Legislative Advisory Committee Members

Shelley Hughes

Senator, Alaska State Legislature

Justin Ruffridge

Representative, Alaska State Legisalture

Andi Story

Representative, Alaska State Legislature

Loki Tobin

Senator, Alaska State Legisalture

Vacancy

Vacancy

Jennifer Bacon

Representative, Colorado State Legislature

Dafna Michaelson Jenet

Representative, Colorado State Legislature

Takuya Garrett

Representative, Hawai'i State Legislature

Lisa Kitagawa

Representative, Hawai'i State Legislature

Donna Mercado Kim

Senator, Hawai'i State Legislature

Michelle N. Kidani

Senator, Hawai'i State Legislature

Kevin Cook

Senator, Idaho State Legislature

Soñia Galavez

Representative, Idaho State Legislature

Steve Miller

Representative, Idaho State Legislature

Janie Ward-Engelking

Senator, Idaho State Legislature

David Bedey

Representative, Montana State Legislature

Llew Jones

Representative, Montana State Legislature

Paul Tuss

Representative, Montana State Legislature

Marilyn Dondero Loop

Senator, Nevada State Legislature

Sandra Jauregui

Assemblywoman, Nevada State Legislature

Melanie Scheible

Senator, Nevada State Legislature

Robin Titus

Senator, Nevada State Legislature

G. Andrés Romero

Representative, New Mexico State Legislature

Debra Sariñana

Representative, New Mexico Legislature

Bill Soules

Senator, New Mexico State Legislature

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 Legislature

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 State Legislature

Mark Sanford

Representative, North Dakota State Legislature

Ronald Sorvaag

Senator, North Dakota Legislature

Lew Frederick

Senator, Oregon State Legislature

Ricki Ruiz

Representative, Oregon State Legislature

Roger DeGroot

Representative, South Dakota State Legislature

Chris Kassin

Representative, South Dakota State Legislature

Tim Reed

Senator, South Dakota State Legislature

Stephanie Sauder

Senator, South Dakota State Legislature

Manny Gregory Castro

Senator, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Kalani Kaneko

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senator, Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands

Kalani Kaneko has served as a Senator in the Republic of the Marshall Islands Legislature 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

Keith Grover

Senator, Utah State Legislature

Michael McKell

Senator, Utah State Legislature

Ann Millner *

WICHE Vice Chair, Senator, Utah State Legislature

Senator 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, Senator 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 a distinguished member of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Commission, Education Commission of the States (ECS) Commission, ExcelinEd Policy Leaders Network member, and chair of the NCSL Higher Education Task Force.

Born in Middlesboro, Kentucky, and raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, Senator 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 to 2012. Under President Millner’s leadership, Weber State University expanded into a multi-campus institution, saw a nearly 40% rise in enrollment, and strengthened its community partnerships.

Senator 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 our aerospace defense industries, and expanding access to affordable healthcare.

Karen Peterson

Representative, Utah State Legislature

Debra Entenman

Representative, Washington State Legislature

Mari Leavitt

Representative, Washington State Legislature

Gerry Pollet

Representative, Washington State Legislature

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 Legislature

Landon Brown

Representative, Wyoming State Legislature

Wendy Schuler

Senator, Wyoming State Legislature

Art Washut

Representative, Wyoming State Legislature