The board of directors for the Pacific Foundation for Blind Children currently consists of nine voting members and one ex officio member. They are…
Linda Erickson
Linda Erickson joined the board in December, 2015. She is a retired teacher, having worked in special education with first and second grade students for 35 years. Linda has a passion to give back to her community, and felt that the PFBC was the perfect fit following her retirement. Linda loves gardening, reading, kniting, crocheting, baking, practicing Yoga and enoying the “Smartest, most fun granddaughter in the world”.
Corey Grandstaff
Corey Grandstaff is the most recent member of the board. He grew up in rural Ohio on a horse breeding farm. He received his social studies education bachelors degree from Grace College in 2012, TVI/COMS masters degree in 2015, and is currently obtaining his principal certification. Corey has worked for Washington State School for the Blind for almost seven years, 4 years as a teacher, and three years as the manager of WSSB's recreation, transportation, and residential departments. Outside of work, he is extensively involved with the National Federation of the Blind, as well as a member of the Washington state Rehab Council for the Blind and the Washington state Language access Workgroup. Corey also operates a small business in which he teaches adults who are blind how to access assistive technology and develop skills of independent living. In his leisure time, Corey enjoys traveling with his wife Arabia, reading, hiking, and being outdoors.
Phyllis Hyatt
Phyllis Hyatt, a retired teacher, joined the PFBC Board in 2012. She is an advocate for the technology that enables the Washington State School for the Blind to provide education throughout the state and beyond its borders from. Phyllis further champions the WSSB Birth to Three Program which helps prepare blind and visually impaired infants for a traditional education environment.
Jim Kolshinski
Jim Kolshinski is the vice–chairman to the board of directors. He is one of the Foundation’s originating members and has continuously served on the board of directors since the PFBC was formed in 1995. He is a retired accountant. Jim is also a member of the Ridgefield Lions Club in Ridgefield, Washington.
Marc F. Krsul
Marc Krsul is the current chairperson of the board of directors. He joined the board of directors in June, 2009. Marc is a Financial Advisor and Branch Manager for Edward Jones in Ridgefield, Washington. In Marc’s words, “There's not another organization around as unique or as powerful as the Pacific Foundation for Blind Children. I wanted to be part of a group of people who empower individuals to better themselves.”
Janet Kurz
Janet Kurz is the treasurer to the Foundation. She joined the board of directors in 2000. Janet is the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent’s office and the Board of Trustees for the Washington State School for the Blind.
Scott McCallum
Scott McCallum is an ex officio board member. Scott has been the superintendent of the Washington State School for the Blind since June 2016. He has more than 17 years of experience working on behalf of students in Oregon who are blind/visually impaired (BVI). He most recently served for nearly six years as the Blind and Visually Impaired Student Fund administrator for the state of Oregon and coordinated specialized educational services for students who are BVI. Scott also has experience in the classroom with BVI students as an itinerant teacher and orientation and mobility specialist in Eugene. Scott's experience has given him a unique understanding of the needs of BVI students. His work to support implementation of the nation's first online adaptive state assessment accessible to students who read Braille and his contributions to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has given him a national reputation as a collaborative leader. He has a Master of Science in orientation and mobility from Pennsylvania College of Optometry and a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from University of North Dakota.
John D. Nellor
John (“JD”) Nellor served as the board chairperson from PFBC's inception through 2012. He is one of the Foundation's originating members and has continuously served on the board of directors since the Foundation was formed in 1995. JD is an attorney at law with the Nellor Law Office in Vancouver, Washington. He is also a member of the Vancouver Lions Club in Vancouver, Washington, and served as Council Chairperson for Multiple District 19 Lions International (Washington, Northern Idaho and British Columbia, Canada) in 2019–2020.
Dr. Dean Stenehjem
Dr. Dean Stehehjem, Ed.D., is the immediate past superintendent of the Washington State School for the Blind. He has forty-two years of experience in the field of blind/visually impaired education and educational leadership. Dean retired from the Washington State School for the Blind after thirty years, twenty–seven years as superintendent. Dean has worked with a great team of professionals, blind consumer, parents, students and legislators in helping reform educational services, and was actively involved with numerous statewide and national task forces in helping develop new approaches in service delivery. Dean is also a member of the Ridgefield Lions Club in Ridgefield, Washington.
“The cynics will tell you that the good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. I say, do it anyway.”
—Goizueta
