for positive social change?

Drawing from a local case study, using data to understand and ameliorate the issue of homelessness, our panel exemplifies the variety of perspectives needed at the table to unpack complex issues. We will show how each of us, from our unique standpoint, sees a different story within the data and how together these stories provide a more complete picture. Such inter-organizational conversations can unlock a treasure trove of insight and move us toward data-driven decisions for social good.

Biographies:

Shiloh Deitz, Community Data Coordinator, Spokane Public Library. Shiloh holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Oregon which focused on data ethics, artificial intelligence, and the potential
of using data for good to expand municipal accessibility for people with disabilities in the United States. In her position at the library, she works to expand data literacy and community engagement with open data. The question of how data might be used in ways that benefit marginalized communities is an open question which she keeps at the forefront of her work.

Shawna Ernst, Law Enforcement Technology and Operations Manager, Spokane Police Department. Shawna manages information technology, data analytics, and digital forensics for the Spokane Police Department. Her work in data
focuses on making educated decisions to improve public safety and drive government to be more transparent, effective, and aligned with the needs of the community. She holds two Masters degrees and three professional certifications in project management and information technology governance. Past work has included spatial data analyses for public safety and for water resources, including a peer-reviewed study in Hydrogeology Journal. Shawna serves on the board of the Inland Northwest Chapter of the Project Management Institute and is a member of Leadership Spokane’s Class of 2021.

David Lewis, Community Management Information System (CMIS) Administrator, City of Spokane. David supports dozens of social service agencies and hundreds of caseworkers, through the assessment, eligibility determination, and referral of those seeking homeless and stabilization services in Spokane County. The CMIS also provides business intelligence and supports strategic planning, improving service delivery for vulnerable populations throughout Spokane. David has over 12 years of experience managing and developing relational databases focused on understanding vulnerable populations and identifying intervention strategies with which to better serve them.

7pm, March 2, 2021

Rob Curley: The Virtuous Circle

Summary: Rob Curley explains how Spokane’s oldest and largest news source embraced the concept of “the virtuous circle” — showing how a community grows in innumerable ways when it works together for a greater good. Add to the mix today’s highly politicized climate with the effects of a once-in-a-century pandemic, then the need to show we’re more alike than different has never been more important. This highly engaging, fast-moving presentation is filled with lots of laughs that turn into moments of inspiration and practical solutions to complex problems. With his homespun speaking style, Curley makes a powerful case that in today’s overly polarized world, simply being nice is often the overlooked difference between success and failure.

Biography: Dating back to the early days of the Internet, Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley has long been considered one of the newspaper industry’s biggest innovators. Through his times at some of the biggest newspapers in the nation like The Washington Post and Orange County Register to working at small midwestern papers like the Lawrence Journal-World and Topeka Capital-Journal, it’s his love of community journalism that drives him.

After building some of the most award-winning news sites on the Internet, he has been featured on the cover of national magazines and even an Apple commercial. Creativity Magazine named him one of the 50 Most Creative People in the World, and he’s one of the only newspaper editors in the world to give “Tech Talks” to Google’s programmers on the web giant’s main campus in Silicon Valley.

In 2019, Editor & Publisher magazine named The Spokesman-Review as one of the “10 Newspapers That Do It Right” in the United States, focusing on the newspaper’s ground-breaking community events series. With a quick wit and natural knack for whimsical storytelling, Curley is a sought-after speaker on the national and international levels.

7pm, February 16, 2021

Joseph Lenti and Jorge Madrazo: ‘This is Banana Republic crap!’: Debating the So-Called Latin-Americanization of U.S. Politics

Summary: On January 6, 2021, Wisconsin congressman Mike Gallagher podcast a message while barricaded inside his office in the Longworth House Office Building. A compression lock sealed his door shut, and while he transmitted his message armed rioters who had stormed across barricades roamed freely through the halls, offices, and chambers of the U.S. Capitol complex. Gallagher spoke sternly, and he condemned President Trump for inciting the actions. “This is Banana Republic crap!” he exclaimed, and it was up to the president to call it off.

His message went instantly viral, and with it Gallagher entered into a long tradition of U.S. politicians who have associated domestic expressions of chaos, instability, and other negative political trends with Latin America. The great majority of the rioters on January 6 identified as white, and their ideological inspiration, Donald Trump, may be remembered accurately as a White Nationalist. Yet to the congressman, the chaos that he witnessed on January 6 in the Capitol was reminiscent of non-white places – if not Latin America, then Iraq, where he had served and where he likened the violence to later that day in an interview.

This evening’s discussion led by Joseph Lenti and Jorge Madrazo will contextualize an opinion frequently voiced today that there is a “Latin-Americanization” occurring in U.S. politics. What does this accusation mean? And what has it meant in the past? Is it accurate? And what does it imply vis-à-vis issues of race, gender, religion, etc.? To broach this topic, Lenti, a student of Latin America, will historicize components of the argument including populism, the practice of public shaming, and caudillismo – a term referring to the kind of strong-man rule witnessed in post-Independence Latin America. Following this, Madrazo, once Mexico’s top law enforcement official, will instruct us about the saga of the “rule of law” in that country’s history, and opine on how a creeping culture of impunity and disregard for legal norms in the U.S. currently threatens our government and political institutions.

Biographies: Our speakers for the evening are Joseph U. Lenti, Associate Professor of Latin American History at Eastern Washington University, and Jorge Madrazo, Director of the Center for Mexican Studies at UNAM-Seattle. Dr. Lenti has published widely on issues of labor and migration in twentieth century Mexico, and his 2017 book, Redeeming the Revolution: the State and Organized Labor in Post-Tlatelolco Mexico, was recognized as a book of distinction by the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Dr. Madrazo is the former Attorney General of Mexico and former president of the National Human Rights Commission – Mexico. Since 2000 he has served his country and its people in this region, first, as Mexican Consul to the Pacific Northwest, and later, as Vice President of Community Relations for Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a non-profit public health provider catering to Latino citizens in the area. Over the years Lenti and Madrazo have collaborated on community projects that have ignited discussions on the evolving status of NAFTA, debated the historic and contemporary status of the Spanish language in the United States, and, provided citizenship training to local Latino immigrants.

7pm, January 26, 2021

Grant Forsyth: Perspectives on the Long Term Impacts on US & Global Economy Due to the Pandemic

Biography: Dr. Forsyth is the Chief Economist of Avista Corp. Before coming to Avista in 2012, he was Professor of Economics at Eastern Washington University from 1999 to 2012. Before EWU, from 1996 to 1999, he worked in the Czech Republic as an academic and private sector economist. He received a BA in Economics from Central Washington University (1988), his MBA in Finance from the University of Oregon (1990), and his PhD in Economics from Washington State University (1996). He also serves on the Washington Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors; The Citizen Commission for the Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences; and the Spokane Mayor’s Economic Advisory Roundtable.

December 3, 2020

Cornell Clayton: Why Populism and Polarization Continue to Characterize our Politics

Biography: Our speaker for the evening is Dr. Cornell Clayton, Director of the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University, where he is also the C.O Johnson Distinguished Professor in Political Science. Dr. Clayton has published widely on American government, politics and law, and is the author or editor of 8 books and numerous scholarly journal articles. His research has twice received the American Judicature Award from the American Political Science Association, and he is frequently cited through the national media. He previously served as editor of Political Research Quarterly , as a Section Chair of the American Political Science Association, and as President of the Pacific Northwest Political Science Association. He received a D.Phil. in Politics from Oxford University in 1991.

October 5, 2020

Ryan Crocker: The U.S. and the Middle East at the End of the First Trump Administration – Chaos or Calculation?

Summary: Ambassador Ryan Crocker was PEG’s guest speaker in September 2019. He spoke about the turbulent history in the Middle East, particularly about events following the Arab Spring and up until fall 2019. Much has happened in the Middle East in the last year. Join us on October 5, 2020 to learn more.

Biography: Ambassador Ryan Crocker is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has taught at Princeton University, Yale University, the University of Virginia and Texas A&M University where he was Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service. In August 2013, he was confirmed by the United States Senate to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors which oversees all U.S. government-supported civilian international media. He served as a board member until June 8, 2020. retired from the Foreign Service in April 2009 after a career of over 37 years but was recalled to active duty by President Obama to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan in 2011. He has served as U.S. Ambassador six times: Afghanistan (2011-2012), Iraq (2007-2009), Pakistan (2004-2007), Syria (1998-2001), Kuwait (1994-1997), and Lebanon (1990-1993).

Born in Spokane, Washington, he grew up in an Air Force family, attending schools in Morocco, Canada, and Turkey, as well as the U.S. He received a B.A. in English in 1971 and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2001 from Whitman College (Washington). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Academy of Diplomacy, and the Association of American Ambassadors. He is also on the Board of Directors of Mercy Corps International and is a Trustee for the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Ambassador Crocker received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, in 2009. In July 2012, he was named an Honorary Marine, the 75th civilian so honored since the founding of the Corps in 1775.

September 22, 2020

Chris Venne, Jim Frank, and Michelle Girardot: Affordable Housing – Challenges and Solutions

Summary: Chris Venne, Jim Frank, and Michelle Girardot have worked on affordable housing issues in the Spokane area for over two decades through organizations such as Community Frameworks, Greenstone Corporation, and Habitat for Humanity. They will discuss a variety of topics related to affordable housing:

Who is most affected by the current affordable housing crisis? It isn’t just a homelessness problem.
How housing supply is clearly a driving factor in rising rents and home prices.
National, state, and local regulatory barriers that can restrict housing supply.
Whether regulatory restrictions on the ability to build new affordable homes in neighborhoods of opportunity are the modern day form of “red lining”.
How House Bill 1590, which would allow local sales and use tax for affordable housing to be imposed by a councilmanic authority, can impact affordable housing.

Chris Venne Biography: Chris Venne has been involved in affordable housing for over twenty years. He has managed the home ownership program for Community Frameworks which built and sold over 200 new homes to families not served by the commercial real estate market. He has also developed multi-family rental housing for low income seniors, people with disabilities and members of the Spokane area workforce.

Jim Frank Biography: Jim Frank is founder of Greenstone Corporation and regional homebuilder and developer of mixed use communities. Greenstone has worked collaboratively with nonprofit homebuilders on affordable housing projects over the past 25 years.

Michelle Girardot Biography: Michelle Girardot serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity-Spokane, a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. Supporters of Habitat’s efforts believe affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities. Habitat for Humanity has worked in the Spokane community for over 30 years and has provided homeownership opportunities for more than 320 Spokane families. Girardot was called to Habitat for Humanity after working in education seeing the need for housing stability in the lives of children.

August 25, 2020

Dr. Bryan Vila, Dr. Lois James, and Dr. Stephen James: Law Enforcement Going Forward

Summary: Our speakers have a unique combination of experience and depth of research in policing issues including cross cultural policing, police fatigue, the impacts of stress on policing, the impacts of bias on police decision making, counter bias training, the dynamics of performance in policing tasks such as citizen encounters, crisis intervention, and deadly force encounters. The speakers are nationally & internationally recognized researchers in these areas. In addition, they also are personally experienced in policing and military combat. They will discuss the following topics:

A brief history of American Policing: How did we get here?
Key problems the policing profession faces today
Promoting police-community relationships
Promoting police health and wellness
Addressing policing culture and its role in police reform

Bryan Vila Biography: Dr. Vila is a professor emeritus at Washington State University and was founder/former director of its Simulated Hazardous Occupational Tasks laboratory. Prior to joining WSU in July 2005, he directed the Division of Crime Control and Prevention Research at the National Institute of Justice. He also has held tenured faculty positions at the University of California, Irvine and the University of Wyoming. Before he became an academic, Dr. Vila served as a teenage U.S. Marine in Vietnam. He then served as a police officer for 17 years—including nine years as a street cop and supervisor with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, six years as a police chief helping the emerging nations of Micronesia develop innovative law enforcement strategies, and two years in Washington, D.C., as a federal law enforcement agent.

Dr. Vila’s innovative interdisciplinary research has received national and international acclaim. He has won 25 competitive research grants, contracts, and fellowships (principal investigator in 17). He is an internationally recognized expert in police fatigue, cross-cultural policing, crime control, and developing novel tools for measuring what matters in police and military encounters with the public. He also has held many consultancies, including current efforts to create standards for first responder fatigue management and research in Canada and the United States. He has published more than 80 articles on his research and four books: Micronesian Blues (with Cynthia Morris), Tired Cops: the Importance of Managing Police Fatigue, The Role of Police in American Society (with Cynthia Morris), and Capital Punishment in the United States (with Cynthia Morris).

Lois James Biography: Dr. James is the assistant Dean of Research in the Washington State University (WSU) College of Nursing, where she focuses on bias, stress, sleep, and performance in “high stress” populations such as police officers, military personnel, nurses, and top tier athletes. She is one of a handful of research advisors for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, has received multiple honors and awards for her work, and is internationally recognized as a leading expert in her field. Dr. James’s simulation-based research on the impact of bias on police decision making has significantly advanced what is known about how suspect race and ethnicity (as well as other factors) influences police officers during critical encounters with the public. She is the founding director of Counter Bias Training Simulation (CBTsim), a novel and innovative simulation-based implicit bias training program that has been featured in National Geographic and the recent feature-length documentary “bias.” Dr. James’s work has been published extensively in academic journals, practitioner magazines, and mainstream media such as the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Stephen James Biography: Dr. James is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at Washington State University Health Sciences Spokane. His research focus includes the interaction between physical stressors [such as sleep related fatigue], law, policy, training and practice relating to operational performance for military and law enforcement personnel. Dr. James strives to better understand the dynamics of performance in a wide variety of military and policing tasks; driving, citizen encounters, crisis intervention, and deadly force encounters.

Dr. James utilizes simulation technology to evaluate training and performance of military and law enforcement personnel. This research has led to more effective, and more cost effective, training and greater public safety. To date his research has been foundational in the development of the DARPA Strategic Social Interaction Module Tactical Social Interaction training development, a program designed to teach young warfighters and law enforcement the balance between tactical considerations and relationship building; the creation of an Enhanced-CIT, a program to move beyond the Memphis model; and the ground up rewriting of the Oregon Basic Police Academy, one that is evidence based and research driven. Dr. James also sits on a number of law enforcement focused committees and working groups including the Department of Homeland Security Human Factors Engineering Community of Practice, the Chicago PD EIS National Advisory Council, and the Spokane Mental Health Committee. Dr. James was a member of the SAFE Driving Initiative for California POST research team. Prior to becoming an academic Dr. James spent more than 20 years in the British infantry as a solider and officer; serving in Cyprus, the Former Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland, and Afghanistan.

August 11, 2020

Kim Wyman and Vicky Dalton: Ensuring Voter Security in Washington and Other States – What Lies Ahead

Summary: Secretary Wyman and County Auditor Dalton will discuss cybersecurity questions in the upcoming Presidential election, including protections from potential domestic and foreign interference, and voting changes in other states due to the pandemic, including vote-by-mail issues and concerns across the country. This event is relevant for voters across the country.

Kim Wyman Biography: Secretary Wyman is Washington’s 15th Secretary of State. First elected in 2012 and is only the second female Secretary of State in Washington’s history. Prior to being elected to this office, Kim served as Thurston County Elections Director for nearly a decade and was elected Thurston County Auditor from 2001-2013. She heads one of the most diverse offices in state government. Her responsibilities include overseeing elections, corporation and charity filings, the Washington State Library, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, the Washington State Archives, and a number of special programs including the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by public employees, the Address Confidentiality Program to protect survivors of domestic violence and stalking, and Legacy Washington, an oral history and exhibit program that tells the state’s most intriguing stories. Secretary Wyman serves as the Board Chair for the Jennifer Dunn Leadership Institute, co-chairs the Council of State Governments Overseas Voting Initiative and is also a past president of the Washington State Association of County Auditors. She serves on the boards of the Washington State Historical Society and TVW, the state’s public affairs television network, and is a member of the Lacey Rotary Club, taking part in numerous civic activities and nonprofit work. She has received numerous awards, including the YMCA Youth and Government Robert F. Utter Award, the Woman of Distinction Award from the Pacific Peaks Girl Scout Council and the Washington State University President’s Award for Leadership.

Secretary Wyman promotes civility and civic engagement and is committed to connecting people with their government. Kim enjoys mentoring students and participates in leadership development organizations, and is an advocate for our service members and their families, our returning veterans and the Washington Youth Academy. She helps promote libraries – including the Washington State Library – and advocates for preservation and teaching of our history and traditions, teaching of civics education, and volunteerism in our communities. Secretary Wyman is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach, holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy State University, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Leadership from City University, Seattle. She is a Certified Elections and Registration Administrator (CERA) and is a Washington State Certified Election Administrator. Kim and her husband, John, came to Washington when he was assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis after being stationed in Ansbach, Germany. They reside in Thurston County with their two children.

Vicky Dalton Biography: For the past 22 years, Vicky Dalton has served as the Spokane County Auditor. The Auditor’s Office is one of the most diverse offices in the county. It is responsible for:

administering elections;
recording property and personal records, such as deeds, mortgages and marriage licenses;
issuing vehicle titles, plates and tabs; and
performing the accounting for the county, including payroll, vendor payments and the annual financial report.

During her tenure, Vicky has experienced 5 presidential elections, the 2004 Governor’s election that was decided by 133 votes statewide, the 2005 recall of the City of Spokane Mayor Jim West, implementation of vote-by-mail and the implementation of same day registration. Vicky grew up in Priest River, Idaho and attended Idaho State University, obtaining degrees in accounting and computers. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Government Finance Manager and Certified Elections Administrator. Vicky has served on the boards of several local organizations, including the American Cancer Society, CampFire Council and is currently the Board Chair of Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP). When time allows, Vicky sews, weaves and knits. She particularly enjoys restoring equipment, such as antique circular sock knitting machines manufactured in the early 1900’s.

July 15, 2020

James McDevitt: Non-partisan Justice in a Highly Partisan Environment…and Associated “War Stories”

Summary: Mr. McDevitt will cover several areas relating to the need for non-partisan law enforcement as well as a couple of “war stories” related to several interesting cases and their relation to cyber-crime and sloppy management within state government.

Biography: Jim McDevitt was raised in the Bellevue area and attended University of Washington for his undergraduate degree. He came to Spokane following active duty in the U.S. Air Force and Washington Air National Guard. He attended Gonzaga Law School and earned an MBA from Gonzaga School of Business. He served 5 years active duty in USAF as B-52 navigator and F-4 Phantom Weapons Systems Officer; 30 years in Washington Air National Guard as F-101 Voodoo Weapons Systems Officer and KC-135 Navigator. He held command positions at all levels, including activation and deployment for a year as tanker squadron commander during Desert Shield/Desert Storm; his last position was as Chief of Staff/Vice Commander of Washington Air National Guard. Jim McDevitt retired as a Brigadier General.

He practiced law in Spokane for 45 years: 3 years as an Assistant Attorney General under WA State Attorney General Slade Gorton; 25 years in private practice terminating as a partner with the firm of Preston Gates & Ellis; appointed as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington in 2001 by President Bush and continued until 2010 by President Obama; 5 years (2011 to 2016) as General Counsel to Spokane Airports; first half of 2016 as Spokane’s appointed Law Enforcement Director (civilian police chief); now part-time practice as counsel to a couple airports. Jim is currently serving as Chair of Governor’s Clemency & Pardons Board. He is one of the authors of the Blueprint for Reform, a menu for improving the delivery of criminal justice in Spokane County. Somehow he manages to do all of this when he’s not flying his Cessna 185 or fly fishing the rivers and streams of Northern Idaho and Western Montana.

June 1, 2020

A Conversation with Washington State Senators Andy Billig and Shelly Short

Summary: The Senators will address the topics below and then open the discussion to questions. We are privileged to hear from both Senators and benefit from their experience.

State government response & leadership during the coronavirus challenge.

How state government can find non-partisan solutions in a bi-partisan manner to the other pressing problems/issues of our time.

Biographies: Senator Andy Billig represents the 3rd Legislative District of Washington. He was elected to the state Senate in 2012 and 2016, and elected Majority Leader by his colleagues in 2018. In the Senate, Andy serves as a member of the Ways & Means and Rules committees, as well as co-chair of the Washington State Institute for Public Policy Board and the chair of the Sustainable Aviation Biofuels Workgroup. He previously served as co-chair of the Joint Select Committee on Early Achievers and on the bipartisan Education Funding Task Force that produced the legislative framework for fully funding our schools as ordered by the state Supreme Court. In addition to his work in the Legislature, Andy is a business executive and committed community volunteer.

Senator Shelly Short represents the 7^th Legislative District of Washington. Senator Short was unanimously chosen by the district’s county commissioners to succeed former Senator Dansel. She then won the 2017 special election for the district’s Senate seat and was re-elected in 2018. She is a strong leader on energy, environment and regulatory issues and is a recognized local and national leader on climate change and cap-and-trade policy. In 2018, she was elected by her peers to serve as the Republican Floor Leader in the Senate Republican Leadership. She serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Local Government Committee, sits on the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks, Environment, Energy & Technology and Rules Committees, and is a member of the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee and Western Legislative Forestry Task Force, which are both separate from the Senate Committees. Shelly is an avid advocate for rural Washington.

May 14, 2020

Chris Vance: The Creation of a New Party System in America

Summary: After leaving the Republican party in 2017, Vance, now an independent, is actively trying to build a centrist/reformist alternative to our current two-party system. The Lincoln Project states that the priority for all patriotic Americans must be a shared fidelity to the Constitution and a commitment to defeat those candidates who have abandoned their constitutional oaths, regardless of party. We find ourselves divided again – sectionalism in the country and factionalism in government has led to ever uglier examples of how our political system is failing. We need to find a way to allow the country to heal its political and psychological wounds and allow for a new, better path forward for all Americans.

Biography: Chris Vance is the former Chair of the Washington State Republican party, the 2016 Republican U.S. Senate candidate, and Senior Advisor to the Lincoln Project. Vance left the GOP in 2017. Vance spent two terms in the Washington State House of Representatives before becoming the youngest person ever elected to the King County Council. Vance also teaches part time as an adjunct professor at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance teaching graduate level public affairs. He is a frequent political commentator in Seattle media outlets. Seattle Magazine has twice named Vance to its list of Seattle Most Influential People.

March 12, 2020

Bob Lutz: Coronavirus

Summary: Dr. Bob Lutz discusses the current health situation regarding the coronavirus.

Biography: Dr. Bob Lutz and his wife, Amy, moved to Spokane in 2004. He worked as an urgent care physician through 2009 and resumed practice in 2015, after stepping away for a few years to perform evaluation services for school districts in receipt of federal grants to improve their Physical Education programs. He is a graduate of Temple Medical School. He spent 4 years in the US Navy before completing a residency in Family Medicine and a fellowship in Sports Medicine at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, FL. He subsequently completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also received his master’s degree in public health. Dr. Lutz served on the Spokane Regional Board of Health for eight years prior to being appointed Health Officer for Spokane County in June 2017 and Asotin County in January 2018. He was appointed to the Washington State Board of Health in 2018, representing the State’s Health Officers. He holds appointments as adjunct faculty for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and University of Washington School of Medicine in Spokane, Washington.

February 11, 2020

Harold D. Clarke, III: Felony Therapeutic Courts

Summary: The presentation on the Felony Therapeutic Courts will include a general description of a Therapeutic Court, an overview of the Therapeutic Courts in Spokane County, a more specific description of the Drug Court and Mental Health Courts, as well as the outcomes of these courts. There are five Therapeutic Courts in the Spokane County court system. Spokane City Municipal Court operates Community Court, Spokane County District Court operates a Mental Health Court, Veteran’s Court and DUI Court. Spokane County Superior Court operates a Drug and Mental Health Court. The Drug Court was the first Therapeutic Court in Spokane County, having been established in 1996.

Biography: Judge Clarke was admitted to the Bar in 1980. He served as a District Court Judge from 1999 to 2005 and has served as a Superior Court Judge Since January 2005. Among other duties, he currently presides over the Felony Drug and Mental Health Therapeutic Courts.

January 14, 2020

Chris Crutcher: Everyone Has a Story – Children and Families in Crisis

Summary: Chris Crutcher, author and retired Spokane child and family therapist and chairperson for the original Spokane Child Protection Team for 32 years will be with us to discuss his experiences with children and families in crisis; focusing on, but not restricted to, those situations leading to fractured family relationships that often result in kids living on the street. Crutcher believes communities that rely solely on their tax dollars to solve complex social problems will always fall miserably short; that true community involvement requires that we stop calling community ills “problems” or “issues” and get better acquainted with the personal stories of those we tend to put in amorphous groups. “We don’t have a homeless problem. We have homeless people with problems.”

Biography: Chris Crutcher is an American novelist and a family therapist. Chris has written nine critically acclaimed novels, an autobiography, and two collections of short stories. Drawing on his experience as a family therapist and child protection specialist, Crutcher writes honestly about real issues facing teenagers today: making it through school, competing in sports, handling rejection and failure, and dealing with parents. He has won three lifetime achievement awards for the body of his work: the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the ALAN Award, and the NCTE National Intellectual Freedom Award. Crutcher grew up in Cascade, Idaho. He graduated from Eastern Washington State College (now EWU) with degrees in psychology and sociology and got his teaching certificate there. Crutcher taught at several primary and secondary schools in California and Washington before beginning his writing career. After his first book was completed, he joined Spokane’s Child Protection Team and began practicing as a child and family therapist. Crutcher lives in Spokane.

November 19, 2019

Cindy Black: Creating a More Fair and Representative Government for All

Summary: Most Americans agree that our democracy is broken. People are discouraged about our current system and don’t know what to do about it. With big money in elections, gerrymandering, election insecurity, or just plain voter apathy, our democracy is in trouble and needs our help. In this presentation, we’ll look at how we got here, but more importantly, how we can build a functioning, thriving, healthy democracy that addresses these issues and truly represents the majority of people. This talk is for all voters, regardless of political affiliation.

Biography: Cindy Black has been the executive director of Fix Democracy First since 2016. She was also the campaign director for WAmend’s successful Initiative 735 campaign, making Washington the 18th State to call for a U.S. Constitutional amendment to overturn Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United. She now works full time on pro-democracy projects and reforms for campaign finance reform, voting access, alternative voting, fair courts, election security, and voter engagement.

October 14, 2019

Grant Forsyth: Socialism or Capitalism – Lessons for the U.S. in an Era of Discontent

Summary: Between 1989 and the early 2000’s the Czech Republic (part of the former Czechoslovakia) went through a radical economic and political change. In just over a decade, the county shed the economic controls of the communist party; briefly experimented with elements of laissez-faire capitalism during a period of rapid privatization; and then moved back to the economic center with a more mixed economy. The experience of the Czech Republic provides a useful reference point for U.S. voters now confronting calls for increased state control under the banner of socialism.

September 19, 2019

Ryan C. Crocker: Middle East Meltdown – Causes and Consequences

Summary: The Middle East has long been a turbulent region, punctuated with revolutions, coups, counter-coups and border wars. In the interval since the Arab Spring, however, we are witnessing something new: not just the collapse of governments but of states themselves. What does this mean for regional and international stability? And what does a future without US leadership look like?

Biography: Ambassador Crocker served as United States Ambassador to Afghanistan (2011–2012), Iraq (2007–2009), Pakistan (2004–2007), Syria (1998–2001), Kuwait (1994– 1997), and Lebanon (1990–1993). In September 2004, President Bush conferred on him the diplomatic rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the Foreign Service, equivalent to a four-star officer in the military.

Although retired from the State Department and the Foreign Service, Crocker was called upon by the Obama Administration and nominated by President Barack Obama in April 2011 to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. The appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate by unanimous consent on June 30, 2011. When he stepped down in July 2012 as ambassador in Kabul, Crocker was named an Honorary Marine by the United States Marine Corps. Since leaving government service, he has taught at the University of Virginia, Yale, and Princeton.

May 7, 2019

Mike Petersen: Environmental Stewardship in the 21st Century

Summary: How did a radical environmentalist become the Executive Director of The Lands Council, Spokane’s most influential environmental group? Petersen will describe how he met Ed Abbey, David Brower, and other great environmentalists, took part in direct actions such as Redwood Summer, blockades, and tree sits, and how he has sustained the passion for four decades. He will talk about tactics ranging from direct action and litigation to negotiation and collaboration. He will speak to the role that The Lands Council has had in forest collaborations and took part in the innovative A to Z project on the Colville National Forest.

Biography: Mike Petersen has worked for The Lands Council for over 25 years and has been Executive Director for 17 years. Born in Colorado, Mike later met Edward Abbey and was inspired to become an environmental activist. Mike now works with four collaborative groups on three National Forests, the Idaho Panhandle, the Colville, and the Kootenai. Mike is also a member of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force. He was recently appointed to the Spokane Sustainability Action Subcommittee. He serves on the Board of Farm Power, a project that utilizes crop residue. Mike has a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University. He co-hosts Earth Matters Now on KYRS Thin Air Community Radio in Spokane.

April 1, 2019

Joe Albert: Presidential Leadership and Emotional Intelligence

Summary: Dr. Albert will discuss the psychological dimensions of leadership, a profile of the kind of leader that succeeds in the current world environment, and an analysis of presidential leadership from the perspective of emotional intelligence.

Biography: Dr. Joe Albert is currently the Associate Dean of External Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives in the Gonzaga University School of Leadership Studies. He has been a faculty member at GU since 1994; he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in leadership, organizational theory, psychology & leadership, organizational change, and more. Joe has provided leadership consulting to students, organizations and communities for over 25 years.

February 27, 2019

Lisa Ayrault: Ranked Choice Voting

Summary: More fair and representative elections could soon be an option for Washington cities and towns thanks to two new bills filed in the state legislature. As proposed by FairVote Washington, the bills offer local jurisdictions the option to use ranked choice voting (RCV) for their primaries or general elections. “Ranked choice voting is about expanding the range of choices in our elections,” said Lisa Ayrault, FairVote Washington chairwoman. “Right now in our state we limit ourselves to just two choices in the general election. With RCV, there’s no need to do that. More candidates are encouraged to run in ranked choice elections, because they don’t need to worry about being a spoiler, or splitting the vote with other, similar candidates.”

RCV lets voters rank candidates in order of choice: first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on. If a candidate receives more than half of the first choice votes, they win. Otherwise, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who picked that candidate as their “number one” have their votes count for their next choice. This process continues until one candidate wins with more than half the votes. Used already in more than a dozen cities and the entire state of Maine, ranked choice voting has proven itself an easy, effective and increasingly popular reform, benefiting voters and candidates alike.

Biography: Lisa Ayrault is the Chair of FairVote Washington, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating for electoral reforms that give voters greater choices and a stronger voice in our elections. Founded in November 2016, it now includes eight regional chapters across the state.

January 23, 2019

Shawn Vestal: Freedom of the Press

Summary: Truth, balance and the free press – some thoughts about journalism in times of great change.

Biography: Shawn Vestal has worked at The Spokesman-Review since 1999, as an editor, a reporter and now a columnist. He spent a decade prior to that working as a journalist at community newspapers in Montana, Oregon and Idaho. His debut novel, Daredevils, was published in 2016 by Penguin Press. His collection of short stories, Godforsaken Idaho, published by New Harvest in 2013, was the winner of the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, which honors a debut book that “represents distinguished literary achievement and suggests great promise.” He also published A.K.A. Charles Abbott, a short memoir, as a Kindle Single in October 2013. His stories have appeared in Tin House, McSweeney’s, Ecotone, One Story, The Southern Review, CutBank, Sou’wester, Florida Review and other journals. He earned his MFA in fiction writing in 2008 from Eastern Washington University, and now teaches in that program. He lives in Spokane with his wife and son.

November 13, 2018

Lynn Kessler: Effective Governing in a Changing Political Landscape

Summary: During Lynn Kessler’s 18 years as a Representative in the Washington State Legislature between 1993 and 2011, the majority party in the House transitioned from strongly Republican to strongly Democratic, with a multi-year period in the early 2000s when the seats were split evenly between the two parties. Representative Kessler will discuss this transition, focusing on the impact that an ever-evolving legislative body composition has on effective governing, the strategies that legislators and constituents can use to ensure that government continues to function effectively in such times of transition, and the importance of bipartisanship during these periods.

Biography: Lynn Kessler served in the Washington State Legislature as Representative for the 24th Legislative District from 1993-2011, and as Democratic House Majority Leader from 1999-2011. She has served on the Washington State Arts Commission, the Grays Harbor College Board of Trustees, the Grays Harbor Economic Development Council, the Shorelines Management Board, the Governor’s Commission on Early Learning, and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. She is also a former small business owner and Executive Director of the United Way of Grays Harbor.

October 16, 2018

Sam Reed: Civility, Moderation and Bipartisanship

Summary: Social and political civility, among individual citizens, in our public discourse, and in our political campaigns and parties seems to be in grave crisis. But there ARE examples of bipartisanship and creative problem-solving that show what is possible if civility and moderation are honored. Civility and moderation don’t mean wimping out or not standing for something. The most outstanding leaders embrace civility and inclusivity while working as a powerful force for change toward their vision of a better future. Civility and change are not for sissies.

Governor Dan Evans’ administrations in the 1960s highlight some of these possibilities. Evans was a true trailblazer who knew how to work through urban and racial unrest and environmental problems, controversial questions of constitutional reform, and war protests and all the rest – and still be civil about it. Sam Reed, working as a Republican elected official in one of Washington’s most Democratic counties, faced the practical challenge of working with courthouse colleagues of the opposite party. Long before people knew the phrase “post-partisanship,” Sam Reed was doing it. As Secretary of State he formed alliances with County Auditors from both parties as they worked on constant improvement of our election system in this state – the basics of democracy. As a Republican, Sam often worked hand-in-glove with Democratic governors and Democratic legislators to achieve common goals that transcend partisanship. And while partisanship is not intrinsically bad, there is certainly a time to put aside divisions and work together for the common good.

Biography: Secretary of State, Washington State, 2001-2013. Chair of the advisory committee for the Sam Reed Distinguished Professorship in Civic Education and Public Civility at WSU. Immediate past chair of the Mainstream Republicans of Washington.

Sam Reed had a 48-year career serving the citizens of Washington State. Most notably, he served as Washington’s Secretary of State from 2001-2013. His accomplishments in this role include advocating and implementing a wide open primary system, creating the nation’s first digital state archives (located in Cheney), saving the Washington State Library, and conducting a major reform of our state’s election system.

In retirement, Sam is engaged in many civic and political endeavors. Currently, he chairs TVW’s board of directors (our state’s public affairs television and online network), chairs the YMCA Youth & Government board of directors, is the immediate past chair for the Mainstream Republicans of Washington, and chairs the advisory committee for the Sam Reed Distinguished Professorship in Civic Education and Public Civility at WSU.

September 18, 2018

Tom Trulove: Experiences in Effective Government

Summary: Government is often perceived with contempt as wasteful, unresponsive, inefficient and even unneeded. Yet, few institutions contribute more to the safety, security and general welfare of individuals and society. Often there are no substitutes for government provision or production of essential goods and services. For maximum benefit, effective government must be smart and efficient.

Biography: Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Emeritus, Eastern Washington University, and former five time Mayor of Cheney. Dr. Trulove received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from University of Oregon. He is currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Economics at Eastern Washington University, where he served many years as Chair. Elected Mayor of Cheney five times and to the City Council twice, Dr. Trulove ended his career as a local elected official in December 2017. Always active in public service and public policy, he has served as President of the Association of Washington Cities, President of the Municipal Research and Services Center, Chair of the Northwest Power Planning Council, Chair of Washington’s Community Economic Revitalization Board and on numerous other state and local boards. He is currently a member of the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board.

May 22, 2018

Cornell W. Clayton: Populism and Political Paranoia – What the Past Tells Us about Overcoming Our Divisive Politics Today

Summary: Anti-establishment politicians like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders rail against the very government that they lead; populist groups like the Congressional Freedom Caucus, Occupy Wall Street, and the Tea Party howl about political corruption; fake news and wild conspiracy theories abound. Has American politics gone off the deep end?

Author and political scientist Cornell Clayton explores how American politics has once again become an arena for suspicious and angry minds. Rather than debunking today’s populist claims and conspiratorial theories, Clayton argues that both populism and paranoia have always played important roles in American politics. From the fear of the Illuminati, to the Know-Nothing’s in the 1850s, to Father Charles Coughlin, Huey Long, and the John Birchers, there have often been leaders and groups who see politics in apocalyptic terms and believe powerful elites are conspiring against ordinary Americans. Clayton’s lecture explains the reasons behind the rise of today’s populist and conspiratorial politics, draws parallels to earlier periods, and discusses how it might be overcome.

Biography: D.Phil., Thomas S. Foley Distinguished Professor of Government in the School of Politics, Philosophy, & Public Affairs, Washington State University. Director of the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service, Washington State University. Cornell W. Clayton received his D.Phil. in Politics from Oxford University, and he has been a member of the WSU faculty since 1992. His research interests focus on American government and politics, constitutional law and history, and political theory. An award winning scholar he has authored or edited eight books and more than 60 scholarly journal articles and book chapters. He previously served eight years as editor of Political Research Quarterly, the journal of the Western Political Science Association, and as a past chair of the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association. Past distinctions include the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the Mellon Overseas Research scholarship; Fulbright Senior Scholar and Senior Specialist fellowships, and the Salzburg Global Seminar fellowship; as well as the Claudius O. Johnson, and the Wayne N. Aspinall distinguished professorships. Clayton received his masters and doctoral degrees in Politics from Oxford University.

April 16, 2018

Dale Soden: Seeking Bipartisanship in a Polarized World

Summary: An examination from an historical perspective of the ways in which partisanship and bi-partisanship have shaped American politics. The presentation will begin with an understanding of the ways in which our country’s Founders, especially James Madison, attempted to mitigate the effects of partisanship. We will look at several episodes in American history when both partisanship and bi-partisanship influenced legislative outcomes. We will also talk about some of the forces that make bi-partisanship more difficult today as well as some thoughts about how we might move forward toward more bi-partisanship in the future.

Biography: Ph.D, Professor, History Dept., Whitworth University. Director, Weyerhauser Center for Christian Faith and Learning, Whitworth University. Dr. Soden received a B.A. in History from Pacific Lutheran University and his M.A. & Ph.D. in American Intellectual History from the University of Washington. He has been at Whitworth University since 1985 and taught courses in American History, Pacific Northwest History and the Vietnam War. He has written four books and published numerous scholarly articles, mostly on the role of religion in public life in the Pacific Northwest.

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Events

List of Upcoming Events

Previous Events

Dr. Brian Henning, Gonzaga University, Director, Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment – November 9, 2022

The Role and Importance of the Spokane County Auditor’s Office – October 4, 2022

A Closer Look at Homelessness – September 14, 2022

June 16, 2022

Spokane’s Housing Crisis–Are we Making Progress?

Our speakers: Tom Hormel, Spenser Gardner, and Chauncey Jones

May 10, 2022

Understanding the New Inflation Environment

Our speaker: Grant Forsyth, PhD, Chief Economist, Avista Corporation

March 22, 2022

Afghanistan, Ukraine and the New World Disorder after the American Era

The Honorable Ryan C. Crocker, Retired Career Ambassador – U.S. Foreign Service

February 22, 2022

Our Changing Party System – a Threat to Our Democracy

January 25, 2022

Disinformation, Misinformation, Lazy Information & Spokane Trends

Dr. Patrick Jones, Executive Director, EWU Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis

December 15, 2021

U.S. Foreign Policy in China – the future of our trade and political relationship

Gary Locke, Interim President of Bellevue College, former U.S. Ambassador to China, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and Washington State Governor

November 3, 2021

Homelessness in our Society: Let’s discuss this complex issue and what we can do!

October 5, 2021

Four Things We Should Do Right Now to Address our Housing Crisis

Jim Frank, Candace Mumm, Chaz Bates, and Amber Waldref

Summary:

September 21, 2021

Bill Hyslop, Stephanie VanMarter, Rob Chase, Mark Haigh, Nicole Rodin, and Marsha Malsam: The Impact of Fentanyl and Opioid Use in Our Society – What can be done?

June 9, 2021

Betsy Wilkerson, Kurtis Robinson, Bill Hyslop, and Craig Meidl : Law Enforcement and Racial Justice

May 19, 2021

Dr. Lois James & Dr. Steve James: Law Enforcement and Bias

April 14, 2021

Shiloh Deitz, Shawna Ernst, and David Lewis: Data Science for Social Good in the Smart City

7pm, March 2, 2021

Rob Curley: The Virtuous Circle

7pm, February 16, 2021

Joseph Lenti and Jorge Madrazo: ‘This is Banana Republic crap!’: Debating the So-Called Latin-Americanization of U.S. Politics

7pm, January 26, 2021

Grant Forsyth: Perspectives on the Long Term Impacts on US & Global Economy Due to the Pandemic

December 3, 2020

Cornell Clayton: Why Populism and Polarization Continue to Characterize our Politics

October 5, 2020

Ryan Crocker: The U.S. and the Middle East at the End of the First Trump Administration – Chaos or Calculation?

September 22, 2020

Chris Venne, Jim Frank, and Michelle Girardot: Affordable Housing – Challenges and Solutions

August 25, 2020

Dr. Bryan Vila, Dr. Lois James, and Dr. Stephen James: Law Enforcement Going Forward

August 11, 2020

Kim Wyman and Vicky Dalton: Ensuring Voter Security in Washington and Other States – What Lies Ahead

July 15, 2020

James McDevitt: Non-partisan Justice in a Highly Partisan Environment…and Associated “War Stories”

June 1, 2020

A Conversation with Washington State Senators Andy Billig and Shelly Short

May 14, 2020

Chris Vance: The Creation of a New Party System in America

March 12, 2020

Bob Lutz: Coronavirus

February 11, 2020

Harold D. Clarke, III: Felony Therapeutic Courts

January 14, 2020

Chris Crutcher: Everyone Has a Story – Children and Families in Crisis

November 19, 2019

Cindy Black: Creating a More Fair and Representative Government for All

October 14, 2019

Grant Forsyth: Socialism or Capitalism – Lessons for the U.S. in an Era of Discontent

September 19, 2019

Ryan C. Crocker: Middle East Meltdown – Causes and Consequences

May 7, 2019

Mike Petersen: Environmental Stewardship in the 21st Century

April 1, 2019

Joe Albert: Presidential Leadership and Emotional Intelligence

February 27, 2019

Lisa Ayrault: Ranked Choice Voting

January 23, 2019

Shawn Vestal: Freedom of the Press

November 13, 2018