Meet the Weed Board

Katherine has lived in the Boistfort Valley her whole life, except for the 7 years she spent in Pullman. She holds a degree in Crop Science, a minor in Ag Econ, and supported her husband through vet school. Katherine is the 4th generation of her family to farm in the valley. She has farmed row crops and seed crops, and currently produces hay; she also has hazelnut orchards, a hobby flock of sheep, and a herd of Angus cattle. She has been married to Jason Humphrey for over 25 years! She has always prioritized her role as a full-time Mom for her 3 kids: Jackson, Margarite, and Ava. Her family has also welcomed an exchange student, Rocio, from Spain. Katherine has served her community in a variety of capacities, including as a youth baseball and fast-pitch coach, a 4-H leader, and has served on the Boistfort School Board for 20 years. In the process of renewing her appointment to the Weed Board for a second term, Katherine's incisive analyses, focused emphasis on accountability, and vested interest in the community's holistic welfare make her an excellent addition to the board.

Brian is a lifetime Lewis County resident and has always lived on his family farm off Lincoln Creek Road, minus a few years at Western WA University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in biology. Brian is the 4th generation to continue on the family farm. Brian has 2 children and 2 grandchildren and is very happily married. The Thompson family used to run cattle and produce hay, peas, and grain. Now retired from his position as a crop production specialist with Thurston County, Brian spends his time farming for others, working at the Lewis County Courthouse, and serving his community wherever he can. He has been a volunteer firefighter with District 12 Riverside for over 50 years and served as an officer for 40 of those years. He chairs the Voluntary Stewardship Program administered by the Lewis Conservation District, is active in the Grange, and he represents the Lewis County Farm Bureau on the Chehalis Basin Partnership. Brian has very deep roots in Lewis County and a long-time commitment to the agricultural industry. He is currently serving as the Vice-Chair, and his steady demeanor, eminently reasonable approach, and consistently fair consideration of a wide range of topics are an ongoing source of guidance.

Born and raised in Lewis County and from an agricultural family, Arthur has a background in public service and a strong personal passion for land management and the ecological sciences, particularly for local plants. He currently works as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Coordinator for the Lewis Conservation District, and holds a Washington State Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator Certification as a Public Operator with endorsements in rights-of-way and aquatic weed control.

He previously worked for the City of Olympia in its Parks and Public Works Departments, and as a private contractor helping small landowners manage knotweed. His familiarity with the local culture, terrain, and ecology is an asset to the board and allows him to tailor his guidance for the program to meet local needs.

Valarie has been involved in vegetation management for her entire life and learned about invasive species and noxious weed control from her father, who was contracted in this field for the county. She is a local business owner and entrepreneur; her enterprises include a Christmas tree farm and a "u-cut" tree farm in the Cinebar community, among others. In addition, Valarie is now running her own vegetation management company and has earned a reputation as a reliable, effective contractor in Lewis County and the surrounding areas. She is currently serving as the Chair of the Weed Board.

Tina is a resident of Mineral, WA, where she is involved in just about everything, and is the proud owner of Lavender Passion Flower Farm. She makes a practice of actively and consistently contributing to her community and has already made an outsized impact on the town of Mineral and the greater Lewis County area after moving here only a few years ago, with her tenacity, financial competence, and down-to-earth kindness and common sense!