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Education

About Dan

Personal Background:

• Born and raised in the Yakima Valley
• Graduate of Selah High School
• Lifelong interest in the stories, voices, and landscapes of the region
• Parent of two children
• Advocate for public education, creative expression, and community life

School Board Service:

• Selah School Board member since 2019
• Currently serving as Board President
• Committed to the role public schools play in sustaining healthy communities and building trust

Publishing and Literary Work:

• Former publisher of Blue Begonia Press for 10 years
• Focused on amplifying writers from the Pacific Northwest
• Author of two books of poetry

Academic Background:

• Master’s thesis on Raymond Carver, Yakima-born poet and short story writer
• Undergraduate thesis on Gary Snyder, focusing on ecological and spiritual themes in his poetry

International and Scholarly Experiences:

• 2016 sabbatical to London and Scotland to study William Shakespeare
• Deepened appreciation for early modern literature and performance-based learning
• 2021–22 Fulbright Roving Scholar in American Studies in Norway
• Taught American literature, digital research values, civil rights history, and creative writing in schools across the country
• Strengthened belief in the power of public education and cross-cultural dialogue