Staff

Randy has served as the Executive Director for the Washington State Board of Education since 2018. Previously he had served as the Director of Academic Affairs and Policy at the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB). His work focused on the intersections of secondary and postsecondary education to improve student transitions and raise educational attainment. Prior to his work at the Council (HECB), Randy worked in student services, admissions, and financial aid at the University of Washington Bothell. Randy received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 2003.

J. Lee Schultz joined the State Board of Education in 2020, bringing experience in education policy, legislative advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. Before her role with the Board, she served at two other state education agencies: the Washington Student Achievement Council and the Professional Educator Standards Board. Prior to her work in state government, J. Lee spent ten years in research, evaluating educational programs and initiatives.

Mark Bergeson joined SBE in 2019. Previously he served as an Associate Director of Academic Affairs and Policy at the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB). His work focused on equity, grant administration, and degree program approval. Prior to that, he provided accounting services for nonprofit organizations serving people with disabilities.

Seema Bahl joined SBE in 2021. Prior to this, she served as an Ombuds at the Governor’s Office of the Education Ombuds, working with families, educators, and schools across Washington State to advance educational equity and support student learning. Seema has many years of experience in higher education as a lecturer at Bellevue College and the University of Washington, teaching courses on medical sociology, disability, race, and gender. Seema has a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Master of Arts in Sociology from New School University. She enjoys international travel, learning foreign languages, singing, and parenting.

Jacki joined the State Board staff team in 2022. She is a native Washingtonian and has worked in State Government for nearly thirty years. 

Arielle joined SBE in 2022 as the Student, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator to ensure the voices of our most marginalized communities are heard and involved as decisions are made for their educational experiences. Prior to coming to SBE, Arielle worked for the Seattle Colleges’ District managing programs to address equity and access to higher education and living wage careers. She is a born and bred Washingtonian and a  “double dawg”, having earned both her B.S in psychology and Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington. She can be found doing DIY home renovation projects and adventuring around the state on her motorcycle.

Nicole joined SBE in 2020 to manage the private schools application and oversight process. She comes to us from higher education, where she has extensive history managing a performance venue at her alma mater, the University of Puget Sound. Nicole enjoys spending time with her grown children, puttering in the garden, and reading “cosy” English murder mysteries.

Colton Kaltenfeldt joined the State Board of Education in 2024. Before joining the board, he worked in both the private and public sector in various communication roles. He is passionate about empowering communities to take an active role in their children’s education through effective and equitable communication. In addition to his work with the board, he is an advocate for more accessible and affordable childcare opportunities.  Colton enjoys trail running, camping, and tabletop gaming.  

Alissa joined SBE in 2017. Her work focuses on supporting the state’s mastery-based learning efforts and ensuring each and every student is prepared for their next steps after high school. Prior to joining the SBE, she worked for several Texas nonprofits. Alissa holds her B.S. degree in Public Relations from the University of Texas and her Master of Public Administration degree from the Evans School at the University of Washington. Alissa enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her husband and children. 

Andrew joined SBE in 2013. He moved to Olympia from Nevada where he taught middle school math and science and later worked in the Department of Education’s Assessment and Accountability division while earning his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership. Then and now, Andrew plays a key role in a variety of projects and research connected to education reporting, accountability, and educational equity.

Viktoria joined SBE in 2022. Born and raised in Eastern Europe, she has had extensive academic and professional experience in international education. Prior to joining SBE, Viktoria worked for Seattle Colleges’ District Office analyzing quantitative data associated with faculty summative performance evaluation. She holds a Master’s degree in Policy Studies from the University of Washington specializing in education policy. Viktoria has research skills and policy foundation related to public school choice and innovative education. She is passionate about qualitative and quantitative research design, methods of data collection and analysis.