Making the Difference!
These award winners continually demonstrate support, commitment, advocacy & creativity in promoting & using commute alternatives. Read their stories below!
2025 Commute Smart Champions |
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| 2nd Quarter | |
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Champion ETC
Connie Becker Connie is the Legal Administrative Manager for WA State Office of Administrative Hearings, located in Spokane Valley, and has been the ETC since March 2023. Click to learn more about Connie! |
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Champion Commuter Norberto Castro Norberto has been working a compressed work week schedule for the past 18 years, showing his long-time commitment to a more sustainable commute. Click to learn more about Norberto!?? |
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Champion Commuter
Tera Lessard Tera Lessard is an Accreditation Specialist for Continuing Medical Education at the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. Click to learn more about Tera!? |
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Champion Commuter
Robert Scarborough Robert is a Maintenance Facilities Technician for Providence St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Medical Center. Click to learn more about Robert!? |
| 1st Quarter | |
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Champion ETC
Tait Garcia Tait is the Administrative Assistant for the City of Liberty Lake. She has been the ETC since March 2021. She markets her program to approximately 95 employees. Click to learn more about Tait! |
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Champion Commuter
John Gruss John Gruss is a custodian for EWU and works in the JFK Library on campus. John began riding the bus in 2009 after purchasing a condo in Spokane, that had a bus stop across the street. Click to learn more about John! |
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Champion Commuter
Kari Jenson Kari Jenson is an HR Specialist III for Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest. Kari is legally blind, so she's used some sort of commute option her entire adult life. Click to learn more about Kari! |
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Champion Commuter
Mike Cline Mike Cline is a GIS Analyst for the City of Spokane City Hall. He began working downtown in 2009. Learning of the free bus pass program that the City of Spokane offered, Mike began riding the bus. Click to learn more about Mike! |
2024 Commute Smart Champions |
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| 4th Quarter | |
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Champion ETC
Lorene Hansen Lorene is the Policy/Public Disclosure Coordinator for Airway Heights Corrections Center. She has been the ETC since March 2019 and markets her program to nearly 850 employees. Click to learn more about Lorene!? |
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Champion Commuter
Erik Broderson Erik is a civilian Contracting Officer for FAFB and has worked on base for 22 years. Erik has always worked a compressed work schedule, and after the pandemic, he started teleworking. Nearly 4 years ago he began vanpooling. Click to learn more about Erik! |
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Champion Commuter
Keith Sogge Keith is an Associate IT Support Specialist for URM Stores, Inc. To say that Keith is an avid cyclist, is quite the understatement. Keith has been riding his bike to work for the last 25 years. Click to learn more about Keith! |
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Champion Commuter
Scott Reid Scott is the Resource Marketing Manager for Avista Utilities. Scott has been riding his bike to work since he began working at Avista in 1998. And on days when he can’t ride his bike, he’ll carpool with his wife or take the bus into work. Click to learn more about Scott! |
| 3rd Quarter | |
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Champion ETC Shannon Cushner Shannon is a Supervisor for WA State DSHS - Division of Child Support. She has been the ETC since August 2023 and markets her program to 115 employees. Click to learn more about Shannon! |
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Champion Commuter Paul Victor Paul is a Librarian and Professor at Eastern Washington University. Paul has been riding the bus to campus since 2013. Click to learn more about Paul! |
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Champion Commuter Tim Lewis Tim is a GIS Technician for the City of Spokane - Water Department. Tim has worked a 4/10 work schedule since he began working for the City of Spokane over 11 years ago. Click to learn more about Tim! |
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Champion Commuter
Derek Aubrey Derek is a Compliance Inspector for the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. Derek started teleworking due to COVID 19. Click to learn more about Derek! |
| 2nd Quarter | |
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Champion ETC Seth Norman Seth is the Lead Security Support Specialist for both Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital. Click to learn more about Seth! |
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Champion Commuter Katherine Rice Katherine is an Internal Auditor for Washington Trust Bank. Living close to downtown, Katherine enjoys her 20-minute walk to work each day. Click to learn more about Katherine! |
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Champion Commuter Ryan Stewart Ryan is a Principal Transportation Planner for SRTC. Ryan has been a long-time bus rider. Click to learn more about Ryan! |
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Champion Commuter Mindy Schlosser Mindy is a Support Probation Technician for EW US Probation. Mindy’s been a long-time user of commute options. Click to learn more about Mindy! |
| 1st Quarter | |
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Champion ETC
Debbie Morse Debbie is a Headquarters Support Manager and has been the ETC since October 2022. Debbie markets her program to approximately 300 employees at their headquarters in the Spokane Valley. Click to learn more about Debbie. |
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Champion Commuter
Kristine Graf Kristine is a Water Quality Analyst for the City of Spokane, Water Dept. and has an 80-mile round trip commute. After moving to Spokane about 18 years ago, Kris and her husband began carpooling, wanting to save gas money and wear & tear on their car. Click to Learn more about Kristine. |
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Champion Commuter
Scott Bono Scott is a Warehouse Manager for Airway Heights Corrections Center. Soon after Scott began working at AHCC, six years ago, he looked into joining a vanpool/rideshare group. Click to learn more about Scott. |
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Champion Commuter
Lisa Gillingham Lisa is a Public Benefits Specialist 3 for DSHS. She began working for DSHS in Spokane in 2007. Living west of town, and having a 32-mile round trip commute, Lisa wanted to save money on gas and reduce the miles and wear & tear on her vehicle. Click to learn more about Lisa. |
2023 Commute Smart Champions |
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| 4th Quarter | |
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Champion ETC Jan Dormady Jan is the Paratransit Admin Assistant for STA. Jan is also a dedicated vanpooler. She’s been vanpooling since 2017 and with a 14-mile roundtrip commute, has saved nearly 26,000 miles on Spokane County roads, and also over $7000 in commuting costs. Read more about Jan! |
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Champion Commuter Joshua Hagen Joshua is the Logistics Coordinator for URM Stores and an avid bicyclist. Joshua rides his bike every day. The only times he doesn’t is if the roads are too icy or there is too much snow, and on those days, he carpools! Read more about Joshua! |
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Champion Commuter Danielle Nybo Danielle is a Court Clerk for the City of Spokane – Public Safety. Danielle began working for the city at a different site, but after accepting a job at the Public Safety building, she immediately began riding the bus. Read more about Danielle! |
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Champion Commuter Kevin Erickson Kevin is a Correctional Industries Supervisor 2 at Airway Heights Correction Center. He has been a vanpooler for nearly 15 years. Soon after Kevin began working at AHCC, a coworker was talking about their vanpool program. Read more about Kevin! |
| 3rd Quarter | |
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Champion ETC Marilyn (Missy) Eaker Marilyn is the Administrative Clerk for the City of Medical Lake and has also been the ETC since August of 2022. She markets her program to 21 employees. Read more about Marilyn! |
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Champion Commuter Mark Buescher, PA-C Mark is a Physician Assistant for NWOS. Mark has been an avid cyclist since he was a young kid. Mark moved to Spokane in 1989 but didn’t work at a site that made cycling an option for him. Read more about Mark! |
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Champion Commuter Denise Guiles Denise is a Food Service Worker at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Her mom took her on her first bus ride when she was about 6 years old, and she’s been riding the bus ever since. Read more about Denise! |
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Champion Commuter Clayton Krietzman Clayton started teleworking when telework became an option due to the Covid-19 outbreak and teleworked full time. Now that Covid restrictions have ended, Clayton is required to work in the office 4 days a week and continues to telework 1 day a week. Read more about Clayton! |
| 2nd Quarter | |
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Champion ETC Margaret Terry Margaret is the Chief PBX Operator for Lakeland Village, located in Medical Lake. She has been the ETC since 2018 and markets her program to 700 employees. Read more about Margaret! |
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Champion Commuter Brian Thomas Brian is a Business Analyst for CHAS (Community Health Assoc of Spokane). He’s about as multi-modal as you can get. He rides his bike nearly every day, carpools with his wife when he can’t, takes the bus occasionally and also works from home! Read more about Brian! |
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Champion Commuter Emily Rebert Emily is the Cultural Resources Subject Matter Expert for Fairchild Air Force Base. Soon after she began working on base in 2020, she knew it was important to find a way to reduce her commuting costs, since she had a 40-mile round trip commute. Read more about Emily! |
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Champion Commuter Mike Picollo Mike is the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Spokane and has worked downtown at City Hall for the last 32+ years. He’s commuted by public transportation primarily for environmental reasons. Read more about Mike! |
| 1st Quarter | |
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Champion ETC Angie Swan Angie Swan is the HR Specialist for Eastern WA US Probation, located in downtown Spokane and markets her program to 26 employees. Read more about Angie! |
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Champion Commuter Thomas Johnson Thomas is a Correctional Officer at Airway Heights Correction Center. Thomas has been riding his bike to work for many years. Living on the westside he used to ride his bike from Tacoma to Ft. Lewis each day, that’s a 36-mile commute! Read more about Thomas! |
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Champion Commuter Benjamin Christiansen Benjamin is a Court Clerk I for the City of Spokane, Public Safety Building. He’s been riding the bus since he was a child, as his dad was a driver for STA and recently retired after 34 years. Read more about Benjamin! |
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Champion Commuter Tyler Smith Tyler is a Deputy Base Civil Engineer for FAFB. Ty has been using commute options for the last 20 years, but only in the last 5 years working at FAFB. Read more about Tyler! |
2022 Commute Smart Champions |
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| 4th Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Josh DiLuciano Josh is the Vice President of Energy Delivery for Avista, which employs approximately 1,800 employees in Spokane. Avista offers up a CTR recognition program, subsidized vanpool & bus passes and secured bike storage. Read more about Josh! |
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Champion ETC Jennifer Lavway Jennifer is the HR Coordinator for TTEC, formerly Faneuil. She’s been the ETC since 2021 and markets her program to approximately 100 employees in Spokane Valley. Read more about Jennifer! |
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Champion Commuter Dan is a Senior Business Analyst for Avista. Through the years, Dan has carpooled, walked or bicycled into work. Read more about Dan! |
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Champion Commuter Calie is an Administrative Assistant for the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. Calie began working for Clean Air in 2019, during the COVID pandemic. Read more about Calie! |
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Champion Commuter Steven is a Grants and Planning Specialist for the WA State Dept. of Ecology. Being environmentally conscious, Steven started using commute options after he began working at the Dept. of Ecology in June 2019. Read more about Steven! |
| 3rd Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Gretchen Guess is the Executive Director of Operations for Providence. Providence Sacred Heart employs nearly 5,000 employees in the lower south hill medical community. Read more about Gretchen! |
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Champion ETC Nicholas Swan Nick is a Public Benefits Specialist 4 for the Department of Social and Health Services at the Spokane Valley CSO/Call Center. Nick has been the ETC for the last 6 years and markets his program to around 160 employees. Read more about Nick! |
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Champion Commuter Patrick Hallinan Pat is an Environmental Engineer for WA State Dept. of Ecology. Pat began riding his bike to work in the mid-90s. Read more about Patrick! |
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Champion Commuter Chandan Bhuta Chandan is a Senior Office Assistant for the Division of Child Support. She’s been using commute options for the last 22 years. Read more about Chandan! |
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Champion Commuter Rob Brewer Rob has been using some sort of commute option for the last 10 years. Throughout the years, he has walked, biked, carpooled, teleworked and worked a compressed work schedule. Read more about Rob! |
| 2nd Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Clark Brekke Clark is the President and CEO for Goodwill Industries on the Inland Northwest. Goodwill Industries employs nearly 600 employees throughout Spokane County! Read more about Clark! |
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Champion ETC Norma Cantu Norma is the Career Services Program Assistant and the ETC for SCC. She’s been the ETC for nearly 14 years! Read more about Norma! |
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Champion Commuter Eddie Ramirez Eddie is a Labor II for the City of Spokane, Water Department. Eddie rides his bike to and from work each day. Read more about Eddie! |
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Champion Commuter Scott Larson Scott Larson is a Maintenance Mechanic 3 for Eastern Washington University. Scott began vanpooling 2 years ago, shortly after being hired at EWU. Read more about Scott! |
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Champion Commuter Tamera Cleveland |
| 1st Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Randy Rudin Randy is the Acting Field Operations Chief for WA State DSHS – Division of Child Support. Randy has been a long-time supporter of CTR. Read more about Randy! |
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Champion ETC Sandi Hamilton Sandi is the HR Specialist II for Goodwill Industries of the INW. She markets her program to nearly 200 employees at the downtown site. Read more about Sandi! |
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Champion Commuter Candise Branum Candise is the Health Sciences Librarian for Gonzaga University. She’s been an avid bicyclist for the last 18 years. Read more about Candise! |
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Champion Commuter Dawn Mosher Dawn is an Interlibrary Loan/Summit Technician for EWU. Dawn has used public transportation her entire life. Read more about Dawn! |
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Champion Commuter Nadine Kramer Nadine is a Client Account Representative for Frontier Behavioral Health. She has been teleworking since COVID hit in March of 2020. Read more about Nadine! |