The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center (WDRC) is pleased to welcome five new additions to its Board of Directors!
Christian Christensen has lived in Whatcom County for over ten years. One of the biggest draws for him of this area is the friendly and interactive culture of the people that choose to make this area their home.
Knowing that a lively and civil discourse is the cornerstone to a healthy democracy, and knowing how instrumental the WDRC’s mission is in fostering and growing that here in our community drove Christian to pursue board membership with the Center. He feels quite lucky to be a part of this important organization.
Christian enjoys hiking local trails, working on his 120 year old house and getting to know new people. He is on the WDRC’s fundraising committee, so if he hasn’t called you yet to say hello and invite you to be a part of the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, know that he’ll be in touch soon.
Charmie Gilcrease took the 40-hour Professional Mediation Training in response to a work-related issue, and has been a fan of WDRC ever since. The Training helped her in so many areas of business and even personal relationships. That class is what brought Charmie on board. She is the Executive Director at Technocracy Inc. She has been working with non-profits in the Whatcom County area for many years. Charmie brings a well-rounded viewpoint as she has worked in different fields, owned several businesses over the years, and been a customer / client at many more! Charmie loves to spend time with her grandchildren & children, doing anything out in nature, and creating things with Excel and Publisher.
Lisa Holleman is excited and honored to join the WDRC board. She believes the mission and programs of the WDRC address critical needs in our community. She is a Whatcom County native with a background in finance. As Chief Financial Officer for Peoples Bank, she is responsible for all financial activities of the company. Lisa is delighted to give back to her community through volunteering for this wonderful organization.
Renae Ingraham was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington. She has lived in Bellingham all of her life and loves the area so much, she has never lived elsewhere. Renee has an Associates Degree in Arts and Science as well as a Paralegal Degree. She worked as a Case Manager at the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center for 5 years. Then, she worked as Paralegal for a local attorney for almost 11 years.
Renee decided to make a career change this past year to sell real estate because she loves working with people and considers herself a people person. She is good at researching and has a zest for fulfilling clients' needs. She loves working with her Dad, who has been a real estate broker for over 30 years and loves what he does. Her dad is her mentor and an inspiration to her!
In her spare time, Renee loves to spend time with her family. She has been married for 17 years and has two little boys, ages 9 and 11. They love to camp, fish and crab together as a family. She enjoys biking and running when she can fit it in. She also likes to read for fun and belongs to a woman’s book club.
Working for the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center for 5 years was a great experience for Renee. She’s happy to be giving back now by volunteering on the board. She chose to volunteer as a board member because she values their mission to create peace in our community by conflict resolution for our schools, families and workplace.
Tim Schermetzler is a recent transplant to Bellingham, arriving in November of 2015. Fueled by his passion for restorative justice practices and creative conflict resolution, Tim was immediately drawn to the programs of the WDRC. Tim first got connected to WDRC as a volunteer in the Facing Conflict without Violence and Bridge-Builder Workshop and now he continues his service on the WDRC Board of Directors.
Tim is an attorney with Chmelik Sitkin & Davis P.S. and an alumnus of Gonzaga University School of law, where he was the recipient of the Morey-Maurice Award for Service & Leadership and the Dean’s Pro Bono Award of Distinction for serving the highest number of volunteer hours in his graduating class. Prior to law school, Tim worked for six years in non-profit organizations in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Tim’s varied experience in non-profit organizations includes youth programming, community organizing, and non-profit management. In addition, Tim has experience facilitating restorative justice programs and building collaborative relationships between community members and law enforcement.
Tim’s hopes to his service on the WDRC Board will help generate community awareness and participation in restorative practices and other alternative dispute resolution methods. Tim is excited to begin his service on the Board to help sustain and grow the great work of the WDRC.
Tim enjoys exploring the pacific northwest with his partner Kaitlyn and his yellow lab Cecee. Tim spends his free time biking, hiking, skiing, climbing, and doing anything else that gets him outside.