 Cornetta Smith, Project Director, and her family have lived in Vancouver, Washington since the early 1970s. She holds a B.S. degree in Home Economics Education, attended Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, and has completed graduate work in Public Administration at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.
Mrs. Smith has a background in non-profit management, resource development, and program administration and for the past 30 years has led teams through program development, including fund raising necessary to implement and maintain the operation of programs. She is currently Program Director for the Multnomah County Healthy Birth Initiatives Program. (Photo courtesy of Maileen Hamto)
 Jane Elder Wulff, Project Interviewer and Writer, has lived in Washington state since childhood. She studied at Antioch College and Washington State University, where she received a B.A. in English and an M.A. in English and Creative Writing. Since 1988 she has worked full time as a freelance writer and independent contractor for individuals, families, communities, and public and private corporations. She has been a regular contributor to Northwest, Washington, and Peninsula magazines, Vancouver Business Journal, and Senior Messenger, a City of Vancouver publication for people over 50. She and Cornetta Smith developed the First Families concept out of interviews Jane conducted for her monthly Messenger profile series, which she has been writing since 2004. Her life’s mission is to strengthen community in the face of change and to help raise lost voices. A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated volunteers and consultants who also breathe life into this project! Janet Andrews Bertha Baugh Glenna Rose Bowman Rory Bowman Al Flory Earl Ford Belva Jean Griffin Leann Johnson Valree Joshua Barbara Meyers Sheila Simonson Donna Sinclair Cortonio Smith-Myles Jasmine Wadsworth Melissa Williams |