News Releases

August 30, 2011
For Immediate Release
For additional information:
Ara Serjoie, Clark College Foundation
Telephone: 360-992-2301
Email: aserjoie@clark.edu

 

Local Professionals Ensuring a Bright Future
for Southwest Washington through Support of Clark College

 

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Four dynamic Clark County professionals have been appointed to serve on the board of the Clark College Foundation.  Dr. Marilyn Darr, Cheree Nygard, Lisa Schauer and Chris Wamsley will play key roles in the success of Clark College for meeting the education and workforce training needs of Southwest Washington.

Dr. Marilyn DarrDr. Marilyn Darr serves as the Associate Director of Clinic Operations for the Family Medicine of Southwest Washington Clinic, sponsored by PeaceHealth Southwest Washington Medical Center.  She is also a Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington.  Darr holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Kansas City School of Medicine at the University of Missouri and a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Tennessee.  In recognition of her multiple community engagements and commitment to excellence in patient care, she was honored as the Extraordinary Doctor of the Year by the Southwest Washington Medical Center in 2009.

Cheree Nygard 

Cheree Nygard serves as the Treasurer of the Greater Clark County Rotary Club and an officer of the Vancouver School District Foundation Board of Directors.  A native of Montana, Nygard attended Montana State University in Billings and the University of Portland, culminating in a biology degree.   She was in the U.S. Army Reserves for six years, conducted clinical and pharmaceutical research studies for a variety of pharmaceutical companies, and worked as a financial advisor through Edward Jones for several years before making a complete commitment to her family and volunteer activities.

Lisa SchauerLisa Schauer is the first female partner in the nearly four-decade history of MacKay & Sposito, Inc., a civil engineering, land surveying, planning, landscape architecture firm serving Washington and Oregon.  A multitalented leader, Schauer is primarily responsible for the strategic positioning of the company while overseeing its marketing and business development efforts.  She holds a bachelor of arts degree in public relations and political science from Gonzaga University in Spokane.  Her community involvement includes membership on the boards of Columbia Credit Union, Children’s Center, and Association of Washington Business.  She is also engaged with two key community-wide events: Dozer Days and Make a Difference Day.

Chris WalmsleyChris Wamsley is a real estate advisor with over 25 years of experience in the profession.  With over 10 million square feet of commercial property, her expertise spans development and construction management, marketing, asset and property supervision, client portfolio analysis, entitlements, and leasing activities.  As an owner’s representative, Wamsley recently completed the successful design and development of over 450,000 square feet of hospital space – on time and under budget.  Her current and prior community engagement includes board membership for the Downtown Redevelopment Authority, Southwest Washington Medical Center, Columbia River Economic Development Council, and Columbia Credit Union.

"We are extremely fortunate to welcome these four outstanding individuals to the Clark College family of volunteer leaders,” says Rick Takach, chair of the Clark College Foundation Board of Directors.  “Marilyn, Cheree, Lisa and Chris bring a wide array of talents, competencies, and skills that are bound to enhance our overall efforts.  Equally important is the passion that they have for Clark and the role of the college in serving the educational and workforce training needs of Southwest Washington.”

“With unprecedented enrollment growth while state funding continues to decline, volunteer engagement and philanthropic investments by our community members toward Clark College is paramount to ensuring a bright future for the residents of our region,” says Lisa Gibert, Clark College Foundation president and CEO. “I am truly delighted that Marilyn, Cheree, Lisa and Chris recognize the importance of community support for Clark College and have chosen to serve as champions for the cause.”

Established in 1973, the Clark College Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt public charity. It serves as the fundraising arm of Clark College to support program excellence and student success.  In 2010, Clark College Foundation was selected as one of only 34 colleges and universities in the entire country to receive the Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

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