Thank You To All of Our Sponsors!

2023 11th Annual ESBA Dinner Event

Top – Left to Right – Jim Hanley (ESBA Board Member), Danny Beard (ESBA Vice President), Barbara Woodbridge (ESBA President), Larry Stone (ESBA Dinner and Transportation Chair), George Demakis (ESBA Treasurer), Doug Trudeau (ESBA Past President), Cyndi Fridye (ESBA Board Member), Jake Swartz (ESBA Secretary), LaVerne Biel (ESBA Executive Director), Mike Gribner (Assistant Secretary – Regions/Chief Engineer WSDOT), Todd Trepanier (Regional Administrator WSDOT).

Bottom – Left to Right – Kim Plese (Candidate Spokane City Council President), Scott Simmons (Chief Executive Officer Spokane County), Lynden Smithson (Spokane City Attorney), Jonathan Bingle (Spokane City Council District 1), Nadine Woodward (Mayor City of Spokane), Vicky Dalton (Spokane County Auditor), Andy Billig (Washington State Senator & Majority Leader District 3), Michael Cathcart (Spokane City Council District 1), Jenny Graham (Washington State Representative District 6 – Position 2), Betsy Wilkerson (Spokane City Council District 2 & Candidate Spokane City Council President), Josh Kerns (Spokane County Commissioner District 3), Al French ( Spokane County Commissioner District 5), Jeff Holy (Washington State Senator District 6), Tom Konis (Spokane County Assessor), Tim Fitzgerald (Spokane County Clerk), Mary Kuney (Spokane County Commissioner District 4), Craig Meidl (Spokane Police Chief), Katy Treloar (Candidate Spokane City Council District 2 – Position 1), Paul Dillion (Candidate Spokane City Council District 2 – Position 1), Earl Moore (Candidate Spokane City Council District 3 – Position 1), and Steve MacDonald (Spokane Community and Economic Development Director)

2023 Beneficiary

Spokane Hearing Oral Program of Excellence (HOPE) is committed to empowering children who are deaf or hard of hearing to achieve their full potential and succeed in various aspects of life. With a focus on children aged 0-5, we provide education and support for them to develop listening, speaking and learning skills.

Established in 2004, Spokane HOPE School was founded on the belief that all children with hearing loss should have the opportunity to optimize their auditory and verbal abilities. With a team of dedicated professionals, we have been able to make a positive impact on local families with deaf or hard of hearing children. We are the only service provider in our community catered to children from birth to three years old as well as offering a preschool program. We take pride in our teachers who hold advanced degrees in teaching deaf and hard of hearing children and specialize in listening and spoken language strategies (LSL).

Event Sponsors

Diamond Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

2023 ESBA Honorees

Andy Billig
Senator
3rd Legislative District – Spokane | Majority Leader

Andy Billig, a proud father and businessperson from Spokane, serves as a state senator and Majority Leader. He prioritizes advocating for children, working families, and small businesses, with a particular focus on early learning, K-12 education, and promoting transparency and equity in government.

Andy’s commitment to progressive values, coupled with his business acumen and leadership skills, drives him to be an effective and accessible legislator, dedicated to justice, equality, and prosperity.

Freda Gandy
Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center
Executive Director

Freda Gandy, originally from Mississippi, discovered her passion for the nonprofit sector while studying developmental psychology at Eastern Washington University in Spokane. Starting as a kindergarten teacher, she quickly advanced to become the director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, where she has led the organization for over nine years. Under her capable leadership, the center has overcome challenges, including expansion and managing the East Central Community Center. True to the vision of Martin Luther King Jr., the center provides crucial services to the community, including early learning programs, before and after school care, and emergency assistance for residents in the 99202 ZIP code.

Mike Gribner
Washington State Department of Transportation
Regional Administrator

With over two decades of experience in the transportation sector, Mike Gribner has played a pivotal role in various leadership positions within the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Currently serving as the Regional Administrator since January 2023, he oversees critical aspects of WSDOT’s operations, utilizing expertise gained from previous roles.

Clint Harris
Street Department City of Spokane
Director

Clint is a dedicated professional who has been contributing to Spokane’s progress for five years as the Director of the Street Department, overseeing vital infrastructure maintenance.

Marlene Feist
Public Works City of Spokane
Director

With 25 years of experience in municipal management, Marlene has been instrumental in driving Spokane’s progress. She leads vital operations encompassing water, wastewater, streets, and solid waste.