Victory!

🎉 Victory for Accountability at Wenatchee Valley College

Today, we celebrate an important victory.

Paula Arno Martinez and Wilma Cartagena have resigned from the Wenatchee Valley College Board of Trustees.

When this petition began, our goal was simple: to bring transparency, accountability, and public attention to the governance of Wenatchee Valley College. Thanks to thousands of supporters, extensive Public Records Act investigations, and the willingness of people to read the evidence for themselves, meaningful change has begun.

According to reporting by Dominick Bonny, Wilma Cartagena said:

“I chose to protect the College from further harassment by an individual who engaged in online bullying and harassment against Paula and me. Additionally, I felt the need to protect my own privacy and the privacy of the people I care about.”

If Ms. Cartagena was referring to the individual who brought these records to public attention, I respectfully disagree with that characterization. The public concern surrounding the Board did not arise because someone lawfully requested and published public records. It arose because of what those records revealed. Public officials are accountable for their own words and actions.

This outcome belongs to everyone who signed the petition, shared the information, asked difficult questions, and stood up for open government. Thank you.

But our work is not finished.

The Governor will now appoint new trustees who will help shape the future of Wenatchee Valley College. Those appointments matter. They represent an opportunity to restore public confidence in the Board and ensure that the college’s stated values—student-centeredness, accountability, and transparency—are reflected in its leadership.

Today is a day to recognize real progress.

Together, we made a difference.

Thank you for standing with us.