Our Mission
“Palouse Pathways grew from efforts of teachers, parents and community members who wanted to assist and encourage families and students preparing for life beyond high school. Palouse Pathways, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization that was formed in November 2013.
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The mission of Palouse Pathways is to maximize students’ higher education opportunities by providing both students and families in the Palouse region of Washington and Idaho with information and inspiration. Through broad community engagement and a dedicated student cohort model, we guide students through the process of exploring college and university options, determining financial aid solutions, and selecting the higher education pathway that best supports their aspirations.
Meet the team
FOUNDING DIRECTOR
Peggy Jenkins
Peggy has a BA (Sociology) and a JD from Boston University and a certificate in College Admissions Counseling from UCLA Extension. She was once a litigation partner in a large law firm and now works as an independent legal researcher. She is a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) and one of the founders of NACAC’s 1300-member Rural and Small Town Special Interest Group. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Common Application and the President’s Advisory Group for Bryn Mawr College. Her son Daniel is a 2016 graduate of Olin College of Engineering in Needham Mass, where Peggy served as head of the Parent Advisory Board. She has served on the board of Backyard Harvest (a non-profit group that helps to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to people in need), Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Honolulu Habitat for Humanity and Faith Action for Community Equity.
STAFF
Hillary Gauthier
Operations & Programming Coordinator: Hillary and her family moved to the Palouse area (welcoming the rolling hills in place of skyscrapers) after living in Singapore for more than five years and New York City for 25 years prior. She received her BA in Communications from University of Wisconsin, Madison and her MPS from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Interactive Telecommunications Program. Her career has spanned from a major cable network where she was key contact between on-air and online divisions, establishing the vision, scope and strategies for the web presence of on-air programming to assisting vision scientists on the effects of transient adaptation on different age groups and assisting in the development of early eye disease detection tests using contrast sensitivity. Always curious and interested in learning new things, Hillary’s time is often spent with community volunteer and board work; often involving children and families in need.
BOARD MEMBERS
Ruta Nanivadekar
PRESIDENT: Ruta works in the Training & Development field, and is particularly passionate about leadership development. Raised near Seattle, she completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Political Science at Western Washington, and she is currently completing a Masters in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University. In her career and her community work, her mission is to empower people with opportunities and skills so that they can create the life they want for themselves. She views education as a critical stepping stone. She joined Palouse Pathways in order to help students across the Palouse navigate their post-high school options so that they can find a path where they truly thrive.
Doug Heckman
VICE PRESIDENT: Doug works for CAEL, a national nonprofit focused on workforce issues. As Vice President of Partnerships, he supports projects that bring together employers, higher education, and community based organizations. In this role, Doug often works alongside programs like Palouse Pathways to help people find the best match for training and education —and eventually a job. Doug and his family have lived in Moscow for twelve years. He formerly taught at the University of Idaho and worked at Emsi. He enjoys supporting local nonprofits and has served on several boards including the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI,) the Kenworthy Performing Arts Theatre, and Palouse Roadrunners. He spends as much time as possible traveling and being outdoors with his family and mini-Aussie. He's a graduate of the University of Washington and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Logan Shears
TREASURER: Logan was born and raised in Moscow, Idaho and graduated from Moscow High School in 2020. From there, he went on to play college football and graduated from Judson University with a double major in accounting and management, and a minor in finance. He had the opportunity to work for the school in the registrar’s office where he learned the ins and outs of the college process of registering for classes. After graduating, he accepted a job at Hayden Ross in Moscow Idaho, and has started on the path towards becoming a certified CPA.
Abdiel Garcia
Abdiel works within the College Greenlight division of EAB, an education research and consulting firm, where he leads engagement efforts with a nationwide network of college access organizations committed to closing equity gaps in higher education. Prior to EAB, Abdiel worked as a college counselor at UCLA’s Geffen Academy and as admissions officer and assistant director of the Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program at Harvard University. A proud first-generation college graduate, Abdiel holds a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. He enjoys hiking, triathlons, learning languages, photography, and traveling.
Colin McNamara
Colin is from Old Forge, in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. He worked in a furniture shop growing up, and paddled his solo canoe in his spare time. After studying sociology at Harvard and writing at Washington University in St. Louis, he moved to the Palouse. He is a modestly published poet. At Washington State University, he teaches composition and creative writing, and he is poetry editor for Blood Orange Review. He plays hickory golf, using clubs made before 1930.
David Schlater
David grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana and received his B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Art from Louisiana State University—he is a first generation college student. During his time as an undergraduate he studied abroad in Italy and worked internationally for the organization Volunteers for Peace. David moved to the Palouse in 1994 to pursue his master's degree, and after graduation was hired by the University of Idaho to work in the field of educational technology, creating multimedia teaching materials. He currently administers enterprise online educational systems for the UI Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. David's interests include art, cooking, travel, picking up agets on the coast, and personal finance. He is interested in helping families find strategies to make college more affordable. His son just started college, so he has first-hand parental experience with 529 plans, navigating the Common App, filling out both the FAFSA and CSS, and considering acceptance offers.
Gulsima Young
Gulsima graduated from Pullman High School in 2020 and is pursuing a double degree in Environmental Studies and Informatics at the University of Washington. Currently, she is working as the Project Development Specialist for the Campus Sustainability Fund, a student-run and student-funded grant program. While at UW, she has also enjoyed interning at the UW Farm, working as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, and serving as a TA for an introductory Informatics course. Gulsima is passionate about learning how to evaluate and develop policy in order to address structural inequalities, build resilient communities, and advocate for environmental justice.
Ivar Nelson
Ivar moved to Moscow in 1973 after studying at Harvard and Uppsala (Sweden), volunteering for the Peace Corps in Kenya and working for the State Department. Ivar founded Bookpeople of Moscow and is delighted that it continues so well 40 years later under Carol Spurling and Stefan Werner. He has published books and magazines (including Palouse Journal) and directed university presses. He has served as a board member and/or officer of the Moscow-Latah County Economic Development Council, Prichard Art Gallery, Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute, Rendezvous in the Park, and the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center. Ivar was on the Moscow High School parents’ organization board when his daughter was a student there. He does admission interviews of local applicants for Harvard University.
Marcela Pattinson
Marcela is part of The Community, Equity, & Inclusive Excellence Team, leading all WSU system wide undocumented initiatives representing WSU state and nation-wide. She helps guide current and prospective parents and students to the available resources and programs offered at WSU. Marcela provides leadership for WSU recruitment and retention programs such as La Bienvenida, Unducuqueer, Smart Start Program, and The Crimson Achievement Pathways, which are the undocumented initiatives.
BOARD ADVISORS
Angela Lenssen
The Palouse has been my home for most of my life. I've worked as a stay-at-home parent to three children, a farm wife, a volunteer for local non-profits, a philanthropist, and various roles in communications, marketing and fundraising. As a parent of scholarship recipients with over a decade of experience in higher education, I've seen scholarships make a difference in a student's ability to attend college at reduced rates. I'm passionate about sharing what I've learned in the college search and attendance process with students and parents.
Anna Daley Laursen
Anna graduated from Moscow High School in 2016 and has participated in Palouse Pathways programs as a high school student, college student, and graduate. She pursued her undergraduate degree at the University of Denver (2020) in International Studies and Gender and Women's Studies. At DU she worked for the admissions office as a tour guide and at the Center for Community Engagement to Advance Scholarship and Learning, coaching local high school students in community organizing strategies. Her undergraduate thesis analyzed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through the lenses of gender and indigeneity. She completed her master's degree in Gender Studies from Lund University (2021). Her master's thesis analyzed the discourse of President Biden's initial foreign policy addresses from a gendered and feminist standpoint. She hopes to work in human rights and foreign policy and is passionate about bringing feminist research and analytical strategies into these fields.
Gretchen Wissner
Gretchen taught in the Moscow School District from 1979 to 2015. As a gifted education teacher for over thirty years, at the elementary through high school levels, her areas of specialization are independent research, problem solving, creative and critical thinking, and differentiated instruction. At the high school level, she facilitated an honors-level, directed study program for 35-50 students each semester. She believes that accountability in education must be based on individualized goals, targeting growth for every child. In addition to her work with Palouse Pathways, she currently serves as a board member for the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center and the Auditorium Chamber Music Series.
Laura Hannon
Laura is a graduate of Moscow High School (2016) and the University of Idaho (2020), where she studied psychology and public relations. At the University of Idaho, she served as the student senate President Pro Tempore, worked at the Center on Disabilities and Human Development, and interned at the Idaho Human Rights Commission. Laura is passionate about civil rights, politics, and making educational opportunities accessible and equitable. In her spare time, she enjoys reading psychological thrillers and playing guitar. She will be attending law school in the fall and plans to work in public interest law.
Luisa Graden
Luisa is a proud 2016 Moscow High School graduate. She attended Yale University, where she worked in the admissions office as a tour guide and rural outreach ambassador. Luisa is passionate about leveraging the college application process as an opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth. Since 2016, she has helped more than a hundred students with essay writing and application advice. Her interests include foreign language, holistic legal services, and novelty matchboxes.
Palouse Pathways, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization that was formed in November 2013.