Meet AARP Washington's Executive Council

Washington: About Your State Office

Source: AARP.org |  | April 24, 2007

John Barnett - State President
John Barnett is an advocate of healthy aging. As a writer, speaker and teacher, John is a leader in the Seattle area in motivating positive behavioral change. His book, "How to Feel Good as You Age," teaches goal-setting along with holistic living, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Barnett facilitates programs at one of the nation's leading centers for seniors-the Northshore Senior Center in Bothell. He has expertise in self-management of chronic diseases and patient-doctor effective communication. He is a leader for the annual Northwest Wellness Conference for Seniors, and a State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and advocates for residents' rights in nursing homes, assisted living and adult family homes.

Barnett received the 2000 Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International for service above self. He administered an educational exchange program between the U.S. and Japan and retired from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a Paris-based group of 30 countries where he worked in public information and marketing. His graduate studies were at the University of Washington and Sophia University in Tokyo.

Art Cruz - Executive Council Member
Art Cruz served as District Coordinator for the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program from 1998 to 2001 and as State Coordinator from 2001 through 2005. Under Cruz's leadership, the program helped more than 55,000 low-income and elderly Washington consumers with their tax returns in 2005. Cruz has also been an instructor for the AARP Driver Safety Program. In addition to his work with AARP, Cruz has extensive volunteer and community service experience with faith based organizations, nonprofit groups and local, state and federal governments.

Cruz is currently president of the United Filipino American Community of Pierce County. He has also worked as District Vice President for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), and as president or chairman of various groups in the private sector and federal government over the past 20 years. Before retirement, Cruz worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for 25 years.

Shelby Gilje - Executive Council Member
Shelby Gilje retired from The Seattle Times after more than 30 years as a writer, editor and columnist. She reported on a variety of topics, including abortion reform, federal and county courts, features and general assignments. She has also served as reporter/editor for The Sun, the Anchorage Daily News, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the West Seattle News.

While employed as a journalist, Gilje moved The Seattle Times' "Troubleshooter" column from a question-and-answer format about street lights and potholes to a column noted for advocacy, price surveys and issues such as Medicare HMO's. Additionally, she was active in the Consumer Protection Roundtable, president for two terms on the board of the Western Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and a coordinator of a Matrix Table for Women in Communications. She received her BA from the University of Washington.

Lillian Hayashi – Executive Council Member
Lillian Hayashi is an expert in long-term care and culturally sensitive aging, as well as an active community volunteer. She has been involved in senior issues, particularly in the Japanese-American community, for more than 30 years. Professionally, she has worked in long-term facilities as both an administrator and volunteer. Prior to entering the healthcare field, Hayashi worked as a cartographer for the State of Washington.

Hayashi has many interests and has received numerous awards for her work in the community.  Among others, she serves on boards for the Nikkei Heritage Association of Seattle, the Japanese Community Cultural Center, and the advisory boards for the Seattle Pacific University School of Nursing and the Northwest University School of Nursing. She has been honored by the Alzheimer’s Association and the Washington Association of Housing and Services for the Aging. Not just involved with senior programs, she is also a weekly volunteer at the Seattle Urban Academy, an education program for “at risk” high school students.

Hayashi is a graduate of the University of Washington and speaks fluent Japanese.

Pauline Lothspeich – Executive Council Member
Pauline Lothspeich is a leader in education and civic engagement. She spent her professional career in elementary education in several eastern Washington communities and has served as the chair of many diverse committees of the Washington State School Retirees Association. She is also active in the Spokane Area Retired Teachers Association.

Outside of education, Lothspeich serves in a wide variety of organizations, including the YWCA, the League of Women Voters, Spokane Art School, the Washington State Historical Society, the Regal Place PUD Board, and the Spokane Community College Adult Learning Center, among many others. She was among the founders of the Spokane’s South Side Senior Activity Center and has been a long-time volunteer for AARP in eastern Washington.

Lothspeich earned both bachelors and masters degrees from Eastern Washington University and is an active alumnus of that school.