Marty Dickinson named Champion For Education
By: Ben Wick
This profile was originally published in the Greater Spokane Valley Current
Longtime community advocate Marty Dickinson was named the 2024 Harry E. Nelson Citizen of the Year by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. Dubbed the Education Advocate, Dickinson has been dedicated to building Spokane Valley schools to provide additional opportunities for the community.
The Citizen of the Year Award is named in honor of Harry E. Nelson, a foundational figure in the Spokane Valley community and a driving force behind establishing the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. Nelson’s legacy is a testament to the power of community service and dedication to building the Spokane Valley community.
Born in Penticton, British Columbia, Marty came to Spokane Valley when her family moved here for better opportunities. “Dad wanted to be in the United States but still close to the rest of the family” said Dickinson.
Starting in the second grade at South Pines Elementary School, Marty is a product of the Central Valley School District. She graduated from Central Valley High School before going on to Washington State University. During her time attending Central Valley she fondly recalls the connections with former educators Chuck Hafner, Bob and Sharon Jayne. “They were both my Principal and Vice-Principal’ recalled Dickinson, “the number of educators that were invested in me was amazing. I even got to know Donna and Jack Pring from knocking on their door to sell cookies.”
I always knew I wanted to come back for my kids to be able to attend school in Spokane Valley.
Marty met her future husband Reid while attending college at Washington State University. After college Marty moved to the west side of the state where Reid was from working both in Seattle then Portland. They recently celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary.
“I always knew I wanted to come back for my kids to be able to attend school in Spokane Valley” added Dickinson.
Marty’s dad, Russ Williams, was a dental technician who went on to own a small practice in Spokane Valley and was apart of the Spokane Valley Kiwanis Club where he previously served as President. Her mom Gayle worked in the Library at South Pines and went on to work for the district for more than 25 years before retiring. “They still live in the same house we grew up in” said Dickinson.
After moving back to Spokane Valley to start her family, Marty had three children, daughter Kaylee, son Blake, and daughter Ellie. They attended Chester Elementary School, Horizon Middle School, and then graduated from University High School. Kaylee has since gone on to the University of Denver and lives in Denver. Blake went on to Grand Canyon University and lives in Phoenix, and Ellie went on to the University of Arizona and lives in Dallas.
Professionally Marty works in the Marketing field starting out in the telecommunications industry working for companies such as XO Communications, Cellular One, and AT&T Wireless. She was able to begin focus her efforts on the local community when she had the opportunity to serve as the President of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, then Sterling Bank (which is now Umpqua Bank), and now currently serves as the Chief Marketing Officer and a member of the senior leadership team for Spokane Teachers Credit Union (STCU). Responsible for brand marketing, community relations, government affairs, and facilities.
Marty has also been very active throughout the community in other capacities. She served twelve years on YMCA board, on the Board of Regents and past chair for Washington State University, past chair of the Spokane Public Facilities District board of directors, a board member on the State of Washington Regence / Blue Shield Foundation, co-chair of the Central Valley School District Bond Committees in 2015 and 2018, and currently serves as the co-chair of LaunchNW.
“I got to work with Greg Beaver on the vision for the Mirabeau Park area and served on the capital campaign committee that secured the funding to build both the Valley and Downtown YMCA buildings,” said Dickinson.
Although her proudest effort was when she was approached by then Superintendent Ben Small to help take Central Valley School District to the next level. “To work with such a large group to pass a bond, after 16 years without, our kids deserved safe schools and we did it with fiduciary responsibility – we made the right investment at the right time.”
Q. You have dedicated your professional career to serving the community, what drew you to community service?
I have always had a propensity to be involved and enjoy the sense of connection community service provides. A couple of things happen when you are a community steward who tends to lean in and do the heavy lifting. Good outcomes occur but you also gain a reputation for getting the work done. After 30 years of volunteering, I think I established myself as someone who, if passionate about something will be fully engaged and all in. That has built on itself over the years, and I am very grateful for being asked to lend a hand, lead and lift up.
Q. After college you moved to Seattle and Portland before coming back to Spokane Valley. How did that experience shape your perspective and what made you want to come back to Spokane Valley?
Spokane Valley has always been home for me. The relationships, mentors and advocates I had established over the years along with my immediate family being here drew me back to Spokane. I was fortunate that my husband Reid also recognized the specialness of what this community had to offer and agreed to uproot his professional career and move. There is something unique about how the Valley and the decades of families, professionals, educators intertwine into individuals personal and professional journeys and have meaningful impact. There is an upspoken investment and commitment that this community makes in people and that is what called me home as I wanted the same for my three kids.
Q. You mentioned a number of people that helped connect with or invest time in you, how important is mentorship to you?
I see mentoring as a pay it forward action. The countless teachers, principals, community, and business leaders who have given their time, counsel, and support to me over the past 30 years is too many to count or mention. I have tried to be intentional with everyone who has shared knowledge, experiences and at times hard but honest feedback with me and truly absorb and learn from their guidance. I have worked to build and keep those relationships close and ensure those who matter know they matter and have made a difference for me, resulting in some great outcomes. Teaching the theory that you get what you give is one that I try to instill in those I mentor. Mentorship is a two-way engagement, and I have developed as a leader because of the innovative, forward looking, and diverse mentees I have been lucky enough to spend time with. Mentoring comes in many different forms, and I believe it is a responsibility for those like me to be active in transferring knowledge and sharing opportunities to ensure we are lifting up our leaders and community stewards of tomorrow.
Q. Having had the opportunity to also serve and be an integral part of developing / redeveloping downtown Spokane as well, what have you seen as the biggest differences or commonalities between the two areas?
I have spent most of my professional career navigating, trouble shooting and seeking common ground amongst multiple parties. My experience in galvanizing teams, organizations and people has afforded me the ability to quickly assess who wants to be part of the outcome for the greater good and who is in it for individual purposes. Finding compromise and a balance of where we can meet is always the most challenging component, but it is also the common thread that has been woven throughout my career. Getting to a win a win outcome is the hill that must be climbed and regardless of what public or private project and or major community initiative I have led it always come down to who is willing to align and collaborate in a trustworthy manner. Ultimately those who find their way to take the hill together differentiates who is successful and who is left behind.
Q. After serving on the first successful bond committee for the Central Valley School District, what made you agree to serving as co-chair the second time?
Co-Chairing the CVSD bond committee not once in 2015 but again in 2018 was an honor that came with great responsibility and accountability to our voters. In 2015 our dynamic team of volunteers and the leadership of then Superintendent Ben Small did the work to understand what the real needs were for our students; we did the due diligence and rigor around the cost to complete the projects and finally committed to being transparent in how the dollars would be put to work. Earning a YES vote and the trust of our taxpayers in 2015 propelled me to want to ensure we did what we said we would do. When asked again in 2018 if I would be willing to help lead this next effort that allowed us to best support our students and address the unprecedent growth in our area saying yes came easy. This work by many resulted in a 3rd high school, a new middle school, Mica Peak, and several renovated schools.
Q. What is it like to work for a major regional company such as Spokane Teachers Credit Union which is headquartered in Liberty Lake?
I pinch myself each day I get to be a part of STCU. In my 30 plus years of serving our community there is one unwavering organization who has always been along side of every challenge, opportunity, and heavy lift and that is STCU. To have the opportunity to lead Commercial Lending, Community Impact, Advocacy, and Brand Marketing for the past five years has been the pinnacle point in my professional career. I am beyond fortunate to marry my passions of leaning in for our community with a company like STCU who has a 90 + year proven track record of doing GOOD day in and day out. When you are able to align your personal values with your employer who serves its members with the same north star, I would say it doesn’t get much better than that.
Q. How does being recognized as the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year, make you feel?
This is a full circle moment for me. I am humbled to be included with the amazing people who have received this award before me. The award has me reflecting on my journey from the young girl at South Pines Elementary to the senior at Central Valley High School, to the fully committed parent of 3 kids who attended Chester, Horizon, and University and to now the professional and community steward who has less time on my career path than I do more. It is overwhelming for me to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation I have for the people who trusted me with countless opportunities to volunteer and lead. This award is a culmination of my amazing parents Russ and Gayle Williams, older sister Dana Anderson, husband of 31 years Reid Dickinson, 3 awesome kids, Kylee, Blake, Ellie, my South Pines librarian Annie Bainter, countless educators, and business leaders who in countless ways have been my cheerleader and champion.
Q. What are you working on next?
I am working to co-lead efforts supporting Launch NW. Launch NW is an organization I am very passionate about and committed to their mission of ensuring that every child finds belonging and travels their best journey from birth to career attainment. Helping our kids have food security, manage mental and emotional health challenges as well stable housing. Along with that providing access to FAFSA completion where every high school senior has a post high school opportunity is a space both me and my husband Reid are committing our time, talent, and treasure. We believe the way in which we change the long-term trajectory, health and vitality of our communities is disrupting the current cycle we are in. Launch NW is the real deal and demonstrating meaningful and impactful outcomes in how we do this today and tomorrow.
Q. When you are not volunteering or working, how do you like to spend your time?
I am lucky enough to call my 3 adult children- Kylee, Blake, and Ellie my friends. They are great humans who bring me countless moments of humor, joy, and a healthy dose of diverse perspective. Because they are each currently thriving and adulting in Denver, Phoenix and Dallas, Reid and I tend to use much of our free time traveling to experience their new communities that they call home……for now. If I am not on a plane I try to be active and enjoy this wonderful place, we all get to live and call home, the Spokane Valley.
