The Community Foundation of North Central Washington welcomes four new members to its Board of Trustees: Jeff Hardesty, Ted Knight, Jenna Paglia and Naomie Peasley.

The Board of Trustees are responsible for oversight of the Foundation and ensuring the region’s charitable endowment is well-managed and protected for generations to come. Trustees agree to serve three 3-year terms and participate on committees such as grants, scholarships, investments, and governance.

New CFNCW Board of Trustee Members

Naomie Peasley was born and raised in Okanogan County on the Colville Reservation. After earning her college degree, she returned home with a commitment to serving her community through both her professional work and volunteer leadership. As the Tribal Engagement Manager for Thriving Together, she builds meaningful partnerships that strengthen relationships, support Tribal communities, and advance initiatives that foster healthy, thriving communities.

Outside of her work, Naomie is the proud mother of two teenage daughters and their biggest supporter, spending much of her time cheering them on at athletic events. She is passionate about coaching, mentoring youth, and helping organize programs and events that create opportunities, inspire confidence, and bring joy to young people.

Dr. Jeffrey Hardesty brings nearly three decades of progressive leadership in Washington State public education. Dr. Hardesty began his career in education during the mid-90s as a teacher and co-developer of a new school for students struggling in the mainstream setting. This experience drove his curiosity about systemic barriers and how best to address them to meet the needs of all students. Over the past 29 years, as teacher, principal, and now superintendent, Dr. Hardesty has worked to inform instructional practice, policy development, and legislative decisions to address systemic barriers in school systems.
Dr. Hardesty’s academic foundation strengthens his expertise: a Master’s in Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership from Eastern Washington University (1999), centered on instructional practices for underserved students, and a Doctorate in Education from Washington State University (2018), investigating the role of educator disposition during RTI implementation. A published author on participatory action research and adaptive leadership, he enjoys promoting education innovation and sustainable system-change.
When not advancing educational systems, Dr. Hardesty enjoys construction projects, gardening, hunting, fishing, and learning new things with his family. In his free time, he has contributed to community and regional efforts, including serving on the Resource Advisory Committee, as a founding member of the Okanogan Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation, the Scotch Creek and Sinlahekin Wildlife Areas Advisory Committee, the Okanogan Region Food Council, the Regional Diversion Facility Workgroup, and the Oroville Cares Data Review Subcommittee.

Jenna Paglia serves as a member of the Chelan LAB and is actively involved in supporting youth and education throughout the community. She reviews Youth Athletic Facilities grant applications for the Recreation and Conservation Office, volunteers as a scholarship reviewer, assists local students with college applications, and serves as a Book Buddy at the local elementary school, providing reading support and mentorship to second-grade students.

Jenna has also served on the Lake Chelan School District facilities committee and superintendent review committee, and has supported social media and messaging efforts for LCSD levy and bond campaigns.

Before moving to Chelan in 2019, Jenna worked as a marketing consultant, directed a branding agency in New York, and contributed to the original Chase online banking platform.

She recently celebrated her 25th anniversary with her college sweetheart. Together, they have three children — Arden, a junior at Gonzaga, Leo, a sophomore at Chelan High School, and Mac, a freshman at Chelan High School — as well as three rescue dogs and two rescue cats.

Ted Knight has dedicated his legal career to working for tribal governments navigating complex issues involving natural resources, cultural resources, and public policy. As Special Legal Counsel to the Spokane Tribe of Indians since 2009, he has worked on significant regional initiatives involving salmon recovery, water rights, water quality, and collaborative government-to-government agreements. Outside of work, Ted enjoys spending time with his family, skiing, surfing, and running.

Outgoing CFNCW Board Members

The Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to outgoing board members Leslie Freytag and Lester Cooper for the many years they have generously shared their time, talent, leadership and perspectives with the Community Foundation of NCW. Their service has helped strengthen the Foundation’s mission and vision, while their dedication to their communities has made a lasting impact in countless ways.