Palmer Scholars Board of Directors
The Palmer Scholars Foundation was founded in 1983 by R. Merle Palmer, a man with an extraordinary vision for the youth of Pierce County. Merle Palmer was committed to seeing that all students were able to attend and graduate from college regardless of their race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status. He started the Palmer Scholars Foundation with this goal in mind. Palmer Scholars has provided scholarship and caring mentors to over 450 students and we are proud to welcome our 34th cohort of Scholars.
Dwayne Christopher, President
Douglas Hostetter, Ed.D., Immediate Past President
Zach Parsons, Treasurer
Marissa Rathbone,
Secretary
Christal Harrison, J.D.
Dennis McGovern
Carol Mitchell
Amalia Perez
Dan Powell
Gayle Rieber
Lisa Wojtanowicz
Valarie Zeeck
Peggy Palmer, Emeritus
Steve Schain, Ph.D., Emeritus
Willie
Stewart, Emeritus
Jonathan Jackson
Name
Occupation
City of Residence
Dwayne
Christopher, President
Tacoma Municipal Court Judge
Tacoma, WA
Douglas Hostetter, Ed.D., Immediate Past President
Director of Secondary Education, Tacoma Public School
District
Tacoma, WA
Zach Parsons, Treasurer
CPA, Manager, DP&C
Tacoma, WA
Marissa Rathbone, Secretary
Director of Operations,
Learning and Teaching, OSPI
Tacoma, WA
Christal Harrison, J.D.
Attorney at
Law
Tacoma, WA
Dennis McGovern
Tax
Consultant, CPA
Tacoma, WA
Carol
Mitchell
Director of Justice Services, Pierce County Executive's Office
Tacoma, WA
Amalia Perez
Family Support Specialist
Tacoma, WA
Dan Powell
Retired Owner, Star Moving
Tacoma, WA
Gayle Rieber
Retired
Educator
Tacoma, WA
Lisa
Wojtanowicz
Division Manager, City of
Tacoma
Tacoma, WA
Valarie Zeeck
Attorney at
Law
University Place, WA
Peggy Palmer, Emeritus
Retired Educator
Gig Harbor, WA
Steve Schain, Ph.D., Emeritus
Retired Educator
Tacoma, WA
Sally Jo Bose
Executive
Director, Palmer Scholars
Tacoma, WA
Willie Stewart, Emeritus
Retired Educator
Fircrest, WA
Jonathan Jackson
Executive Director, Palmer Scholars
Tacoma, WA
