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President's Advisory Council

President's Advisory Council

 

Welcome

The President's Advisory Council gives voice to the community in shaping the strategic direction for College of the Redwoods as we strive to stay nimble to meet evolving education needs. Members of the council are industry, business and community leaders who bring expertise from diverse perspectives. They provide professional expertise and diverse knowledge of constituent perspectives, and they are motivated to strengthen higher education to advance workforce skills and civic engagement in the community.

Drawing from our community's most talented and accomplished individuals, the President's Council consists of several members from both the private and public sectors. The diversity of the membership will provide a wide range of perspectives to address CR's most pressing opportunities and challenges. 

Co-Chairs

The council is led by two dynamic co-chairs -- Dan Phillips and Laura Olson.

 
Philips

Dan Phillips

Dan Phillips served as the Chief Technology Officer at the popular online streaming service Hulu. He is responsible for leading Hulu's technical and product strategy to drive innovation for consumers and partners. Phillips oversaw Hulu's entire Technology and Product organization, spanning engineering, data center operations, network and broadcast operations, information technology, and program management, as well as product management, user experience and product development. Phillips has published several papers with NASA and was granted a patent for his work on expanded object models.

In December 2019, Phillips, who grew up in rural Humboldt County, and his wife Cindy, significantly contributed to the community of Humboldt through the creation of the Dan & Cindy Phillips Fortuna Scholarship. This scholarship, established with a $250,000 gift from the Phillips, supports Fortuna High School graduates who enroll at Cal Poly Humboldt either as transfer students from College of the Redwoods or as first-time freshmen. Dan is a graduate of College of the Redwoods and Cal Poly Humboldt.

 
Olsen

Laura Olson

Laura Olson joined the Patricia D. and William B. Smullin Foundation as Executive Director in January 2016.  Prior to joining The Smullin Foundation, Olson worked for The California Endowment for seven years as Program Manager for Building Healthy Communities working on The Endowment's 10-year place-based initiative in the rural Northwestern California region. Olson spent 10 years as a Program Officer for Humboldt Area Foundation prior to her work with The Endowment. 

Membership

The membership also includes:

 
Albright

Chris Albright

Chris Albright is the COO of O&M Industries where he has worked since 2017. Prior to O&M, he worked at Toucan (Tomas Jewelry) for 14 years, where he spent 7 years as the Operations Manager prior to serving 7 years as CEO. Prior to Toucan, he worked as a Project Manager for new products for Yakima. He lives in Arcata with his wife Laura and two sons, Ben & Duncan.

 
Vosburg

Cindy Vosburg

Cindy Vosburg is a well-respected business woman in Crescent City, California. She relocated from California's Central Valley to Crescent City in 2007 to serve as Regional Advertising Director at the local newspapers in Crescent City, CA and Brookings, OR. She was later promoted to Regional Publisher over both newspapers.

Cindy has over 40 years in the newspaper business, much of those years spent working for the McClatchy Corporation, owners of the well-established Sacramento, Modesto and Fresno Bees among other newspaper properties. She has worked with hundreds of local and regional businesses, helping them flourish through well-thought-out marketing and advertising programs. In 2016 she took a two-year sabbatical to travel the National Parks system before returning to Crescent City and assuming the role of Executive Director for both the Crescent City/Del Norte Chamber of Commerce and the Del Norte Visitor Bureau.

Cindy is married to her dear husband of 47 years, Richard, with two adult children, Brandy and Richard. She serves on the board of directors for CASA of Del Norte which serves children in the foster system in Del Norte County. She also serves as a Board Director for the North Coast Tourism Council, partnering with the counties of Humboldt, Mendocino and Lake. Cindy sits on the Huffman Last Chance Grade Stakeholders Committee as well as the Del Norte Economic Resiliency Task Force.

Cindy believes education is the pathway that gives our youth the freedom and ability to create the life they want versus the life they are born into.

 
Tracey

Erika Tracey

Erika Eva Tracy is the Executive Director of the Hoopa Tribal Education Association which is a chartered organization of the Hoopa Valley Tribal Council committed to providing educational services for tribal members and other American Indian/Alaska Native children, families, students, and consumers through lifelong learning opportunities, advocacy for educational equity, and culturally responsive practices. She is an enrolled citizen of the Hoopa Valley Tribe of Northern California and descendant of the Shinnecock Nation of Long Island, NY. She has worked in varying capacities within the field of education (tutor-mentor, substitute teacher, coach, cultural coordinator, curriculum specialist, etc.) for nearly fifteen years and has served as the Education Director for the Hoopa Valley Tribe since 2016. She holds a B.A.H. from Stanford University in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity and an M.A. in the Faculty of Human and Social Development from the University of Victoria, where she completed her graduate studies as a fellow in the Indigenous Governance Program. She proudly resides in Na:tinixw, the Hoopa Valley, with her husband, daughters, and extended family all around.

 
Seaman

Susan Seamon

Susan Seaman is the Mayor of Eureka and the program director for Arcata Economic Development Corporation. After graduating from (FKA) HSU, she worked in public television for 15 years before beginning to work in economic development, which she has done for 15 years. She has two grown children, one of whom graduated from both CR and after (FKA) HSU.

 
Davis

Joe Davis

A long time volunteer for youth programs on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, Davis, a college graduate, has served as the Tribe's Recreation Director, Planning Director and as a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribal Council. In the Spring of 2021, Davis realized his lifelong goal of being elected as Chairman for the Hoopa Valley Tribe. Chairman Davis is thankful for the opportunity to represent his Tribe and in particular is very committed to the Tribe's youth, protection of fishing rights, and natural resources on the largest reservation in California where he lives with his Wife Kayla and two daughters Randee age 2 and Jordyn Shana age 1.

 
hamik

Ken Hamik

Ken Hamik is an internationally renowned futurist working in Humboldt County for the past 10 years. He is an operating partner at the Ganjery, a premier Humboldt cannabis retail store. He is the Vice-Chair of the Arcata Chamber of Commerce and the Marketing Chair for the Humboldt County Visitors Bureau. Ken has over 40 years of management and consulting experience across a wide range of industries and has presented and published internationally. As a brand strategist he has been involved in memorable campaigns such as "Got Milk?" and work with Nike, Apple, Sony, Nintendo and Coca-Cola. Ken has held a number of executive roles helped manage two of the top revenue-generating Trader Joe's in the country. He did his M.S. work at the University of Houston's Strategic Foresight program and has a B.S. from the University of Nebraska. He is a co-founder of CommUnity Pride & Peace, a Humboldt County non-profit providing solutions to neighborhood problems.

 
Jackson

Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson is a Humboldt County native and a Cal Poly Humboldt alumnus and serves as Vice President and General Manager of California Operations for Green Diamond Resource Company; a role he has held since July of 2022. Peter has been with Green Diamond since 1999 when he started as a seasonal forestry technician while still attending Cal Poly Humboldt. After graduating in 2000 with a degree in Forestry, Peter started full time employment with Green Diamond serving as a land survey technician, then staff land surveyor, Log Sales Manager, Chip Facility Manager, and Operations Manager before his current role. Peter is a register Professional Forester, a licensed Professional Land Surveyor, and a licensed Timber Operator. Peter also serves as chair of the Blue Lake Volunteer Fire Protection District Board and serves on the Board of the Pacific Logging Congress. Peter resides near Blue Lake with his wife and three kids.

 
Marquez

Mandy Marquez

Mandy is currently Sr. AVP/ Manager, Member Business Services at Coast Central Credit Union bringing 20 years of commercial lending and relationship management experience since joining the team in 2019. She currently serves on a number of nonprofit boards – Board President for Arcata Economic Development Corporation, Board Clerk for the Hydesville Elementary School Board, Treasurer for Soroptimist International of Eureka, Humboldt County Fair Jr. Livestock Auction Committee member and School Site Council member for Fortuna Middle School. Mandy resides in Hydesville with husband Mark and two teenage daughters, Morgan and Macee.

 
Starr

Tory Starr

Tory Starr is the President and Executive Officer for Open Door Community Health Centers, in Northern California.

Tory has over 30 years of practice and leadership experience, in community health and acute care settings, as a registered nurse, focused on population health management, community development, and cross-continuum care management.

Tory holds degrees in Nursing from Humboldt State University and Walden University, and is a graduate of California Health Care Foundation's Health Care Leadership Program.

Tory is focused on facilitating organizational and medical leadership development at Open Door, clinical service enhancement, continuous quality improvement and organizational learning.

 
Starr

Heidi Moore-Guynup

Heidi Moore-Guynup is a proud College of the Redwoods and Cal Poly Humboldt graduate. She is currently completing her Doctoral Dissertation at the University of Nebraska.

Heidi has over 30 years experience supporting Humboldt County youth and schools. She is a credentialed school psychologist, school counselor and administrator and has served as a Principal, Associate Principal, Assistant Superintendent of Humboldt County Schools and Superintendent. Currently, she is serving as an administrator of Government and Tribal Affairs for the Blue Lake Rancheria. Heidi cares deeply about equitable access to higher education and serves not only on the CR President Advisory Team but is also a Cal Poly Humboldt President's Advisory member and Co-Facilitator of their Foundations' Strategic Plan.

In close, Heidi shares this message with you..."Go out into the world and appreciate the support from others and value the responsibility that you now have to spread, love, joy, inspiration and hope. The Butterfly Effect matters, You Matter."

 
Starr

Jeremy Sorci

Jeremy Sorci is a Humboldt County native and Cal Poly Humboldt alumni. There, he earned his MBA as well as his bachelor’s degree in art. He works as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, professional, Chief Compliance Officer, and part-owner for local investment firm, Premier Financial Group. Jeremy is a member of Eureka Southwest Rotary and current President of the Eureka Chapter of Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy. He is passionate about playing drums with his rock band, taking photos and videos with his drones, and mentoring others looking to enter the financial industry.

 
Starr

Jim Ritter

Jim Ritter was a river rafting outfitter on rivers throughout the western United States (California, Idaho, Oregon, & New Mexico) for 27 years, selling his business interests in 2013 and starting a second career in education supporting Humboldt County middle and high school students with career and college exploration and counseling. Most recently he served as the Director of Employer Partnerships (DEP) for College of the Redwoods as part of the North/Far North regional economic consortium. In his role as the CR DEP, Jim focused on programs that support College of the Redwoods students and faculty with increased work based learning opportunities, student job and career readiness, and industry partnership and collaboration. Jim is a 1984 graduate of Humboldt State University with a degree in English Literature. His wife teaches Kindergarten at Jacoby Creek School. They raised two children in Humboldt County, both of whom are now adults living outside of the area. In addition to his work with local teenagers and CR students, Jim is a certified financial coach offering free financial literacy training and counseling to Humboldt County educators, public service employees, river guides, and people working in the nonprofit sector. Jim has served on numerous local, state, and national nonprofit boards, including two recent terms on the Arcata Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

The Council meets at least twice a year. Members also serve on smaller subcommittees that are charged with developing industry-specific strategies and support for their achievement.

Contact Us

Contact Information

 Keith Flamer, President/Superintendent

 Julie Gilbride, Executive Assistant to the President
 707-476-4170

 Eureka Campus
Student Services/Administration Building
SS-204

  2023 College of the Redwoods