Former Board Chair, Dr. Richard Graham, submitted his resignation from the ESD 112 Board of Directors after 25 years of service to ESD 112’s District 1.

Graham was appointed to the ESD 112 Board of Directors in July of 1997, and has been subsequently elected to many terms since then. He has represented ESD 112’s District 1, which includes parts of Kelso and Battle Ground School Districts, and all of Green Mountain, Kalama, La Center, and Woodland School Districts. Graham served as board president from January 2006 to January 2008, and again from January 2017 to January 2019. In addition to his service on the ESD 112 Board of Directors, Dr. Graham served as an unpaid volunteer for various educational organizations for more than 40 years.

“The incredible people I have had the pleasure of serving with have made this work very rewarding, to say the least,” Dr. Graham said. “I will always recall my time on the ESD 112 Board of Directors fondly and be proud of the work we did for students together.”

Current ESD 112 Board Chair, Darlene Stickel said, “Dr. Graham will be sorely missed, not only for his institutional knowledge but also for his long-standing support of the ESD’s mission, vision, and values. He served for eight years on the Executive Committee for the Washington Association of Educational Districts representing ESD 112.”

“Dr. Graham has been a constant, supportive presence on our board for more than two decades,” said Tim Merlino, superintendent of ESD 112. “I know I speak on behalf of everyone at ESD 112 when I say that we are truly thankful for his dedication to the schools he has represented and he will be missed.”

Recruitment for a new board member to fill Dr. Graham’s position will begin immediately.