White House official visits Vancouver to address ‘disconnected’ youth

Shumway — Patti Stonesifer, chairwoman of the White House Council for Community Solutions, visited Vancouver on March 4 to talk about disconnected youth. The council was created in late 2010 by President Barack Obama to engage community leaders from all areas to generate solutions to the problem of young people disconnected from jobs and school. At least one in six young adults is “disconnected,” according to the council. Mayor Tim Leavitt and City Councilman Jack Burkman were among the 32 people at the event, which was hosted by the YWCA Clark County and United Way. Before being appointed to the White House Council, Stonesifer chaired the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents. She was CEO of the Gates Foundation from 1997 to 2008.