Our Officers

AAUW Washington (AAUW-WA) Board Biographies

[click here for full list of Board and Staff members and their emails…]

President – Emily Hitchens

2023 President Emily Hitchens

president@aauw-wa.org

VP of Finance/Treasurer – Susie Johnson 

Susie is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She has moved a lot and always joined AAUW thus belonging to 6 AAUW branches in 4 states. She has held practically every branch board position/office AAUW has had over the years, at least once, as each time you move you get to start over doing your share for that branch and State. Susie belongs to the Lake Washington Branch and is currently serving as Co-President. She was the first woman in Illinois elected to be a Park Commissioner and served as President and Treasurer during her tenure. She has served on many local and national charitable, religious, collegiate, and arts boards in various capacities and has done the usual mom things such as coaching and PTA.
finance@aauw-wa.org

State VP – Judy Cole Peasley

Judy is a proud educator retired since 2016. Her childhood and college years were spent in Montana, but for the past 36 years, she has called Walla Walla home. Judy joined her local branch of AAUW in retirement as a way to serve with a purpose, and to engage with women from diverse backgrounds and professional careers. She finds inspiration in other women, young and old. She sees AAUW as a national organization that has the potential to reach across generations for the common purpose of advancing equity for women and girls. Judy has served in her local branch as President/Past-president, and is currently Tech Trek chair and Social Media chair. communications@aauw-wa.org

Programs Director – Jodi Forsell

programs@aauw-wa.org

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Yvonne Berliner

Yvonne has been a fervent supporter of women’s education since receiving her BA in Political Science (1973) from Bryn Mawr College. She also holds an M.Ed. in Education from Virginia Polytechnic University, and MA and a PhD degrees in History from the University of Chile. She taught history for over three decades in the Americas and Europe. In 2008, Berliner moved to the Palouse from Switzerland and taught mostly Latin American History at Washington State University for 11 years until her retirement. During this time she also co-authored four textbooks and designed new face-to-face and online courses. As a feminist, she supports the AAUW mission and since 2008 has been an active AAUW member. She has focused on education for girls in the Palouse, helping to send girls from rural eastern WA to Tech Trek Camp. diversity@aauw-wa.org

Director of Tech Trek Washington – Karen Manelis

Karen holds a BS in Biological Science from the University of California at Davis.  She is retired from Dow Chemical/Dow Agrosciences and is currently employed by the Department of Treasurer (IRS).  Karen Manelis was president of AAUW California when the Tech Trek Math/Science Camp for Girls was established in 1998.  Ms. Manelis directed the Tech Trek camp at California State University in Fresno from 1999 (inception) to 2007 when she move to Washington.  She has been the director of Tech Trek Washington since 2013.  Ms. Manelis is a trainer and volunteer counselor for AARP’s Tax Aide program in Clark County Washington since 2009.
techtrek@aauw-wa.org

You can reach any of the leadership by using Contact Us and requesting information.