About Us
About Clallam EDC
We partner to make Clallam County a great place for businesses to thrive and people to live. By working collaboratively, we catalyze business leadership, nonpartisan problem-solving and data-driven strategies to get results for Clallam County.
Board of Directors
Every member of our board of directors is a thought leader who has made significant contributions to our community.
Each one brings a unique set of skills and expertise to our organization and represent the for profit, nonprofit,
and government sectors across our entire county.
Executive Committee
Sean
Worthington
Board Chair
General Manager
Clallam PUD
Sean has a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and Business Management from WSU. He came to the PUD District in 2013 as the Customer Service Supervisor and was then promoted to Customer Service Manager. In 2018 Sean was promoted to Finance Manager/Treasurer. Sean serves on the Port Angeles School District Capital Advisory Committee. Prior to joining the District, Sean owned and operated his own construction company in Eastern Washington and worked for more than 8 years throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho at one of the nation’s largest financial institutions.
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Dr. Suzy
Ames
Board Vice-Chair
President
Peninsula College
Dr. Suzy Ames is the 7th President of Peninsula College. Since joining the college, she was selected as Secretary of the Board for the Clallam County Economic Development Council and as a member of the North Olympic Health Network Board and Washington State Leadership Board, and to the Executive Board for West Sound STEM. Prior to joining Peninsula College, she worked at Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland, WA for 7 years in a variety of instructional administration roles. She has worked as an administrator at four community and technical colleges in the state and for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership for Change from Fielding Graduate University, an MBA from City University, and two bachelor’s degrees in Communications and Political Science from the University of Washington.
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Caleb
McMahon
Board Secretary
Director of Economic Development
Port of Port Angeles
Caleb's background includes working in large scale capital and real estate development (up to 3.7 billion single project) from the private and public sector. He has his bachelor’s in International Finance and Economics, Juris Doctor (Real Estate and Intl. Transactions) and graduate of the University of Oklahoma's Economic Development Institute. Experience in finance, economics, public policy, market research and management.
Andra
Smith
Board Treasurer
Executive Director
Sequim Food Bank
As Executive Director of the Sequim Food Bank since 2016, Andra is passionate about food equity and access. She is committed to the vision that “No one goes hungry in our community” and utilizes her business background to pursue that goal. She is a gifted collaborator and works to build relationships with all community members. Andra serves as leader on several local and state boards and committees: Washington Food Coalition; Olympic Peninsula Healthy Community Coalition; Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church Mission Endowment; Sequim Health and Housing Collaborative; Peninsula Food Coalition and Sequim Cares.
Board Members
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Darryl
Wolfe
Board Member
Chief Executive Officer
Olympic Medical Center
Darryl Wolfe is the CEO of Olympic Medical Center, the largest employer in Clallam County and the community's public hospital district.
As the leader of OMC, Darryl encourages his 1,700+ team of healthcare workers to continue learning and growing as they bring excellent healthcare to patients on the Peninsula.
Randy
Johnson
Board Member
Commissioner
Clallam County District 2
Randy is proud to have served in the US Army Corps of Engineers rising to the rank of captain. He is a Vietnam veteran. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the South and later a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard. Randy owns a family business on the East Coast (Vermont and New Hampshire) that includes maple syrup operations, windmills, log trading, and a potential new solar farm. Randy and his wife Carol have two children, two grandchildren, 18 horses and 3 dogs.
Matt
Deines
Board Member
President and CEO
First Fed Bank
Matthew P. Deines was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of First Federal Savings of Port Angeles on August 1, 2019. Mr. Deines has a robust background in financial services management, with over two decades of industry experience. Previously, Mr. Deines has held leadership roles such as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Liberty Bay Bank and, prior to this he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Sound Community Bank.
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Nathan
West
Board Member
City Manager
Port Angeles, WA
City Manager for the City of Port Angeles since 2018. Nathan oversees the administrative and executive functions for the city. Prior to taking this position Nathan was responsible for the community and economic development department of the city responsible for the building, economic development, planning and cultural resources division of the city. In his various roles he has accumulated over 25 years of experience in local government-based community involvement and implementation.
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Hawk
Grinnell
Board Member
Executive Director,
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe EDA
Hawk Grinnell is a Jamestown Tribal Citizen who has worked at the Jamestown EDA since 2015. His CPA experience has helped the EDA, a Tribal political subdivision, grow and take on new ventures. Hawk has proven that good decisions start with good financial data. This has laid the foundation for many successful EDA businesses over the years.
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Todd
Feinstein
Board Member
Attorney
Feinstein Law
Todd founded Feinstein Law in 2012 to focus on assisting companies, their officers, and their attorneys with securities compliance and legal issues, resolving to stand by each client through every step of complicated processes. Additionally, Todd has worked as broker, market maker, compliance officer, options principal, broker principal, and head trader for a panoply of boutique and regional broker/dealers.
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Matt
Huish
Board Member
City Manager
Sequim, WA
Matthew Huish began employment as Sequim City Manager on November 1, 2021. Matt previously served as Chief Administrative Officer for Sandy, Utah. Before working in local government, Matt enjoyed an extensive and successful career in the healthcare industry in both the public and private sectors. His career includes serving as a corporate officer in a Fortune 500 public company, an administrator at the University of Utah Medical Center, and owner/operator of multiple start-up ventures.
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Michael
McQuay
Board Member
Business Owner
Kokopelli Grill, Hook & Line Pub, & Coyote BBQ Catering
Owner & Chef Michael opened the doors to Kokopelli Grill in December 2009. Moving here from Texas bringing some of the south with him. Chef Michael's focus is serving the best local seafood, produce and meats. Food is hand crafted and has combined flavors of the Southwest to bring the best the Northwest has to offer.
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Eran
Kennedy
Board Member
Regional Publisher
Sound Publishing
Eran has been a media professional for the past 36 years and is the Olympic News Group's Publisher of the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. A graduate of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, she began her career in Vancouver, B.C. with Black Press Media and later she moved to Hawaii when the company purchased the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and MidWeek Publications. Prior to returning to Black Press Media and Sound Publishing in 2018, she was appointed marketing director for the Building Industry Association of Hawaii as well as the North Peninsula Building Association.
Eran has served on nonprofit boards including Dale Turner YMCA, Horizon School Board elsewhere and currently holds the position of president-elect of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
Colleen
Robinson
Board Member
Chief Executive Officer
Habitat for Humanity
of Clallam County
CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County since May 1, 2017. Colleen serves as the Secretary for the Habitat for Humanity WA Affiliate Support Organization and was appointed to Habitat for Humanity International U.S. Council, July 1, 2020. Colleen chairs as the Youth Services Director as a member of the Sequim Sunrise Rotary. Robinson is an advisor to a thriving Interact Club at Sequim High School. Colleen is passionate about affordable home ownership and loves serving her community locally and globally.
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Marc
Abshire
Board Member
Executive Director
Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce
Marc grew up in Port Townsend and attended the U.S. Air Force Academy. Marc later received a master’s degree from the University of Colorado. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Air Force in 2002. Upon retirement, Marc spent several years as a corporate communications executive with a variety of companies in the Washington, DC. Prior to moving back to the Olympic Peninsula in 2014, Marc was VP of Communications for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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Christian
Meinig
Board Member
Division Director
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Christian is the Director of the Coastal Sciences Division (CSD) at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim, WA. He was appointed by Governor Inslee in 2022 to the Washington Coast Marine Advisory Council to work on ocean policy, planning, and management issues on the WA Pacific coast. Prior to joining PNNL in 2022, Chris served as the Director of Engineering at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Lab in Seattle for over 20 years. Prior to that, he was a project engineer and ship’s officer on thirty major research cruises in polar, equatorial, and coastal waters. He also worked collaboratively in transitioning 6 technologies to industry, US and foreign governments. In 2020 he was part of a team that won the US Dept of Commerce Ron Brown Excellence in Innovation Award for integrating a CO2 system into the first uncrewed vehicle to circumnavigate Antarctica. Chris earned a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington.
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Edna
Petersen
Board Member
Retired Local Business Owner
Necessity & Temptations
Edna is a member of the Port Angeles Business Association, Lions Club and previous
board of director with the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce. As a 54 years resident of Clallam County Edna has been very instrumental on many local community boards to include the Chairman of Paint the Town.
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Cherie
Kidd
Board Member
Business Owner
AAA Affordable Storage
Cherie's was an Exec. Asst. to the President of Sprint, the CEO of First Financial Management, and the Managing Partner of KPMG. Cherie is the President of Soroptimists Intl of Port Angeles. She is a dedicated volunteer including past President of Kiwanis Club. Cherie serves as Commissioner on the local pool district board, Chair of several committees. Previous Mayor of her hometown and is currently serving as Deputy Mayor. Cherie is a woman-owned small business owner of AAA Affordable Storage.
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Bud
Denney
Board Member
Community Planning and Economic Development Manager
Makah Tribe
Bud has been the Community Planning and Economic Development Manager for the Makah Tribe from 2012 to present.
His accomplishments have been the Updated Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and he is currently involved in the planning for transportation and local tourism.
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Perry
Knudson
Board Member
Managing Director
Brix Marine
Perry Knudson is the Managing Director at Brix Marine. Established in 1991, Brix Marine has earned a reputation for crafting rugged aluminum catamarans and workboats. Brix joined the Bryton Marine Group in 2017 fortifying the company’s focus on its core values and a strategic plan for the future. The company employs 50+ people in the boat building trades and looks to continue growing in Port Angeles. Perry and his family live in Port Angeles, and they are proud to make the Olympic Peninsula their home.
Our Team
Together We Achieve More!
Clallam EDC
Colleen McAleer
Executive Director
Clallam EDC is led by Colleen McAleer, Executive Director. Colleen has decades of experience in executive leadership roles at the county and state level. She previously led the Washington Business Alliance where they successfully championed strong business policies. Colleen serves as a Commissioner at the Port of Port Angeles, the first female Commissioner in the Port's 97-year history. She previously served as the Port's Director of Business Development. Colleen owned and operated a successful commercial real estate company in Clallam County supporting hundreds of businesses, large and small from 2002-2011. McAleer was a decorated combat veteran who served 10 years in the Army as a helicopter and fixed wing pilot and as a military intelligence officer.
Lorie Fazio
Director of Operations
Since 1979, Lorie Fazio has considered Sequim, WA her home. With a wealth of professional experience spanning over three decades, Lorie has expertise in leadership encompassing management, human resource administration, sales, banking, and business development. Lorie pursued her education at NW College and later achieved success as the proprietor of a local business for more than ten years in Clallam County. Actively engaged in community advancement, she currently holds the position of past President for the Sequim Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce. Lorie's commitment to community service is further demonstrated through her participation on the boards of the OMC Foundation and the Sequim Sunshine Rotary Club. Continuously contributing, she utilizes her extensive professional knowledge and steadfast dedication to cultivate relationships that foster, strengthen, and encourage growth in our local communities.
Mitch Koonz
Communication Manager
Mitch Koonz grew up in Clallam County and graduated from Sequim High School and Peninsula College simultaneously prior to moving to Eastern Washington to pursue a bachelor’s degree. He worked out of Spokane for five years post-graduation before moving back home to enjoy the Olympic Peninsula. Mitch has worked in Talent Acquisition facilitating extensive growth in a variety of industry sectors in the area. He has a multitude of professional experience in recruitment, marketing, sales, operations management, and customer service. Mitch brings his commitment to business advancement by serving on the Executive Committee of Board of Directors for the Sequim Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Roy Mann
Business Development Strategist
Roy Mann has a diverse background as an entrepreneur and commercial real estate executive, serving clients on three continents. Roy has facilitated multi-million dollar deals in both the private and public sector and provided leadership on economic development to CEOs, boards, and civic groups. For the last ten years, Roy has represented the Dunn Lumber Company; he provided the vision and the driving force for Dunn's headquarters expansion in Seattle in the 196,000 SF Mass Timber commercial development known as Northlake Commons. In 2022, Roy also directed a Transit-Oriented Communities study as well as a Portfolio Sustainability Strategy for 200 acres in Silicon Valley for the transportation agency responsible for expanding BART in the San Francisco Bay Area. On the North Olympic Peninsula, Roy is advising the Natural Resources Innovation Center and the Composite Recycling Technology Center which produces cross-laminated timber accessory dwelling units in Washington in partnership with the Makah Tribe.
North Olympic Peninsula APEX Accelerator
Rebekah Miller
APEX Program Director
Rebekah Miller is a Washingtonian and graduate of WSU with a professional background in finance, training, and nonprofit development. She was hired by the EDC to establish a Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to serve Clallam and Jefferson Counties. During her most recent experience as the Development Director at Peninsula Behavioral Health she raised $10M over ten years for the organization and it reinforced her aspiration to improve people’s lives. She believes this new position will strengthen our community’s economic position by helping small businesses thrive when they succeed in the government workplace. Building partnerships and coalitions energize Rebekah. She looks forward to forging new relationships and strengthening established ones to help propel us toward a flourishing future.
Justine Wagner
APEX Counselor
Justine Wagner, born and raised in Sequim, her hometown in Clallam County, has strong connections to the area. She graduated from Sequim High School and went on to pursue higher education at the University of Idaho, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. Over the last eight years, she has built a successful career in the security industry, gaining expertise in human resources, scheduling, operations, sales, marketing, and customer service. Bringing a wealth of experience, Justine is motivated by a strong commitment to enhancing the economic vitality and long-term prosperity of her community. Her dedication to community service is evident from her previous involvement on the board of Habitat for Humanity and her current advisory role. In her new role as an APEX Counselor, Justine aims to utilize her skills and background to make a significant impact on the local economy. Her extensive experience and passion for community development make her an invaluable addition to our team, ready to contribute effectively to our collective objectives.
