Global Campus Advisory Council

Jim Blount is the Deputy Director, Human Resources (HR) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), serving as a senior executive with deep Human Resources domain experience and strong leadership in providing strategic direction and oversight for the HR team and its functional areas. He is helping lead the long-term strategic planning and operational HR initiatives that enable PNNL to attract, recruit, develop, and retain the exceptional talent necessary to achieve its vision, mission, and goals.

He is an accomplished HR professional with breadth and depth across the HR function that includes roles within the high tech and R&D industries. A strong general manager and leader with significant business partner experience accompanied by strategic roles providing a wealth of perspective, business acumen and thought leadership. He has benefited from experience with two prominent Fortune 100 companies and government contracting management and operations.

D. Marie Bruin is the Workforce Education Director for the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Prior to her current position she worked as the WIOA Implementation Manager in the Workforce Initiatives Division at the Employment Security Department. She is returning to the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, where she previously provided leadership and coordination for Workforce in the community and technical college system. She has more than 20 years of comprehensive experience implementing and leading strategic Workforce initiatives, organizational change, agency collaboration, and has played a key role in improving access to workforce resources including innovative programs, career pathways, registered apprenticeship, programs for youth, and resources reducing systemic barriers.

A native of Tacoma, WA, she earned a Bachelor of Science in History and Political Science from Central Washington University. She has held numerous leadership positions in the private sector and in state government, currently serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Ethics for the City of Tacoma. She is a graduate of Advancing Leadership, leadership training for work, service and life and the Washington Community College Trustee’s Association Executive Leadership Academy (WELA). Raised in Tacoma, Washington, she has two adult children and two amazing granddaughters. She’s an avid fan of local sports, and has served in a variety of community volunteer roles.

James Grady is the Vice President and Treasurer of CATD, Inc., a financial services cooperative that exclusively provides short-term working capital loans to Caterpillar dealers. He is responsible for issuing commercial paper to fund the loans and leads all treasury and accounting operations within the company to ensure regulatory compliance. Prior to CATD, James was a Vice President of Capital Markets at Drexel Hamilton; a veteran owned and operated investment bank and broker/dealer. He entered corporate finance after completing a successful 21-year Army career, where he spent 17 years in Special Operations as both an enlisted and commissioned officer. During his Army career, James deployed 8 times in support of the Global War on Terrorism making four trips to Afghanistan and four trips to Iraq. Most notably, he participated in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 conducting a low-level nighttime parachute assault into western Iraq with 3rd Ranger Battalion. In 2023 James received a medical retirement and was honorably discharged.

Having accomplished a successful military career, James has also earned a B.A. in Military and Global Issues from Columbus State University and an MBA from the University of the Incarnate Word. He is currently enrolled in the accounting program at WSU Global Campus in a journey to become a CPA. Originally hailing from Houston, TX he currently resides in Nashville, TN and enjoys regular travel with his family and friends.

Michael Meotti was appointed Executive Director of the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) by Governor Jay Inslee in 2016. He previously served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and Executive Vice President of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education.

He has extensive experience in higher education policy, technology, finance, and innovation. At WSAC, he had led the development of Washington’s Strategic Action Plan to increase educational attainment, the expansion of state financial aid programs and the launch of a variety of initiatives to increase enrollment of high school seniors and adults.

He holds bachelors and law degrees from Georgetown University.

Brian is a restaurateur in the McDonald’s franchised system located in Othello, WA.  He received his MBA from WSU’s Global Campus and is active in several voluntary roles across the state.  These organizations include the Washington Hospitality Association, the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Washington State Leadership Board, and the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs. 

Outside of work, Brian lives in the Tri-Cities with his wife, Andrea, their son, and several animals.  Andrea also works in the hospitality industry and serves as the executive director of Mikey’s Chance Canine Rescue.

Eleni Papadakis has served as the Executive Director of Washington’s Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, more commonly known as the Workforce Board, since 2007. Business, labor, and government stakeholders are equally represented on this tri-partite board, which oversees 16 different state and federal funding streams in the state’s comprehensive workforce development system.

Eleni joined the Workforce Board with more than 25 years of experience in the workforce development arena–from service delivery through state and federal policy work. Eleni came to Washington from Commonwealth Corporation, a Massachusetts quasi-public corporation, where she established the Center for Workforce Innovation, a research and demonstration arm of the state’s workforce and education system, and a national consulting organization on economic and workforce development strategies. Leading up to that role, Eleni oversaw the development and implementation of numerous state-wide and regional initiatives, for special population groups and for targeted industry sectors, including healthcare, biotechnology, fiber optics, manufacturing, financial services, IT, and telecommunications. She also helped facilitate Massachusetts’ development of a state plan to eradicate healthcare workforce shortages and was a founding member of the Massachusetts Quality Award, based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

In 2017, Eleni was asked to chair the board of the newly formed Credential Engine, the result of Lumina Foundation’s multi-year Credential Transparency Initiative. Credential Engine has established the cloud-based Credential Registry, which aims to house searchable and comparable information on every credential offered in the marketplace. Detailed information will allow exploration of competencies, learning outcomes, up-to-date market values, and career pathways and reference data on modern credential attainment and quality assurance at schools, professional associations, certification organizations, military, and more.

Eleni has also worked in business–including operating her own small business, a bistro-entertainment venue–and led a multi-service community-based organization for 9 years. Eleni holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Assumption College and Bachelors in Psychology from Clark University, both in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Gus Williams is the Climate & Workforce Development Advisor at the City of Seattle, Office of Sustainability and Environment. In his role he supports the build out of a critical Green New Deal priority focused on developing policy and investment strategies that take an equity centered approach to minimize impacts of climate policies on workers while creating pathways towards a more racially and gender inclusive workforce that is equipped to transition Seattle to a thriving, resilient, low emissions City.

Previously, he served as the Workforce Development Manager at CleanTech Alliance, overseeing a diverse portfolio of state-wide, industry and educational initiatives to support climate solutions. 

Committed to social justice and climate advocacy, he dedicates his time and energy to creating a better world for all. Through his work, personal pursuits, and active involvement in the community, he strives to make a lasting positive impact.

Outside of his professional commitments, he treasures spending quality time with his family. He finds joy in cheering on his two children as they compete in sporting events, witnessing their growth and achievements firsthand. Additionally, he maintains an active lifestyle and nurtures his passion for fitness through his love for Peloton.