New commissioners named to SHA board
Nora Gibson and Juan Martinez to serve three
year terms
SEATTLE—August 8, 2007—Mayor Greg
Nickels has appointed Nora Gibson and Juan Martinez to serve three
year terms as Seattle Housing Authority Commissioners. Both
appointees were approved on Tuesday, August 7 by the Housing, Human
Services and Health Committee of the Seattle City Council. The
appointments will be presented to the full Council for confirmation
on August 13. Gibson and Martinez will replace SHA Commissioners
Jennifer Potter and Bettylou Valentine, both of whom have served on
the Commission for two terms.
"We are very excited at the
prospect of working with both Ms. Gibson and Mr. Martinez," said SHA
Executive Director Tom Tierney. "They both have impeccable
qualifications and I am sure they will add important skills and
perspectives to our board."
Gibson is executive director of
ElderHealth Northwest, the largest adult day health program in the
Pacific Northwest. ElderHealth operates five adult day centers, two
of which are located in Seattle Housing Authority buildings.
Gibson's 30 year career has focused on providing community-based
long-term care for aging adults.
At the City Council committee
meeting on Tuesday, Gibson commented on the fact that the need for
creative solutions to meeting the needs of low-income elderly
residents is becoming more urgent. Her vision for a healthy future
for SHA would include assisted living floors in some buildings along
with partnerships to build smaller, clustered housing for elders.
Gibson is affiliated with a number of professional organizations and
is currently a board member of the National Pioneer Network, the
Brain Injury Association of Washington, Alzheimer's Association and
Washington Adult Day Services Association.
Juan Martinez is the state field
director for the Washington Tax Fairness Coalition where he works
with community, education, labor, faith and human services
organizations to advocate for a progressive tax system that will
benefit working families. Martinez also spent five years working for
the Department of Social and Health Services, where he worked as a
case manager for a range of people seeking services. He also brings
labor and political organizing experience.
Martinez has worked with U.S.
Congressman Jim McDermott and served as the president of Local 843
Washington Federation of State Employees. Martinez also serves on
the board of directors of the Seattle Central Community College
Foundation.
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