Board & Volunteers

The Life Support Board and auxiliary work diligently to raise essential funds to advance the Fire and Emergency Medical Services in Upper Kittitas County.

Cheri Marusa – Founder & President of Life Support



Cheri Marusa is a lifetime resident of Upper Kittitas County who founded Life Support in 1999 and serves as President. She is steadfast in her commitment to Life Support and oversees the Annual Life Support Dinner Auction fundraiser.

Also, she volunteers and serves as President – of the Roslyn Downtown Association, Board Member- of USONW, Rehab Unit – of Kittitas County Fire District 7, and Citizen Patrol – of Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office. She and her husband, Rob, are involved in numerous community activities.

Board Of Trustees

Chairman Sid Morrison – Is a former state representative and senator where his leadership helped guide legislation that helped create the Washington wine industry. He subsequently served 12 years in Congress and then ran the Washington State Department of Transportation for eight years. He spends about half his time in Olympia and the other half at his Yakima ranch. Among numerous board involvements, including Life Support and Energy Northwest Board of Directors, he is past Board Chair of Central Washington University and has been committed to public service for nearly five decades.

Dr. Patricia Galloway – Is chair of the board of directors of Pegasus Global Holdings. She currently oversees the strategy of the firm. For more than 40 years, she has provided strategic advice to boards and senior management concerning governance, management structures, and performance and risk management. Dr. Galloway serves on several public and non-profit boards, including Life Support. She is a chartered international arbitrator and a member of several arbitral institution panels, including the ICC, LCIA, CPR, ICDR, and the American Arbitration Association. She also serves as a member of the AAA’s Board of Directors. Dr. Galloway was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States National Science Board in 2006 for a six-year term. In that position, she served as vice chair from 2008 to 2010. In 2004, she was honored to be elected by her peers to serve as the first woman president of the American Society of Civil Engineers. She has served as an advisor to multiple independent review panels and has extensive international experience, having worked on some of the world’s largest projects. Dr. Galloway serves on the board of directors of Granite Construction, Inc., one of the nation’s largest infrastructure contractors, and recently served on the SCANA board, a publicly traded utility, where she served as Chair of the Special Litigation Committee of the board until the SCANA merger with Dominion Energy.

Mark Reisman – Is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington. He is also the Director of several cardiology programs throughout the country. Dr. Reisman has been the site Principal Investigator on more than 50 clinical trials and remains an active investigator in a multitude of trials with a focus on structural heart disease and coronary artery disease. As Director of Cardiovascular Emerging Therapies, he has a research interest in emerging technologies for the treatment of heart disease. Reisman has numerous publications and presentations.

Robert (Bob) McLean was a United States Marine Corps member. He is now retired from the Board of Directors of The Management Trust. He is the past CEO of CDC Management Services and CDC Development, which he founded in 1970. CDC Management Services is a Seattle-area leader in association management, and its staff is well-acclaimed by local and national trade organizations. He has been a real estate developer for the past 35 years. His development expertise includes condominiums, apartments, single-family homes, retirement and assisted-living facilities, hospitals and medical centers, as well as office buildings and shopping centers. His organization has been built and developed throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii. Bob and his wife, Penny, reside part-time in Upper Kittitas County at Lake Cle Elum.

Sena Lanphere – Is a lifelong resident of upper Kittitas County. After a 25-year career in banking with Seafirst and Bank of America, she opened her own business. She is an active volunteer in the school district and community. She has served on numerous committees and is the go-to for family and friends.


Helping hands … 2024 Dinner Auction Volunteers … Thank You!

  • Angela Juris
  • Cashmere Valley Bank
  • Doug and Sandy Malcolm
  • Fred Marion
  • Janelle Sabo
  • Justin and Stephanie Zipperer
  • Kristin Carlson
  • Laureen Ross
  • Lynn Caviezel
  • Rob Marusa
  • Sharon Risdon
  • Valerie Lunn

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When dispersing funds, Life Support considers the demographics of individual agencies, the size of the coverage area, and their call volume for both EMS (primary) and fire responses. The most extensive coverage and call response area is Fire District 7. Supporting contributions are dispersed to other agencies. In addition, the Life Support Scholarship for a graduating senior from Upper Kittitas County pursuing a medical or healthcare-related career is a restricted gift in Memory of former Life Support Chairman Dr. Kris Nielsen.

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Life Support logo design created and donated by:
GA Creative, Bellevue WA

Life Support recognizes the outstanding services that were provided by: 
501 Commons, Seattle WA

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