OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Georgina Armstrong, President
Education:
BA in English Literature, Mills College, Oakland, California.
Employment:
Private school president and administrator for 37 years.
Volunteer Work:
West Valley Aquatic Team (California) Auction Committee Chair
West Valley Aquatic Team President
Established and chaired the Carmel Advisory Board, Carmel-by-the Sea,
California. The Board promoted the development of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, a sea level rise study, and a climate vulnerabilities assessment. It played an instrumental role in Carmel-by-the-Sea’s decision to form a Climate Change Committee.
Wrote and presented a research paper titled “Carmel-by-the-Sea: The Impacts of Climate Change on our Natural Resources and Public Safety.” The paper focuses on wildfire prevention, the decline of Carmel’s urbanized forest dating back to 1971, fire risk mitigation, and the importance of using fire retardant building materials in areas prone to wildfire risk. Contributors included past mayors, city council members, planning commissioners, CALFire staff, and Carmel’s police and fire chiefs. The paper is in the Carmel Public Library.
Gig Harbor Parks Commissioner
Member of Gig Harbor’s Climate Change Comprehensive Plan Amendment Committee
Founding member of the Edmonds Climate Advisory Board
Gayla L. Shoemake, Vice President
Education:
PhD in Academic Leadership, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
MS Human Resources, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
BA, English, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Graduate classes, English, Peabody Institute, Vanderbilt University
Summer Seminars, Harvard University
Employment:
Dean, Humanities, North Seattle College
Academic Dean, Seattle Central College
Interim Vice President of Instruction at South Seattle College
Vice President of Instruction and Student Services, Edmonds College
Partner, A Leg Up, LLC, Medical Equipment, Edmonds, WA
Interim Vice President for Instruction, North Hennepin Community College, Minneapolis
Dean of Liberal Education, North Hennepin Community College, Minneapolis, MN
Vice President for Admissions and Marketing, Dunwoody Institute, Minneapolis, MN
Director, Professional Programs and Associate Director of Continuing Studies, Whitworth College, Spokane,WA
Program Associate and Spokane Director, Washington Commission for the Humanities
Adjunct Instructor, University of St Thomas, Inver Hills Community College, Whitworth College
Secondary English Instructor, Dallas, Illinois, Germany, Nashville
National Hunger Interpreter, International United Methodist Church
Accreditation Consultant- WA State
Volunteer Work:
Chair, Interfaith Climate Action, Edmonds, WA
Chair, Advocates for Justice - Environment, Edmonds United Methodist Church, Edmonds, WA
Founding member of the Edmonds Climate Advisory Board, Edmonds, WA
Lu Loree, Secretary
Education:
BA in Political Science, Brown University, Providence, R.I.
Employment:
31 years as a Computer Programmer and Systems Analyst working for:
A.T. and T. - Long Lines Division, White Plains, N.Y.
State Mutual Life Insurance, Worcester, Mass.
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company, Boston, Mass.
Data Enterprises of the Northwest, Seattle, Wash., with contracts at Fisher Flour Mills, Loomis Armored Car, Todd Shipyards, and Fred Meyer.
Self-employed as a contract programmer and analyst.
Volunteer Work:
Edmonds United Methodist Church (EUMC) Advocates for Justice - Environment, Edmonds, Wash.
EUMC Racial Justice Team - Edmonds, Wash.
Interfaith Climate Action, Edmonds, Wash.
Founding member of the Edmonds Climate Advisory Board, Edmonds, Wash.
Susan Paine, Treasurer
Education:
Master’s in Public Administration, Seattle University, Seattle, WA.
BA from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Employment:
Has served on the Edmonds City Council since 2019.
Currently serves as Board Chair for AtWork! Washington, a non-profit providing work and community opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Edmonds School District Board of Directors - 2006-2012
City of Seattle: worked in a variety of management roles focusing on regulatory issues for municipalities and court administration. Instrumental in creating over 25 ordinances for the city - including the Street Tree ordinance; and being the initial inspiration for the Address Confidentiality Program in Washington state, protecting victims of domestic violence from being stalked by their abuser.
Volunteer Work:
Edmonds Climate Advisory Board, Edmonds, WA. Joined in 2024.
Other Biographical Information:
Susan grew up in Seattle and moved to Edmonds in 2002. She has two grown daughters who live in the area. Susan is easily distracted by birds and other wildlife
Greg Ferguson
Education:
MS degree in engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
FEMA - IS-274 Flood Insurance Study
FEMA - Flood Insurance Rate Map Tutorial
NOAA Digital Coast Academy - Funding and Financing Coastal Resilience
NOAA Digital Coast Academy - Coastal Adaptation Planning Essentials
NOAA Digital Coast Academy - Advancing Coastal Resilience through Nature-Based Solutions
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution – Rising Seas Resilient Coasts
Employment:
Engineer with a license in civil engineering
Worked for an oceanographic instrumentation company
Worked as a consultant to the Yakama Nation and the Columbia River PUDs on salmon restoration projects (such as Methow Coho Restoration).
Volunteer Work:
Edmonds Marsh Estuary Advocates
Founding member of the Edmonds Climate Advisory Board
Sierra Club Extreme Sea Level Program
Edmonds Stewards
Steven Cristol
Education:
MS, Communication, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
BBA, Marketing Management, Georgia State University, Atalanta, GA
Graduate in Composition, Grove School of Music, Studio City, CA
Employment:
Founder and Managing Partner of Strategic Harmony®️ Partners.
Advisor to over 50 companies of all sizes on strategies for success.
Vice-President of marketing at Pacific Bell (now A.T.&T.).
Chief marketing officer at start-up Personics.
Author of three business books.
Served on six technology company advisory boards.
For 15 years, has pushed companies to incorporate sustainable business practices into deciding which products should, and should not, be made.
Has been a guest columnist for two leading media outlets for sustainable business.
Has published a long list of sustainability-related articles.
Has presented at conferences on sustainability.
Volunteer Work:
Member-at-large on the Edmonds Creative District Advisory Committee (appointed by the Mayor).
Serves on the Mayors’ Climate Protection Committee.
Other Biographical Information:
Has resided in Edmonds since 2019.
Is a singer/songwriter.
Rowan Soiset
Education:
Scriber Lake High School; graduated 2021
Running Start at Shoreline Community College - 2020-2021
Volunteer Work:
An LGBTQ+ community organizer and advocate in the City of Edmonds. Participated in various forms of advocacy work for over five years, learning how to be an advocate for himself and for other members of the LGBTQ+ community as early as middle school.
Founder of Edmonds Queer Youth Alliance, Director of Edmonds Pride, and a member of both the City of Edmonds DEIA Commission and the Community Champions Network. Is a passionate advocate for equitable climate policy that reflects the needs of everyone, not just those who already have a seat at the table.
Has contributed to multiple community workgroups and planning committees. Throughout his work, he emphasizes community, equity, respect, informational accessibility, and education.
Other Biographical Information:
Grew up in the city of Edmonds.
Dr. David W. Jones
Education:
BA in English/History, Doane University
MA in Counseling, University of North Texas
MA and EdD in Educational Leadership, University of Alabama
Employment:
46 years as a professional educator, including.
Classroom teacher and school counselor.
President of the Elementary School Principals Association - Washington state.
Board member of the Association of Washington School Principals for many years.
Middle school he led named one of three U.S.Schools That Make a Difference by the National Association of Secondary Schools.
Elementary school he led earned the Washington Academic Achievement Award six years in a row, a recognition that no other school has accomplished, and was named a Distinguished School three times.
Volunteer Work:
Co-founded TeenHope, an emergency overnight youth shelter located in north Shoreline to serve unhoused teens.
Board member of the following:
The Everett Public Schools Foundation
The Everett Public Schools Sustainability Advisory Committee
The Sno-Isle Sierra Club Executive Committee.
PAM TAUER
Education:
BS in Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia
ME in Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia
Employment:
Aerospace engineer, Lockheed Georgia
Systems engineer, Digital Equipment Corporation
IT Engineer, Manager, and Department Head – Commonwealth of Virginia, Dept. of Transportation
Chief Information Officer – Commonwealth of Virginia, Dept. of Accounts
Volunteer Work:
Chair, Edmonds Mayors’ Climate Protection Committee
Pro Bono CIO, Edmonds Waterfront Center
Founding member, PorchFest Edmonds
NIALL MCSHANE
Education:
BSc in Physics and Astronomy, University College London
Employment:
Formerly held executive leadership roles at IBM and Cleversafe leading software test, customer experience and service functions for a $100 million+ line of business. Management roles leading software development and project management teams in cellular infrastructure technology for Motorola. Software development and project management roles at Logica UK including development of software for satellite command and control at the European Space Agency in Germany.
Currently retired.
Volunteering:
Edmonds Mayors’ Climate Protection Committee member since 2024.
Biographical Information:
Niall is originally from N Ireland but has lived in London, Germany and Chicago before arriving in the Seattle area in 2021. He enjoys photographing the natural beauty and wildlife of the PNW as well as boating on Puget Sound, Lake Union, Lake Washington and Lake Ballinger.