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.

Theresa Chow earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Montana and is currently pursuing her MBA from Concordia University in Nebraska and her Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) certification. Along with her degree, she holds Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certifications.

She has worked in various capacities including sales, marketing and finance. However, the past 14 years have been spent working in human resources, mainly in the manufacturing industry. She is very passionate about recruiting, workforce development, and continuous education.

Steve Harms is a 30-year veteran of the forest products industry and has extensive experience in manufacturing, marketing, sales and business leadership. 

He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from Simon Fraser University, but most importantly, is the proud father of a WSU student!  Go Cougs!

Jeff Johnson is Senior Business Manager in the Worldwide Public Sector Education group at Microsoft. In his role, he is responsible for outreach with K-12 and higher education, policymakers, government workforce agencies, educators, and business partners around the world surrounding adoption and engagement with learning and skills solutions in Education.

Prior to joining Microsoft in 2007, he served in teaching and administration roles at Bellevue (WA) College and at the University of Maryland. He also served as executive director of the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies, a National Science Foundation-supported Advanced Technology Education Center. In addition, he served in Washington, DC, as legislative assistant, speech writer and adviser to a Member of the U.S. Congress.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland.

Luke Korthuis leads the University Recruiting function for the SAP Internship Experience Program at SAP. In this role he focuses on early talent workforce strategy, talent attraction and execution, building pathways for underrepresented populations, and internship and new graduate programs and platforms. He has a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University in Criminal Justice & Political Science.

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.

Heidi West has over 20 years of expertise in Human Resources in the Pacific NW. This includes exempt level recruitment, cultural assessments, retreat/meeting facilitation, Executive coaching and recruitment, workforce planning, team building, change management, and conflict management. She is certified as a Interview Trainer with DDI. She has recruited within the PAC 12 schools and been a guest speaker at campus classes for over 10 years. She has a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University in Sociology.

Emily Wittman is President & CEO of the Aerospace Futures Alliance, Washington state’s trade association for aerospace policy.

Previously, she led aerospace business attraction with Greater Seattle Partners and economic policy with Puget Sound Regional Council. She is an experienced coalition builder and organized the Governor’s statewide council working to strengthen Washington’s aerospace industry. Prior, she served Washington communities for four years as a staffer for U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell. She holds a bachelor’s degree in both political science and law, societies and justice from the University of Washington and was a 2019 Henry M. Jackson Foundation Leadership Fellow.