Meet the Board

Carol was born and raised in South King County and graduated from Renton High School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Central Washington State College and a Master of Science Degree from Central Washington University. Carol worked for the State of Washington at Echo Glen Children's Center and then went into private practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor. She has one child, Joseph, who lives in Enumclaw. For recreation she enjoys ballroom dancing, pinochle and trivia. She also loves dogs. It is her love for and commitment to this community that was the rationale for her decision to run for Commissioner. She wants to give back to try to make things better for all of us.

Anthony is an LPN and has been a frontline healthcare professional for 33 years. He is a proud member and shop steward of Teamsters Local 117. Anthony and his wife have been married for 29 years and have owned and operated Adult Family Homes, Professional Nursing Services, and currently own a retail store. He worked at Monroe Correctional Complex in infection control and has proudly coached youth football for 17 years.

Since 2013, Dustin has served as the Political Director at Teamsters 117, where he works on public policy issues at the state and local level. In 2019, he was elected by his peers to be the President of the King County Labor Council, the umbrella organization for over 150 labor unions in King County. Dustin likes to swim and ski to stay active, can be found in his kitchen trying new recipes, and enjoys spending time with his family and his dog.

After obtaining a Masters Degree in Library Science while in her twenties, Dr. Rita Miller worked in a large teaching hospital as a medical librarian. After six years she decided to become part of the healthcare team and attended nursing school, eventually earning a Masters Degree in Nursing from Idaho State University. She was recruited by the local college to teach nursing for an Associate Degree program. Dr. Miller’s career trajectory changed when she obtained a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Idaho in 2004 as she took a position to create an accelerated baccalaureate nursing program for Idaho State University in Boise and serve as the coordinator of that program. In 2008, Dr. Miller found out that she was going to become a grandmother and, with encouragement from her daughter, moved to Washington to be near her family and new grandson. She taught nursing at Green River Community College until her retirement.

Rick is the current Board President of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment Washington State, an advocacy organization that works to increase access and participation in electoral and civic affairs by registering, educating and protecting Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. He previously served as Chair of the 11th District Democrats and, prior to that, was an organizer for SEIU 1199NW.

Carol was born and raised in South King County and graduated from Renton High School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Central Washington State College and a Master of Science Degree from Central Washington University. Carol worked for the State of Washington at Echo Glen Children's Center and then went into private practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor. She has one child, Joseph, who lives in Enumclaw. For recreation she enjoys ballroom dancing, pinochle and trivia. She also loves dogs. It is her love for and commitment to this community that was the rationale for her decision to run for Commissioner. She wants to give back to try to make things better for all of us.

Malik is a member of the Skyway community, has a degree in electrical engineering from Washington State University and an MBA. He is an experienced hardware design engineer with a proven track record of success in leading and delivering complex projects on time and within budget. Malik is passionate about using his skills and experience to make a positive impact on the community. He is particularly interested in supporting Valley Medical Center in its mission to provide high-quality, affordable healthcare to all community members. He believes that his skills and experience will be a valuable asset to the Board of Trustees, and he is eager to contribute to the success of Valley. In his free time, Malik enjoys working on home improvement projects, fixing cars, and mentoring community members.

Anthony is an LPN and has been a frontline healthcare professional for 33 years. He is a proud member and shop steward of Teamsters Local 117. Anthony and his wife have been married for 29 years and have owned and operated Adult Family Homes, Professional Nursing Services, and currently own a retail store. He worked at Monroe Correctional Complex in infection control and has proudly coached youth football for 17 years.

Gary Kohlwes, EdD, is a retired public school employee and was Superintendent of Renton Schools from 1974-1997. A former Valley Medical Center Commissioner (1995-2007), Dr. Kohlwes currently manages a commercial salmon fishing business in Bristol Bay, Alaska. He also serves as a Director of First Savings Bank Northwest and Washington Pacific Insurance SPC and as Trustee and Executive Director of First Financial Northwest Foundation. Dr. Kohlwes is a founding board member and was the initial President of the Renton Community Foundation. Previous Board memberships include the Renton Chamber of Commerce, Renton Rotary and Seattle Country Day School. Dr. Kohlwes received a Bachelor of Education and Masters in School Psychology from Western Washington University, and a Doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Washington.

Since 2013, Dustin has served as the political director at Teamsters 117, where he works on public policy issues at the state and local level. In 2019, he was elected by his peers to be the President of the King County Labor Council, the umbrella organization for over 150 labor unions in King County. Dustin likes to swim and ski to stay active, can be found in his kitchen trying new recipes, and enjoys spending time with his family and his dog.

After obtaining a Masters Degree in Library Science while in her twenties, Dr. Rita Miller worked in a large teaching hospital as a medical librarian. After six years she decided to become part of the healthcare team and attended nursing school, eventually earning a Masters Degree in Nursing from Idaho State University. She was recruited by the local college to teach nursing for an Associate Degree program. Dr. Miller’s career trajectory changed when she obtained a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Idaho in 2004 as she took a position to create an accelerated baccalaureate nursing program for Idaho State University in Boise and serve as the coordinator of that program. In 2008, Dr. Miller found out that she was going to become a grandmother and, with encouragement from her daughter, moved to Washington to be near her family and new grandson. She taught nursing at Green River Community College until her retirement.

Rick is the current Board President of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment Washington State, an advocacy organization that works to increase access and participation in electoral and civic affairs by registering, educating and protecting Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. He previously served as Chair of the 11th District Democrats and, prior to that, was an organizer for SEIU 1199NW.

Larry successfully transitioned from a career in the fire service to a fulltime commitment as a Financial Advisor. His achievements in the industry and acquired skills in leadership, teamwork and organization unique to different fields have made him a pacesetter with significant contributions. With adept knowledge in labor management, labor relations, budgeting, EMS Health care operations and collective bargaining, Larry has significant acquired skills and experience that would make him a valuable addition to the board. Working with King County and Emergency Management for over four decades and motivated by the desire to become a global expert in his field, Larry progressively worked to develop and implement a well-coordinated emergency management plan and strategy in both Maple Valley and Renton Fire Departments. Before his retirement from the fire service and transition to a full-time Financial Advisor, Larry was also involved in multiple national efforts to improve the nation’s fire service, with a specific focus on the area of improved fire service, emergency management and building and fire codes development. With several accomplishments in labor relations, strategic planning and community relations, Larry also has a history serving on an international accreditation committee designed to accredit a wide range of companies and organizations, including governmental entities, commercial business and professional associations. Leveraging the wisdom of his professional history, Larry is well acquainted with Benefit Services and Regional Fire Authorities. His personal experience with the Harborview Emergency Room and Burn Center and UW Valley Medical Center, coupled with training by Dr. Copass and King County Paramedics, allows Larry a unique perspective of hospital operation and service. Larry graduated from Central Missouri University with a Bachelor of Science, earned an Associate of Science from Bellevue College, and holds an Executive Fire Officer Certificate from the Department of Homeland Security. Larry has over 40 years of Emergency Management experience with the City of Renton, Maple Valley, and Eastside Fire and Rescue and maintains memberships with Rotary International, is a past board member of EMS advisors to Valley Medical Center, and a 2021 King County EMS Levy Committee Member, assigned to lead and assist both the Finance and EMS Committee. A humanitarian to the core, Larry is diligent in service to the public and community. As a former Fire Commissioner for King County District 10 and Board of Directors for Eastside Fire, Larry left a significant mark, with his deep and enduring involvement in the community.

Donna Russell is Principal of Donna Russell Consulting, LLC, a global health consulting firm that specializes in strategic and technical support to facilitate research, development, and implementation of new interventions to improve health globally. Her clients include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Oxford University, and the World Health Organization (WHO). She is currently working with WHO to establish in-country bio-banks through the standardized and harmonized collection of biological samples and associated clinical data from pregnant women in Africa and SE Asia to facilitate research on preterm birth, stillbirth, preeclampsia and other conditions that result in maternal and newborn mortality. Prior to starting her own consulting company, Donna co-founded the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS), where she served as Director of Research Development. While there, she led the development and successful launch of the GAPPS Repository and provided strategic leadership to advance basic and translational research globally to improve maternal and newborn health. Before co-founding GAPPS in 2007, she served as a senior policy advisor to the Washington State Board of Health and as a health services consultant to the Washington State Department of Health. She also served as a consultant to other organizations such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Seattle hospitals, and local tribes. Her experience covers health advocacy, policy development and analysis, implementation, research harmonization, health systems strengthening, public health financing, health workforce shortages, tribal health, health disparities, and maternal health. Donna is a member of the PRE-EMPT Technical Advisory Group; the Preeclampsia Registry and Biobank, Scientific Advisory Board, Executive Committee; and the Group B Strep International Advisory Board. She has a Bachelor of Science, Nutrition and Food Science from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Natural Resources, and a Master of Health Administration from the University Of Washington School of Public Health & Community Medicine.

For the past 15 years, Julie Taylor has made a mark as one of the top-producing brokers on the Eastside. She represents buyers and sellers with houses, condos, multi-family, and vacation homes. In addition to her impressive real estate career, Julie is also honored to serve as a dedicated member of the Valley Medical Center hospital board of trustees, where she brings her business savvy, negotiation skills, and energetic personality to drive positive change in the healthcare industry. This combination of real estate success and her commitment to community well-being truly sets Julie apart.