Executive Board
Debra Wibe
President
Deb grew up on the North Dakota prairies. She has a BSN in nursing and has worked in a variety of capacities. While in graduate school for a degree in Philosophy Deb served as a TA in the Great Works program where she fed her love of books. Following graduate school Deb served as an adjunct facility at a small university in Minot, ND, while continuing to serve as a nurse educator. Deb moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2013 to be near her daughter. She currently works for Whatcom Hospice.
Nancy grew up in Ohio. She earned a BA at Kent State University and entered her first professional job as a Child Care Worker at Portage County Juvenile Court. After moving to Seattle Nancy worked at the Seattle P-I and The Seattle Times in advertising sales and management; later joining Macy’s sales staff as a manager in the Bellingham and Burlington stores. Nancy and her husband moved to Sudden Valley in 2008. Nancy is an avid reader, has two grown children and loves gardening with her husband.
Nancy Wyen
Vice President, Membership
Diane Devlin
Secretary
Diane has spent a great deal of her life volunteering in a variety of capacities, the most recent as secretary for the Oak Harbor, WA Navy League Council where she served as contact point between the council and the board and for NAS Whidbey Island on-base commands and the national Navy League of the United States in Arlington VA. Amid her years of service Diane enjoyed raising a family and completing her college education. She moved with her husband to Sudden Valley in 2022.
Gena grew up outside New York City in the one traffic light hamlet of Palisades on the Hudson. She completed her B.S. degree in geology at S.U.N.Y Binghamton and moved west to attend graduate school at U.C. Riverside. After completing her M.S. degree, she enjoyed a 37 year career as a Geologist at a major integrated energy company. She moved to Bellingham in 2021 with her husband and adult son to enjoy the beautiful PNW in retirement. She enjoys walking Whatcom trails, reading, and crossword puzzles, as well as visiting the warm and welcoming South Whatcom Library.
Gena Evola
Treasurer
Board Members
Amy Buchanan
Moving to Sudden Valley in 2016, Amy is originally from Minnesota. She has a degree in information management systems and technical with computer/networking skills. Amy both works at home and travels in her position in sales in digital signage.
Sandi Mitchell
Sandi earned her IT degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Sandi had worked in schools and public libraries from 4th grade through college and was EXCITED when the Internet came of age and automated so many of her previous jobs. Sandi now works as a pharmacist exchanging patient information electronically throughout the healthcare system for the Veterans Administration. Her grandkids all are passionate readers.
Maggie Barklind
Social Media
Originally from New Mexico, Maggie grew up living around the world as an Air Force “military-brat.” She came to Bellingham to attend WWU and ended up working at her Alma Mater for the past 30+ years. Maggie identifies as a Bibliophile, she collects signed first edition books, and greatly enjoys author readings and talks. Maggie is very committed to the issues of literacy and library access.
Catherine Martin, Ph.D.
Catherine and her husband, and their two dogs, moved to Sudden Valley from the east coast in the summer of 2020 to enjoy retirement. With a doctoral degree in science education, Catherine still works on federal grants serving as an external evaluator, and also as an associate editor for Learning Environments Research: An International Journal. She retired from the university system as a tenured Associate Professor after 20 years in universities in California and Maryland. When Catherine is not out hiking or riding her new e-bike, she can be found in her garage on her pottery wheel.
Alma Deckert
Alma Deckert is probably better known as Alma Alexander (“Duchess of Fantasy” – more about that at www.AlmaAlexander.org, the title is real, if defunct…), author of more than twenty books (and more pending), recipient of the Mayor’s Arts Award for the city of Bellingham, and twice a finalist for the WA State Book Award. Recently widowed, she now lives in a house amongst the cedars with two cats and assorted visiting wildlife; her home is a TARDIS, bigger on the inside, and filled with books.