Carol (Brooks) Findley
Chair and President, 2021-27
Carol is a CWU graduate, and she recently retired from CWU as the Director of the RSVP nonprofit program and the Volunteer Center of Kittitas County, where she served for 31 years. She joined the FOL Board to help elevate and promote the Brooks Library as a resource for the students and faculty of CWU and for the Kittitas County community.
Marlene Divina
2023-26
A CWU graduate, Marlene was on the design team for the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, and co-authored the award-winning book Foods of the Americas: Native Recipes and Traditions. She has owned three restaurants, taught cooking, and spoken on American foods around the world. She enjoys reading, traveling, and walking her dog.
Dominic Klyve
2026-29
Dominic Klyve is a professor at CWU, where he teaches for the Department of Mathematics and the Douglas Honors College. He has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles in Number Theory, the History of Mathematics and Science, Applied Statistics, and Shakespeare Studies. He reads as many books as he can, but his pile of unread books nevertheless grows larger every year.
Bret Smith
2025-28
Dr. Bret P. Smith is Professor of music education, joining CWU in 2005 after serving on the faculty of the University of Maryland-College Park and graduate study at the University of Michigan. He teaches courses in pedagogy, history of jazz and rock, and coaches the CWU mariachi groups. As a cellist, Smith is a member of the Yakima Symphony. He also plays the bass in country and classic rock groups. Throughout his life, he has valued the many library resources that support teaching and research.
Joseph Powell
Vice-Chair, 2021-27
Joseph Powell is an an Ellensburg native and an emeritus professor who taught English at Central Washington University for 30 years. He has published ten books, including seven poetry collections, a book of short stories, and a co-written textbook on meter in poetry (Accent on Meter). He also enjoys flyfishing, gardening, ping-pong, and tennis.
Roxanne Easley
2025-28
Dr. Easley specializes in Russian history, serving as Chair and Graduate Coordinator for the CWU History Department. After a childhood in Alaska and West Virginia, Roxanne received her degrees from the University of California and the University of Oregon. She loves to read mystery novels, travel the world, and shop at thrift stores. She is very fond of dogs.
Matt Martinson
2024-27
Matt Martinson was born and raised in Washington state. He is a massive bookworm and library patron who has taught at CWU since 2009. Matt works and teaches full time in the Douglas Honors College, though you can also find him hiking in the Teanaways, perusing the Brooks Library’s shelves, or jogging on the streets and trails of Ellensburg
Tim Sorey
2026-29
Tim Sorey, PhD., is Professor of Chemistry and Mathematics & Science Education at CWU. His scholarly interests focus on chemical education, quantitative literacy, and innovative teaching practices. He is dedicated to advancing student success and excellence in STEM education learning environments and, with the support of Brooks Library's collections, interlibrary loan services, and librarians' expertise, mentors young scholars into student-centered curriculum research. His 'off time' allows for navigation of both literature and musical charts, alongside family and friends.
Sterling Quinn
Secretary, 2023-26
Sterling is an associate professor in Geography at CWU. He teaches geographic information systems (GIS) and world geography, with an emphasis on Latin America. He spends much time in the library researching the social impact of maps, especially the activities happening in the blank spots that cartographers used to fill with dragons and sea creatures.
Rachel Gordon
2025-28
Rachel Gordon came to CWU as an undergraduate in 1999. Her student employee work supporting Japanese exchange students sparked her interest in international education. She began working full time at CWU in 2008, and is currently International Partnerships Manager for the university. Rachel recently earned her master’s degree in IT Administrative Management from CWU.
Carolin McCarthy
2025-28
Carolin began working at CWU Libraries as a student in 2019 and rediscovered her love for libraries. After earning her B.Ed. in Elementary Education in 2022, she joined CWU Libraries as a full-time staff member and is currently the Communications and Events Specialist. She is pursuing her MLIS at San José State University. She loves books, movies/shows, animals, and spending time with family.
Sydney Thompson
Dean of Libraries
Sydney got her first taste of librarianship as a library student assistant while working on her MA in Sociology at the New School for Social Research. Realizing that libraries were the place to be, after her MA she pursued an MLS at Queens College, CUNY. She joined CWU as Associate Dean in 2020. She became Interim Dean in 2022, and then Dean in 2023.
Patricia Cutright
Treasurer, 2023-26
Patricia served as Dean of CWU Libraries from 2010–17. Reading and libraries have always been her passion, knowing they empower at all ages and socio-economic levels. As well as articles and book chapters, she published Native Women Changing Their Worlds. Now retired, she is busier than ever with travel, volunteering, and gardening.
Janine Graves
2022-26
Janine received an MA in English TESL/TEFL at CWU in 2000 and worked on campus until retiring in 2016. She taught ESL to international students, English composition and research writing, and was a Tutor and Coordinator in the Learning Commons located in the Brooks Library. She knows first-hand the library’s importance for student success.
Melany Peterson
2025-28
Melany Peterson is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. She is an alumna of Benedict College, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) in Columbia, South Carolina. She is a dedicated member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first Greek-letter organization established by African American college-educated women. For the past 12 years, Melany has served as the Benefits Administrator in the Human Resources Department at Central.
Benjamin White
2025-28
Dr. Benjamin White is an associate professor of Physics at CWU. He received his degrees at Pacific Lutheran University and Montana State University, and was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California, San Diego. His research specialty is in experimental condensed matter physics and he teaches courses in introductory physics, thermodynamics, and quantum mechanics.