Chris is currently serving as interim Vice President for External Affairs and Government Relations for Washington State University. Chris oversees the university’s state, federal and regional government relations team and associated external affairs activities on behalf of WSU’s six-campus system. He and his team are responsible for advancing and advocating for university priorities at the state and federal levels, engaging relevant stakeholders in support of those aims, and connecting them with the broader university.

Chris previously served as the Director of State Relations, leading advocacy efforts in the statehouse. During this time, WSU has secured state support for a new campus in Everett, a new medical school based in Spokane and new facilities on all of WSU’s five physical campuses.

Prior to joining WSU, Chris was senior communications specialist in the Washington State Senate where he helped develop communications strategies and provided written communications for both print and digital audiences. He also previously worked for 11 years as a reporter at the Tri-City Herald.

As the 7^th Chancellor of Washington State University Tri-Cities, Dr. Sandra Haynes is a distinguished leader with over 20 years of administrative experience in diverse educational settings. She brings expertise from roles in both research-intensive and comprehensive institutions. Holding a Ph.D. in Experimental Neuropsychology and re-specializing in Counseling Psychology, she holds a faculty position as a professor in the Department of Psychology at Washington State University.

Prioritizing academic excellence and student support, Dr. Haynes’s career highlights include key positions at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she drove interdisciplinary programs and secured funding through community partnerships. She is recognized for her commitment to diversity and community collaboration, and her leadership at WSU Tri-Cities has led to innovations like the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures. With a focus on Student Success, Research and Scholarship, Accessibility and Equity, Community Engagement, Campus Culture, and Institutional Effectiveness, she champions excellence and collaboration, fostering strategic investments for education and community growth.

Noel N. Schulz is Washington State University’s First Lady and the Edmund O. Schweitzer III Chair in Power Apparatus and Systems in the WSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. She has over 26 years of teaching experience at 6 U.S. universities, including WSU.

A nationally recognized expert in power systems engineering, Dr. Schulz is dedicated to recruiting and retaining women in the field of engineering and mentoring female engineering faculty. She has initiated faculty networks for women at 3 universities.

Dr. Schulz’s research has focused on power systems modeling and analysis, smart grid applications, microgrids, renewable energy, and shipboard power systems. The research has been funded by multiple national agencies—including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Departments of Defense, Energy, and Homeland Security—and private power equipment companies. She has published 175 papers and two book chapters.