CE Student Leaders

Hi hi! My name is Maddie Langdon, I use she/her pronouns, and I am a junior majoring in psychology. I am the student leader for Marketing and Professional Development, which means that I work on the Community Engagement team to help promote and inform those on campus about our programs and the opportunities we have to offer. This is my second year working on the CE team and I am so excited to continue in my engagement with both the Whitman and Walla Walla community this year!! If you have any questions or want to chat about the CE programs, please feel free to reach out to me at ceprodev@whitman.edu or langdonm@whitman.edu.

Hello! My name is Jonathan, and I am a Junior History and Hispanic Studies major here at Whitman College! I began my community engagement journey prior to coming to Whitman when I joined a youth group that provided me with extensive training on community organizing, mutual aid, and strategies for combating oppressive systems. During my time at Whitman, I have been involved in a wide variety of Community Engagement experiences, including the StoryTime Project, OPT In!, the Buddy Program, Project Sidewalk, volunteering at the GAC food pantry, organizing voter registration drives on campus, and getting involved with a wide variety of community events and initiatives. I have previously served as co-program leader for the Stream Team during the 2023-2024 school year, and I began my current position in the fall of 2024. Walla Walla is an amazing place to learn, live, and grow, and I am excited to continue supporting students in getting connected to the community. Additionally, I will be serving as Whitman College’s Newman Civic Fellow for the 2025-2026 school year. In my role as Community Engagement Leader for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Volunteer Recruitment, I will be working closely with our program leader team, community partners, DEIA professionals, volunteers, and other stakeholders to ensure that our programs are accessible and inclusive for all students. I will also help to lead and support our volunteer recruitment efforts and help to oversee the Project Sidewalk volunteer program. One of my favorite parts of being part of the Community Engagement Team is getting to support our volunteers as they navigate the processes of finding their place in the community. If you are excited about getting involved in Walla Walla, please do not hesitate to reach out to me! My work email is cedei@whitman.edu, and I invite you to reach out to me at any time. I look forward to working together to continue building strong, meaningful, and equity-centered relationships between Whitman and the greater Walla Walla community!

Greetings to all!

My name is Carlie Johnson, and I am the 2025-2026 student leader for Community Partnerships! As a junior here at Whitman College, I’m excited to explore new opportunities in all aspects of my academic life, from my major in biology-environmental studies to my work in non-profits and volunteerism at the CCEC. I started with the CCEC back in my freshman year as a volunteer with the Stream Team. I was soon recruited to co-lead the Stream Team, which introduced me to the wonderful world of volunteer coordination. Last year, I learned new things as the student leader for Marketing and Professional Development, and this year, I’m excited to learn even more in my newest role as Community Partnerships leader! I’m looking forward to working with our fantastic community partners and the students who volunteer with them, including the amazing leaders of the Food Justice Program, Stream Team, and the Buddy Program. Outside of school, you’ll find me reading, rafting, hiking, or just staring at trees and/or rivers. If you need to get in touch with me during my tree-staring time, you can contact me at stuleadcompart@whitman.edu!

My name is Abd, and I use he/him pronouns. I’m a student at Whitman College, and I’m honored to serve as the Community Engagement Leader for Community Projects. 

In this role, I’ll be supporting and coordinating some of our campus’s most impactful service events, including the Walla Walla Family Gift Drive during the winter holidays. These initiatives are about more than just volunteer hours–they’re about building stronger, more supportive connections between Whitman and the wider Walla Walla community. 

Previously, I led the Food Justice Project, where I worked alongside local partners to address food insecurity and promote sustainable food practices. That experience grounded me in community-centered work and continues to shape how I approach organizing and leadership. I’m excited to bring that same energy to this new position and to help create events that are thoughtful, inclusive, and rooted in justice. 

If you have any questions about getting involved, upcoming events, or ideas for community partnerships, please don’t hesitate to reach out! You can contact me at communityprojects@whitman.edu. I’d love to connect and help you find ways to get involved.

Hello everyone! My name is Marina Moyce (she/her) and I am one of the Friends Rock leaders along with Annie! I can’t believe I’m already a sophomore, and am still deciding between a major in ES-politics and ES-biology, with a minor in Hispanic studies either way! 

Throughout my first year I volunteered with the Friends Program and at Science Nights at local elementary schools. During the Friends Program I loved hanging out with my buddy and found myself wondering of ways I could play a part in connecting the Walla Walla and Whitman communities. Friends Rock is a unique opportunity to spread the wealth of resources and enthusiasm at Whitman into the Walla Walla community by bringing kids on campus! We partner with Walla Walla Public Schools and 21st Century to bring cohorts of elementary aged students to Whitman. The sessions are split between growing their confidence on the Rock Wall and interesting STEAM activities. 

Volunteering with Friends Rock is an awesome opportunity to share your knowledge in STEAM and/or your expertise in rock climbing and contribute to the Walla Walla community in a meaningful way! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Annie or me at friendsrockww@whitman.edu.

Hi! My name is Grant Colburn, and I use he/him pronouns. I am a sophomore at Whitman, currently undecided about my major. I’m the leader of the Friends Program here, and I am excited to work with Whitman students, the Walla Walla schools, and the Walla Walla community. As a freshman, the Friends Program offered me a unique opportunity to get involved in the Walla Walla community. In the coming academic year as a leader, I hope to continue supporting the connection between Whitman students and the Walla Walla community. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! You can contact me at friends@whitman.edu.

Hi! I’m Annie (she/her), and I’m super excited to be co-leading Friends Rock this year with Marina. I’m a senior environmental studies and sociology major, and I’ve been volunteering with Friends Rock for the past year. The Friends Rock program is a great opportunity for students from local schools to come to the climbing wall and classrooms at Whitman, and it’s a lot of fun to be in the climbing gym with them and watch them grow! Friends Rock is a special program because it has Whitman students connecting with the community right on campus, and I’m looking forward to working with community partners and students this year to have this experience for these kids.

If you have any questions about the program, getting involved, or anything at all, please feel free to contact Marina and me at friendsrockww@whitman.edu!

Hey, hey, hey! My name’s Cedar, I use she/her pronouns, and I’m a sophomore majoring in politics and geology. I am a student leader for Whitman’s Stream Team, and I am so excited to work with you and a Walla Walla organization called the Tri-State Steelheaders to make our community greener and cleaner. We work on integrating native plants in the Walla Walla watershed and managing glass recycling on campus. Don’t hesitate to reach out either at streamteam@whitman.edu or directly to me at tatarekc@whitman.edu with any questions, or just to say hi.

Hi! My name is Dennyse Pineda (she/they) and I'm a junior majoring in English. I'm looking forward to being the leader of the Buddy Program this school year. Can’t wait to work with all of the wonderful people from the Walla Walla Valley Disability Network. I have been part of this program since second semester of my freshman year, and it has brought me so much joy. I have many ideas of crafts to do this year, and I can’t wait to share them with the program and my peers. If you have any questions or would just like to chat about the Buddy Program, please reach out to me: buddyprogram@whitman.edu.

Hi! I’m Van Nguyen (she/her), a senior majoring in computer science. This year, I’m excited to serve as a Community Engagement Leader for Data and Research. Before coming to Whitman, I volunteered with community education and mutual aid efforts back home in Vietnam, which helped shape my interest in using data and tech to support social impact. In this role, I’m looking forward to helping make our community engagement efforts more visible, whether that’s through data storytelling, visualizations, or tracking the impact of our programs. As a first-generation college student, I’m grateful to be part of Whitman’s community and hope to contribute meaningfully to the work being done here. If you have questions, ideas, or just want to connect, feel free to reach out: cedandr@whitman.edu.

Hello! My name is Danny Pottharst (he/him), and I’m a sophomore with intended majors in sociology and rhetoric, writing & public discourse.

This year, I’m extremely excited to take on my role as leader of the Food Justice Project! The FJP works with its community partners in Walla Walla to promote equity and sustainability within the region’s food system. Volunteering with the FJP and other Community Engagement programs was a highlight of my first year at Whitman, and it’s my hope that, by providing students with meaningful and accessible opportunities to engage with FJP, they can have a similar highlight experience. If you’re passionate or want to learn more about food justice, sustainability, and civic engagement, this program is for you!

I want the FJP to be as welcoming a community and as effective a program as possible. Please feel free to email me at foodjustice@whitman.edu with any questions or comments about the program!

Hi there! My name is Kapuananialohikalani Barnes, I use she/her pronouns, and I’m currently a sophomore double majoring in English and philosophy. This year, I am the student leader for the OPT! In program–a new program dedicated to tutoring and mentoring students at Opportunity High School. I’m super excited to continue working around the community and grow this program into something amazing!! If you want to get involved or have any questions, feel free to email me at OptInProgram@whitman.edu or barnesk@whitman.edu. Thank you!

Hello, everyone. My name is Adrian Liborio. I am a rising junior majoring in computer science and physics. I will be the leader of the StoryTime Program. I’m excited to interact with all the volunteers. I volunteered in StoryTime three semesters and enjoyed my time volunteering. The children are so adorable! In my free time, I enjoy eating, although I am not a good cook. I also love the outdoors and do a little photography from time to time. If you have any questions about StoryTime or just want to chat, email me at liborioa@whitman.edu.

Hi! My name is Brenna Mack (she/her), and I am a junior majoring in biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology. This is my second year working with this amazing team, and I’m excited to continue building on that experience. Last year, I had the opportunity to co-lead the Friends Program, where I connected with many incredible individuals in the Walla Walla community and public schools.

This year I’m stepping into the role of Community Engagement Leader for Education Partnerships, where I will be working closely with our education partners and the Community Engagement (CE) team to help create the best possible environment for the children of Walla Walla.

Feel free to reach out to me at stuleadk-12@whitman.edu. I’d love to connect or talk about any of our programs!