Organizational Unit: Board of Directors

John has a background in healthcare and education; he recently retired from teaching Dental Hygiene for 30 years at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California.  During that time he was a dentist in private practice, and previously served in the Indian Health Service and two tribal programs.  As an advocate for preventive and science-based medicine, he supports parity of behavioral health and dental services as an important part of “health care for all.”  A third generation Washingtonian, John welcomes the opportunity to serve the Whatcom County community.

Liane has a background in education.  She has had the opportunity to work with children and their families from diverse communities in Washington State, and international communities in Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia.  As an educator with 32 years of experience, she has worked  in public, private, and corporate education.  She comes with a unique perspective about the impact that physical and emotional health have on a student’s learning and development. Though a world traveler, she considers Bellingham her home. She is looking forward to giving back to her community as a board member of UCNW. She has a BA in Early Childhood Education, an MEd as a Reading Specialist, and an Endorsement in TESOL.

Tatiana comes to the board from a background in social services. She spent the last several years immersed in finding and testing solutions to homelessness with an emphasis on systems change through community partnerships. Tatiana moved to Washington two years ago and is now a consultant to non-profit organizations and public initiatives looking to incorporate human-centered design thinking in their efforts towards systemic change.

Shane is a long-time resident of Whatcom County with many years of work promoting equity and access to resources for marginalized communities, with a background in both organizational leadership and management science. Professionally, Shane’s work ranges from labor relations and retail to human rights campaign work. He also works as a business consultant for nonprofit and community organizations. His passion for healthcare advocacy comes from a family background in hospice and nursing. Shane attended the University of Washington for Political Science and Whatcom Community College. He is currently a patient at Unity Care Northwest and supports its continuing mission of integrative medicine.

Caty recently retired, following 39 years as a Clinical Psychologist in Bellingham.  Her Ph.D. was from the University of Chicago, focusing on mental health and adult development.  She was a founding member in 1993, and served on the executive board, of Associates in Mental Health, a local independent practice association.  She has served on the Advisory board for the Palliative Care Institute (WWU).  Born and raised in the Northwest, her extended family here spans ages 1 to 96.  Her hopes include access to quality healthcare for all.  She joined the UCNW Board in October 2020.

Dr. Vince Foster is grateful to have the opportunity to serve on the Unity Care NW Board of Directors, having previously served as an Employee Assistance Program provider to UCNW employees.  He and his wife have lived in Bellingham for over 25 years.

He is a semi-retired psychologist with a Masters in Addiction Counseling. His professional background includes over 40 years in health care as a mental health services provider along with 22 years as a clinical supervisor and mental health program manager.

He is particularly interested in assisting UCNW to advance their population health perspective because he believes that evidence supports that it is the most cost-effective way to reduce human suffering and to build strong, vibrant and successful communities.

After nearly 40 years in community health and nonprofit leadership positions in Monterey CA, Burlington VT and Bellingham WA, Chris is now semi-retired, and offers consulting services focused on organizational pathways to collaborative progress. A resident of Bellingham since 1994, Chris loves to bike and run trails, produce travel videos, and spend time with his wife and two adult children.

Unity Care NW was saddened by the loss of Larry Thompson who served on our board prior to his death in May of 2022. Larry’s career had been in health administration, both in the public and private sectors. Before going into semi-retirement, he held senior-level positions at Group Health, Skagit Regional Health, and Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement (WAHA). Larry had a history of serving on voluntary Boards and was an active member of the Bellingham Friends (Quaker) meeting. You can read more about Larry’s life and legacy here.

Jennifer has a strong background in health and science. She earned a BS in Biology from Washington State University in 1992 and a LMT from Seattle Massage School in 1994. Throughout her career, she has worked as a LMT in private practice, managed her husband’s dental practice, and is currently heavily involved in the local real estate market as an agent with Keller Williams. She believes that working with children to teach healthy habits starts early. Jennifer has volunteered her time as a Board Member of Catch the Son Preschool and is heavily involved with NW Cheer.

Terry retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Senior Master Sergeant (E8) after almost 21 years of service. He is also retired from the Washington State Department of Corrections as a Correctional Unit Supervisor. Terry was born and raised in the Custer/Ferndale/Bellingham area, and moved back to Whatcom County eleven years ago. Terry has been a patient of UCNW since his return to the area.