Board of Trustees

What does the Board of Trustees do?

Board Meeting Minutes

The WCL Board of Trustees is composed of five members of the community who are appointed by the county commissioners to serve five-year terms. A board member may serve two consecutive terms. Each member serves without compensation. They are:

Suzanne Schmick – Chair, Position 5
Endicott, WA 99125
1st term 1/1/2015 – 12/31/2019, 2nd term 1/1/2020-12/31/2024

Suzanne Schmick is a lifetime resident of Whitman County. She grew up on a wheat farm between Farmington and Tekoa (Seltice). Following high school graduation, Suzanne attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington for two years, and then transferred to Washington State University to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Home Economics Education. In 1983 Suzanne married Steve Schmick of Endicott and moved to his third generation family farm where they have raised two children, Dylan and Aja.

In 1983 following her move to Endicott, Suzanne began working and continues to work for Endicott School District. During her time with the district, she has worked in the business office, teaching in the elementary and middle schools and has served as the building principal. In 1990 Suzanne completed her masters degree in Administration and Curriculum Development from Gonzaga University.

Ronda Penwell – Vice-Chair, Position 4
Colfax, WA 99111
1st term 1/1/2021-12/31/2025

Libraries have been an important part of Ronda’s life since childhood and have brought her great joy, a delight she’s passing down to her own children with story times and regular visits to the library being a part of their upbringing as well. As a high school English teacher at Colfax High, she also encourages her students to embrace reading and believes that anyone can grow to like reading if they just find the right book.

Ronda has lived in Colfax for three years, moving here from Prosser, WA with her husband who also teaches at Colfax High and their children. Although new to Colfax, she graduated from WSU in 2005 and says that the Palouse has long felt like home. When not reading and teaching, Ronda also loves history, all things old and vintage, yard and estate sale hunting, crafting, and most of all spending time with her family.

Heather Lustig – Chair, Position 1
Endicott WA, 99125
1st term 1/1/2017 – 12/31/2021, 2nd term 1/1/2022-12/31-2026

Heather Lustig moved to Whitman County in 2002. She grew up on a small farm outside of Moses Lake, Washington. Heather and her husband are raising 4 boys near Dusty and their children attend school in Colfax. She has been a stay at home mom until recently when she took a position with the Colfax School District as a Special Education Para-Professional. Heather is active in the Colfax PTO, teaches Sunday school and is the 4H horse leader for the Mockonema 4H club. Heather is excited to serve on the Whitman County Library Board of Trustees. The library has provided valuable programs and resources for her family and they’ve enjoyed participating in the Summer Reading programs, Third Thursday after-school programs, Storytime, teen activities, adult fitness classes, and various other activities.

Heather feels serving on the board is a great way to give back to the library for all it has given to her family.

Sue Kreikemeier, Position 2
Garfield, WA 99130
1st term 5/1/2021 – 12/31/2023, 1/1/2024/12/31-2028

Having arrived from Central Florida more than 40 years ago, Sue is a transplant whose roots have taken hold in the deep Palouse soil. A graduate of Washington State University, she worked in the field of early childhood until her recent retirement. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve reading, including walking to and from her rural community’s summer Book Mobile laden with printed treasures. She credits her mother, an avid reader, with instilling a passion for learning and literacy in all her children.

Sue and her husband have three grown children, and enjoy the richness of country living, which includes gardening, tending chickens, entertaining friends, dabbling in art, genealogy, and, of course, reading! Recognizing the power in literacy, Sue welcomes opportunities to support community members, young and old alike, in their explorations of the world through our wonderful Whitman County Libraries.

Cindi Alred, Position 3
Colfax, WA 99111
1st term 1/1/2023 – 12/31/2027

Cindy spent 27 years with Bethel Public Schools before accepting a position with WSU and moving to Palouse in 2012 with her husband Steve. She is recently retired from WSU and is grateful to continue her support of libraries by serving on the Board. She is an active member of the Palouse WA Xenodicans, the Palouse WA chapter of P.E.O. and she volunteers in the Gar Pal School library.