Valerie Marsh
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Director
Student Accommodations and Support Services
Valerie is from Cheney and has been working with the Disability office since 2008. She was first hired as the part time program assistant and is now the SASS Director. She loves working with students, and watching them achieve their goals. She has two favorite times of the academic year. Fall quarter, when all the new students are on campus learning the in’s and out’s of campus life. The second favorite is Graduation Day in June, where she gets to share the experience of students reaching their educational goals. Outside of EWU, she enjoys her family and farm life!
Brock Sieb
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Associate Director
Student Support Services
Brock is from Monroe, Michigan and enjoys cooking, reading, and playing video games. He used to work for EWU Housing and Residential Life before joining the SASS team in Spring 2020. He obtained his master's degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Indiana State University and a bachelor's degree in English from Central Michigan University. His master's research was on college resources for LGBTQ+ Students.
Michelle Helmerick
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Senior Case Manager
Student Support Services
Currently serving as the Senior Case Manager, Michelle assists students in crisis and helps students and their families navigate the resources available at EWU. She has worked in the Dean of Students office since 2005. Prior to EWU, she served at the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau in Boulder, Colorado as its Executive Director. She has a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Wyoming. When not on campus, Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Cecilia Ochi
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Case Manager
Student Support Services
Cecilia is a proud daughter of immigrant parents from San Salvador, El Salvador and Cuernavaca, Mexico. Cecilia graduated from Azusa Pacific University with her bachelor’s in psychology as a first-generation student. She is from Anaheim, California and moved to Spokane, Washington summer of 2018. She has been working in the social service field and recently was at Frontier Behavioral Health working in the crisis response department. She is excited to be at Eastern Washington University supporting students. Cecilia enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, canning, and being outdoors.
Jon Pemberton
Case Manager
Student Support Services
Jon is excited to serve students in his new position as a case manager for the Student Accommodations and Support Services office. He has almost 20 years of experience in social services including 13 years serving vulnerable children, adolescents, and families as a case manager for Child Protective Services and Foster Home Licensing for the State of Washington. Jon obtained a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Idaho and a M.A. in Theology from Whitworth University. Jon resides in Cheney with his wife and four children. His wife Melissa and his oldest daughter are EWU alumni and he is excited to join the Eagle family by serving the amazing students at EWU in his local community. Jon enjoys sports of all kinds as well as buying and selling sports memorabilia as a hobby.
Velvet Sewell
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Case Manager
Student Support Services
Velvet is from Tacoma, Washington though she has lived here in Cheney for almost ten years. She attended Eastern to earn both her Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice as well as her Masters in Social Work. During her undergraduate time at Eastern she worked for the Housing and Residential Life department as a Community Advisor for two years and an additional year as an Academic Community Advisor. Her focus during her graduate work was with individuals facing homelessness and food insecurity here in Spokane’s West Central neighborhood. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, creating art and playing videogames when she gets the chance.
Karin Alberts
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Case Manager
Student Accommodations
Karin attended Eastern Washington University for both her Bachelors degree in Psychology and Masters in Social Work. She is excited to return to EWU as an employee and assist students with accommodations. Karin began working in social services in 2013 and most recently worked for Child Protective Services. She resides in Cheney, Washington and in her free time enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and working out. Her goals include learning sign language and traveling more!
Dollie Schmidt
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Operations Manager
Student Accommodations and Support Services
Dollie has been part of Student Affairs since 2005, starting first in the Vice President for Student Affairs office before moving into the Student Life Suite providing administrative support to the Dean of Students. She loves working with students to help mentor, provide resources and support to help with their academic success which opened the door for her current role. Dollie enjoys spending time with her family, baking, gardening, canning, being outdoors and finding what she calls her Calgon Moments!
Madelyn "Mady" Osorio
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Intake Coordinator
Student Accommodations and Support Services
Mady is a recent graduate from Whitworth University. She is passionate about forming relationships and creating safe spaces for students to feel included. Mady grew up in Wapato, Washington. Stop by the office and say hi!
Micah Bockstruck Martinez
Manager
Spokane Student Services
Micah joined the SASS team in January 2023 and excited to return to Eastern. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Eastern Washington University and his Master of Education in Higher Administration from Iowa State University. Micah previously worked in Fraternity & Sorority Life at Oregon State University, Texas Tech University and Iowa State University, and came to EWU after working in Fraternity & Sorority Life at Washington State University for the past four years. Micah grew up in Eastern Washington and enjoys spending time with his family and friends and traveling in his free time.
