The Spokane Advisory Council meets two to three times a year with the purpose of bringing together community leaders with expertise in Early Childhood Education through Postsecondary to strategize on effective policy and practice, and for League of Education Voters to gain feedback on our education policy positions and legislative priorities.
Director of the Education Administration Program, Whitworth University, and League of Education Voters Board Member
Dr. Goldy Brown has served as a former professor and routine guest speaker in college courses, where he has gained valuable experience leading college-level discussions on educational foundations and leadership. In addition, he has conducted seminars on “what principals look for when hiring a teacher.” He also has seven years of experience as a K-12 leader, serving as a principal. Schools that he led received four state recognition awards for closing the achievement gap between low-income and affluent students. Dr. Brown has also published five articles on school leadership.
Regional Director, College Success Foundation-Spokane
CSF-Spokane opened in five high schools in 2013 to provide a unique integrated system of supports and scholarships to inspire underserved, low-income students to finish high school, graduate from college and succeed in life. The organization serves more than 1,200 students annually from Spokane Public Schools.
Shannon Demant brings over 20 years of progressive experience in postsecondary enrollment, access and completion. Her dedication to improving educational equity for underserved students hasresulted in increased awareness of the obstacles these students face. Her strong leadership and tenacity has also led to continuous improvement of programs for students from low-income families, foster youth, students of color, and first-generation foster students.
Associate Professor, Gonzaga University
Dr. Suzann Girtz is an Associate Professor at Gonzaga University in the Teacher Education department. She specializes in research and assessment. Suzann began her education career in the late 90's, teaching high school math and science in a local school district. From 2005 on, Suzann has worked at GU's School of Education in a variety of capacities: in the Department of Educational Leadership & Administration – traveling to BC and AB to teach inservice teachers at the graduate level, in the Teacher Education program – teaching preservice undergraduates and graduates, as well as acting as the School's Director of Assessment. Suzann was awarded as an Emerging Leader of the ASCD as well as Outstanding Young Educator in Washington State, and regularly presents and publishes her research work across the professional community. In addition, she works as a consultant in grant and program evaluation.
Education Lobbyist and League of Education Voters Board Member
Erica Hallock serves as the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Start Early Washington and also represents other health and human services clients in Olympia. Erica sat on the State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission for eight years as a public member. She has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Riverside and a Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University Sacramento.
Chief Family and Community Engagement Officer, Spokane Public Schools
Born and raised in the Southeastern part of the United states, Oscar relocated to Spokane in 1996 in pursuit of educational and employment opportunities. To date he has earned a BA in History, a master’s in social work, and an Educational Doctorate Degree (Ed.D) in Transformational Leadership. His research interests include community engagement and advocacy to/for marginalized families and improving the service delivery efforts of agencies.
Parent Advocate
Natasha L. Hill, P.S. provides experienced, strategic counsel to clients in the areas of Business and Entertainment transactions, Civil Litigation and Family Law.
Director of Education Programs, Innovia Foundation
Meg focuses on building relationships and is passionate about helping people realize the dream of a college education. She comes to Innovia with nearly a decade of experience in leading a portfolio of programs, partnerships, and policy advocacy focused on both P-20 and working adult students, connecting talent and business through educational opportunities. As the Director of Education Initiatives at Innovia, Meg works to develop a system of supports that will allow students of all ages to further their education.
Meg’s family includes her husband Rob and three grown daughters living in Idaho and Washington. She enjoys the region’s many outdoor opportunities, including backpacking, bikepacking, boating on our many lakes, and hitting the local trails with her three dogs.
Gallup Strengths: Futuristic, Strategic, Achiever, Learner, Belief