TCSRA Elected Officers, 2025–2026
Left to right, top row: Patty Gee and Gail Feagins
Second row: Diana Kildow, ZiNita Carrell, and Pat Slosson
Patty Gee, President: Now in her second year as TCSRA President, Patty has also served as our secretary and as president-elect. After 20 years with North Thurston Public Schools, Patty went on sabbatical to earn her master’s degree at Central Washington University (CWU). Meanwhile, her husband was called to Tokyo, Japan, as a Christian missionary. Patty followed and was able to do research comparing Japan’s early childhood programs to ours for her master’s degree thesis. After three years in Japan as ministers of a Christian Mission Church, they returned, and Patty finished her Master’s in School Administration at CWU and then worked in several districts—Toppenish, Shelton, Steilacoom, and Griffin—as a speech language pathologist. At this point, she retired and realized a life goal by opening her “Open Door Autism Clinic” in Olympia. She directly provided the therapy for autism communication and social skills, and her husband, Jerome, was the Executive Director. As a volunteer, Patty has been President/Executive Director of the Autism Society of Washington, secretary for the North Thurston Education Association, secretary for several church boards and councils, and secretary/board member of the Regional Women of the Lutheran Church of America.
Gail Feagins, Vice President: Gail Feagins has been chair of TCSRA’s Member & Health Services Committee for 12 years and has written many excellent articles regarding health and consumer issues for Bits & Pieces. She also has served on WSSRA’s state Health Committee, and she has finished a three-year term as the SW-4 district representative on the WSSRA Executive Board. Born in Canada, Gail grew up in Yakima and graduated from Central Washington University. She taught in the North Thurston School District for 31 years, mainly at Chinook Middle School. Over the years she taught French, language arts, social studies, and calligraphy. Through a grant from the University of Washington, Gail spent six weeks in Egypt, along with 17 other social studies teachers from the Pacific NW. Since retirement in 1998, Gail has volunteered at the Tax Center at Fort Lewis, the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, and the Thurston County Food Bank. She has made several trips with Global Volunteers, tutoring English on a short-term basis, throughout the US, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. She also made a humanitarian trip to Tanzania with the Safi School project. Because of her commitment to volunteering, Gail was the 2025 recipient of WSSRA’s Stan McNaughton Award that looks outwardly as it recognizes a member whose volunteer participation in the community has helped improve the image of school retirees. Besides traveling, Gail enjoys reading, walking, and skiing.
Secretary: Unfilled Position
Diana Kildow, Treasurer: Diana was born and raised in Spokane, WA. She attended Whitworth College and graduated from Centralia College, Eastern Washington State College, and Seattle Pacific University. She retired in 2004 after 33 years of teaching with the Mossyrock and Chehalis School Districts. Her primary focus was working with 1st–3rd grade students with learning/language disabilities. Diana currently serves on our Finance Committee and assists with the Legislative Committee. Diana has been associated with the Olympia Highlanders Bagpipe Band since 1992 and has served as board member, band manager, quartermaster, and bagpiper. As secretary and president of the Tacoma Highland Games, Diana promoted the yearly Scottish event at Frontier Park in Graham, WA. She also served for many years as secretary of the Slingerland Institute for Literacy. After retirement, Diana became a Girl Scout leader. Her current volunteer efforts continue to focus on helping others with church activities, the South Sound Reading Foundation, and as a Reading Specialist at Sunrise Beach Elementary School in Olympia.
ZiNita Carrell, Membership Treasurer: ZiNita, now in her thirteenth year as membership treasurer, is in charge of email notifications for luncheon reservations and legislative announcements. She was the education committee co-chair and wrote articles for Bits & Pieces for many years before retiring from that job last year. ZiNita was born in Yakima, WA, and lived in Wapato for most of her childhood. Her father, Lorence Heikell, was principal of Wapato Intermediate School, and her mother taught in various elementary schools around the lower Yakima Valley. ZiNita graduated from East Valley High School in Moxee and later received her BA and MA from Central Washington University. She taught Title 1 and Chapter 1 reading and math for nearly all of her career in Eastern and Western Washington and retired from Tacoma Public Schools. In retirement ZiNita enjoys reading novels, watching movies, traveling, and playing board games with her grandchildren.
Pat Slosson, Immediate Past President: Currently in her fourth year as editor of Bits & Pieces, Pat has also been co-editor of the directory for several years. She is on the hospitality/luncheon committee and provides printed programs for our luncheon meetings. Pat served three terms as TCSRA president, one year as our vice president/president-elect, and three years as our secretary. She has also been chair of the membership committee. As an “Army Brat,” Pat attended seven schools before graduating from high school in Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a BA in Education and later earned an MA from Lesley University. After working for Phoenix newspapers, she returned to Washington and taught for North Thurston Public Schools for 30 years. Pat taught English as well as acting as Dean of Students for 12 years. Pat enjoys reading, traveling with her husband, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.
