Board of Directors
Kathleen Flenniken is a poet, teacher and editor living in Seattle. She is the author of three poetry collections, including Plume (University of Washington Press, 2012), a meditation on the Hanford Nuclear Site, winner of the Washington State Book Award and a finalist for the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America.
Kathleen grew up in Richland, Washington in the 1960s and 70s and graduated from Richland High School, Washington State University, and University of Washington with bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering. She worked as an engineer in the 200 Areas of the Hanford Site for three years in the 1980s, focusing primarily on groundwater and surface water monitoring and hydrologic testing.
Kathleen earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University in 2007. From 2012 - 2014, Kathleen served as Washington State Poet Laureate. From 2012 - 2015, Kathleen joined the Humanities Washington's Speaker's Bureau with her program, "My Hanford: A Personal History," about the site's history and growing up in Richland's unique culture.
A native of the Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington, Deanne Meek grew up in the shadow of the Hanford Reservation. As an internationally acclaimed opera singer, Deanne has traveled the world performing in the great opera houses of North America and Europe, interpreting the principal roles in the mezzo-soprano repertoire. She is a graduate of Whitman College, The Peabody Conservatory of Music and holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College. Deeply versed in a variety of movement techniques, Deanne combines these with her strong acting and vocal skills to tell stories of her native landscape, including the impact of Hanford on its environment and inhabitants.
Returning to the Seattle area, Deanne currently instructs voice students in the University of Washington's Opera program and teaches both voice and movement in public master classes and in her private teaching studio. She focuses her community involvement and service through her passionate concern for the issues surrounding the Hanford Reservation and its clean up, with emphasis on the health and safety of its workers, the citizens of Washington State and beyond.
Nathan is a Partner at Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear LLP in Seattle. Nathan practices intellectual property law, with a focus on patent litigation, and has developed a strong practice that helps local and national clients protect their inventions and businesses.
Nathan grew up near Walla Walla, Washington and graduated from Walla Walla University. During his time at Walla Walla University, Nathan interned at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, conducting research into nuclear waste vitrification. During his time at Harvard Law School, Nathan also interned at Hanford Challenge.
Today, Nathan spends his free time throwing pottery, playing board games, and supporting local soccer teams.
Michael Knoll is a Senior Managing Director in FTI Consulting’s Forensic & Litigation Consulting segment and is a member of the Construction, Projects & Assets practice.
With more than 21 years of forensic accounting experience, Mr. Knoll has a proven track record of providing comprehensive financial, cost and complex damages analyses to clients across industries, including construction, renewable energy, tunneling, transportation, healthcare, hospitality and gaming, environmental services, pulp and paper, telecommunications and heavy equipment manufacturing. Mr. Knoll’s litigation consulting experience includes the analysis of delay and disruption impacts; forensic accounting investigations to identify and quantify fraudulent transactions; and the preparation of detailed financial and accounting analyses for arbitration, mediation and courtroom proceedings. He has developed expert reports articulating damage methodologies and calculations and presented independent findings in mediation settings, depositions, hearings, arbitrations, mediations and trials.
Michael also serves on the Board of Directors of the King County Bar Foundation and has previously served on the Washington Appleseed Board of Directors. He currently lives in Sammamish with his wife and three children.
Vicky Vreeland grew up in the Tri-Cities, where many of her aunts and uncles and cousins came from the Midwest in the early 1950s specifically to work at Hanford. Thus, she brings a special interest and love for the region, with awareness of the need to help protect Hanford workers, residents, and the larger geographical areas and environment. The mission of Hanford Challenge and serving on the Board fits exactly with her history, values and her professional work.
Vicky is recognized as one of the top trial lawyers and employment and civil rights attorneys in the state of Washington. She has represented numerous individuals in sexual abuse, employment and civil rights cases addressing age, disability, race, gender, religion and national origin discrimination and retaliation claims. She has negotiated severance agreements and brought cases against both large and small local and national corporations, government agencies, school districts, professionals and nonprofit organizations.
She was named President of the Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ) for 2015-2016, to lead the state’s trial lawyer organization of more than 2,300 attorneys who represent those injured by the wrongdoing of others. She has been chair of the Washington Employment Lawyers Association (WELA), and has served as a Governor the Washington State Bar Association, and on its Disciplinary Board. She is a member of the Damage Attorneys Round Table (DART), the WSBA Labor & Employment Executive Committee, Federal Bar Association, American Association for Justice and National Employment Lawyers Association.
Vicky was awarded Trial Lawyer of the Year by WSAJ in 2007 and has been named Best Lawyers in America every year since 2009. She has consistently been named Top 50 Women Lawyers and a Super Lawyer by Washington Law and Politics since 2002, and Washington Top Lawyers by Seattle Met magazine. In April 2007, she received the Myra Bradwell Award from Gonzaga University School of Law Women’s Caucus for her pioneering legal work to protect the rights of Washington citizens and minorities.
Prior to starting her own law firm, Vicky was a partner at Gordon Thomas Honeywell LLP, a major law firm in Seattle/Tacoma. She also served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Washington State Attorney General’s Office as Chief of the Crime Victims Compensation Section, Department of Labor & Industries and in the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division.
She was the first woman judicial clerk for the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III. She is a graduate of Gonzaga University School of Law, Summa Cum Laude, and received the Law’s Dean Award. She graduated with a B.A. from Eastern Washington State University, Summa Cum Laude.
Vicky was named as 425 Magazine’s Citizen of the Year in May, 2017.
Vicky resides in Redmond. In her spare time, she plays piano and often performs at public events and nursing homes. She loves baseball and attending Seattle Mariners games at Safeco Field.
Laura is a Partner at Keller Rohrback L.L.P. For over fifteen years, Laura has practiced in Keller Rohrback’s Complex Litigation Group where she has developed a diverse practice with a focus on holding corporations and other institutions accountable. Laura is experienced in litigating consumer protection, RICO, antitrust, ERISA, environmental, excessive fee, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty, qui tam, and Ponzi scheme matters. Laura’s strategic persistence in complex cases has led to impressive results with her clients receiving substantial recoveries. Laura played a key role in managing litigation enhancing the security of pension plan benefits for healthcare workers at religiously affiliated healthcare systems, resulting in settlements exceeding $800 million.
Laura received her J.D., from the University of Washington School of Law in 2003 and concurrently received a Masters in Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Affairs.
Laura is active in the community as a Board Member of the Campaign for Equal Justice and previously served on the Washington Appleseed Board of Directors.
Allen D. Brecke is a native of the Tri-Cities, the son of a University of Michigan Manhattan Project physicist and lab technician raised in Atlanta. Both of his parents received appreciation certificates from Secretary of War Simpson for their “effective service contributing to the end World War II” from the Hanford site. Allen graduated from Kennewick High School in 1969, president of the National Honor Society, captain of the debate team, and voted most likely to succeed. He was educated at Whitman College in Walla Walla and the University of Washington, graduating with a degree in sociology in 1974. He attended law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane, graduating in 1977.
Allen’s community service activities include holding elective office as a member of the Kennewick Public Hospital District for seven years, Chairman of the Board of Ethics of the City of Richland, member of the Executive Board and Chairman of Alexis de Tocqueville Society of United Way, president of Columbia Center Rotary Club, board chairman and vice chairman of the Columbia Center Rotary Charity, Champions Member of the Benton-Franklin County Red Cross, and Governor-Appointed member and 2013-14 Chairman of the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board. In 2013, Allen was selected Tri-Citian of the Year by a local committee of Rotarians and Kiwanians. In 2014, Allen announced a composite $250,000 gift to the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center to sponsor the Manhattan Project Exhibit in memory of his father.
Esteban Ortiz is an experienced professional in the government, nonprofit, and private industry with a proven track record. He is a U.S. Navy veteran.
He currently serves on the Mayor's equity advisory council in the city of Hood River, Oregon. He has also served on the Hanford Advisory Board, worked with the Empower Project, and assisted with the Georgia senate runoff campaign. He has worked with several government organizations like the USDA, U.S. Census bureau, and U.S. Navy veterans.
Mr. Ortiz has worked on 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 presidential elections and 2022 midterms. GOTV with Latino and rural communities. Worked with various nonprofits to focus on the actual needs of the growing Latino and diverse communities in the United States, especially rural communities. Esteban has acquired and is well experienced in educating and advocating for the needs of the community.
Barry Shoemake brings more than two decades of frontline experience at the Hanford Site and a deep family legacy in the Tri‑Cities’ nuclear workforce. Born in St. Louis and raised in Richland, Barry graduated from Richland High School before earning his AA in welding from Columbia Basin College and joining UA Local 598 in 1996.
Barry worked in construction until 2002, when he began his Hanford career under the HAMTC agreement—a career that spanned more than 20 years and included roles across numerous contractors and facilities. From 2003 to 2008, he served as a worker trainer at the HAMMER Federal Training Center, helping prepare workers for the unique hazards of the site. In his final five years at Hanford, Barry served as Chief Steward for the Metal Trades fitters at both the Hanford Site and PNNL, and he spent six years as a member of the HAMTC Executive Board.
Today, Barry serves as a Business Agent for Local Union 598, continuing his commitment to worker advocacy, safety, and strong labor representation. His connection to Hanford spans generations—both of his parents worked more than 35 years at the site, and his grandfather drove Hanford buses from the 1950s through the late 1970s.
Ends Policies:
END #1: Hanford Challenge Exists to ensure remediation of the effects of contamination at Hanford, thereby safeguarding meaningful and lasting protection for impacted lands and inhabitants.
END #2: Hanford Challenge exists to ensure the safety, security, and rights of Hanford workers.
END #3: Hanford Challenge exists to ensure transparency and accountability to the public for the most efficient and effective cleanup of Hanford available.
Former Members of the Board of Directors
Mary Allison
Nickolas A. Bumpaous
Rod Cameron
Gigi Coe
Jerry Davis
Mike Geffre
Steve Gilbert
Dana Gold
Patti Goldman
Marco Kaltofen
Randal Dick
Judy Klayman
Adam Kline
John Kriese
Todd Martin
Craig McGlinchey
Hannah Moore
Valerie Pacino
Tom Robinson
Casey Ruud
Mark Wittow
Jim Millbauer