Legislative Advisory Committee

Mike Cronk

Senator, Alaska State Legislature

Justin Ruffridge

Representative, Alaska State Legisalture

Andi Story

Representative, Alaska State Legislature

Löki Tobin

Senator, Alaska State Legislature

Vacancy

Vacancy

Jennifer Bacon

Representative, Colorado House of Representatives

Scott Bright

Senator, Colorado Senate

Megan Lukens

Representative, Colorado House of Representatives

Lisa Kitagawa

Representative, Hawai'i House of Representatives

Donna Mercado Kim

Senator, Hawai'i State Senate

Andrew Takuya Garrett

Representative, Hawai'i House of Representatives

Kevin Cook

Senator, Idaho Senate

Soñia Galaviz

Representative, Idaho House of Representatives

Steve Miller

Representative, Idaho House of Representatives

Janie Ward-Engelking

Senator, Idaho Senate

David Bedey

Representative, Montana House of Representatives

Llew Jones

Representative, Montana State Legislature

Paul Tuss

Representative, Montana House of Representatives

Tracy Brown-May

Representative, Nevada Assembly

Marilyn Dondero Loop

Senator, Nevada Senate

Melanie Scheible

Senator, Nevada Senate

Robin Titus

Senator, Nevada Senate

Brian Baca

Representative, New Mexico House of Representatives

G. Andrés Romero

Representative, New Mexico House of Representatives

Benny Shendo

Senator, New Mexico Senate

Bill Soules

Senator, New Mexico Senate

Bill Soules was appointed to the WICHE Commission in May 2023. He was born and raised in the Mesilla Valley, and has been a lifelong advocate for the interests of students. He has served as a state senator since 2013, taught in the Las Cruces Public Schools for 16 years, and served as president of the New Mexico School Board Association and a member of the Las Cruces School Board. Soules serves as the senate representative to the New Mexico Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NM EPSCoR), a statewide consortium expanding the state’s capacity to conduct scientific research and train a diverse, highly qualified STEM workforce.

Kyle Davison *

Senator, North Dakota Senate

Kyle Davison has served as a Senator in the North Dakota Legislature since 2014 and represents District 41 in south Fargo. He currently serves on the Appropriations committee and previously chaired Government Veterans Affairs and was a member of the Education committee for three sessions.

In addition, Senator Davison is the Executive Director of the South East Education Cooperative (SEEC). He has held that position since July 2005. The SEEC serves 36 school districts, nearly 38,000 students and over 3500 teachers by providing support to schools in areas such as professional development, business services, special education, and curriculum development.

Kyle is a graduate of Valley City State University with a degree in Business Administration.

Bob Martinson

Representative, North Dakota House of Representatives

Mark Sanford

Representative, North Dakota House of Representatives

Ronald Sorvaag

Senator, North Dakota Senate

Lew Frederick

Senator, Oregon State Senate

Emily McIntire

Representative, Oregon House of Representatives

Ricki Ruiz

Representative, Oregon House of Representatives

Rob Wagner

Senator, Oregon State Senate

Roger DeGroot

Representative, South Dakota House of Representatives

Chris Kassin

Representative, South Dakota House of Representatives

Tim Reed

Senator, South Dakota Senate

Stephanie Sauder

Senator, South Dakota Senate

Vincent Borja

Senator, Guam Legislature (I Liheslaturan Guåhan)

Ronnie Calvo

Senator, Northern Mariana Islands Senate

Kalani Kaneko

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senator, Majuro Atoll, Nitijela (Parliament of the Marshall Islands)

Kalani Kaneko has served as a Senator in the Parliament of the Marshall Islands since 2016 and represents the Capital City of Majuro Atoll. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Heath, Education, and Social Affairs (HESA) committee and has been a member for two terms.

In addition, Senator Kaneko is currently a member of the Marshall Islands Scholarships, Grant, and Loan Board (MISGLB). The MISGLB serves as oversight for the nation’s scholarship program for postsecondary education locally and overseas.

Senator Kaneko is a graduate of Post University with degrees in Marketing and Business Management.

Tina Rose Muña Barnes

Senator, Guam Legislature (I Liheslaturan Guåhan)

Michael McKell

Senator, Utah State Senate

Ann Millner *

Commission Chair, Senator, Utah State Senate

Sen. F. Ann Millner represents Senate District 5, encompassing parts of Davis, Morgan, and Weber counties in Utah. Elected to the Senate in 2015, she serves as chair of the Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee, Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, School Security Task Force, and Senate Ethics Committee. Additionally, Sen. Millner contributes her leadership and expertise to several legislative collaborative organizations across the nation, including the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Foundation Board of Directors and Executive Committee. She is the 2026 chair of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Education Commission of the States (ECS) member, ExcelinEd Policy Leaders Network member, and chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Higher Education Task Force.

Born in Middlesboro, Kentucky, and raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, Sen. Millner’s academic journey includes a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Tennessee, a master’s degree from Southwest Texas State University, and a doctorate from Brigham Young University. She is distinguished as a regents professor of health administration and served as president of Weber State University from 2002-12. Under Millner’s leadership, Weber State University expanded into a multicampus institution, saw a nearly 40% rise in enrollment, and strengthened its community partnerships.

Sen. Millner’s legislative efforts are driven by a deep commitment to enhancing Utah’s education system and fostering economic development. She has championed policy aimed at strengthening workforce preparation, improving public and higher education, bolstering aerospace defense industries, and expanding access to affordable healthcare.

Karen Peterson

Representative, Utah House of Representatives

Neil Walter

Representative, Utah House of Representatives

Debra Entenman

Representative, Washington House of Representatives

Mari Leavitt

Representative, Washington House of Representatives

Gerry Pollet

Representative, Washington House of Representatives

Representative Gerry Pollet has served in the Washington State House since December 2011. Pollet is an attorney and faculty member at both the University of Washington School of Public Health and Western Washington University. Pollet serves on the Postsecondary Education, Education, Appropriation and Rules Committees. Pollet was deeply involved in developing and passing the Washington College Grant, accompanied by dedicated funding, to provide one of the nation’s broadest need-based aid programs. He was the author of a program responding to the critical shortage of teachers in Washington, including a grant program to pay tuition for low-income students seeking to be teachers in underserved areas. Pollet has been honored several times as the Legislator of the Year for his work to improve affordable access to higher education and improved student success. He is the House sponsor of The Washington Promise, for free community college tuition.

Vandana Slatter

Senator, Washington State Senate

Landon Brown

Representative, Wyoming House of Representatives

Wendy Schuler

Senator, Wyoming Senate

Art Washut

Representative, Wyoming House of Representatives