President's Message

Greetings!

AVHRA is happy to announce that KARI PAGE has joined the AVHRA’s Board as President-elect for 2017.

Kari returned to her roots in the Wenatchee Valley by joining the City of Wenatchee as Director of Human Resources last year at this time.  She graduated from Wenatchee Valley College with an AA Degree in Business Administration before receiving her BA, Business Administration/HR Management at Western Washington University and a HR Management Certificate from Bellingham Technical College.

Kari has been in HR management positions since 1992, most recently 12 years as Corporate Director of HR for Healthy Pet, a nation-wide company providing healthy pet products.

Kari has a volunteer heart.  Her passion for HR has placed her as Vice President of the Western Washington University NHRMA, and committee and Board member for SHRM Mt. Baker.  She has been a member of SHRM since 1996 and is SHRM-SCP and SPHR certified.  Kari was the President of Zonta International Club of Bellingham for 10 years working with business professionals to advance the status of women in the community and the world. She led the development of the local club and charter implementation and large charity fundraisers for a 22-unit transitional housing facility for women and children survivors of domestic violence.

Kari’s personal interests include golfing, hiking and water sports.  She is a champion triathlete and open water swimmer. She participated in swim team racing at age six and continued through the US Master’s (over 30 years). She was Varsity Letterman and State Qualifier all four years of high school.  Kari is an accomplished vocalist, recording artist, violinist and piano player.

2016 Employment Law Summit  - registration is open!  Join us on December 8 at the beautiful Wenatchee Convention Center as we learn from the experts on issues that will affect everyone in 2017. Doors open at 7:30 am for breakfast and the program begin promptly at 8:00 am.

• Disability Law and the Workplace - Kara Craig, Staff Counsel Archbright
• OSHA Rules Changes, Jacob Ewer, Area Director OSHA
• Employment Law Update - Erin McCool and Gil Sparks, attorneys Ogden Murphy Wallace

And don’t forget our annual silent auction – a fun activity during the law summit with lots of great gift ideas.  Funds raised during the auction are donated to SHRM Foundation.  If you would like to donate auction items, please contact AVRHA’s Foundation Chairperson, Brenda Reagan at reaganbl@hotmail.com

The year is winding down and we are most thankful for a lot of things – we would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who have supported AVHRA in the past year:

To the AVHRA Board of Directors – You are an amazing group of people volunteering while still holding full-time jobs. The work you do, the time you give and the passion you have to advance the HR profession and give back to our community is insurmountable.  A special thank you to retiring board members who have given years of service to AVHRA: Annie Horey, Melissa Wear-Grimm, Errin Bratton and Christy Tomlinson.

To our AVHRA Members – Thank you for your continuing support to AVHRA through membership renewals and attending our events.  We are glad you see the value in what we do and we continually strive to provide you the best we can with quality speakers, events and information.  Watch for the December newsletter which will include a survey asking what YOU and your organizations need in programs for 2017.   Your feedback is very important to us!

And to the new 2017 AVHRA Board, Kari Page, Brenda Reagan, Jeremy Jordan, Jennifer West, Kristine Foreman, Erin McCool, Staci Sleigh-Layman, Hana Tate and Liana Cockrum, THANK YOU for advancing the HR profession with quality programs, networking and training opportunities in the Wenatchee, Ellensburg and Moses Lake area. We are confident you will manage our strong financial standing and future growth and success of AVHRA – giving back to our community, always working together, and never giving up!

Our best, Ruth Erwert and Reagan Bellamy (AVHRA co-presidents)