Board of Directors
PRWA's working board is comprised of individuals with diverse interests and experience in rural development issues.
Kim Herman
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Kim Herman retired as the Executive Director of the Washington State Housing Finance Commission at the end of December 2019, after serving for 35 years. in that position.
Mr. Herman is a native of Washington State and has served as a member of the Commission, as Washington Project Director of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Rural Assistance Initiative Program, as Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Yakima, and as Manager of Single-Family Housing for the Portland Development Commission. From 1988 through 2010 Mr. Herman served on the Board of Directors of the National Council of State Housing Agencies and served as President of the Council from 2006-2008. Mr. Herman also served on the boards of The Housing Partnership, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Sound Families Steering Committee, and the Greater Seattle YMCA Public Policy Committee. Mr. Herman was a founding member of the WA Low Income Housing Congress/WA Low Income Housing Alliance and served on the Board from 1988 to 2013. He currently serves on the Alliance's Action Fund Board. Mr. Herman continues to serve on the Boards of the National Rural Housing Coalition and Friends of the Dominican Republic. Also in 2012, Mr. Herman served on the Attorney General’s Blue Ribbon Consumer Foreclosure Remedies Fund Committee to determine how to use the proceeds of the national bank settlement in Washington. Mr. Herman is a Graduate of Washington State University (B.A. 1967). |
Lael Duncan
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Lael Duncan is a Seattle native who transplanted to rural Okanogan County in 1987 after attending the University of Washington and pursuing careers in Insurance, Real Estate, and Real Estate Lending. Upon moving to Okanogan County, she developed a small organic farm and published books while working on fundraising for Share our Strength – a national Hunger Relief organization best known for the No Kid Hungry program. Duncan has served as the Executive Director of Okanogan County Community Action Council since 2002. She has also served on over 15 different Boards including the local Critical Access hospital(as a commissioner), domestic violence, local Economic Development Council, North Central Washington Business Loan Fund, Washington Small Business Development centers, Washington state Homeless Coalition, Washington State Community Action Partnership, and more. She has also served as President of 9 of the boards. Duncan has served on Senator Murray’s Rural Telecommunications committee, WSU’s Rural Bridges project, Congresswoman McMorris Rogers Advisory Committee, and was appointed by Governor Inslee to chair his State Advisory Council on Homelessness. Duncan credits her parents – a couple of creative rabble rousers - for teaching her to see the possibilities of people and places that can exceed their current circumstances. “My deep appreciation of our traditional economies and the way of life possible because of them, has spurred a vision for my county/community/region - that is attainable and will benefit the entire economy of the state and most importantly – our residents - when it comes to fruition” she says.
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Mario Villanueva
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Mario Villanueva currently serves as the Executive Director for the Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC). In this role he directs efforts around the state on matter of legislation and public policy for the Catholic bishops of Washington State. The WSCC also sponsors the Cornerstone Catholic Conference and promotes the PREPARES family support ministry in the State of Washington. Currently, Mario is also CEO for Villanueva Enterprises Ltd., providning community support activities in Washington state. Mario's recent experience includes being the Acting Executive Director for Partners for Rural Washington. Mario served as State Director for USDA Rural Development under the Obama Administration from 2009 to 2017. As such, he oversaw the deployment of $6.4 Billion in loans, grants, and technical assistance in the state in the areas of housing, business and community infrastructure. He oversaw Administration priorities including renewable energy, green technologies, local food, regional community and economic development, broadband and service to Native American Tribes. Prior to his time with USDA, Mario worked 33 years in private business, nonprofit and faith-based housing development ownership and management, social services, and rural advocacy. Over the years, he has received several awards and recognition from foundations, state and federal governments and rural community and economic development stakeholders for his rural work.
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Stephen Dunk |
Stephen Dunk works for the Washington State Department of Commerce as the Community Outreach Program Manager. The Outreach Program is charged with creating a presence and on-going relationship with rural, disadvantaged communities, throughout Washington State. Stephen has been working for the Department of Commerce since 2007. Prior to Community Outreach, Stephen worked for the Public Works Board as a Regional Services Coordinator helping local governments build and retain local capacity, coordinating with state, federal and local funders to assist in financing critical infrastructure needs.
From 2001 to 2007 Stephen worked for the Skokomish Indian Tribe as the Manager for Housing & Infrastructure Development. He has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado. Stephen was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, South America and has a passion for travel, culture, rural communities and local government. |
Jon Devaney |
Jon DeVaney has served as the President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association since September of 2014, when the Association was established through the merger of four existing tree fruit industry organizations. In this capacity he oversees the Association’s industry education, data collection and reporting, and state and local government relations activities on behalf of the growers, packers and shippers of the state’s apple, pear and cherry growers.
Prior to this merger, he was the Executive Director of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association from November of 2009. Jon has an extensive background in agricultural policy and politics, having previously served as a long-time staff member for Congressman Doc Hastings (WA-4), as Washington State Director of USDA Rural Development (2005-2009) and on the staff of the Northwest Horticultural Council. Jon also serves on the boards of the Office of Rural and Farmworker Housing, the National Council of Agricultural Employers, and the Association of Washington Business. He received a B.A. from the University of Washington and an M.A. from Georgetown University. Jon resides in Yakima with his wife and two sons. |
Kirk Pearson |
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Kirk Pearson was named as State director for USDA Rural Development in Washington State by the Administration of President Donald Trump. Before his appointment, Pearson served in the Washington State Legislature for 17 years, serving on the Senate Agriculture, Water, Trade, and Economic Development Committee and as Chairman of the Senate Natural Resources and Parks Committee. He has promoted legislation to help rural communities grow and thrive in the state of Washington. As State Director, Pearson will use his leadership experience to oversee Rural Development programs in a customer-focused manner to restore prosperity in rural Washington State.
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Jeff McMorris |
Jeff McMorris is the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Region X which covers Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. In a typical fiscal year, HUD brings about $1.5 billion in resources to the region’s state and local governments, Tribes and Native villages, and public housing authorities.
Prior to his role at HUD, Jeff served for 12 years as Chief of Staff for King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert. He was the Councilmember’s senior budget advisor, managed the office’s policy analysis and communications, and served as her liaison to local governments and community stakeholders in the Puget Sound region. An avid world traveler, Jeff has spent time in over 40 countries. He taught math and computer science in Guam, studied Spanish in Guatemala, and worked at the U.S. Embassy in San José, Costa Rica while completing his study abroad at INCAE Business School as part of his International MBA program. In 2002, Jeff received his MBA from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California and graduated in 1993 with a BS in Business Administration from Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida. Involved in his local community, Jeff has volunteered as a Big Brother and with Habitat for Humanity. Jeff and his wife Sarah live in Issaquah, WA with their four children. |
Craig
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Craig Muska founded and served as president of Canopy, a new model for strengthening local communities and promoting economic development by developing a pipeline of scalable, regionally-focused investment opportunities. Canopy was created to develop a place where community leaders, regional stakeholders and investors all have a seat at the table and connect its members to new opportunities that wouldn’t be otherwise possible. As president, Craig played a key role in the development and launch of Canopy and collaborated with a diverse group of community-focused leaders, public sector stakeholders, universities, and place-based foundations to craft Canopy into an innovative model for regional investcapital formation and rural economic development.
Craig brings over 20 years of investment expertise and is a nationally recognized expert in the field of impact investing. Prior to founding Canopy, Craig served as Director of Investments for Threshold Group’s Foundation Services, where he launched and developed the firm’s impact investing strategy across their client base. He has worked with leading private foundations, institutional investors and asset managers to develop impact aligned investment strategies and collaborations. Craig was also managing director at IW Financial, an investment research and consulting firm that integrates environmental, social and governance data into institutional investment frameworks. He brings a diverse background from his strategy and investment roles at Envestnet Asset Management, Credit Suisse HOLT, and Nuveen Investments. Craig earned a BA in finance from Northern Illinois University and a MS in public administration from the University of Illinois, Chicago. |