Clark County Business Briefing

People in Business

Clark College welcomed a new trustee, Suzanne Donaldson, recently appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to serve on the five-member Clark College Board of Trustees. Clark College serves Southwest Washington in District 14, which includes Clark, Skamania and western Klickitat counties. Donaldson began her new role on Oct. 31.

Donaldson will replace outgoing Trustee Paul Speer, who has served on the board since 2018.

Donaldson, CEO of Donaldson Consulting LLC, a national consulting firm, has more than 21 years of experience as a diversity consultant practitioner with an emphasis on outreach, qualitative research and project management support services. She is recognized for working with underserved businesses and collaborating with multiple stakeholders.

Donaldson, a member of the Kinswa Family, serves as an elected councilwoman for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. Having been involved in her tribe for decades, she has served in many capacities including the Cowlitz Indian Tribe powwow committee chair, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe education committee vice chair, the Cowlitz Canoe Family, the Cowlitz Drum Group, Elders program volunteer, Pathways to Healing volunteer, and event planner for tribal celebrations. In addition to designing and making regalia, she is a Native American dancer, singer, drummer, and artist.

Donaldson has volunteered as a mentor for the Port of Portland’s Mentor Protégé Program, the Providence Cancer Foundation steering committee, the city of Portland’s Minority Evaluator Program, SafeBuild Alliance and Santa’s Posse.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office recently announced the selection of Ashley Korslien as its new communications manager. Korslien has nearly 15 years of experience in communications, journalism and broadcasting, including the last 11 years working locally as an investigative reporter and news anchor at KGW-TV in Portland.

Korslien graduated from the University of Montana and started her career as a public affairs intern with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office in California before working in broadcast journalism in Great Falls, Mont., and Spokane, until joining KGW-TV in 2013.

The communications manager is a new position at the sheriff’s office and will increase the office’s effectiveness in communicating both within the agency and with the community, the sheriff’s office announcement said. Korslien will work with the department’s body-worn camera team and community outreach programs. Korslien will work with a sworn public information officer to provide information to the public through various sources, including the sheriff’s office website, news releases, press conferences, social media, interviews and videos.

Korslien will start in the position on Dec. 4.

The Columbian welcomes submissions about Clark County residents or businesses, as well as regional business events. Information must be received by noon of the Tuesday preceding the intended Sunday publication date. Send to hope.martinez@columbian.com or fax 360-735-4540. Sales awards are not published.