Marcelina Mendoza & Kat Lohman
What SWAN Women of the Year awards banquet
When 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20
Where
Swinomish Casino & Lodge, 12885 Casino Drive, Anacortes
tickets, inFO
$75 (individual) $550 (table of eight) swanskagit.com
By ESTEPHANIE BICKLEY CARRILLOThe Skagit Women’s Alliance and Net working (SWAN) is elated to be able to meet in person after two years of being virtual.
SWAN continues to recognize inspira tional women and foster educational goals of higher education.
On Oct. 20, we will honor six women for their work in giving back to the community.
This year, we were honored to have the largest pool of nominations in SWAN’s history. We had 16 Women of the Year nomi nees and nine Rising SWAN nominees.
Participants are nominated by the com munity at large and then are invited to fill out an application with questions about their career and community contributions.
Every year when we read through the nomination materials, we are blown away by the many accomplishments and amazing work being done by the nominees.
This year’s awardees are no exception.
This year’s recipients are Veronica Gon zalez, Jenifer Howson, Hulda Bernice Maza
riegos-Garcia and Sylvia Alvarez.
They will be honored in four categories: Professional Achievement, Mentorship of Women, Community Engagement and Transformative Leadership.
The recipients’ award categories will be revealed the night of our banquet.
We are proud to present Marcelina Men doza and Kat Lohman with Rising SWAN awards.
One of the most important benefits of the banquet is fundraising for scholarships.
The SWAN Scholarship is awarded to women working or residing in Skagit County who hold an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. degree and are pursuing an enhanced standing or competence in their business or profession.
Last year the board raised $8,000. This year our goal is $9,000. Scholarship money is raised through ticket sales and raffles.
This is a great time for the community to come together and celebrate what is being achieved, and to celebrate the accomplish ments of women.
For Jenifer Howson, leaving some thing better than she found it has always been a goal. That didn’t stop when the Mount Vernon-based lawyer left private practice to work in Skagit County District Court.
“I am driven by, and enjoy, trying to elevate any system I am a part of,” said Howson, who is now a District Court judge. “I can’t stop myself from doing that.”
When she joined District Court as a commissioner in 2017, Howson quickly realized the traditional court system wasn’t achieving the goal of stopping recidivism.
District Court handles low-level offenses, many of which of are driven by poverty, mental illness and addic tion, Howson said.
Week after week, she would see the same people come to court, spend a short time in jail, then wind up back in District Court.
“It’s the same frustration that peo ple in the community have,” Howson said. “They get out and they go back in, and we aren’t making any prog ress.”
So she began working on bring
ing a better model of court to Skagit County, as well as to the four city court systems.
Community Court, now in its third year, works with those convicted of crimes of poverty, and helps them get to a place where they can improve their lives.
“We literally ask the questions, ‘What caused this? What do you need?’” Howson said.
She and those organizations with whom she partners can help those who appear in Community Court get their GEDs, find housing, get a driver’s license or get into treatment.
Howson has seen those with long
criminal histories stop offending, find employment and get sober, she said.
“Courts have proceeded the same way for 200 years,” she said. “Now we’re finally trying to fix it.”
Howson’s success with Community Court has led to her appointment to a statewide committee, where she advo cates for the Community Court model and helps other counties create their own programs.
Before she joined District Court, Howson spent decades building a suc cessful law practice, and she made it a focus to support women who were interested in studying law.
A couple years ago, a pregnant freshman at Mount Vernon High School told Veronica Gonzalez that she planned to graduate.
The undocumented student with limited use of English — with Gon zalez’s help as interpreter, mentor and guide — obtained a green card, learned English and graduated.
The student started this fall at Skagit Valley College, Gonzalez said.
Success stories such as this led to Gonzalez being selected a SWAN Woman of the Year.
She said she feels honored, humbled and happy to receive the recognition.
Gonzalez works as the Mount Vernon School District’s multilingual student and family liaison, supporting the district’s migrant and multilingual students and families in academic pur suits.
She said her job involves provid ing students and families the tools to advocate for themselves and succeed.
Gonzalez also works to support the community through community engagement activities and a food pan try and donation center.
Gonzalez, who grew up as a migrant student and acted as the interpreter for her family, said she remembers her mother’s struggles with navigating the academic system.
“Being that person for the students and the family is just so rewarding and so amazing — that I could be the tool and be the bridge between our school, our community, our students, and our parents,” Gonzalez said.
Seeing the students with whom she worked graduate makes her job rewarding, Gonzalez said.
Occasionally, the students she helps
Being that person for the students and the family is just so rewarding and so amazing — that I could be the tool and be the bridge between our school, our community, our students, and our parents.
return to the community to work as counselors and teachers themselves.
“We’re all working for a common goal, and that’s for students to be suc cessful and move on after high school,” Gonzalez said. “It could be a (college); it could be a technical school; it could be work; it could be the service; but we want our students to be successful and eventually come back and serve the community.”
In the future, Gonzalez hopes to
start a nonprofit and continue to serve students in the community with fewer limitations caused by rules and poli cies, and fewer restrictions on funding.
“We try really hard not to say, ‘We can’t help you.’ We always try to find something to be able to give our students and our families, but it does happen,” Gonzalez said. “Starting something more independently, maybe at some point I wouldn’t have that barrier.”
Hulda Bernice Mazariegos García is being recognized as a SWAN Woman of the Year, and for good reason.
García is a family therapist and edu cator for Hispanic Community Ser vices at YouthNet in Mount Vernon. She also serves as the program coor dinator for support group El Sol Nace para Todos, which means The Sun Rise for All and is a support group for His panic parents.
“It was a pleasant surprise to hear that I was selected to obtain such a special award,” García said. “The par ticipation of our group in the Skagit community has reflected changes that Hispanic families have achieved through the empowerment developed by belonging to this educational com munity group.”
As an educator and program coor dinator, García helps Hispanic families find appropriate resources both inside and outside the community, creates programs to improve students’ school performance and recruits help from individual professionals, among many other tasks.
She has used her knowledge and expertise all over the world, bounc ing between her home country of Guatemala to British Columbia and eventually landing in Mount Vernon, where she has worked at YouthNet
Wherever I settle, I will find a new home, and when I am there I am sure of what I want to be and contribute to that community. I always want to be a part of a positive change in the environment where I interact.
since 2019.
“Wherever I settle, I will find a new home, and when I am there I am sure of what I want to be and contribute to that community. I always want to be a part of a positive change in the envi ronment where I interact,” García said.
She was nominated by her El Sol Nace para Todos colleague Ana Rivas, who described García on the SWAN nomination form as dedicated, pas
sionate, hardworking and resourceful.
“The amount of respect and admi ration many have for Hulda is impres sive,” Rivas said on the nomination form. “She helps women learn how to be independent and find resources. She understands how it feels to nav igate through unfamiliar systems, so she uses her experiences as tools to guide these women.”
“ ”
Sylvia Alvarez saw needs in the community for youths, and for years has been tirelessly working to fill those needs.
Her latest endeavor is the Triumph Teen Life Center in Mount Vernon. Its opening comes on the heels of other youth-based programs and facilities, including the Skagit Valley Early Learning Center.
“Knowing that when I arrived here in America when I was 3 years old with my mom and not knowing the language, no friends and no close fam ily, to know just how important those early years are and to have a place where the kiddos can go is so impor tant,” Alvarez said.
On her résumé, Alvarez says her aspirations are, “To empower and support all those around me, providing them opportunities and resources to help them succeed in life and inspire them to continue to do the same for others, together contribute to a better quality life for everyone.”
Alvarez said founding the Triumph Teen Life Center had always been her dream.
“To provide not only a safe play for teens, but a place were they can learn different skills,” she said. “We work with a lot of different organizations who are supporting these teens. A lot of times, all they need is someone to say, ‘Hey, I believe in you, I am here for you and understand you are going through things and I want to help.’ We
Knowing that when I arrived here in America when I was 3 years old with my mom and not knowing the language, no friends and no close family, to know just how important those early years are and to have a place where the kiddos can go is so important.
want to see these kiddos succeed.”
On her SWAN nomination form, colleague Alex Perez said, “Sylvia primarily empowers marginalized groups through her nonprofit organi zation, Triumph Teen Life Center. She is creating systemic change toward a healthy and just community by provid ing low-barrier after-school programs
for at-risk youth.
“As a Mexican immigrant herself, Sylvia wanted to provide an opportu nity for youth — who would have oth erwise fallen through the cracks — to feel connected, mentored, and empow ered, with the hope of eliminating a perpetual cycle of the school to prison pipeline.”
the 2022
Year
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Marcelina Mendoza feels validated by winning a Rising SWAN award.
“You know, it kind of shows me that I am doing something good for the com munity, something that you do it, but you don’t really realize the impact that you’re having sometimes on other people, or that your job is actually doing some thing that other people are noticing what you’re doing, and I think that’s really nice,” she said.
Mendoza came to the United States with her parents from Mexico when she was 9 years old.
“I became my parents, especially my mother’s inter preter, as soon as I came to the USA without knowing an ounce of English, but I did the best I could since there were no interpreters for my parents,” Mendoza wrote in her SWAN nomination materials. “At 9 years old I had to navi gate a new culture and multiple new systems.”
Since then, Mendoza has continued to utilize her lan guage skills to assist those who don’t speak English access essential services.
“For me, it’s really important for people to make their own decisions, to be independent, to know that if they go somewhere they can be able to make a decision for them selves, or for their kids and have that one-on-one, even via interpreter, you know, with either teachers, doctors, lawyers, whatever it is,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza has been involved in a variety of community organizations. Some of Mendoza’s contributions include being a Mixteco and Spanish interpreter for SeaMar CHC OBGYN, the Promotora de Salud with the county Public Health Department and a co-teacher for the Mixteco Par ent Academy.
“Now I’m the Outreach Coordinator for Skagit Legal Aid, and I’m using this opportunity to learn how to nav igate the law system and help my community obtain free legal services,” Mendoza wrote.
Mendoza is planning to study and practice law. She is currently on her last 15 credits at Whatcom Community College and and will be transferring to Fairhaven College this fall for the Law, Diversity and Justice program.
“I’ve seen family members being arrested without know ing their rights,” Mendoza wrote. “This part of my life has influenced my decision to purse a law degree.”
Kat Lohman works hard to assist the community, specifically through her work at the Skagit Valley Family YMCA over the past several years as its executive director of social impact.
Having initially worked at the YMCA from 2015 to 2017, she returned in 2021 to help further develop and strengthen the Oasis Teen Shelter, which serves homeless youths ages 13 to 17.
“When I came back, I very quickly jumped right into advis ing Oasis a little and supporting and giving some historical knowledge there because I had run the program at one point,” Lohman said.
Aspects of the Oasis shelter that Lohman hopes to focus on in the future include enhancing outreach strategies, staffing, strengthening internal policies and procedures, and establish ing strategic partnerships.
Some partnerships have already been formed.
At the start of the summer, Lohman helped form a collab oration between the YMCA and the city of Sedro-Woolley that converted the old Central Skagit Library location into the Sedro-Woolley Recreation Center.
Throughout the summer, a running program and drop-in center were established at the rec center that allowed local youths to interact and to engage in outdoor recreation. Youths could also become connected with the Oasis shelter if they required its services.
“I think I just have had some historical knowledge of this community, I’m born and raised here, and also just care deeply about housing and changing the systems so that they serve people better and I get to do that at the Y, which is really exciting,” Lohman said.
Since rejoining the YMCA, Lohman has also secured it as what is known Anchor Community for A Way Home Wash ington.
“The Skagit Y, because (YMCA CEO Dean Snider) sup ported that hair-brained idea of mine, got to step into a lead role for coordinating a statewide effort to functionally end youth and young adult homelessness in Washington,” Lohman said.
Going forward, Lohman hopes to continue to define and embed social impact throughout the YMCA and to continue the drop-in and outreach programs in Sedro-Woolley.
“I think why I do what I do, or why I care, is just to serve my community and be the kind of person that I would’ve benefited from, many of my friends would’ve benefited from growing up too,” Lohman said.
Ramirez Barriga was born in the Skagit Valley, but moved with her fam ily to Michoacan, Mexico, when she was 5. Nine years later, her parents sent her and her siblings to the Skagit Valley so they could have more opportunities.
Upon returning, Ramirez Barriga struggled to reinte grate. When she was 19, she took on the role of parent for her younger siblings.
She is the first col lege graduate in her family. She is a gradu ate of BurlingtonEdison High School, Skagit Valley College and Western Wash ington University.
She is working toward her master’s degree in teaching at Washington State University Ever ett and desires to become a Spanish teacher.
Brann is the recov ery care coordinator for the Northwest Regional Council and for the past 10 years has assisted those struggling with men tal health, substance use disorders and housing.
She works with community partners and programs to locate, identify and connect organizations the marginalized and underrepresented in the community.
In addition to raising her daugh ter and advocating for her clients, she is completing her health care manage ment and leadership degree at Skagit Valley College with a plan to transfer to Eastern Washington University to receive her master’s in health services administra tion.
Luna has worked with the the Mount Vernon School Dis trict, Community Action of Skagit Val ley and Skagit Valley Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services.
She has been an active member of the KSVR Spanish radio station and board president of the PAC Council Migrant Program in the Burl ington-Edison School District.
She is attending Seminario Teological Del Northwest Chris tian University seek ing a degree in theol ogy and seminary.
Scholz graduated from Mount Vernon High School and Skagit Valley College in the spring of 2022 receiving her high school diploma and associates degree at the age of 18.
She was instru mental in creating an exchange program between local high school students and refugees in Syria.
She led the team to create introspective portraits and poems detailing their experi ences, and personally carried artwork from Lebanon to Mount Vernon.
Scholz intends to attend Northwest University to obtain a master’s degree in teaching with a focus on environmental science, with a goal to be a high school teacher.
Claudia Avendaño-Ibarra Iris Carias Julie De Losada Tina Tate
Tamsin Bell
Polly Dubbel Marla Renee Chapa Laho Zachmeyer
Annette Pankey
Dorothy Elsner Veronica Lopez Joan Penney
Jacque Beamer Patsy Martin Rita Ordóñez
Germaine Kornegay Teresa Pugh Heidi Roy
Bonnie Bowers Erin Long Rebecca Schlaht
Erin Baldwin Janie Beasley Kari Ranten
Kathryn Bennett Mary June Curtis Jeanne Youngquist
Debbie Allen 2012 Kristia Poppe
Valerie Stafford 2010 Liz McNett-Crowl
Sue Krienen 2008 Jan Ellingson 2007 Pam Nelson
Maureen Harlan 2005 Laura Cailloux
Lisa Janicki 2003 Mary Arendse
Debra Lancaster 2001 Laurie Gere 2000 Susan Cook 1999 Shirley Osborn 1998 Linda Freed 1997 Lola Lang 1996 Maureen Dickson
Judi Knutzen 1994 Dorothy Bluhm Urbick 1993 Judy Montoya 1992 Nanette Hough 1991 Pat Hyatt 1990 Carol Kirkby 1989 B.J. Kendall 1988 Cheryl Bishop 1987 Geneva Sasnett 1986 Judy Menish 1985 Carol Pritchard Jelinek
