Colleen O’Neal, Co-President, is a retired educator with over thirty years’ experience as a teacher, principal, and education advocate. Upon retiring in 2015, she stepped in as BGEF president and began helping to rebuild the foundation to better serve the students and schools of the Battle Ground Public Schools. Married to Rick O’Neal, a retired Battle Ground High School teacher, the mother of three Battle Ground High School graduates, and grandmother of six, she continues to be a strong advocate for quality public education.
Dina Sweeny-Lathrop, Co-President, has a long history in Technology, Program/Project Management and Administration. She moved to Battle Ground in 2002 from Portland so that her son could reap the many rewards this community has to offer. After serving in many capacities, she is now blessed to be the Admin Assistant/District Technology Purchasing Agent for Battle Ground Public Schools’ Technology Services department. Dina is the proud mother of a River Homelink 2020 graduate and Chamber of Commerce Youth of the Year recipient. Working with the food kitchen, food pantry, serving elderly meals at the community center, and fundraising for various local organizations, Dina is a firm believer in paying it forward and the belief that it takes a village for our kiddos to thrive.
Ken Root, Vice President, has lived in the same house in the Battle Ground neighborhood of Venersborg for over 23 years. Both of his children attended Battle Ground Public Schools, and he currently has two family members teaching in the district. His daughter is a teacher in Cheney, WA. It has been his pleasure to have served for many years as a board member for various organizations, including Juvenile Diabetes, Foundation Research, Apollo’s, Rainbow, Battle Ground School District, The Breakers Hotel and Condominiums (current), and Battle Ground Education Foundation (current).
Linda Gellings, Treasurer, retired in 2018 as the Director of Business Services & Risk Management for Battle Ground Public Schools. She previously worked for the City of Vancouver, in public accounting and for the Washington State Auditor’s Office during her career. She has worked with the Foundation since 2006. Her two children both attended Glenwood Primary, Laurin Middle School, and graduated from Prairie High School. Linda is currently the treasurer of the Foundation.
Jackie Lane, Secretary, worked in Technology and Finance for many years before retiring to spend more time in the community. She attended Leadership Clark County class of 2017, where she was part of a project team working with the Foundation, and after which she took a position on the board. She also sits on the board of Friends of Clark County, is active with the League of Woman Voters, and continues to volunteer with Leadership Clark County and other organizations. She has lived in the Battle Ground school district since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1991.
Cheri Dailey is the Director of Risk Management and Business Operations for Battle Ground Public Schools and has worked for the district for 19 years. Cheri grew up in Battle Ground and is a graduate of Battle Ground High School. Her two daughters attended Battle Ground Public Schools and were the 4th generation in her family to graduate from Battle Ground High School.
Cherish DesRochers-Vafeados is a long-time Battle Ground resident who attended Battle Ground Public schools. She is currently employed at C-TRAN, Clark County’s Public Transit Agency, where she works as a customer service representative. DesRochers-Vafeados currently serves as the Deputy Mayor for the City of Battle Ground, where she serves on various boards and committees for the city. In addition to her service to the city, she is the founder/president of local nonprofit Food with Friends, home of the Shower Outreach Project. DesRochers-Vafeados is a 2020 recipient of the Vancouver Business Journal’s Accomplished and Under 40 Award.
Jackie Maddux is an Accounting Manager for Clark Public Utilities and School Board Director for Battle Ground School District. Four of her children graduated from Battle Ground Public Schools and during that time was actively involved with volunteering in the district including 6 years with the Prairie High School Boosters, Grad Night Committee, and multiple sports teams. Currently, she is a member of the Battle Ground Education Foundation where she continues to volunteer and support the students in Battle Ground schools.
Troy McCoy is a current Battle Ground city councilor and local business owner with a passion for education, as evidenced by his 4-year stint on the Battle Ground School Board.
Husband, father of 2, and domicile partner of too many dogs, Troy spends his free time enjoying the bounty our local area has to offer. Be sure to always check the benefit auction to see if Troy’s crabbing adventure is on the docket!
Andrew Lawhon has more than 12 years of experience working in the legal field and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University. He currently works as an attorney at Jeffrey D. Barrar, P.S. and Clark County District Court judge pro tempore. He is involved in judging middle and high school mock trials, leading youth activities at his local church and participating in the Knights of Columbus. Andrew serves on the board of Battle Ground Public Schools as well as the board of directors of the nonprofit Aquinas Vancouver. He and his wife are the parents of seven children, some of whom attend Battle Ground schools.