Growdon Will Direct WSU Federal Relations Efforts

PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University President V. Lane Rawlins announced today that WSU Cooperative Extension Energy Programs Director Kristine Growdon has been appointed the new federal relations coordinator for the university.

Growdon will direct and promote WSU’s federal agenda. She will act as the president’s principle liaison with the state’s congressional delegation and federal agencies. Growdon will be based in Seattle near many district congressional offices and plans to spend substantial time on the Pullman campus and in Washington, D.C.

As Energy Programs director, Growdon managed a $6-million operating budget that built alliances with the federal government and private companies. She was assistant director of the Washington State Energy Office in 1996 when the Legislature discontinued the agency. She directed most of the efforts to move self-sustaining programs to WSU Cooperative Extension.

“Kristi’s appointment completes our new strategy to seamlessly serve local, state and federal government officials,” said Larry Ganders, assistant to the president and WSU Government Relations director. “Many of the university’s most challenging issues cross all of those divisions of government.”

Ganders, Growdon and Jane Yung Dennie, Government Relations assistant director, will assist faculty, administrators, students, faculty, alumni, university constituencies and the general public on governmental higher education issues.

“Since much of our work takes us away from the university campuses, we will work very hard to ensure that we are accessible to the university,” Ganders said.

Rawlins’ government relations’ staff can be contacted directly or through Michelle Delaney in the WSU President’s Office in Pullman, 509/335-6292. More information and updated contact numbers are available on the president’s Government Relations Web page, www.olympia.wsu.edu.

Growdon can be reached at her WSU West office, 206/219-2424.

hi110-01

Next Story

Provost finalists visiting the week of April 1

Finalists in the process of interviewing for the position of provost and executive vice president will present to the public during their visits to WSU next week.

Recent News

WSU to review administrative structure

President Kirk Schulz used his annual State of the University Address to highlight both achievements and challenges while also announcing a planned review of WSU’s administrative structure and academic programs.

WSU students report on refugee crisis in Armenia

Murrow College of Communication students traveled to Armenia over spring break to interview international conflict refugees and the aid workers helping to resettle them.