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Board of Directors
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
According to our By-Laws, the Skamania Economic Development Council (SEDC) Board of Directors is composed of 7 to 13 members, each bringing diverse business and government expertise from within Skamania County. Our board members represent a broad spectrum of the community, including public and private sectors, local governments, and various industries such as industrial, commercial, recreational, and retail businesses.
Board members serve two-year terms and function as an advisory body to the SEDC staff. They convene monthly to provide guidance and direction on projects and programs that impact job creation and economic stability in Skamania County.
Ray Broughton
Ray serves on the EDC Board as a Port of Skamania Representative. He was appointed District 1 Port Commissioner on October 15, 2019, and was elected on 12/31/21 to a 6-year term.
Ray and his family are long-time residents of Skamania County. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Portland State University and currently works as a Mortgage Loan Originator for CrossCountry Mortgage. You can often find Ray volunteering at the Fire Station or coaching his daughter's softball team.
Jolene Emerson
Jolene serves on the EDC Board as a representative of the Riverview Community Bank. Jolene is the Vice-President/Branch Manager for our local Riverview Bank in Stevenson.
Jolene is a long-time resident of Skamania County.
John Goodman
John serves on the EDC Board as a Community Representative beginning in July of 2023.
Previously he served as a representative of the local PUD. John had been the General Manager of Skamania County PUD since April 2017. He is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, California. He spent the first 20-years of this career as a Plant Engineer, Facility Manager, Project Manager, and Program Manager operating, site selecting, designing, and constructing more than 3.5 million square feet of high tech facilities on four continents for Intel and National Semiconductor. He has 10-years of experience working in the construction industry for FSC, McKinstry, and Hoffman Construction. John is a US Navy veteran of the Viet Nam era.
Kelsey Phillips
Kelsey Phillips serves on the EDC Board as a Community Representative.
Kelsey grew up in Northwest Portland, and currently lives in Underwood, Washington. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Business and Master's Degree in Healthcare Administration at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. In her early career she traveled across the country as a hospital management consultant before meeting her husband, a native of The Dalles, and moving out to The Gorge. Kelsey currently works as a Project Manager for a primary care physician's office in the area and cares for her family's two young children. Kelsey is passionate about fostering entrepreneurship and workforce development in Skamania County.
Diana Ramos
Diana is co-owner of La Gula Mexican Food in Carson. Diana grew up in Carson, where she lived until moving to Bellingham, Washington to attend Western Washington University. After graduation, she and her husband, Walker, moved back to the Gorge where they now reside. She is excited to be involved in the community where she has lived most of her life. On her days off, she enjoys walking around the woods with her dog, Rudy, listening to comedy podcasts, and spending time with family.
Ben Shumaker
Ben serves on the EDC Board as a representative of the City of Stevenson and is the Community Development Director for the City. Passionate about the Gorge, Ben chose Stevenson for its unique offerings and is dedicated to giving back to Skamania County through his service. His focus on the EDC Board includes defining economic success, developing growth strategies, and making strategic investments for Skamania County.
Originally from Illinois, Ben holds multiple bachelor's degrees from Louisiana State University and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He has previously worked for the cities of Baton Rouge, Vancouver, and Vernonia.
Angela Rogers
Angela Rogers is serving on the EDC Board as a community representative. Angela has lived in Skamania County for more than 35 years. She and her husband, Alan, moved to Alan's hometown of Mill A and raised their two sons there.
Angela worked in advertising before retiring in 2019 to work their alpaca farm full time. She has been raising alpacas since 2009 and the business has grown to include a retail boutique on the farm. She loves to educate people about alpacas and the many uses of their fiber by giving demonstrations and hands-on classes. Angela enjoys volunteering her time to help her community and is looking forward to representing the Skamania County EDC.
Kara Owens
Kara Owens joined the EDC Board in January 2023 as a representative for the Skamania Lodge where she is the General Manager. Her experience in the hospitality industry has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest. She began her career as a sales professional at the Lodge in 2012. Prior to that she served as director of sales for the RiverPlace Hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon and the Portland Marriott City Center.
She is a seasoned veteran in the hospitality sector and brings with her a deep knowledge of the marketplace and an understanding of the hospitality industry. She lives in Stevenson, Washington.
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