Edmonds College Foundation welcomes six new board members

The Edmonds College Foundation has appointed six new board members: Dr. Steven Carter, Linda Krese, Kristina Kulik, Jennifer Myers, Whitney Rivera, and Mel Sheldon. 

“The Edmonds College Foundation is grateful to welcome this new cohort of board members,” said EC Foundation Board Chair Maria Montalvo. “Each of them brings valuable skills and talents that will allow us to better serve our diverse student population and support the college as it grows.” 

Top: Dr. Steven Carter, Linda Krese, Kristina Kulik. Bottom: Jennifer Myers, Whitney Rivera, and Mel Sheldon

“Our new board members are passionate leaders in their fields,” said EC President Amit B. Singh. “I am excited to collaborate with them to help students achieve their goals and the college to fulfill its mission.”

About the new board members:

Dr. Steven Carter recently retired after a 34-year career in biotechnology. Carter received his Bachelor and Doctoral Degrees in Chemistry from the University of Wales and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at New York Medical College. In 2011 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. In 2020, Carter served as co-chair of the EC Foundation STEM and Nursing LAUNCH campaign. Both of Carter’s sons completed Running Start classes at Edmonds College, and his elder son is a science graduate of the college. 

Linda Krese served more than 25 years on the Snohomish County Superior Court bench prior to her retirement in 2020, including serving twice as presiding judge. She has previously served on the board of Snohomish County Legal Services, and she currently serves as a trustee of the Snohomish County Public Defender’s Association and chair of the Washington State Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee. Krese and her husband Mike Madden are longtime supporters of the Edmonds College Foundation. 

Kristina Kulik is the principal of the leadership development consulting group Foqus Coaching and Consulting. Her career has focused on developing corporate growth strategies, and she has held leadership roles at Amazon and Nordstrom. Kulik has previously volunteered as a member of the PAWS marketing committee, the board of the Cascadia Art Museum, and the EC Foundation Strategic Planning Task Force. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.

Jennifer Myers is a principal program manager at Microsoft, currently serving as chief of staff for Microsoft Teams, Skype, and GroupMe. She also volunteers as a leadership mentor for the University of Washington Husky Leadership Initiative. Myers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Political Science from the University of Washington and a Master of Arts in Journalism from the University of Missouri. Her mother was an instructor at Spokane Community College, and Myers describes herself as having been raised by community colleges.

Whitney Rivera currently serves as Edmonds Municipal Court Judge. Prior to her appointment in 2020, she served as a public defender in Snohomish County for 14 years. She has been active in the legal community, co-chairing, and presenting at numerous statewide conferences. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Literature from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School.

Mel Sheldon has served as a member of the Tulalip Tribes Board of Directors for 21 years. He has also held leadership positions on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations and committees, including the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Providence Hospital Foundation, and Economic Alliance of Snohomish County. Sheldon holds an associate degree from Skagit Valley College and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Tribal Relations from the University of Washington.

The EC Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization with a 28-member board of directors. The foundation raises $1 million each year for scholarships, emergency funding, and support programs for students. In October 2020, the Foundation completed a $2.1 million campaign for the new Hazel Miller Hall Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Nursing building. 

For more information on how to support the foundation, visit edmonds.edu/foundation or call 425.640.1274.