School Board

School boards are the link between public schools and the communities they serve. As publicly elected officials and members of their local communities, school directors are uniquely positioned to:

Create a community-wide, shared vision and set goals for improving student achievement
Create the conditions and direct the resources for accelerating improvement
Hold the system accountable to high and equitable achievement for each and every student
Communicate needs and progress of students to the community
Build public will to improve outcomes for all students and succeed in reaching the district’s student achievement goals

The board is the authority for local school regulations, policy, and programs within the framework of state law. In addition to ensuring high levels of learning for all, they are responsible for overseeing the financial health of the district, ensure legal interests are protected, facilities are properly cared for, and necessary policies are adopted.

The board supervises the superintendent of schools who is responsible for leading and implementing the necessary steps in order to achieve board-adopted goals, Working together with the superintendent, the board seeks to develop Washington's Most Sought-After Graduates (District Vision), by ensuring all students receive high quality instruction in an aligned and coherent system while addressing their social and emotional needs in a safe and engaging environment (District Mission).

Meet Your Board of Directors

Kathy Mulkerin - (Position #1)

Kathy Mulkerin was elected to the WWPS Board of Directors in November 2021. Her current term ends in 2025.

Ms. Mulkerin grew up in Walla Walla. She attended Walla Walla Public Schools, K-12, at Prospect Point Elementary School, Garrison Junior High and Graduated from Walla Walla High School. She went on to attend college at the University of Portland earning a BA in Psychology. She holds a Montessori Teaching certificate from the Montessori Institute Northwest and a Masters of Education, Primary Montessori from Loyola University Maryland. She recently completed a Master of Professional Studies, Paralegal Studies from The George Washington University.

A life-long volunteer, Ms. Mulkerin started her volunteer career as a teen at the YWCA of Walla Walla. In 2018, Ms. Mulkerin was recognized by the organization as one of Walla Walla’s Most Inspiring Women. Ms. Mulkerin is a co-founder of COCOA (Color Our Community On Awareness) which amplifies the voices and culture of our local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) community. Ms. Mulkerin is looking forward to being a volunteer with Walla Walla Child Advocates.

kmulkerin@wwps.org / (509) 527-3000

Terri Trick - Vice President (Position #2)

Terri Trick was appointed to the WWPS Board of Directors on May 29, 2018 and was elected in 2019 to complete the term and re-elected in 2021. Her current term ends in 2025.

Mrs. Trick moved to Walla Walla in 1983 with her husband Roger, a park ranger with the National Park Service. They have three grown children, all of whom graduated from Walla Walla High School. Mrs. Trick earned a BA from the University of Utah in English and Spanish and a Masters of Education from Washington State University in English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education. Active in many Little Theatre of Walla Walla productions, she has also served on the LTWW board of directors. She is active in American Association of University Women and is on the board of directors of Friends of the Farm Labor Homes (Valle Lindo). She has been an educator in Walla Walla for over thirty years.

In her spare time, Mrs. Trick enjoys the great outdoors, travel, and playing the piano for contra dances with her friends in the Wednesday Night Band.

School Board Committee Assignments: *Administrative Finance; *Equity & Access; *Instructional Materials and *District Sustainability.

ttrick@wwps.org / (509) 527-3000

Ruth Ladderud - President (Position #3)

Ruth Ladderud was appointed to the WWPS Board of Directors on October 2, 2012. She was elected in 2013 to complete the term and re-elected in 2015 and 2019. Her current term ends in 2027.

Mrs. Ladderud, an administrative assistant at Whitman College, has lived most of her life in Walla Walla. She attended Prospect Point Elementary School, Paine Elementary, Garrison Junior High, and graduated from Walla Walla High School, Whitman College (biology) and WSU (animal science). Her husband, John, is a veterinarian and they have three children who all graduated from Walla Walla High School.

Mrs. Ladderud has spent many hours volunteering in the schools and at the district level. She has been honored with the 2016 Whitman College Pete and Hedda Reid Service to Walla Walla Award. She has served on both the High School and Community Facilities Task Force and is active in 4-H and American Association of University Women.

School Board Committee Assignments: ***Administrative Consult and Confer; *Administrative Policy; ***Graduates of Distinction; ***Parents in Action (Head Start); *School Health Advisory; *District Sustainability and ***Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA).

rladderud@wwps.org / (509) 527-3000

Alayna Brinton - (Position #4)

Alayna Marie Brinton was elected to the WWPS Board of Directors in November of 2023. Her current term ends in 2027.

She received her undergraduate degree from Washington State University and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Walla Walla University. Alayna is the owner and chief clinical officer of Anchor Point Counseling where she has spent the past 7 years serving the behavioral health needs of youth and families in the Walla Walla Valley. She has 18 years of experience working in the mental health sector and is able to bring those experiences to the table to benefit Walla Walla Public Schools.

Beyond the school board, she has actively engaged in community involvement and volunteer work such as serving on the board of the National Association of Social Workers for Washington State as a Regional Representative, Walla Walla Community Health Advisory Board Member (CHAB), Community Development Block Grant Advisory Board Member for the City of Walla Walla, Walla Walla County Crisis Intercept mapping and planning committee member, Walla Walla County Opioid RFA planning committee, and serves on the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) as a Committee Member. Alayna also was a founder, executive director, and chairperson for a local non-profit focused on serving the behavioral health needs of the underserved at Blue Mountain Health Cooperative. She also is an active member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and as a local member of The American Association of University Women where she participates in multiple philanthropic events a year. Alayna has a passion for public service, which combines a robust educational background with a deep commitment to servant leadership that reflects a sustained dedication to shaping the future of the district.

Alayna's leadership style encapsulates a commitment to education, community welfare, and synergistic leadership.

Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Alayna finds solace in spending time with her husband and two small children engaging in outdoor pursuits such as hunting, fishing, beekeeping, and managing the "mini-farm" at her home.

School Board Committee Assignments: *Administrative Policy; *Equity & Access; ***Safe Schools; *School Health Advisory and ***Student Representative Orientation/Mentorship.

abrinton@wwps.org / (509) 527-3000

Derek Sarley - (Position #5)

Derek Sarley was elected to the WWPS Board of Directors in November 2015 and re-elected in 2019. His current term ends in 2027.

Mr. Sarley is a communications consultant, who for 20 years has worked with clients in many industries including education. He and his wife Erin, a professor in Psychology at Whitman College, have two school-aged daughters. Mr. Sarley is a native Pennsylvanian who has also lived in Arizona, California, Washington, DC and Texas, where he graduated from Rice University. Since settling in Walla Walla, he has been active with the Walla Walla Public Schools Community Facilities Task Force and the independent group Citizens for Schools, working to find solutions to the district’s building needs.

School Board Committee Assignments: *Administrative Finance; ***Career/Technical Education; ***Certificated Negotiations; ***Classified Negotiations and ***Legislative Representative.

dsarley@wwps.org / (509) 527-3000

Student Representatives to the School Board

Eva Maxwell - Student Representative to the School Board

Eva Maxwell was appointed Student Representative to the School Board in November 2023.

Eva is a junior at Walla Walla High School, and has attended Walla Walla Public Schools since starting 6th grade at Garrison Middle School. Eva has learned about the value of partnership in creating impactful change by working with administrators and student leaders, and is a member of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. She enjoys participating in a variety of activities such as volleyball, book club, students for climate action, green club, and the district’s Equity and Access Committee.

School Board Committee Assignment: ***Student Representative Orientation/Mentorship.

Ari Kim-Leavitt - Student Representative to the School Board

Ari Kim-Leavitt was appointed Student Representative to the School Board in August 2024.

Ari is a junior at Walla Walla High School, and has attended Walla Walla Public Schools since kindergarten at Sharpstein Elementary. At Wa-Hi, Ari is a member/officer of many different clubs, notably Asian American/Pacific Islander Alliance, Green Club, and Speech & Debate, and also serves on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. Given that the goals of the School Board are oriented towards student progress and equity, Ari is most interested in serving as a Representative on the Board of Directors to bring student voice to important decisions that reflect a broad range of views in order to contribute to improvement for the better of the students in the district. Ari enjoys playing tennis, traveling, bike rides and playing the drums in his free time.

Type of Committee: *Administrative, ***Other