Letter to Editor | Linden Rhoads appointed to UW Board of Regents

||| FROM RICK RHOADS, PROUD FATHER |||

Today Gov. Jay Inslee announced the appointment of Linden Rhoads and the re-appointment of Blaine Tamaki to the University of Washington Board of Regents. Rhoads’s term will start Oct. 24, 2022 and end Sept. 30, 2028. Tamaki’s new term will end Sept. 30, 2028. The Board of Regents supervises, coordinates, manages and regulates the university.

Linden Rhoads

Rhoads is a veteran entrepreneur and investor in the Seattle technology and life science sectors. She co-founded or served as a director or interim CEO of several successful Seattle-based startups. She received her law degree from UW in 2000, then went on to serve on the UW School of Law Dean’s advisory board, UW Computer Science and Engineering Steering Committee on building the Paul Allen Center, the board of the Henry Art Gallery, the board of the Foster School’s Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, and represented on the board of the CleanTech Alliance. As the Vice Provost of Commercialization for six years, she established many of the programs that help UW researchers start companies around their innovations. She currently serves on the board of the Committee on Advanced Tuition Payment and College Savings, which oversees Washington’s GET and 529 college savings plans. She’s also been very involved in advocating for reproductive care and access in Washington state and nationally.

“Linden’s unique lived experiences and deep commitment to University of Washington will make her a dedicated and effective regent,” Inslee said. “She recognizes the tremendous opportunity education provides to people experiencing poverty and has been a stalwart champion for Washington’s clean energy future. She is a consistent force for good and I appreciate her continued service for our state and students.”

“I’m honored to be selected by Gov. Inslee to serve as a Regent of the University of Washington. The university and its incredible medical system have had so much impact on my life and family, our community, and the world. I believe in the UW’s mission and look forward to bringing my experience to help it meet its challenges and fulfill its great goals,” Rhoads said.

Rhoads is filling the seat of outgoing regent Bill Ayers.

“I sincerely appreciate Bill’s decade of leadership and service on the Board of Regents. He has contributed greatly to making UW and the community a place of excellence,” Inslee said.  

Tamaki has been serving on the University of Washington Board of Regents since 2017. Tamaki’s legal work includes representation of more than 300 Native American children who were sexually abused in religious residential schools throughout the Northwest, public safety, and protection of foster children. He served as vice president of the Washington State Association of Justice and received the Washington State Trial Lawyer of the Year award in 2012. 

“Blaine has been an excellent board member and I appreciate his willingness to continue serving,” said Inslee. “His passion for equality and strong roots at University of Washington make him an instrumental regent. Thank you for your work thus far, and I look forward to your continuation on the board.”