Board Members

Gov. Inslee appointed Tumwater resident Bill S. Kallappa II to the State Board of Education in 2019. Bill has a combined 25 years’ experience working in public education, Parks and Recreation Youth Programs, Tribal Youth Programs and is currently the Education Liaison for the Nisqually Tribe. In this capacity, Bill does Educational outreach to local K-12 school districts and institutions of Higher Education, promoting and sharing local tribal history and knowledge.

Bill recently worked to establish the Nisqually Youth Council, a governing youth body that engages tribal youth in addressing issues that concern them. The Nisqually Youth Council is designed to imitate Tribal Council and is a legitimate organization complete with a resolution, constitution and bylaws. They have elected officials and a voting body that give a voice to Tribal Youth.

Bill is also proud to be a co-founder of the Inter Tribal League. The ITL is a tribal youth sports league that was established in 2009 that gives Tribal Youth access to playing youth sports. The ITL serves Boys and Girls in grades 3-12 in sports such as basketball, softball, flag football and soccer. The ITL has partnered with the Seattle Storm over the past 6 years to provide an annual youth basketball camp for Tribal youth.

Bill serves as a Parks Commissioner for the city of Tumwater. He is also a member of the Washington State Indian Education Association the National Indian Education Association and serves on the Tribal Leaders Congress for Education. He is also the representative from the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs to the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee.

Kallappa is a graduate of The Evergreen State College with a bachelor’s in interdiciplinary studies. Bill enjoys spending time with his wife Maia Bellon and teenage daughter Talia.

Mary Fertakis, M.Ed. serves as the Vice-chair of the Washington State Board of Education (SBE), Chairs the Legislative Committee, is a member of the SBE Equity Committee and serves as the SBE Rep on the Washington State Social Emotional Learning Advisory Council.  She is the CEO of M Fertakis Consulting, LLC, specializing in P-12 educational equity issues and policy, and the intersection of education with housing, transportation, workforce, health, and human services policies. She is a Consultant with the National School Boards Association and a member of the WSSDA Leadership Consultant Cadre, which provides training to school boards.

She served on the Tukwila School Board for 22 years, representing a school district that has been called the most ethnically diverse in the United States. She was the 2012 President of the WSSDA, and served on WSSDA’s Closing the Achievement Gap Task Force, Urban Issues Committee, and Diversity & Multicultural Action Team.

Mary served in the US Peace Corps - Senegal as a rural community development project manager, which included building a school in her village. She is a founder of the Tukwila Children’s Foundation, which helps meet the unmet needs of children in the Tukwila community, and serves on the Board of Still Waters, a non-profit serving McKinney-Vento children in the Tukwila School District.

Mary received B.A.’s in Political Science and International Studies, an M.Ed. in Education Policy, and Executive Leadership Certification in P-3 Systems all from the University of Washington, an ELL Teaching Certification from Seattle University, and Certifications in Family Engagement and P-3 Systems from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is the proud mom of two young men, two Golden Retrievers, and is a die-hard Seahawks fan.

Harium Martin-Morris has a unique blend of classroom teaching experience, education policy development, school district governance and management expertise.  In 2015, he retired from The Boeing Company after 17 years in software development.  He was elected twice to Seattle School Board serving from 2007 to 2015. During his tenure on the Seattle School Board, he served on the Council of Great City Schools board of directors and the Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) steering committee as its vice-chair.  While a member of the Seattle School Board, he led the effort to end the out of school suspensions of elementary students with the aid of undergraduate students from the University of Washington.  That work led to a resolution and actions that passed unanimously.  And in the two years since its passage hundreds of students remained in school getting an education instead of falling further behind their fellow students.  His ability to listen, build coalitions and create conscience has made him a successful advocate for public education.

After his retirement from The Boeing Company, Harium started a consulting group with a focus on school district communication, equity and school improvement.  Currently, Harium serves on two non-profit boards, the Equity in Education Coalition and the Boeing Employees Flying Association. 

Harium and his wife, Linda, have two children. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from State University of New York at Cortland, and Master of Business Administration from Babson College as well as a Washington State Residency Teaching Certificate.

Brooke Brown is the 2021 Washington Teacher of the Year. She has spent the past 15 years teaching English language arts and ethnic studies at Washington High School in the Franklin Pierce School District. She uses her classroom to create a brave, inclusive environment that allows students to show up authentically, centering their experiences and encouraging them to develop empathy and compassion for others.

Brooke believes that learning is done best in community. She works to center student experiences and reminds them how much she learns from them too. She advocates for educating the whole child, often using content to teach life lessons and challenge her students to look for ways to improve their communities. She currently serves as the Instructional Equity Specialist in the Franklin Pierce School District.

Brooke has been married to her best friend, Eugene Brown, for 16 years and they have 4 children. She is a current doctoral student pursuing her PhD in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. She holds a master’s degree in Education from Pacific Lutheran University and 2 bachelor’s degrees from the University of Washington in Sociology, History, and American Ethnic Studies.

By way of fostering partnerships across education systems and the broader community, Dana’s career has pursued community vitality by ensuring opportunity for students to access high quality learning experiences with attention to alignment to in-demand careers. Her work has largely focused on the leadership necessary to conceive, convene and resource programs which support professional development for K-12 educators, university faculty, and industry professionals and, in-turn the educational experiences for students. Such work requires attention to contemporary educational research, practices, and policies; workforce trends; convening collaborative partnership across a diversity of sectors including business, labor, and non-profits. Dana has served as an Educational Specialist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Director of the K-12 Institute for Science and Math Education at the University of Washington, Director of the Center for Inquiry Science at the Institute for Systems Biology, and an Assistant Superintendent for Everett Public Schools.

Dana joined The Museum of Flight in the summer of 2020 to lead and advance a unique continuum of educational experiences – those which spark excitement in STEM through high school and college credit-bearing programs. She is currently the board chair for Washington MESA and serves on the Governor’s STEM Education Innovation Alliance.

Dana grew up in Washington State attending Federal Way Public Schools. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Washington, Masters in Science Education and Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Curriculum Studies from Miami University. Dana is married to Benjamin Black. They have two children and live in Seattle.

Patty Wood was elected to the State Board of Education in 2016 after serving over 13 years on her local School Board in Kelso. She has served as chair of the Education Northwest Board of Directors was recently their CEO.

On the State Board, Wood has served as Chair of the SBE Legislative Committee and Equity committee and three years on the Executive Committee. During her local board tenure she served on multiple board committees and two terms as Board Chair. She continues to serve her local district through her work on the Budget Advisory Committee, Levy Committee, and as a Cross Country Coach at the High School. Wood began her leadership role within WSSDA as a graduate of Leadership WSSDA. She served on the Legislative Committee and Chair of the FRN committee, Board Standards Taskforce, Technical Advisory Group, Trust Lands Task Force and was elected to the WSSDA board in 2011. She enjoys legislative advocacy and developing strong leadership teams through her consulting work with local school board leadership teams. 

Wood is a graduate of Enumclaw High School, received a bachelor’s degree in physics from Central Washington University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington. She enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters enjoying the outdoors, whether it is running, skiing, hiking, or kayaking.

Hailing from a proud Chicano background, Castulo is known for his dedication to his studies and his unwavering determination to achieve his dreams.
With a strong command of Spanish and a knack for languages, Castulo has excelled in French and is currently taking AP World History and participating in AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, which equips students with essential college and career readiness skills. He is also set to take College in the High School English and French classes next year, further showcasing his commitment to academic excellence.

Despite facing challenges in mathematics, Castulo remains determined and works diligently to improve. He has mostly As in his coursework, a testament to his hard work and perseverance. Castulo's passion for learning extends beyond the classroom, as evidenced by his plans to take Botany next year, which aligns with his interest in forestry and the environment.

Castulo's dreams are ambitious, as he aspires to attend Central Washington University and major in Aviation and Forestry, with a minor in Education. His ultimate goal is to become an airline pilot or forester, combining his love for flying, nature, and education.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Castulo is known for his friendly and approachable nature. He is well-respected by his peers and teachers alike for his positive attitude, willingness to help others, and his dedication to his studies.

Jen Chong Jewell is a parent and community advocate with an extensive background in public service and disability advocacy. 

She currently serves in a leadership role on OSPI’s Special Education Advisory Council and on the Board of Directors for the Washington State Coalition for Language Access. Previously, she has served on the Washington State Rehabilitation Council for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, City of Everett’s Diversity Advisory Board, Snohomish County’s Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board, and the board of Mukilteo Schools Foundation. 

She is presently the Transition Resource Coordinator for Snohomish County where she is working to foster inclusive communities that support individuals with developmental disabilities to achieve a full life through participation and contributions to all aspects of community life. 

She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, Sociology, and Social Studies from Grand Valley State University in 2003 and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Northwest University in 2007. She also holds a leadership certificate in Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities from the University of Washington. 

She believes every community wants to provide its young people with full and connected lives, and that K-12 education plays a pivotal role in fostering their achievements and futures. Jen is excited to bring her expertise and passion to the State Board of Education. 

Jen has been elected to the board. She will officially join the Board on January 13, 2025 and be sworn in during its February 12 meeting.

Kevin is a lifelong educator, engineer, and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to STEM education access, and equity while bridging technology and education. He taught high school Computer Science (CS) after completing his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Later, as a graduate student, he served as a Teaching Fellow for introductory CS classes and taught an afterschool programming class.

After a few years as an engineer launching Microsoft Office 365, Kevin founded the Microsoft Philanthropies TEALS program which he led for the past decade that helped 1,000+ high schools across the country build and grow successful, sustainable, and diverse CS programs. Over half of the schools in the program are Title I, the students served are majority people of color, 40 percent female, and one fifth from rural areas. In Washington, TEALS students have accounted for half of the AP CS A exams in the state for many years.

His work has been featured in the NY Times, CNN, USA Today, and has published award winning peer reviewed papers on topics in CS education. He has advocated for CS education before the United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology as well as elected officials and community leaders across the country. 

Kevin and his family moved to the U.S. from Shanghai when he was in the 4th grade. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He considers it an absolute honor to be able to serve Washington schools and students as a member of the State Board of Education. Find Kevin on LinkedIn.

Dr. Angela Griffin is a visionary and inspirational leader. She has over 28 years of experience, primarily focused on the development and implementation of programs for young people, ages birth through young adulthood. She also has a reputation for building strong relationships and partnerships, inspiring teams to action, and crafting effective strategies to ensure children, youth, and communities equitably access all the available opportunities leading to successful life outcomes.

Prior to her current role, Dr. Griffin was instrumental in leading another WA-based nonprofit in achieving its ambitious goal of increasing the graduation rate for youth experiencing foster care and scaling vital services statewide. She has been a transformational leader of programs for children birth to age 12 for several national organizations. She has also served in the vice president role of the Federal Way School Board, where she was instrumental in the district adopting Standard Based Grading and Academic Acceleration policies for equity amongst all students. As a parent in the district, she served on committees to identify and adopt the Social Studies Curriculum, SEL Standards, Race and Equity Policy, as well as to pass several levies. She holds a bachelor’s in Human Services and a master’s in Education, both from California State University. She also holds a doctorate in Educational and Organizational Leadership from Seattle University.

Dr. Griffin is also a wife, the parent of three adult children and one teen, and the grandmother of an adorable toddler. Her skills as a parent advocate have led to all of her children benefitting from a great public education in the state of Washington. She is excited to serve on the State Board of Education to ensure more children benefit from her passion and commitment to ensure our educational policies and practices create excellent experiences for our children across the region.

Jan Brown began her educational career in the public schools with a BA in Education, 4-12 English/Language Arts from Washington State University. After completing a K-12 Music Endorsement, she continued as a K-9 choral and general music instructor at Cascade Christian Schools.

The opportunity to work as a specialist across grades advancing students’ skills and deepening connections within the school community eventually led to a M.A. in Educational Leadership and Principal Certification. Jan worked as an elementary principal and then on to district administration which led to her experience in K-12 Creative Arts Curriculum alignment with learning targets and comprehensive Human Resource policies and procedures. She led and collaborated with others to successfully launch a north Tacoma Classical, Christian Elementary School with an emphasis on the Arts.

From there, Jan worked in higher education for 13 years at Seattle Pacific University’s (SPU) Center for Professional Education. During her time at SPU, a generous grant from the Murdock Foundation provided Jan the opportunity to once again work with private school educators. The grant allowed several large and smaller private schools to creatively implement Professional Learning Communities.

Ron’s experience in Kennewick taught him how educators are grappling with a formidable task – advancing academic standards in the face of burgeoning enrollments and shrinking financial support. As a former President of the Washington State School Directors’ Association, he worked to ensure students, parents, and educators—all have a role in the governance of our education system. Ron has had success in proposing legislative amendments that range from funding and special education to security and free meals. In his new role on the State Board, Ron brings leadership expertise and experience that will help the Board improve schools for all students.

Ron lives in Kennewick with his wife, Devon. Their two sons, Zack and Isaac, went to Kennewick schools.

Dr. Susana Reyes is a first-generation college graduate. She was born in Mexico City, Mexico. Dr. Reyes began her public school experience as a 1st grader in the Wapato School District. Both of her parents and their children worked in the fields throughout the Yakima Valley. She graduated from Wapato High School and then attended Washington State University where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and her Master’s degree and Doctorate in Educational Leadership. She also holds the Principal and Superintendent Certifications.

Dr. Susana Reyes is currently the Superintendent of Shoreline Schools. She was recently, the Assistant Superintendent of Operations for the Pasco School District. She also served 4 years as Assistant Superintendent for the Mead School District Special Services and 7 years for the Pullman School District, overseeing all of the district’s teaching and learning programs. Before moving to Pullman, Dr. Reyes served as a school principal, assistant principal, and elementary school teacher for the Wapato School District.

Dr. Reyes is passionate about contributing to efforts that support students and their educational experiences. Until June 2019, she served as a citizen member on the Washington Student Achievement Council to which she was appointed by Governor Inslee in 2013. Dr. Reyes has been an adjunct professor for WSU-Pullman and WSU-Spokane teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses. She was also an ESL Instructor for Yakima Valley Community College for several years during her tenure with the Wapato School District.

Dr. Reyes is the Past-President for the Washington Educational Research Association (WERA). She is a member of the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) and a past board member of the Washington Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. And, more recently, Dr. Reyes has been collaborating with a team of colleagues from around the state to establish the soon-to-be Washington Association of Latino/a Administrators (WALA) which will be a state-affiliate of the national Association of Latino/a Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS).

Dr. Reyes is married to Lupe González, also an immigrant from México and WSU graduate. He is a Civil Engineer on the Hanford site. They enjoy running, going to the movies, traveling, spending time with family.

Ryan Brault has a passion for education and ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed and live up to their individual potential. 

Elected to the Pasco School Board in 2011, Brault served as Vice President of the Board in 2014 and as President in 2015. In addition, Ryan is a graduate of Leadership WSSDA (Washington State School Directors Association) and is a graduate of Leadership Tri-Cities, Class XV.  Ryan is also a Past President of the Pasco Chamber of Commerce and has served on the board of the Columbia Basin Badger Club. In addition, Ryan is a member of the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce, Pasco Chamber & Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary where he received the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International.  In 2010 Ryan also received the Community Leadership Award from SEWASA (South Eastern Washington Association of School Administrators).

He was actively involved involved in the Pasco School District for years.  Ryan was a PEAK (Partners in Educating All Kids) Partner for several years from the inception of the program. He has also served for many years on the Pasco Vocational Building Committee which oversees a program where high school students build a house each year and profits are used to provide scholarships for students involved in the program.  In addition, Ryan has been actively involved for several years in Pasco Citizens for Better Schools working on local bond and levy campaigns.

Ryan and his wife Jamie have been actively involved in efforts to combat human trafficking for more than a decade volunteering with International Justice Mission which is now the largest anti-slavery organization in the world. Ryan is also a Co-Founder of Faith Justice Network and was also a founding board member of Mirror Ministries focused primarily on local human trafficking issues in the Tri-Cities Area. 

Ryan received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Seattle Pacific University. 
He runs his own office as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones and is a Limited Partner with the firm.  Ryan has also studied through the College for Financial Planning to obtain several professional certifications including his CFP® (Certified Financial Planner). 

In his free time, Ryan loves spending time with his wife and his two young children and enjoys wake-boarding, snowboarding, running, and biking.  In addition, he is currently in the process of obtaining his private pilot's license.

Paul Pitre is Chancellor for Washington State University's Everett campus. Dr. Pitre became Chancellor in September 2016, after serving as Academic Dean of the campus from 2011- 2016.  Dr. Pitre is an associate professor of Educational Leadership and Counseling Psychology at WSU. Prior to accepting a faculty position at WSU, he was a member of the Auburn University faculty. Pitre has worked in Public Affairs for the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and as a Program Management Analyst at the U.S. Department of Education. He has also held several administrative posts in higher education. His research interests center on P-20 education policy, leadership and governance in higher education, and college access and choice. Pitre received his doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership from the University of Maryland. He also received his master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from New York University and his bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Western Washington University.

Chris Reykdal was born and raised in Snohomish, Washington as the youngest of eight children. He has served as a high school history teacher, local school board member, state legislator, and budget and education policy executive for our state’s community and technical college system. Chris has dedicated his entire career to public education, and he is currently serving in his first term as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Chris and his wife, Kim, live in historic Tumwater with their two children, Carter and Kennedy.

Chris graduated summa cum laude from Washington State University with a bachelor’s degree in social studies and a teaching certificate, and he earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. He coached both youth and adult soccer for several years, he volunteered as a local city planning commissioner, and he had the honor of serving as a trustee for the College Spark Washington Foundation for six years.

Chris leads a team at OSPI that is committed to opening up multiple pathways to high school graduation beyond the “university for all” approach. To do this and truly embrace all students, Chris is leading the charge to expand technical education opportunities and to decrease our reliance on standardized tests that label our students. Additionally, he is building broad coalitions that are working to close opportunity gaps through critical policy and budget changes.

Alex is a rising junior at Redmond High School in the Lake Washington School District. He was inspired to apply for the position of student representative because of his passion for education and making the system a better place for everyone. 

At school, Alex enjoys his chemistry and math classes. He’s very interested in logic and science and loves both learning and his teachers. In the future, he wants to pursue some sort of mix of these topics, whether that be in science, medicine, teaching or some combination of them.