Our Staff
Kathryn Witherington - Executive Director
With over a decade of experience in community development and nonprofit management, Kathryn has dedicated her career to creating vibrant and inclusive spaces. She has a Bachelor's Degree in English and Political Science from Gonzaga University and is currently pursuing her Masters of Professional Studies in Community & Economic Development from Pennsylvania State University. Prior to the joining Common Roots, Kathryn worked as the Executive Director of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation and as the Economic Development Director for the Port of Columbia in Dayton, WA.
Our Board of Directors
Nancy Riggle - Board Co-Chair
Nancy is the Executive Director of Valley Residential Services (VRS), a large nonprofit organization operating in Walla Walla and Columbia Counties. She has worked in housing services in this region since 1978. Nancy’s favorite part of her job at VRS is working with Washington’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Her clientele at VRS earns very low incomes and VRS staff earns low incomes. Through her work, Nancy has seen the difference safe secure homes make in people’s lives. She became a Common Roots founding board member after participating in Community Council’s Affordable Housing Study. From the study, Nancy saw that we have an affordable housing crisis, so she wanted to put her money where her mouth was. She has served on several of Community Council’s Affordable Housing Implementation Task Force’s sub-committees in addition to Common Roots’ board of directors. A foster mom for 14 years, Nancy now has 13 adult children who call her “Mom,” and 27 grandchildren.
Wyatt Rolfe - Board Co-Chair
Wyatt was proudly raised in the Walla Walla Valley and has witnessed its dynamic changes over the last several decades. His support of Common Roots is driven by a belief that vibrant and successful communities must have affordable homes. Our housing crisis was recently exemplified in Wyatt’s neighborhood where a 1950 ranch-style home sold for $850,000. Through Common Roots, Wyatt hopes our community can provide affordable homes to the families and individuals that make our region special. In his professional life, Wyatt is a practicing attorney who focuses on estate planning, business law, elder law, and natural resources law.
Patricia Divine Wilder
Trish is a semi-retired technical and grant writer/editor. She has lived in Walla Walla most of her life and calls it home. In the past few years, however, Trish’s rent has increased to the point that she isn’t sure she can afford to stay here. When she heard about the plan to start a community land trust (CLT) in our region, she learned that this model could be an exciting solution for herself and others worried about their fast-rising rents. Trish and other board members have participated in multiple training sessions and have been guided through many tough decisions by seasoned CLT consultants. She appreciates that Common Roots Housing Trust will create permanently affordable homes in this region for those with low to moderate incomes and that Common Roots’ homeowners will be members of the organization and have a voice in its governance. Trish notes that there is so much to recommend about community land trusts that she is grateful to have the opportunity to help get our region’s first CLT started.
Terri Silvis
Dr. Silvis joined Horizon Project Inc. in May 2017 as CEO and brings over 30 years of experience in business and nonprofit administration, organizational management, executive leadership, finance and real estate. Prior to joining Horizon Project, Dr. Silvis worked as an affordable housing consultant for service agencies and housing authorities across Oregon and Washington and served as the Director of Housing for Catholic Charities of Oregon for over a decade. Horizon Project provides 24 Hour Residential Services, Supported Living, Employment Supports, and Community Living/Day Services for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Umatilla County. With over 30 years working in the affordable housing arena, Dr. Silvis has overseen the capitalization, refinance or restructure of over 1,200 units of housing representing almost $230,000,000 in private and public funds. Horizon Project’s mission is to ensure that all projects developed provide integrated housing for individuals living with IDD and incorporate universal design to the maximum level feasible.
Andy Gomez - Board Treasurer
Andy Gomez is currently the Executive Director at the Walla Walla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. Andy has worked in the transportation planning field for morethan 25 years, in both the public and private sector reaching out to individuals of all ages and income levels and developing a vision of an integrated multimodal system that provide families with various travel opportunities.
Andy strongly believes that affordable housing isn’t just about bricks and mortar – it’s about building a more equitable and resilient future for all. It’s about preserving the vibrancy and diversity of our communities, empowering individuals to reach their full potential, and creating a community that works for everyone, regardless of their income level.
Please welcome our board members - Bios coming soon!
Rea Culwell
Perla Ochoa
Jeffrey Robinson
Melissa Shumake
Konrad Sturgill
Joy Marie Smith - Board Secretary
Joy is the past president of the Waitsburg Commercial Club Chamber of Commerce. She was one of the early advocates for Community Council’s Affordable Housing Study. In her Commercial Club role, Joy receives many inquiries about housing availability, particularly in relationship to employment or business recruitment. She sees how the lack of affordable homes can negatively impact Waitsburg’s economic growth. In February 2020, Waitsburg had a flood that displaced many of the city’s low-income residents. Working with the Waitsburg Flood Recovery Group, Joy realized that the reason so many people with low incomes were living in flood zones was because the only homes they could afford were there. She is committed to the process of creating permanently affordable homes in her community and throughout our region.