Board Members

mlafevers@skamania.k12.wa.us
Term expires: 12/27

Martin “Rowdy” LaFevers was selected to fill the open Position #2 in July of 2022. He and his wife, Liz, moved to Skamania County in 2008 from Fairbanks, Alaska and are the proud parents of two Skamania School Falcons.

A Geophysicist by trade, Rowdy works for the Cascades Volcano Observatory and has spent many years working with and training other geophysicists and engineers who work with equipment to collect data about earthquakes and movement within the earth. Having grown up in rural Missouri and then spending a decade working in remote Alaska villages, Rowdy is a strong supporter of STEM, small rural schools and their close-knit communities, and an education built on strong values and with foundations of expression inherent in the arts and social sciences. The LaFevers love to spend the majority of their time outdoors, hiking and exploring the vast landscape of the Gorge from mountain tops to rivers.

cdominikmedlin@skamania.k12.wa.us
Term expires: 12/25

Cynthia Dominik was selected to fill the open Position #3 in February 2022. She is a former Skamania parent and PTO member who has been active in the Skamania & Stevenson communities as a parent, volunteer, youth sports coach, referee and WPEA 365 union co-president.

Cynthia retired from The Fort Vancouver Regional Library system in 2019 after nearly 35 years serving as a librarian at the North Bonneville and Stevenson Community Libraries. Much of her time as a librarian was dedicated to creating, and executing, programming for people of all ages, from infants to preschoolers to teens to adults. She was also a key member of the Bookmobile team that brings library services to rural schools throughout Skamania and Klickitat counties.

lyoung@skamania.k12.wa.us
Term expires: 12/27

Lisa Young was selected to fill the open Position #4 in January 2022. She is a former Skamania School parent, PTO president and finance committee member, as well as an active member in the Skamania community for over 25 years.

Lisa is a strong supporter of student success through academics, the arts and athletics. She retired in September 2021 from the Washougal School District after serving as the Extended Learning Manager for 17 years. During her time at Washougal, some of her key responsibilities included managing programs serving preschool aged children, growing the before and after school care program and applying for (and receiving) many grants to fund program expenses, expansions and additional supplies.

122 Butler Loop Rd.
Skamania, WA  98648
mdennison@skamania.k12.wa.us
(509) 427-8239 extension 103

Milt Dennison comes to Skamania with over 50 years of experience in education as a coach, a Math and PE teacher, adjunct faculty member, administrator, and superintendent.

Originally from the mountain town of Gunnison, Colorado, he’s always had an active lifestyle and is a bit of a risk taker. He moved to the Portland area in 1980 to serve as the middle school principal for West Linn School District. He also served as superintendent of Canby and Camas School Districts before becoming superintendent of Clackamas Education Service District. Shortly after retiring in 2016, he was asked to become a consultant with the Oregon School Board Association and assists school districts with their superintendent search process – which has also included filling in as an interim or short term superintendent when the need arises.

He has been an important part of many successful bond and levy campaigns to help districts continue to support student achievement and growth. He’s an active community member, having been a part of Rotary, Chamber and Scouts of America. He recently rejoined the Camas-Washougal Rotary Club and serves as the Chair of the Portland Actors Conservatory Board.

Mr. Dennison has two grown children and several grandchildren: his son is a Captain in the Navy currently serving in Turkey and his daughter is a Nurse Practitioner in Maryland. He loves to explore outdoors and enjoys golfing, cycling, hiking, traveling and repelling off tall buildings!

122 Butler Loop Rd.
Skamania, WA  98648
kchavarria@skamania.k12.wa.us
(509) 427-8239

Katie Chavarria has served as a teacher and Title I/LAP Coordinator at Skamania School for the past two years. She came to us after spending eleven years with Virginia Beach Public Schools, serving as a classroom teacher and a member of her school’s leadership team. She has worked with special education and highly capable students throughout her career. She has worked to develop a community that provides relevant, engaging, and equitable learning experiences for all students. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her family (husband, three children and five dogs), cooking and taking in the beautiful views in the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to her Title I/LAP Coordinator duties, Mrs. Chavarria will also serve as Principal/Director of Academics on the board this coming year, using her administrative and educational experience to support Skamania’s teachers and students during the 2022-23 school year. She will be in the building every day, splitting her time between coordinator and administrative/principal responsibilities. She is also currently attending Eastern Washington University to earn her principal certification.