Board of Directors
Chair:
MICHAEL GRAYUM
Michael Grayum is a results-driven, visionary leader, who brings a wealth of leadership and management experience from the public, private and non-profit sectors. He has extensive experience leading organizations to achieve meaningful outcomes through effective public policies, strong organizational management, and collaborative community partnerships. He has served as a Mayor, City Council member, Governor-appointed Commissioner on national and community services, senior executive for two state agencies, and board member for several regional and national organizations. Michael currently serves as the City Manager for one of Washington State’s fastest growing cities where he leads the day-to-day operations of all City departments. He is also a managing partner for Pando Consulting Group, where he helps organizations improve operations, develop effective public affairs strategies, and become deeply rooted in the communities they serve, affect and depend upon.
Michael has a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Pacific Lutheran University, where he was also an athlete on the football and track teams. Michael and his wife Jenny have two children and live in Tacoma, WA.
Chair: Michael Grayum
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Tom James, Jr., a career Army Officer, retired from active duty in August 2021 after 36 years of active duty service in leadership positions from platoon through Field Army level.
Tom commanded a Division at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington; supervising the leader development, training and readiness for over 15,000 Soldiers focused on operations and training in the Pacific Theater. He then served as the Operations Officer for United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea where he managed a directorate of over 300 U.S., Korean and Multinational Soldiers responsible for operations, training and exercises for all Military Services supporting the Korean area of responsibility.
Tom currently serves as a Senior Mentor for the Army’s Mission Command Training Program (MCTP), a Leadership Fellow for AUSA, a member of the US Global Leadership Coalition National Security Council and recently worked as a strategy advisor for the University of Health and Performance in Bentonville, Arkansas. Additionally, through Connected Leadership LLC he conducts consulting and leadership engagements.
Member At Large: Lieutenant General (Ret.) Tom James, Jr.
Treasurer:
STACY MILLER
Stacy is a military spouse to a now retired U.S. Army officer. She is a passionate advocate for the military, veterans, and their families. She is a Partner with Bright Investments, a Certified Financial Planner™, and has a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in finance.
Treasurer: Stacy Miller
Dr. Wendi Waits is a retired Army psychiatrist who is board certified in general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and lifestyle medicine. She is a strong believer in the power that physical activity and social connectedness have in optimizing mental wellness and resilience. Her 31 years in uniform included providing direct support to survivors of the Pentagon attack on 9/11, serving as a division psychiatrist in Korea, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, and providing behavioral health treatment to military service members and their families at various installations. She currently sees both adults and children for Talkiatry, the nation’s largest telepsychiatry practice.
She has over 50 scientific publications and presentations, is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University, and helped train more than 100 future Army and Navy psychiatrists at residency and fellowship programs in Hawaii and the National Capital Area. She has served in various behavioral health leadership positions, culminating her career as the Director for Behavioral Health at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Wendi has a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from the United States Military Academy and earned her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She currently lives with her spouse in Hawaii, where she enjoys being active outdoors, catching up with friends, and appreciating the beauty of the islands.