Board of Trustees

Michelle Liberty

Chair of the Board

An active member of the community, Michelle Liberty serves on the Walla Walla County Planning Commission, Eastern Oregon Visitors Association Board of Directors, Blue Mountain Action Council Board of Directors, and is Co-Founder of the Network of Exceptional Women.  A member of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes, Michelle grew up in Eastern Oregon. A stint in Paris, France led Michelle into marketing and advertising working with two international ad agencies before returning to the U.S. and ultimately to Walla Walla.

Tara Leer

Vice Chair of the Board

Tara is a native of the Lewis-Clark Valley and was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2021. A graduate of the University of Idaho’s College of Business and Economics, she began with a professional background in marketing and community relations before transitioning to a career in real estate where she is an agent with KW Lewiston.

Tara is a member of the P1FCU Board of Directors and the Credit Union National Association’s Director Advisory Board. She has also served on the Credit Union National Association’s Volunteer Leadership Committee, Holy Family School’s Advisory Board, and with the Distinguished Young Women of Clarkston scholarship program.

Tim Burt

A Pomeroy, Washington native, Tim Burt was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2016.  A graduate of Washington State University, Tim spent his career as an educator; teaching mathematics at Walla Walla High School for 13 years and then at Pomeroy High School for 23 years, as well as serving as a football, track, and wrestling coach for both high schools.  Tim also served in administrative roles and continues to substitute at Pomeroy High School.  Tim and his wife, Diane, farm in the Pomeroy area.

Tim has served in a variety of leadership roles in his community, including the Garfield County Fair Board, Garfield County Pioneer Association, Pomeroy High School Alumni Association, and the FFA Alumni Association.

Sergio Hernandez

Appointed to the WWCC Board of Trustees in 2017, Sergio Hernandez is a graduate of Pacific Union College and Washington State University.  An advocate and supporter of post-secondary education for all students, especially those that are underrepresented, Sergio has spent his career in education — both in K-12 and higher education settings, and currently serves as the Equity and Access Coordinator for Walla Walla Public Schools.

Deeply involved in service to the community, Sergio is a former member of the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Committee, the WWCC Foundation Board of Governors, Children’s Resilience Initiative, Christian Aid Center Capital Projects Committee, Community Council of Walla Walla, the Latino Voters Initiative, and Walla Walla University Diversity Council.

Bill Warren

A graduate of Dayton High School and Washington State University’s College of Agriculture, Bill Warren was appointed to the WWCC Board of Trustees in 2017.  Bill has managed Warren Orchards in Dayton since 1994 and believes the “interconnected roles of agriculture, environment, conservation, and sustainability in education need to be advanced.”

Named by the Eisenhower Fellowship as its sole EF Agriculture Fellow for 2006, Bill is a member of the Washington State Farm Bureau, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Washington Horticultural Association, Columbia County Weed Board, the Washington State University Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources Advisory Committee, and served for several years as a Boy Scout Scoutmaster.