April 26, 2024 

Media Contacts:  
Jennifer Korfiatis, interim public information officer, 509-682-6650, jkorfiatis@wvc.edu 

Paula Arno Martinez, who serves on the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees, has won the Commitment to Community Service Award from Chelan-Douglas County Volunteer Attorney Services at their Portraits of Justice Gala on April 13. 

The gala celebrates the contributions of CDCVAS’s legal community and their community partners, and it serves as a fundraising event. 

"I am honored to be recognized for my commitment to the community,” Arno Martinez said. “I am passionate about community service and hope this will inspire others to step up and find ways to give back to the community. Progress is a collective effort, and we must work together to create a more just and compassionate world." 

Arno Martinez is an attorney at Arno Martinez Law, PLLC, where she practices immigration law exclusively. She was first licensed by the State Bar of Texas in 2013. She has volunteered for CDCVAS for about ten years, primarily as an interpreter for legal consultations. She has also worked with the organization in partnership with the Latino/a Bar Association for free legal clinics.  

She was appointed to the WVC Board of Trustees in 2020, and she also serves on the Association for College Trustees Board, Wenatchee Pride Board, Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center Board of Trustees, and Latino/a Bar Association of Washington Board. 

“Ms. Arno Martinez is instrumental in supporting diversity and inclusion at our college and in our community,” said WVC President Faimous Harrison. “This award demonstrates Ms. Arno Martinez’s ability to foster a welcoming community and to support the college’s effort to develop a culture of excellence.” 

CDCVAS’ mission is to bridge the justice gap and provide high quality, equitable, and free legal services to individuals in Chelan and Douglas counties who are facing poverty.  

Photo credit: John and Poppy Kelly / JP Portrait Studio

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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 is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion for all students and employees and 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, Mish ee twie, 1321A, (509) 682-6716, title9@wvc.edu. 
• To request disability accommodations: Student Access Manager, Wenatchi Hall 2131, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.