Meet the Alumni Board
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Aaron Blank '01, President
Theatre major Aaron Blank ’01, President, has been an active Whitman alumnus in New York, where he works as a producer for Penguin Random House Audio. He has organized events and helped fellow Whitties connect with other alumni professionally. Blank was active in the Whitman Drama Club, worked with Off-Campus Studies and the Coalition Against Homophobia, and took part in several Harper Joy Theatre productions. He wanted to join the Alumni Board to help strengthen the northeast alumni community and to help future students have “the same opportunities that I had through Whitman.”
Email: whitmanaabpres@gmail.com
City: New York, NY
Term Expires: 2022
Dennis McNair '67, Vice President
Dennis McNair ’67, Vice President, grew up in Dayton, Wash. He earned a Biology degree from Whitman and Zoology MS and PhD from Southern Illinois Univ.-Carbondale. At Whitman he met his wife, Karen Jacobson ’68. Dennis and Karen live in Pennsylvania where he taught physiology and ecology for 33 years at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Dennis retired from university teaching and administration in 2013 but still does research on dragonfly and damselfly ecology and distribution. He is currently a Trustee Emeritus of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and has sung with the JSO Chorus for 37 years. He’s a founding member and past president of the Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society. He’s served an associate class representative since the late ‘70s and co-chaired his class’s 40th, 45th, and 50th reunions. “Whitman launched me on a rich and satisfying academic career and many of my dearest friendships began there. I hope I can serve future alumni so that they can profit from their Whitman Experience the way Karen and I have.”
Email: dkmcnair@atlanticbb.net
City: Johnstown, PA
Term Expires: 2022
Emily Arneson '06
Emily Arneson '06 has Whitman, quite literally, in her blood: her grandparents, James '50 and Mary Null Boule '50, met and married at Whitman. Arneson was a Sociology major with a French minor and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She studied abroad in Paris and worked in the bookstore all four years in college, including as its student manager. She has spent the last six years in her home town of Spokane with her daughters McKenzie, Addison and Avery.
Arneson earned her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law and, after seven years as an attorney in private practice, serves as the Community Ombudsman and Accessibility Officer for the Spokane Transit Authority. She serves on the board of the United Way Emerging Leaders Society and has served a variety of roles in the Junior League of Spokane as well as the Spokane Young Lawyers Division of the Spokane County Bar Association. Additionally, she is an associate class representative for the Annual Giving Office.
"I feel a responsibility to give back to Whitman, as it has given so much to me; serving on the Alumni Board would be an ideal way for me to support the College," Arneson says. "I believe that alumni are the strongest ambassadors of an institution, as the successes of the alumni reflect upon the quality of education provided by the school."
Email: emily.arneson@outlook.com
City: Spokane, WA
Term Expires: 2022
Laura Bales '89
Laura Bales '89 credits her strong ties to Whitman alumni to the fact that she lived in numerous places across the U.S. and in Singapore; she made a point of making and maintaining those connections that helped her feel not quite so far from home. Now back stateside, Bales lives in the Tacoma area with her husband, Geoffrey Dugan, and sons Eli and Seth.
A Psychology major and member of Kappa Alpha Theta while at Whitman, Bales has held various roles - paid and volunteer - from college admissions, fundraising and grants writing, to managing digital and print communications. She has worked for Knox College, the MacArthur Foundation, Seattle Art Museum, Microsoft Asia Pacific's Citizenship team. She now serves as the Upper School Admissions Director at Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma.
Bales began her Whitman volunteering as a member of the Senior Committee and later served as a associate class representative. She chaired the Seattle Whitman College Alumni Club in the early 2000's, planning and marketing alumni events. In 2014, Bales co-chaired the Class of 1989's 25th Reunion Fundraising Committee (from Singapore), successfully raising more than any previous 25th reunion class. (FROM SINGAPORE!).
"Being on the Alumni Board provides an opportunity for me to give back to Whitman and engage a broader community in a much larger way than I have been able to contribute previously," says Bales.
Email: emily.arneson@outlook.com
City: Tacoma, WA
Term Expires: 2022
Jane Carmody '14
Jane Carmody ’14 is an environment, natural resources, and energy lawyer in Seattle, Washington. At Whitman, Jane was a Politics major and credits her interest in law to several internships she was able to obtain as a student, including for a congressional campaign in her hometown, Albuquerque, New Mexico and in the U.S. House of Representatives. Outside of academics, Jane was involved in Residence Life as a Student Academic Advisor and Senior Resident in Jewett Hall and was also a member of ASWC and Model United Nations. One of her favorite activities as a student, however, was working for the Penrose Library Circulation Desk (the true hub of social activity) during all four years. Jane is deeply connected to Whitman and the greater Walla Walla community. She visits Walla Walla several times a year to see her dad, a ’75 alum, and her little sister, Class of 2022. In 2018, Jane married Phoebe Horvath ’14 in Walla Walla with their reception on the Reid Side Lawn.
City: Seattle, WA
Term Expires: 2023
Tyler Dann '00
Tyler Dann ’00 lives in his hometown of Anchorage, Alaska with his wife and two children and works as a Fisheries Geneticist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He has worked in fisheries since graduating and currently uses molecular tools to advance salmon conservation and sustainable fisheries management. Tyler was a Politics/Environmental Studies major and member of Beta Theta Pi while a student at Whitman, earned a MS in Fisheries from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and is pursuing a PhD from the University of Washington with a focus on salmon genetics. As a member of the Alumni Board, Tyler looks forward to giving back to Whitman and helping the College meet the challenges of our time.
City: Anchorage, AK
Term Expires: 2023
Nehali Dave '13
Nehali Dave ’13 is a management consultant and chief of staff helping expand Slalom's global reach by opening new markets, measuring sales and partnerships, and acquiring new talent. Prior to her career in consulting Nehali took an interdisciplinary approach working in digital advertising with Razorfish and investment management with Smead Capital. At Whitman, Nehali was an Economics and Mathematics major and passionate about many parts of campus as an Outdoor Program and Scramble Leader, CEO of the Whitman Investment Company, Membership Chair of Kappa Kappa Gamma, and active member of the Entrepreneurship group. Though based in Seattle, Nehali is an avid traveler and often exploring the world for work related and outdoor pursuits.
Email: nehali.dave@gmail.com
City: Seattle, WA
Term Expires: 2023
Matt Dittrich '12
Matt Dittrich ’12 is a startup founder and community organizer. Today Matt is building The Fort – a startup incubator and accelerator at Fortive (FTV). Previously Matt founded a consulting business, collaborating with startups in the AI, ML and XR spaces, as well as served on the investing team of Trilogy Partnership – while studying an MBA at Yale. Before business school Matt served as the Market Development Manager for nLIGHT (LASR), leading global efforts for the CEO including go-to-market, product marketing, sales and operations as well as corporate fundraising – contributing to an IPO.
After graduating from Whitman in 2012 Matt was a consultant at Bain & Company in London, UK, advising technology and private equity firms across four continents. At Whitman Matt was ASWC President, Representative to the Board of Trustees, a KWCW DJ, a Green Park Elementary Mentor, a TKE officer and a KKG “Hoot.” Matt runs finances for his family wheat and wind farm in Dayton, WA and serves on a number of boards across the NW including the Whitman Alumni Board.
Email: mattdcdittrich@gmail.com
City: Seattle, WA
Term Expires: 2021
Thomas W. Henderson '83
After graduating from Whitman as a history major, Thomas W. Henderson ’83, obtained his law degree from the University of Denver and joined the Denver law firm now known as Burg Simpson, where Tom became a shareholder in 1994. Tom credits his acting classes with Jack Freimann and his speech class with Bob Withycombe for giving him the confidence to become the successful trial lawyer he is today, and credits all the papers he wrote as a history major for helping him develop the skills necessary for legal brief writing. It is these lifetime skills, learned at Whitman, that motivate Tom to always be looking for ways to “give back” to the school, including serving for many years as a class representative, and now joining the Alumni Board.
Tom was a member and officer of Beta Theta Pi while at Whitman, and also played on the tennis team, earning a varsity letter his senior year. Another Whittie, Beth Bright Snare ’83, introduced Tom to her best friend Tracy (University of Colorado, Boulder, ’83) while Tom was in law school in Denver, and they married in 1988. Their two boys, Tommy and Danny, chose to stay close to home and follow their mom’s foot steps to Boulder, where Tommy is now a senior, and Danny a freshman. As a family, they love to travel, ski and hike in the Rockies.
Tom enjoys his work for Burg Simpson as a trial lawyer. Tom’s work focusses on suing insurance companies for bad faith when they fail to pay the benefits owed under the policy. His firm has now grown to over 40 attorneys over 4 states, with the Colorado office in Englewood (a Denver suburb) remaining the home office. Burg Simpson focusses on representing inured persons in the fields of consumer rights, personal injury, construction defect, workers compensation and commercial litigation.
Tom is a director of the Arapahoe County Bar Association. Tom also is the co-chair of the Access to Justice Committee for the 18th Judicial District of Colorado, helping keep the courthouse doors open to litigants who cannot afford to pay for legal representation.
When not working, skiing or hiking with his family, Tom enjoys golf, as well as his weekly volleyball league with Craig Kelly ’83. Tom also looks forward to the annual “boys weekend” ski trips with a group of Whitman buddies – where our minds tells us we’re still back in our 20s in Walla Walla, but our bodies scream NO, you’re in your 50s and you are not invincible!
Email: thenderson@burgsimpson.com
City: Centennial, CO
Term Expires: 2022
Evan Jones '97
Evan Jones ’97,is the Director of Business Development for United Educators Insurance Company, in which former Whitman Trustee Janice Abraham is the President and CEO. Evan is originally from Cheverly, Maryland and was a Sociology major at Whitman, and was a two-year co-captain of the men’s basketball team, a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Black Student Union. After graduation, Evan served as Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Admissions Officer and Director of the Intercultural Center at Whitman before moving back to the Washington DC area. Evan now resides in Pasadena, CA with his wife Adrienne and is excited to give back to Whitman as a member of the Alumni Board.
Email: EJones@ue.org
City: Pasadena, CA
Term Expires: 2022
Ellie Klein '10
Ellie Klein ’10 currently resides in Seattle, Washington with her husband Nicholas, and works at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where she evaluates the impact of K-12 Education investments in order to improve student outcomes. She previously lived in D.C. where she worked at the Government Accountability Office, the Brookings Institution and the Aspen Institute. At Whitman, Ellie was a Rhetoric and Film Studies major and an education minor. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and Hillel Shalom, Public Events Chair and a senator for ASWC, and an admissions tour guide. As an Alumni Board member, Ellie hopes bring generations of Whitties together and gather feedback on how to enhance alumni engagement.
Email: ellie.anne.klein@gmail.com
City: Seattle, WA
Term Expires: 2021
Ben Kubany '05
Since moving to Portland in 2006, Ben Kubany ’05 has sought to bolster the local Whitman community, attending or organizing over 30 alumni events. Professionally he’s led teams of designers and developers at interactive agency, Fashionbuddha, Portland’s news weekly, Willamette Week, and software innovator, NAVEX Global. Currently he leads a team of web developers at enterprise WordPress agency, 10up. As a volunteer he’s served on the boards of non-profits PDX Pop Now!, Willamette Light Brigade, and Young Audiences of Oregon and Southwest Washington. Beyond his Politics major, Ben credits study abroad, ASWC, KWCW, and ballet, for helping shape his personal and professional story. Savoring freshly imported breakfast tacos, celebrating anyone’s wedding, and serenading grandparents with oldies at cruise ship karaoke are a few of his most cherished pastimes. His mission on the alumni board is to reinforce the cross-generational value of the Whitman experience.
Email: kubanybq@alumni.whitman.edu
City: Portland, OR
Term Expires: 2023
Paulina Oceguera '06
Paulina Oceguera ’06 is an integrated communications strategist and corporate reputation manager. She lives in Portland and most recently led external communications for transportation electrification initiatives at Portland General Electric. Prior to that, Paulina worked on traditional and social media campaigns for corporate clients such as 3M and FedEx at Ketchum Public Relations in New York City. She is a first-generation college graduate earning her degree with a double major in Politics and Spanish Literature. At Whitman, Paulina served as a student leader in various organizations that focused on diversity and advocated for equity on campus. She enjoys spending time with loved ones, musicals, sunny days, talking about mental health, reading, and dancing. Paulina hopes to elevate the voices of alumni from underrepresented communities and support accessibility efforts as a member of the board.
Email: oceguera.paulina@gmail.com
City: Portland, OR
Term Expires: 2023
Russ Oliver '93
Russ Oliver '93 manages the Cloud Services project management team at Concur, a Bellevue, WA cloud software company, where he works with four other Whitman alumni. An Iraq War veteran, he retired from the US Navy Reserve after a 21 year career in Navy Intelligence. While a student at Whitman, he pursued a Psychology major with a minor in Music, performed with the Whitman Sampler barbershop quartet and other choral ensembles at the College, and was a fixture of the Yellow Jacket student escort service with Campus Security. He married his college sweetheart Amy Raschella ‘92, and they have two fantastic boys and a home in Bothell, WA. A long term volunteer with the College, he’s been an associate class representative for over 8 years, a Whitties Helping Whitties volunteer in Seattle, and serves his community as a member of the Rotary Club of Bellevue, and as a member of a local Sons of the American Revolution chapter. He is excited by the opportunity to bring alumni and the College closer together, by sharing feedback and encouraging more programs like the recent Whitman Connect “Why Computer Science in the Liberal Arts?” series.
Email: russello@concur.com
City: Bothell, WA
Term Expires: 2023
Debi Aucutt Toews '76
Debi Aucutt Toews ’76 will be retiring at the end of 2016 as an attorney and as partner at Willis &Toews, PLLC. She has had good fortune to live in Walla Walla all but two years since her graduation. Those two years were spent teaching in a secondary school in northeastern Kenya with husband James, ’78.
Toews is an avid bicyclist, and is the “Team Mom” for the Whitman Cycling Team, traveling with the team to races throughout the Northwest and to the National Championships in May.
She has testified in the Washington state legislature on several occasions on behalf of bicycle safety legislation, including the 2005 “Safe Passing Law,” requiring motorists to pass bicyclists, pedestrians and equestrians at a safe distance. In 2005, Debi won the Washington State Susie Stephens Award for Bicycle Advocacy on behalf of her successful efforts to get the Safe Passing Law passed in Washington State. In 2006, Debi won a “Hometown Hero” award from the Blue Mountain Chapter of the Red Cross for her work in Public Safety.
She is currently helping to organize her 40th Reunion for September, and wondering how the number of years since she graduated became such a large number. Toews earned an English major at Whitman.
A first generation college student in her family, the Whitman Experience helped shape her into the person that she is today. She is looking forward to serving the Whitman Community in a new way through the Alumni Board.
Email: debi.toews@gmail.com
City: Walla Walla, WA
Term Expires: 2022