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Board of Directors

Greg Abbott – Greg is currently in his fourth year as a volunteer coach in the CAN program. Greg has been a business executive and attorney in the life sciences industry for almost 30 years. Currently, Greg provides business strategy advice and is a consulting expert on licensing and business transactions in the high tech and biotech industries. His current law practice is devoted to pro bono legal aid involving immigrant rights cases. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of Denver College of Law and holds a B.A. in economics from Yale University.
 
Ginny Barney (CAN Treasurer) – Ginny volunteered as a CAN coach during CAN’s first year. Beginning in the second year, she has served as the CAN Treasurer. Ginny joins CAN with 13 years of banking experience and currently is the Business & Operations Manager for Cypress Consulting, a Seattle-based consulting firm specializing in website design and development.
 
Ray Blakeney (CAN Vice-President) – Ray is currently working at a non-profit based in Seattle.  Ray spent 10 years at Microsoft. Most recently as the Global Program Manager for the Microsoft Academy for College Hires. Prior to Microsoft, Ray worked in college admissions and government. Ray holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Dayton and did Masters work in Higher Ed Administration at Boston College. Ray is the 1st in his family to receive a college degree.
 
Patti Brooke – Patti has an extensive background in high-tech business and marketing as well as non-profit work in the Seattle area.  She is a former Board Chair of the Rainier Scholars Board of Trustees and was engaged in many aspects of Social Venture Partners for over five years.  She is passionate about equal access rights to education.  Patti has 2 children, 6 and 4 and lives with her husband and sons on Capitol Hill in Seattle and has worked for many years at Microsoft in marketing.  She has an MBA from the University of Washington and BA in English Literature from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.
 
Amy Hagopian, PhD – Amy was chair of the Garfield PTSA when CAN was founded, and was a champion for affiliating the two organizations. She is on the faculty at the University of Washington School of Public Health where she teaches evaluation, policy, community development and international health.  She is a former Seattle School Board member (1990-1993).
 
Bruce Jacobsen (CAN Board President) – Bruce Jacobsen's father was the first in his family to attend college. Bruce has volunteered as a tutor at Garfield and as treasurer of the McGilvra PTA. He currently runs a company that designs digital curriculum.  Local schools using his curriculum include Nathan Hale, Roosevelt, Seattle Academy and the Northwest School. Other non-profit experience includes being on the board of Trust for Public Land, and one of the early supporters of Room to Read. Prior to starting his own company, Bruce worked for Microsoft, including running the Kids and Games business unit, and at RealNetworks as chief operating officer and president.
 
Donna Lou – Community volunteer. Donna currently sits on the board of The Seattle Foundation and is an active member of Social Venture Partners and Washington Women's Foundation. Prior to becoming a full-time select soccer team manager, Donna was employed at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in their library grants program and at Microsoft Corporation in their publishing division. Donna graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in political science.
 
Theresa Mannix – Theresa coached two students in CAN’s first year after helping two of her own children through the college application process.  She and her husband Caleb Canby are co-founders of the Mannix Canby Foundation which funds programs for at-risk youth in the Puget Sound region. Theresa is also a member of the Washington Women's Foundation.
  
Linda Straley – After twenty years, Linda recently retired from the faculty of Seattle Academy (SAAS) where she taught Spanish and English and then became Director of College Counseling, a position she held for thirteen years.  Linda has a BA in history from Smith College and has taught middle school in Guatemala and Panama.  Linda is currently serving as the Volunteer Coordinator for College Access Now.

CAN Founder

Julia Schechter – Julia began volunteering as a Garfield community volunteer and founded the College Access Now Program.  She is currently serving as Executive Director of CAN. Before starting a family, Julia held a staff position with the Assembly Higher Education Subcommittee in Sacramento, CA; worked on number numerous political campaigns and taught sixth grade in a Redwood City School District bi-lingual classroom.  She has a BA in Politics from U.C. Santa Cruz and a Masters in Education Policy and Administration from Stanford University.

 

 

 
info@CollegeAccessNow.org

(206) 252-2312