Claudia Kauffman, of Kent, has retired after six years on the Green River College Board of Trustees.
Green River College board members, administrators and faculty honored Kauffman at a Feb. 22 board meeting, praising her leadership and community involvement, according to a news release Tuesday from the college.
“Claudia served on the Green River College Board of Trustees for six years, from 2011 through 2017,” Board Chair Tim Clark said. “During that time she interviewed and hired Interim President Scott Morgan, served on the presidential Search Advisory Committee (ex-officio) and subsequently hired Suzanne Johnson, president of Green River College. Claudia served as chair in a capacity of honesty, compassion with a sense of humor for the 2016-17 academic year.”
Then-Gov. Christine Gregoire appointed Kauffman to the board in 2011 for a five-year term. Gov. Jay Inslee reappointed Kauffman in 2015. College officials did not give any reason for Kauffman’s retirement. Trustees are volunteers who reside within the District 10 service area.
Kauffman, (Nez Perce), is the Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and was the past-chair of the Board of Trustees for Green River College. She was recently appointed by then-Seattle Mayor Ed Murray as Chair of the Seattle Indian Service Commission.
Kauffman was elected to the State Senate from 2007-2011 and is a founding member of Native Action Network, grassroots civic engagement, community and leadership development non-profit organization.
In 2009, Kauffman received the Washington State Governor’s Award of Excellence for her lifetime of volunteering. In 2012, she was recognized by the University of Washington, Minority Alumni Partnership with the Distinguished Community Service Award for her years of serving many communities.
Kauffman lives in Kent with her husband Larry Cordier and is mother to three children. She has been foster mother to 10 children, and advocates for foster children, developmental disabilities and the improvement of our public education system.
Kauffman ran unsuccessfully in November for the Port of Seattle Commission.
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