Governor Ferguson appoints Fé LopezGaetke and Mary Nam to the Washington State University Board of Regents

WSU alumni are Governor Ferguson's first two new individuals appointed to six-year terms on the WSU Board of Regents

OLYMPIA - Today Governor Bob Ferguson announced the appointment of Fé LopezGaetke and Mary Nam to the Washington State University Board of Regents. Both appointments will take effect June 9.

"Fé and Mary have been true advocates for Washingtonians for decades," Governor Ferguson said. "I'm confident they will provide steady leadership on the Washington State University Board of Regents."

The WSU Board of Regents is the university's governing body whose broad responsibilities are to supervise, coordinate, manage and regulate the WSU system. The Board of Regents consists of 11 members, one of whom is a student and one of whom is a faculty member.

LopezGaetke is the Co-Executive Director at Purpose. Dignity. Action. (formerly Public Defender Association). She was previously the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Law School Admission Council, where she helped identify the effective strategies and policies for helping diverse students gain admission to law school.

"Growing up in Central Washington, I know that so many in my community look to WSU as an accessible and important opportunity to further their education," LopezGaetke said. "Additionally, my professional development path has afforded me the unique lens of surveying local and national educational trends and impact to underrepresented communities that can help inform Washington State University's strategic direction. I look forward to working together to continue moving WSU into innovative sustained growth that is accessible to all who attend."

LopezGaetke previously served as the first director of Seattle's Community Police Commission, where she advocated for marginalized communities on issues of police reform.

She is a past president of the Latina/o Bar Association of Washington and OneAmerica.

LopezGaetke, a child of former farmworkers, is from Central Washington and is a WSU graduate. She currently lives in White Center with her family. She started her bachelor's degree at WSU's main campus and finished her degree at the Tri-Cities campus. She earned her law degree at Seattle University School of Law.

Nam is an Emmy Award-winning news anchor and journalist who spent more than 20 years at Seattle's KOMO-TV. When she joined KOMO in 2003, she found herself among numerous fellow WSU graduates, carrying on a proud tradition of Edward R. Murrow College graduates joining the industry. In March, after 26 years, she retired from local news.

"I'm very excited to join the WSU Board of Regents," Nam said. "The education and experience I received at WSU changed my life - my four years in Pullman led to a 26-year career in broadcasting. Whatever you're drawn to, WSU can create a path toward success. Students today face both new possibilities and challenges, and I'm honored to join at a pivotal time in the changing landscape of higher education. I thank Governor Ferguson for this opportunity. And I look forward to working with such a passionate and dedicated Board."

Nam has worked with numerous non-profits, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Seattle Children's Hospital and Food Lifeline. She also previously volunteered with King County Senior Services' Sound Generations and served as a youth mentor with the VOICE Mentor Program.

Nam and her husband, Eric, are WSU graduates. They look forward to the Apple Cup in Seattle this year, she said, and "Cougar football in the Palouse with our two sons is a fall highlight."

The appointments of LopezGaetke and Nam fill two recent vacancies on the Board. The Governor will soon announce a third appointment to fill the vacancy due to the passing of former Sen. Sam Hunt.