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Board Members
| Chair - Jill Bell |
| My family and I have been homeschooling since 2000. As an eclectic homeschooler, I enjoy using a wide variety of resources in the education of our two sons, and I particularly look forward to homeschooling through the high school years. I enjoy advocating for homeschooling in Washington and encouraging other homeschoolers. |
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| V. Chair - Diane Altman |
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| I, my husband, and our three sons and daughter enjoy the culture of independent homeschooling, as well as the variety it allows our family to experience together. Our family enjoys using a wide array of curriculum, unit studies and family co-ops to enhance our rich academic experience. I enjoy encouraging homeschool families through WHO and local support groups. I believe in helping people reach their fullest God-given potential, and I do this through my business, Inspire Success! My family, which has homeschooled since 1996, is also active with martial arts, football, horsemanship and music lessons. I also serve as a head cheerleading coach for the local public school. |
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| Treasurer - Amy Beckstead-Leonard |
| Due to my positive experience as a homeschooled child, I decided to home-educate my own children long before their birth. Today, I'm part of a never-quiet household of five children, ranging in ages from twelve to one. I love the challenges of homeschooling, which I face daily, as I adapt to the needs of individuals at all different levels while trying to remain in one piece. In 2003, I began a homeschool co-op, Families Homeschooling for Excellence, and I enjoy the companionship of other families on their own educational journeys. I have served as the Treasurer of WHO for the past several years. I continue to volunteer on the Board to help ensure that homeschoolers in Washington retain the opportunity to homeschool independently, and to help them value this privilege. |
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| Secretary - Kathryn Gerken |
| My husband and I have been homeschooling our two children for the past 8 years. I have two boys, ages 12 and 14 years. I have been an active member of the Homeschoolers’ Support Association (HSA) and of WHO. I currently serve on the convention committee and as an email coordinator. I plan to homeschool my children through high school. We are familiar with learning difficulties, especially dyslexia. Therefore, I am working to bridge the gap between the homeschool community and the community of educators and families in the dyslexic world. I joined the WHO Board to give back to homeschooling, and to help it continue into the future. |
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| Member-at-Large - Emilie Fogle |
| I came to homeschooling in the early 1990’s, during a discussion with other moms from our cooperative preschool. There had been multiple discussions in the preschool over "play" versus being prepared for kindergarten. After asking what exactly did kindergarten do "for" the child, most moms agreed kindergarten helps teach children to stand in line, and that this skill would serve them well. This was the moment our family realized public school would not be in our future. My husband Don and I, sons Isaac (19) and Carter (14) have always homeschooled. Isaac is presently at community college in the Running Start program. I love Central Washington's great outdoors, and used it extensively during our early homeschooling years. In the spring, I will test for my black belt certification in Shudokan karate, I play Taiko drums, and with the help of my Sensei, am making a drum. My all-time passions are plants and my family. I have always enjoyed learning more about homeschooling and related laws. |
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| Member-at-Large - Debbie Jurasek |
| My husband and I have homeschooled all three of our boys from kindergarten through high school. They are now in college pursuing their interests. I enjoy being a part of the homeschool community and encouraging homeschooling parents that it can be done! WHO has been a great place to connect with people and volunteer my time. We have such a great group of people who all have the same goal—to see homeschooling thrive in Washington. |
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| Member-at-Large - Jen Garrison Stuber |
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| We fell into homeschooling in 2003, when my then seven year old became a second-grade drop-out. It was a bit of an adjustment for both of us, as my daughter had been at the school for just over 3 years, and I was making a radical transition from college professor to homeschool mom. But after those initial bumps, we haven't looked back. Homeschooling has allowed us to provide an education uniquely suited to our daughter's mismatched collection of strengths and weaknesses, catering to the former while mitigating the latter. Along the way, I became a vocal advocate for independent homeschooling, run a local support group (in Spokane, on the sunnyside of our state), and joined the WHO Board in January 2010. |
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