Board Members

OUR BOARD MEMBERS

ALEX HANSEN, PRESIDENT
Alex Hansen has wide experience in the field of Traffic Safety Education in Washington State. He has taught traffic safety education for 36 years in both public schools and in commercial driver training schools and is now serving his second term as our WTSEA board President.

Alex worked as a Regional Traffic Safety Coordinator for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction until the funding for the position was cut in 2002. He has been a trainer of trainers, teaching teachers how to become driver education teachers in the public and the private school arena. Since 2008, he has been an adjunct professor at Central Washington University, teaching the courses required in Washington for a certified teacher to receive and endorsement to teach TSE in the public schools.

Alex has served on the Board of Directors of the Washington Traffic Safety Education Association almost without break since 1988. He is also the legislative liaison for WTSEA, responsible for informing the members about proposed legislation and rules pertaining to TSE, and testifying for WTSEA at public hearings.

MIKE SHEPHARD, MEMBER-AT-LARGE
I graduated from central in 1973 with a BA in Special Education and then in 1991 I got a Masters of Education from Lesley College. I have just retired this year from Lake Stevens High school after 38 years of teaching. I still plan on teaching Traffic Safety at Lake Stevens and coaching girl’s tennis at Granite Falls High School.

I have been married for 33 years to Susan; we have two children, Krysta (24) and Eric (21). Eric will be starting at the UW this fall.

I feel very lucky to have been on the WTSEA board for the past 16 years and it has been an honor to serve as the President for the past 4 years.

GERALD APPLE, COORDINATING SECRETARY AND CO-CONFERENCE COORDINATOR
I am married to a great lady, Helen Johnston. I have one daughter, Amy Hickox who is thirty eight years old, married and lives in San Francisco. Plus, we are adopted two greyhounds who have become a loved part of our family.

I retired nine years ago from teaching Pacific Northwest History at Shelton High School. I am still teaching traffic safety education at SHS and I work with other TSE programs at the Educational Service District #113 in Olympia. Plus, I was the state SADD coordinator for Washington state. I have taught traffic safety education for the past forty-one years in the public schools.

I enjoy being the advisor for the Shelton HS and junior high SADD clubs. I have been the SADD club advisor at SHS since 1985. We have a great group of officers this year and the students and I are looking forward to attending the national conferences in Chicago and Honolulu. My favorite SADD club projects are the TATU, Little Stars, Relay for Life and developing DVD’s on such topics as “texting and driving.”

My favorite hobbies are weight lifting, swimming, walking, taking my wife out to a nice restaurant and then going to the show or dancing.

SCOTT CALAHAN, CENTRAL WASHINGTON BOARD REPRESENTATIVE
I teach a variety of courses for the Industrial & Engineering Technology department as well as coordinate the Traffic Safety and Technology Education programs at Central Washington University. Prior to coming to CWU, I taught traffic safety in five different school districts.

My lovely wife, Reena and I have three awesome daughters. I enjoy my girls’ sporting events, hunting, fishing, being up in the mountains, home improvement projects, and spending time with family.

I am truly blessed to be involved with the traffic safety community. Traffic safety educators are some of the most dedicated professionals I have been associated with.

.	CHUCK FILIPPINI - REPRESENTATIVE - ESD 101

After 39 years, I retired in 2016 from teaching, coaching, and advising (SADD Club) at North Central High School here in Spokane, Washington. I received my degrees in Physical Education, Health Education, and Traffic Safety Education at the University of Idaho. I received my 5th year in Special Education from Eastern Washington University and added additional TSE course work from Central Washington University and Dr. Fred Mottola.

Currently, I work part time for “9-1-1 Driving School” (BTW-DOL/KT Examiner-AAA Instructor) here in Spokane, Washington. I’ve had the honor and privilege to serve as your President of WTSEA back in the 90’s. I was very fortunate and humble to be picked for the Clifford Boyce Award, along with receiving the National Teacher of the Year Award from the American Driver Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA) in 2001.

I am married to a wonderful lady (Mary Lou) for the past thirty-seven years. Our son and daughter-in-law are in the Educational field as a teacher/counselor work here in Spokane. We are proud grandparents to our a 5yr. old granddaughter by the name of “Chloe Grace Filippini”.

Lastly, I continue to look forward learning new trends and concepts of our profession and helping to serve a wonderful group of TSE Instructors here in Eastern Washington.

DAVE SLIPP, REPRESENTATIVE - ESD 113 -AND CLOCK HOUR COORDINATOR
I retired from the U.S. Army in 1995, graduated from St. Martin’s University in 1999 with a degree in K-8 Education and endorsements in Instructional Technology and Traffic Safety. I taught Traffic Safety for Alexis Driving School for twelve years (1999-2011) and Tumwater SD, both Black Hills and Tumwater High Schools for 19 years (1999-2019). Best job I ever had, I had way too much fun!

I retired from Teaching traffic Safety Education in January 2019 but am still active in helping to shape the Washington State Traffic Safety program towards being one of the best in the nation.

I married my wife Patty who is from Mazatlán, Mexico in 2005. She became a US Citizen in December 2010. We try to spend one to two months a year in Mazatlán. My wife and I enjoy gardening and garage sales. I also enjoy wood working and automotive work. My garage is larger than my house.

SKEET GAUL, CONFERENCE CO-COORDINATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE ESD 123
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in History and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Educational Technology. I retired from public school instruction in 2007, after 36-years. I received my Washington State certification in TSE through Scott Calahan at Central Washington University in 1998. I currently work for the Arlington School District TSE program. I am certified to instruct both Classroom and Behind the Wheel. I have served the past year as the WTSEA Treasurer.

My wife and best friend, Teri, has recently retired as Business Operations Manager for an Engineering firm in Everett and she is also a Master Gardener, and she continuously helps me understand various computer software operations in my work for WTSEA. She has also taken on creating and maintaining the website for WTSEA. We enjoy our children and grandchildren as well as traveling and exploring new places together.

In addition to my work in TSE, I love to play golf, read and do things in which I can learn. I am a lifelong learner and I am always open to new ideas.

BILL HALEY - ESD 171 REPRESENTATIVE

I have BA in Business Administration from University of San Diego, CA, a Master’s in Technology Education, and a CTE Director Certificate. I was born and raised in Sothern California, where I taught for the fall of 1992 in the Brewster School District. I received my TSE Credential in 2000 and have been running programs, while teaching in Brewster and Pateros Washington since that time.
Recently, I received the opportunity to teach on the Olympic Peninsula and create a CTE program and teach Business classes for the Quileute Tribal School in La Push, WA. This is a great opportunity for me as this is a beautiful area and the Quileute people hold a special place in my heart. To make staying in the La Push area affordable, I have converted a 1998 Bluebird school bus into a tiny home and currently live in it during the school year. In addition, I have also started a TSE program here in this area to serve the local area of La Push.
I too am truly blessed to be involved with the traffic safety community. Traffic safety educators are some of the most dedicated professionals I have been associated with.

BREE AMMERMAN - MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

STU SODERQUIST - REPRESENTATIVE ESD 189