About Us

The Sustainable Living Center program was established in July 2005, with a grant from Washington State Department of Ecology. After operating as a 2-day renewable energy festival from 2002 to 2005, the organization determined that a year-round facility was needed to serve the region's growing interest in renewable energy conservation, green building, waste reduction, and other topics related to sustainability.

The SLC has established a reputation in the Walla Walla region as the clearinghouse for information and resources for making more sustainable lifestyle decisions. With funding from government and private sources, we maintain five successful programs that help us achieve our mission of conserving resources for the future, through encouraging and facilitating sustainable living practices in our community!

Our Board of Directors

Click on BOD name to read their bio.

Todd Blackman

President

Todd is a founding board member of what is now the SLC and currently working as an energy professional advising the board on energy efficiency and alternative energy matters. He is currently serving as a fire commissioner with Franklin 3 in Pasco WA and have been a longtime volunteer and past president with the Tri-Cities Water Follies Association. Todd tries to be a good steward of the private and public funds we work with and match these resources to the unserved or underserved needs in our community. He does his best to ensure the SLC remains an inclusive and non-political entity focused on solid energy & environmental educational and inspirational endeavors open to all and void of partisan political influences that can divide a community and dilute our mission. Todd is very proud of the SLC and everything the organization does from farm to school & educational workshops to energy efficiency and alternative energy programs and more!

Besty Russell Carroll

Vice President

Betsy Russell Carroll grew up in Portland, OR where sustainable concepts were a part of daily life - she helped with her family’s garden and remembers having to save bathwater to water the grass during summer droughts. She first moved to Walla Walla to attend Whitman College, graduating with a BA in Politics. She then received a Master’s in Teaching from Concordia University in Portland and moved back to Walla Walla to start working for Walla Walla Public Schools in Elementary and Early Childhood. After 8 years with the district, Betsy transitioned to staying home with her son and focusing more on school gardens through the Walla Walla Valley Farm to School organization as a board member. When WWVF2S merged with the Sustainable Living Center she joined the SLC board. In addition to being a board member, Betsy is the Education Coordinator for the school garden program and the OR Farm to School Regional Lead for Umatilla, Gilliam, Morrow, and Wheeler Counties in Oregon. Betsy, her husband, and son love to be outside working on their own half acre yard and garden, as well as camping and hiking in the Blues and Wallowas.

Tom Osborn

Treasurer

Tom Osborn earned his BS Mechanical Engineering from Gonzaga University in Spokane. Tom works with the US Department of Energy - Bonneville Power Administration. Toms 20 plus years of experience includes renewable energy project management, power planning, customer service engineering, nuclear plant oversight, asset management, power sales contract negotiations, project representative with Army Corps, and energy efficiency. Tom is experienced in energy efficiency strategies in the commercial, industrial, Federal, and agriculture segments. Tom assists utilities served by BPA to develop energy efficiency opportunities and demand response portfolios. Tom resides in Walla Walla, WA; is very active in Rotary International service club as a past president and Assistant Governor; Junior Achievement classroom instructor, sings at church and the Walla Walla Choral Society, and is also the very proud father of a wonderful daughter who is teaching high school math.

Karen Yager

Secretary & SLC Founder

Karen Yager is the founder of the Sustainable Living Center (SLC), which started in 2001 as a 2-day festival named the Northwest Renewable Energy Festival. Karen still serves on the SLC Board of Directors as the Secretary and works in the Walla Walla Valley as a real estate agent. Karen’s passions include hiking, real estate investing, and whole foods cooking.

Andy Gomez

Board Member

Andy Gomez is currently the Executive Director at the Walla Walla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. Andy has worked in the transportation planning field in the South, Midwest, Mountain West, and Pacific Northwest areas for more than 25 years, in both the public and private sector. He is a also a Transportation Research Board committee member where he reviews research papers and provides recommendations for publication and presentation at national conferences. He earned an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Miami and graduate degrees in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa and in Economics from Colorado School of Mines. In his free time, he enjoys strength training and walking to various activities which helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions. He particularly likes the Sustainable Living Center’s Walla Walla Valley Farm to School program because the children learn early in their life to make healthy choices while also supporting the local agricultural community.