Jene Ray- Board CHair
Associate Director- Northeast COmmunity Center
Director- The Zone at NECC
Jene was a classroom teacher for twenty years, teaching pre-school through high school before moving to the district level to teach and coach teachers. Jene’s experience includes five years of state level education funding and policy work in Olympia. Currently Jene serves as the Associate Director of the Northeast Community Center and ZONE Director, coordinating support for multi-generational outcomes in housing, safety, health, economics, and education across NE Spokane.
Interested in the Lumen board? Contact Jene at: jray@lumenhighschool.org
Elizabeth Arnold
Federal grants Program Manager- Avista
Currently, Elizabeth holds the position of Avista’s Federal Grants Program Manager, where she focuses on connecting our local utility to grant opportunities that further their mission. Elizabeth holds an MBA degree from Whitworth University and recently completed Avista’s Aspiring Leader Program. With a deep focus on family, Elizabeth can also be found juggling school schedules and sports with her partner, Richard, and their children, Madaline, and William.
Cory Plager
Vice President Public FInance- DA DAvidSon
Cory Plager has supported 22 K-12 school districts developing budgets and managing financial realities across Eastern Washington. Cory worked in the school finance industry for 15 years where he was responsible for reviewing and approving financial statements, budgets, and school levy and bond certifications for the region. With extensive experience analyzing and interpreting state law, Cory has been appointed to various statewide committees and is a guest presenter at Gonzaga University, WSU and the WASBO, WSSDA and WASA conferences.
DArcy McMUrray
Realtor- 4 Degrees Real Estate
Darcy was born and raised in Spokane and has a deep passion for empowering young people in our community to achieve their full potential. For more than 15 years, Darcy dedicated her professional life to education, coaching and mentoring young people. She worked as an educator at Spokane Public Schools serving in Title 1 buildings, as the Director of the Warner Pacific University Early Learning Center. Most recently, Darcy found a second career love as a real estate agent at 4 Degrees Real Estate.
Barbara GongYin
Community Initiatives Manager- The Zone
Barbara is a lifelong Spokane resident, mom of 3 and an enrolled member of the Spokane Tribe. As a teen mom, out of necessity, she sought out resources needed to provide a good start for her daughter. This eventually led into partnering with local policy makers, nonprofit organizations, community activists/organizers, and grassroots community members to elevate other community needs. She recently took a job as Coordinator of Native Student Accompaniment in the Office of Tribal Relations Gonzaga University.
APRIL RIVERS Eberhardt
College & Career Counselor
April currently lives in Medical Lake, WA but hails from Pittsburg, PA. A military spouse of 23 years, married to Ret. MSgt Edward Eberhardt and parents to 2 adult daughters and a teenage son. Currently, she is a College and Career Counselor in Spokane Public Schools and serves on the Leadership Spokane Board and the NAACP as the Education Committee Chair. She also has 4 self- published children’s books showing real kids having fun & interesting experiences.
Gene Sementi
retired Superintendent
Gene recently retired following a thirty-one year career with the West Valley (WA) School District. While with West Valley he served as an assistant principal, elementary principal, middle school principal, high school principal, was the Assistant Superintendent of teaching and learning for seven years and finished his career as the Superintendent for eight years. Dr. Sementi was also an adjunct professor in the Washington State University Principal Preparation Program for eighteen years.
Linda McDonald
Retired Executive Assistant
Linda is dedicated to rooting out injustices in the world and helping others see the strengths in themselves so they can use those strengths the advocate for themselves and others. For over a decade she helped run a local teen parent non profit. Linda is a retired executive assistant, and spends much of her time putting on events to support Lumen, visiting her grandchildren and caring for the Lumen students and staff.
Andrea Estes
Consultant
Andrea was born and raised in Spokane and was drawn back to her family and Spokane after having their second child, now six and three! Andrea has had a career in the nonprofit, philanthropy, and social justice sector, mostly focused on advocating for better, more equitable approaches to funding. She has recently joined the Clinical Quality & Care Transformation division with the HealthCare Authority.
Pam PArr
Executive Director- SPokane Housing Authority
Pam is the Executive Director of the Spokane Housing Authority, an organization providing community members access to safe healthy and affordable homes. Pam’s belief that a home is the foundation that supports every other opportunity for people is what guided her to this rewarding career path more than 30 years ago. Pam worked in youth services prior to her career in affordable housing.
ADVISORs TO THE BOARD:
AMY LLOYD
CEO - ALLOYD CONSULTING
FOUNDER - FACE IT TODAY
Having her daughter at a young age, Amy Lloyd believes it is critical to empower girls before life altering decisions are made out of a lack of confidence. She graduated from Eastern Washington University and for over 20 years has had a successful career in advertising.
Monthly Board Meeting: 3rd Thursday of each month 2:00pm @ Lumen High School….contact Jene Ray for more information. **The August regularly scheduled board meeting has been cancelled and the Lumen board instead will hold a special meeting on August 8th, 2024. See our portal for details or contact Jene Ray for more information.