Meet the Board

Turning our Attention to Teaching

To date, Washington State has placed its primary focus on two aspects of the school improvement puzzle: high standards for all students and a test aligned with those standards. However, a third aspect of our educational system — its 55,000+ teachers — must now receive the same level of focus and support. The investigation of the conditions of teaching and the promotion of policies and practices that support the powerful teaching required to help students meet state standards must assume a dominate role in our efforts. The Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession is committed to the task of clarifying who is teaching in Washington, how well they are prepared, the nature of the instruction they provide and how well they are supported in their very important work.

— Jill Jacoby, Past President

Washington needs reliable, timely information about the conditions of teaching in each of the schools across our state, and it needs that information conveyed in ways that help educators, community members and policymakers improve schools. Our state also needs a corps of experienced and talented teachers who can contribute to policy discussions based on their instructional expertise and commitment to students.

If you're interested in our efforts to commission research, convey information broadly, and amplify the voice of teachers in policymaking, we welcome your inquiry.

— Jeanne Harmon, Executive Director

CSTP Board of Directors

Lisa Bond, President
Lisa Bond is the parent of two children, one in high school and one a graduate of the Seattle Public schools. She has been involved with parent leadership development and advocacy for 17 years in a
variety of capacities, including as Washington State PTA President from 2001-2003. She is an active parent leader in Seattle's schools.

Tom Robinson, Vice President
Tom Robinson is a National Board Certified Teach in Adolescence and Young Adulthood Mathematics. He is in his 12th year as a classroom teacher, and works in the Lake Chelan School District. He serves on the Washington State Math Standards Revision Team, he produced math and science curriculum for
Apex Learning, and has been an online AP teacher since 2000. Prior to becoming a teacher, he was a Network Communications Engineer for the Boeing Company. He has a Master's in Secondary Math Education from Western Washington University, and is the author of the best-selling The Everything
Kids' Science Experiments Book and The Everything Kids' Magical Science Experiments Book.

Karen Hatley, Treasurer
Karen Hatley is a sixth-grade teacher at Adams Elementary School in the Spokane School District. A 29-year veteran teacher in grades 3–6, Hatley is a National Board Certified Teacher and a building and district trainer. She was a facilitator for the High Expectations Committee in Spokane School District and a participant in the Teacher Leadership Project to teach and use technology. She has a masters in administration and curriculum from Gonzaga University.

Marc Frazer, Vice President of Washington Business Roundtable
Marc Frazer is vice president of the Washington Roundtable, a nonprofit, public policy organization comprised of chief executives representing major private sector employers. The Roundtable was founded in 1983 to create positive change on policy issues that impact the economy and improve the quality of life for Washingtonians.

Marc previously served as first vice president for community and external affairs at Washington Mutual where he managed corporate giving and supported the company's CEO on public policy initiatives. Prior to Washington Mutual, Marc created and implemented public affairs strategies for a variety of organizations related to forestry, energy, land use and education. He has served on gubernatorial and mayoral commissions and has taught at the University of Washington. Marc lives in Seattle with his wife, Megan, and two daughters Kaila and Kate.

Gary Kipp, Executive Director of AWSP
Gary Kipp joined AWSP as executive director in September 2003 after nearly 30 years as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. The majority of his time in the principalship was focused at the high school level, having spent 18 years leading Mark Morris High in the Longview School District. Prior to that, he served as assistant principal at Cascade and Monticello middle schools, also in Longview. Before transitioning to AWSP, Kipp also served as an assistant superintendent for Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver.

Gary holds a master's degree in educational administration from the University of Washington, though his true loyalties lie with his undergraduate alma mater, Washington State University.

Gary and his wife, Sue, live in Olympia. They have two adult children and five grandchildren.

Jeanne Harmon, Executive Director
Jeanne Harmon is the Executive Director for the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession, an independent nonprofit organization focused on improving teaching quality in Washington State. Most recently, she directed the Washington Initiative for National Board Certification at OSPI. Prior to that, she taught in elementary and middle school for Central Kitsap School District, then directed technology and professional development efforts there, and spent five years in the Northeast coordinating a network of schools committed to math and science reform.