Foundation – Board

Jeff Kimbell
President, Foundation Board
Chelan County Representative

Jeff Kimbell is a native of Everett, where both of his parents were educators. He then raised his family in Woodinville, before moving to Wenatchee with his wife, Kim. He is proud to come from a three-generation family of teachers and has enjoyed being a life-long learner.

Jeff recently retired from a career in operations and engineering management and consulting, to devote more time to volunteering, family and the outdoors. He has previously volunteered in a variety of public and private schools, and homeschool organizations, as well as 15 years on an Executive Advisory Board at the University of Washington.

Jeff currently volunteers to support youth and education through Chelan PUD’s Rocky Reach Discovery Center, Youth Dynamics’ Stonewater Adventure Center, Columbia Break Fire Interpretive Center, Serve Wenatchee Valley and Westside High School. He also enjoys volunteer work on a variety of trails and other outdoor recreation and education projects.

Lois Davies
Past President, Foundation Board
Douglas County Representative

Lois Davies from Orondo joined the NCEF Board of Directors in the fall of 2018 and is the current Vice President. Lois retired from her position as superintendent of Pateros School District for the past ten years. Lois earned her doctorate in education leadership from Washington State University and comes to the Foundation with a rich educational background. She served as president of the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) in 2015.

Ray Dobbs
Vice President/Treasurer, Foundation Board
Douglas County Representative

Ray Dobbs and his wife, Kathryn (Kelly), moved their family to Chelan in 1976 when he started a 20-year career as broadcaster, sales manager, and station manager at KOZI Radio. When owner Jerry Isenhart sold KOZI Radio in 1999, Dobbs purchased the Computer and Verizon cell phone businesses from Isenhart and started his own business, Raycom RadioShack. After twelve years, Dobbs sold the business in 2011 and took a position at North Cascades Bank where he recently retired and moved to East Wenatchee. Dobbs and his wife have been married 50 years. They have five adult children who all graduated from Chelan Valley schools. Kathryn, grew up at Kelly’s Resort in Chelan and graduated from Chelan High School. Dobbs grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and has an Advertising/Marketing degree from San Jose State University. They have 9 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Dobbs was a Planning Commissioner and Councilmember for City of Chelan for 15 years and Treasurer for Historic Downtown Chelan Assn for 5 years. He also served on the Wenatchee and Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce boards. He has been a Rotarian since 1982 and served two terms as president of Chelan Rotary.

Tom Venable
Okanogan County Representative

Tom Venable brings over 30 years of public service as a public educator to his new role as a board member with NCEF, some of which includes service as a special education teacher with the Baltimore City Public Schools, time spent serving as an elementary teacher, elementary principal, and Deputy Superintendent with the Bellingham Public Schools, and most recently, as the Superintendent with the Methow Valley School District for the past twelve years.

While Tom and his family make their home in the Methow Valley, he is no stranger to the North Central region. As a longstanding member of the North Central Education Service District Executive Team, Washington Association of School Administrators Regional President, and member of the Superintendent Advisory Committee, Tom has demonstrated high levels of leadership, tireless advocacy, and strong support for educators throughout the region. Now, serving as a member of the NCEF Board of Directors, Tom has every intention of maintaining his commitment – supporting pockets of innovation in classrooms throughout the region, positively impacting students and teachers alike.

Judi Jensen
Grant County Representative

Judi has been employed at North Central ESD 171 since 2009 (recently retiring in 2021) providing Title I/LAP and Director Services to districts in the North Central Washington region, working with administrators, teachers and paraeducators. Prior to that, she was employed 20 years in Soap Lake School district in various positions, including teacher, state and federal programs director, special education director, dean of students and principal.  Judi received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Central WA University and advanced degrees from City University and Washington State University.

Judi was honored as 2009 Regional Distinguished Principal by the Elementary School Principal Association of Washington.  She was also given recognition as 2019 Wenatchee Valley Education Office Professionals Administrator of the Year

Bev Reim
Grant County Representative

Beverly was in the public school system for 34 years. She began her career teaching in the elementary resource room in Othello, followed by four years in the junior high resource room in Moses Lake, and the rest of her career with the Ephrata School District. She taught grades 4th through 8th and ended her career teaching 6th grade science and math. She currently lives in Ephrata with her husband, Bruce, and they have one son, three grandsons, and one great-granddaughter.

Christopher Nelson
Grant County Representative

Christopher Nelson, as SVP/Commercial Banking Officer Team Lead for Wheatland Bank, brings his years of financial experience to the North Central Education Foundation. He studied Business Finance at Washington State University and has many years of successful experience in Commercial/Agricultural/Industrial and Municipal Lending. Christopher’s interest in joining the NCEF Board comes from his wife’s experience as a teacher and knowing the budget challenges of school districts. Chris and his wife have lived in Moses Lake many years and are raising their family there. His role as a Commercial Loan Officer, serving on multiple teams to develop, design and implement new ways for businesses to grow, will be invaluable in his role as an NCEF Board member. He will be key in helping the North Central Education Foundation to achieve their goals and provide them with tools that will help them make sound financial decisions for their future.

Cathi Nelson
NCESD Board of Directors Representative

Cathi Nelson comes to the NCESD board of directors from a longtime career in education, including serving 26 years at the Waterville School District as an elementary teacher, principal, and then Superintendent until her retirement in 2018.

Dr. Michelle Price
Foundation Advisor

Dr. Michelle Price, superintendent of North Central ESD, serves as advisor to the North Central Education Foundation. She has served North Central ESD as superintendent for the past three years. Prior to her current position, Dr. Price served as a classroom teacher, and principal for Tacoma, Soap Lake and Moses Lake School District, and later as superintendent for Moses Lake School District.

Dr. Price served as State President of the Washington Association of School Administrators and is currently a member of the National Executive Committee of the American Association of School Administrators. Dr. Price holds advanced degrees from Central Washington University and a Doctoral Degree from Washington State University. She was recently honored as 2018 Administrator of the Year by the National Association of Educational Office Professionals.

Eldene Wall
Foundation Liaison

Eldene Wall serves as Secretary/NCESD Liaison for North Central Education Foundation, after retiring from North Central ESD after 29 years. Her passion for the work of NCEF resulted in continuation of her work there.  Eldene is editor of Teachers Make a Difference, a book that is sold to raise money for scholarships for high school graduates who want to become teachers, and completed the 17^th edition in 2019, Mentors Matter.  Eldene also serves as secretary to the Wenatchee Valley Community Concert Association Board and secretary for the Write on the River Board, a local writing organization.  She was named as 2011 WAEOP Educational Office Professional of the Year, was honored with the Paula Thomas Distinguished Service Award in 2015, and in 2017 received the AESD President’s Award.  She received her Masters Degree in Nonprofit Management and Leadership in spring of 2012.  She recently served as N.W. Area Director for the National Association of Educational Office Professionals (NAEOP) and as Strategic Planning Chair for the Washington State EOP group (WAEOP).