Making the Difference!
These award winners continually demonstrate support, commitment, advocacy & creativity in promoting & using commute alternatives. Read their stories below!
2021 Commute Smart Champions |
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| 4th Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Tatjana Roberts |
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Champion ETC Margee Chambers |
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Champion Commuter Jason Ball |
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Champion Commuter Lisa Woodard |
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Champion Commuter Josh Potter |
| 3rd Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Amelia Clark Amelia Clark is the Administrative Officer for Spokane Regional Health District, which employs 300 employees near the downtown area. Click to read more! |
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Champion ETC Rebekah Buettner Rebekah is a HR Admin Assistant for Washington Trust Bank. She’s been the ETC since April 2019. She markets her program to nearly 500 employees in downtown Spokane. Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Robert Ethington Robert Ethington is a Support Enforcement Technician for WA State DSHS – Division of Child Support. Robert is quite a dedicated commute option user! Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Crystal Belwood Crystal Bellwood is a Library Archive Para-Professional for EWU. Crystal began working at EWU in 2015 and has ridden the bus to work every day since. Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Will Slemp Will is a Court Clerk 1 for the City of Spokane, Public Safety. Will walks 1.2 miles to and from work every day! Click to read more! |
| 2nd Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Shirley Maike Shirley Maike is the Mayor for the City of Medical Lake. She also served as the ETC for many years at Eastern State Hospital. Click to Read More! |
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Champion ETC Karen Troxell Karen is the ETC and CTR Coordinator for Gonzaga University. She is also an Americorp volunteer. She’s been active in Gonzaga’s CTR program since 2019. Click to Read More! |
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Champion Commuter Nita Alexander Nita is a Graphic Designer and Prepress Technician for The Spokesman-Review/NW Offset Printing. She has been using commute options since 2010, saving nearly 15,000 miles off our roads. Click to Read More! |
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Champion Commuter Karin Ryon Karin is the Administration Assistant for Spokane Transit and has been riding the bus to work for the last 11 years. Click to Read More! |
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Champion Commuter Maria Arguinzoni Maria is an Accounting Clerk for the City of Spokane – Public Safety. She has been carpooling for nearly 20 years. Click to Read More! |
| 1st Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Joe Duricic Joe is the Water and Fuel System Maintenance Shop Foreman for Fairchild AFB. Joe has been an active CTR supporter since 2002. Click to read more! |
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Champion ETC Jocelyn Urban Jocelyn has been the ETC for Altek, Inc. in Liberty Lake since October of 2018. She markets her CTR program to 157 employees and walks her talk by carpooling to work each day. Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Andrew Duffey Andrew is an Accountant for the City of Spokane, City Hall. He began riding the bus soon after he began working for the City in July of 2016. Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Darroll Woelk Darroll works in 1st Class Vehicle Maintenance for Spokane Transit. He has been riding his bike to work, nearly every day, for the last 15 years. Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Ivanna Lomas Ivanna is the Park & Rec. Coordinator for City of Medical Lake. She’s been using commute options for the last 3 ½ years. She rides her bike, carpools and occasionally teleworks. Click to read more! |
2020 Commute Smart Champions |
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| 4th Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Loren Searl - City of Spokane Water Department Loren believes promoting CTR at the worksite benefits both the employee and the employer. Employees save money by using commute options and since most employees work a compressed work schedule, that allows them a greater work/life balance. Click to read more! |
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Champion ETC Jody Long - Spokane Transit Paratransit Jody is the Paratransit Clerk for STA Paratransit and has been the ETC for nearly the last 4 years. Jody markets her program to 84 employees. Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Jim Moneymaker - Eastern Washington University Jim is the Business Manager for Facilities & Planning at EWU. Jim has been riding the bus to EWU every day, for the last 18 years. A couple months after Jim began working at EWU, he noticed the bus pulling up, right outside his building. Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter Shayne Schoonover - City of Spokane Public Safety Shayne is a Court Clerk 1 for the City of Spokane, Public Safety. She’s been riding the bus since she began working for the City 12 years ago. With an 18-mile round trip commute, Shayne has reduced over 35,000 miles and saved over $10,000! Click to read more! |
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Champion Commuter John Rockwell - Spokane Transit John is the Senior Information Systems Manager for Spokane Transit. He met his wife at STA about 6 years ago and they soon began carpooling together. They enjoy the money they save by sharing their 44-mile round trip commute.Click to read more! |
| 3rd Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Connie Lambert-Eckel - Lakeland Village Connie is the Superintendent at Lakeland Village, which employs over 750 staff members and is located 20 miles from downtown Spokane, in a rural community, outside of Medical Lake, WA. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion ETC Karrie Diana - City of Spokane, Water Department Karrie is a Clerk II for the City of Spokane, Water Dept. She’s also been the ETC for the last 5 years. Karrie markets her program to approximately 150 employees. The City offers fully subsidized bus passes, preferred parking for carpoolers, bike racks, lockers, compressed work schedules and teleworking. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Mark Zielfelder - City of Spokane, Water Department Mark is a Laborer II in the Hydrant Division for the City of Spokane, Water Dept. Mark works a compressed work schedule and is also an avid carpooler. He began carpooling in February of this year after learning that several of his co-workers live in close proximity. With a 10-mile one-way commute, Mark likes the money he is saving and the positive impact he has on the environment by carpooling. Click to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Missy Eaker - City of Medical Lake Missy is the Accounts Payable Clerk Cashier for the City of Medical Lake. She has been walking or bicycling to work every day since she began working at the City in January 2017. Living within a mile of her worksite, she says it makes no sense to drive into work. Click to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Grace Callahan - Eastern Washington University Grace works with EWU’s student government—the ASEWU—as their program support supervisor. She began carpooling over 24 years ago. Grace was co-workers with the ETC for EWU at the time. Since they were neighbors, Nadine strongly encouraged Grace to begin carpooling together. Click here to learn more! |
| 2nd Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Tim Hansen - Spokane County Tim is the HR Director for Spokane County, which employs nearly 2000 employees, both on the County campus and throughout all of Spokane County. Tim personally walks his talk by carpooling with the HR Manager, as often as he can. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion ETC Julie Korssjoen - Spokane County Julie has been the Parking Coordinator and ETC for Spokane County since March 2019. She markets her program to nearly 2000 County employees. Spokane County offers nearly every CTR Program element; Nearly fully subsidized bus passes. Employees pay only $5 a month for a monthly STA pass. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Greg Garrett - STA Vanpool and Paratransit Greg is currently the Vanpool Manager for Spokane Transit. He began working at STA in 2009 as the Vanpool Coordinator, working at the Plaza downtown. He took advantage of the free monthly bus pass that STA provides a and began riding the bus daily. Click to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Lisa Keon - Alorica Lisa is a Customer Care Agent for Alorica in Spokane Valley and is no stranger to using commute options! Since moving to Spokane in 1998 she’s been a walker, bus rider, carpooler and now a Work a Home Agent. Click to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Nigel Davies - Eastern Washington University Nigel is a Scientific Instructional Technician at EWU. He also teaches Intro to Geology. He began working at EWU in the fall of 2011. He soon learned about the Fish Lake Trail that could get him from Spokane to Cheney. Click here to learn more! |
| 1st Quarter | |
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Champion Business Leader Janet Stowe - Spokane Transit Paratransit Janet Stowe is the Senior Manager for Paratransit & Vanpool for Spokane Transit. Her site is located just north of the bus barn, and has employs 102 employees. STA offers fully subsidized bus passes, preferred parking for carpoolers and vanpoolers, bike lockers, showers, a workout room and compressed work schedules. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion ETC Shellee Ives - City of Spokane City Hall Shellee Ives is a Clerk II for the City of Spokane, City Hall. She has been the ETC for nearly a year. She markets her program to approximately 480 employees. The City offers fully subsidized bus passes, compressed work schedules, guaranteed ride home, showers and lockers. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Maureen Replogle - alorica Maureen has been utilizing the bus system since she moved to Spokane in 1986. She began riding the bus for errands, but in 2008 Maureen gave up her car completely, deciding that owning a car didn’t make financial sense for her. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Carrie Brunsvold - Washington Trust Bank Carrie is a Wire Agent at Washington Trust Bank in downtown Spokane. Her husband encouraged Carrie to begin riding her bike to work in 2005. Click here to learn more! |
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Champion Commuter Cara Sasser - City of Spokane Water Department Cara is the Office Manager for the City of Spokane, Water Department. She began carpooling with her husband 14 years ago. She also works a 9/80 compressed work schedule and loves having a 3-day weekend twice a month. Click here to learn more! |
2019 Commute Smart Champions |
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| 4th Quarter | |
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All Star Leader Mark Wheeler – Department of Ecology |
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All Star Coach All Star Coach – WA State Dept. of Transportation – Eastern Region Jerry Compton is not just the ETC for WA State DOT, Eastern Region, but he’s also the ATC - Active Transportation Coordinator for Bike/Pedestrian/ADA outreach to the community for the Children of the Sun Trail. Click here to learn more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter Nate Jackson – Alorica Nate Jackson is a Subject Matter Expert at Alorica. He’s been walking to work for about 4 ½ years. When he first started walking to work, his commute was about 4 miles. Since he has moved, it’s now 1 mile and takes him about 15 minutes to get to work. Click here to learn more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter
Melissa Miller – Spokane County Melissa is an Office Assistant and the Front Desk Clerk in HR. She has been riding the bus for about 13 years while living in New York, Pennsylvania and Seattle. Not only does she save money and time, she feels that it’s a good break between work and home. Click here to learn more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter Kelly Lucey – STA Kelly is a Technical Projects Specialist in Spokane Transit’s Maintenance Department. Kelly bikes to work every day except in the snow and ice, and then she’ll walk or ride the bus. Her commute is 3 miles, which takes about 15 minutes. Click here to learn more! |
| 3rd Quarter | |
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All Star Leader Staci Franz - INHS Staci is the HR Director for Inland Northwest Health Services, INHS. INHS encompasses both St. Luke’s Hospital and INHS in the downtown Wells Fargo building. Between the 2 sites, INHS employs over 600 employees. Click here to read more! |
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All Star Coach Dixie Smith – Dept. of Ecology Dixie Smith, has been the ETC for WA State Dept. of Ecology for the last 4 years. She carpools with her husband when their schedules allow. Dixie markets her program to 134 employees. Click here to learn more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter Alyvia Huntley – CHAS (Maple Office) Alyvia works in the front office at CHAS – Maple Street. Alyvia began riding the bus 2 years ago, after her car broke down. She decided she would make the bus work for her, rather than spend the money on getting her car fixed. Click here to learn more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter Mike Lunnenborg – EWU Mike is the Fire Protection Engineer for EWU. After Mike began working at EWU, he started riding the bus to Cheney to save the 60 roundtrip miles on his car each day. Click here to learn more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter Kyle Taylor – Engie Insight Kyle is a Supervisor at Engie-Insight. Kyle began riding his bike to work in 2012. His dad became sick, and Kyle decided he wanted to be healthier. Click here to learn more! |
| 2nd Quarter | |
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All Star Leader Tyson Rule - Clearwater Paper Tyson Rule is the Director of HR & Organizational Effectiveness for Clearwater Paper Corp. in downtown Spokane, which employs 120 employees. Tyson relocated to Spokane from Southern Idaho last November. Chelsea Anderson, who was also new to Spokane, became the ETC in October. Click here to read more! |
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All Star Coach Angie Napolitano - City of Spokane, Public Safety Angie works for the City of Spokane in the Public Safety Building and is the assistant to the Chief of Police. She took over the program in October 2017, with no formal training from the previous ETC… just acquired the infamous “box of CTR stuff”. Click here to read more! |
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Most Valuble Commuter Robert Krause - Spokane Falls Community College Robert is a Program Specialist in the Financial Aid office at SFCC. Robert has been using commute alternatives on and off for the last 20 years! With a nearly an 80-mile roundtrip commute from Rathdrum, ID, saving money is what initially got him started using commute alternatives. Click here to read more! |
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Most Valuble Commuter Tyler Blackburn - Alorica Tyler is a Subject Matter Expert for Alorica in Spokane Valley and has been riding the bus since middle school! Tyler doesn’t have a drivers’ license and has never owned a car! He feels using the bus is way more cost effective then owning a car. Click here to read more! |
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Most Valuble Commuter Randy Parker - Fairchild Air Force Base Randy Parker is the Alert Facility Programs Manager at Fairchild Air Force Base. Randy has been vanpooling to the base for nearly 5 years. With a 42 mile round-trip commute from the Indian Trail area, Randy was tired of spending his hard earned money on gas. Click here to read more! |
| 1st Quarter | |
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All Star Leader Tomson Spink – Gonzaga Tomson is the Campus Maintenance, Grounds and Fleet Manager for Gonzaga University. Tomson works closely with Jim Simon, the ETC for Gonzaga University and the CTR Program Manager in a variety of capacities. Click here to read more! |
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All Star Coach Mary McDaniel – SFCC Mary is the Testing Center Coordinator at SFCC and has been the ETC since September 2017. She markets her program to a campus of over 250 staff and faculty members. Click here to read more! |
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Most Valuble Commuter Erik Ellis – EWU Erik Ellis is a Program Support Supervisor 2 for EWU. Erik has been riding the bus to work nearly every day for the last 31 years! He initially participated because it reduced the number of oil changes, gas tank refills and tire replacements on his vehicle. Click here to read more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter Caleigh Puckett - Alorica Caleigh is an On-Boarding Coordinator/Recruiting Assistant for Alorica. Caleigh started carpooling about a year and a half ago. Living next door to a fellow employee from Alorica, that didn’t drive, and had the ability to match her schedule with Caleigh’s. Click here to read more! |
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Most Valuable Commuter David Goodwin – Avista David Goodwin is a Design Drafter for Avista. He’s been riding his bike to work for the last 12 years. He rides nearly every day and throughout the entire year. David began riding his bike when his Bronco broke down.Click here to read more! |