Oct. 22, 2020

Media Contact:
Libby Siebens, community relations executive director, 509-682-6436 (Mon.-Thurs.)

A new member was appointed to a five-year term with the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees this month. Paula Arno Martinez attended her first board meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

“I want to be more involved in local community issues and am passionate about working with students,” Arno Martinez said. “Knowing that the college is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, I wanted to lend my support.”

Arno Martinez is an attorney and co-founded the Arno Martinez Law Firm, PLLC, with her wife and fellow attorney Vanessa Arno Martinez. She practices immigration law exclusively. She is from Houston and has lived in Wenatchee for six years.

Arno Martinez currently serves as the National President of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., a Latina founded nonprofit focused on community service. She is also a member of the Latino/a Bar Association of Washington and the National Lawyers Guild, Wenatchee Chapter. She previously served on the City of Wenatchee Diversity Council and as a commissioner for the Washington Commission on Hispanic Affairs. She has worked for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Colectiva Legal del Pueblo and Rios & Cruz, P.S.

She received her bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio and her juris doctorate at Texas Southern University.

Arno Martinez fills the position left vacant by Dr. June Darling in September after serving 10 years as a board member.

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Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington by serving educational and cultural needs of communities and residents throughout the service area. The college provides high-quality transfer, liberal arts, professional/technical, basic skills and continuing education for students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Visit our website, wvc.edu.

Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses:

• To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Wenatchi Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu.
• To request disability accommodations: Director of Student Access, Wenatchi Hall 2133, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.