Whitworth University Board of Trustees Elects Three Members
June 8, 2020
The Whitworth University Board of Trustees is honored to welcome new members Julie Levi and Barbara Richter ’77 and welcome back the Rev. Paul Cunningham. The three trustees were elected in April.
Rev. Paul Cunningham
The Rev. Paul Cunningham returns to the board after having served a six-year term from 2011-17.
Cunningham has been the pastor and head of staff for La Jolla Presbyterian Church for 14 years. He has also led congregations in Lubbock and Wichita Falls, Texas.
Cunningham serves on the board of directors for San Diego Habitat for Humanity, Urban Life San Diego and Big Table.
He majored in finance at Santa Clara University, earning his bachelor of science degree in 1988. He received his master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1994 and his doctor of ministry degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in 2010.
Cunningham’s daughter, Morgan ’20, just graduated from Whitworth with a theology degree, and his son, Micah ’23, is also majoring in theology.
Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor says, “It’s exciting to have Paul Cunningham back on the Whitworth board. As a pastor, Paul brings a commitment to serving Whitworth’s Christ-centered educational mission. As a parent, he and his wife, Shannon, have seen first-hand how Whitworth’s mind-and-heart education can shape the lives of young people.”
Julie Levi
Julie Levi is an attorney with two daughters, Kathleen ’18 and Megan ’21. Kathleen was a computer science and math major. Megan is majoring in theatre and theology and is a Whitworth student ambassador.
Levi has served as Board Chair for Penasquitos Christian Preschool, PAC President for Maranatha Christian Schools and Co-Chair of Women’s Ministry at Penasquitos Lutheran Church. Currently, Levi attends North Coast Church in Rancho Bernardo, where she leads the hospitality team.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Carleton College in 1986 and her juris doctor from Hamline University in 1991. She was admitted to the Minnesota State Bar Association in 1991.
President Taylor added, “Julie Levi’s presence on the board will benefit the university through her passionate advocacy, legal acumen, and heart for God. Julie and her husband, Mark, have watched their daughters grow and learn at Whitworth, and I’m thrilled that Julie wants to ensure that same experience for many generations of students to come.”
Barbara Richter
Barbara Richter ’77 has maintained close ties with the university since she graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in recreation and physical education.
Richter is the co-chair of the Whitworth Women’s Leadership Network, Seattle, and is a member of the university’s business advisory board.
She had a 34-year career with Procter & Gamble, retiring in 2016 as the leader in the Center of Excellence for Healthcare and Building, Government and Education sectors at P&G Professional.
Richter is a lifelong elder serving on the Legacy Foundation at Bellevue Presbyterian Church.
President Taylor remarked, “Barb Richter has been on the board’s short list for several years, and I’m so grateful that she will serve in this very important role. As an alumna of Whitworth, Barb embodies Whitworth’s mission to honor God, follow Christ, and serve humanity, and her experience as a business executive will contribute important insights as Whitworth charts its path forward.”
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Scott McQuilkin, vice president for institutional advancement, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4386 or smcquilkin@whitworth.edu.
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
Rev. Paul Cunningham
Cunningham has been the pastor and head of staff for La Jolla Presbyterian Church for 14 years. He has also led congregations in Lubbock and Wichita Falls, Texas.
Cunningham serves on the board of directors for San Diego Habitat for Humanity, Urban Life San Diego and Big Table.
He majored in finance at Santa Clara University, earning his bachelor of science degree in 1988. He received his master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1994 and his doctor of ministry degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in 2010.
Cunningham’s daughter, Morgan ’20, just graduated from Whitworth with a theology degree, and his son, Micah ’23, is also majoring in theology.
Whitworth University President Beck A. Taylor says, “It’s exciting to have Paul Cunningham back on the Whitworth board. As a pastor, Paul brings a commitment to serving Whitworth’s Christ-centered educational mission. As a parent, he and his wife, Shannon, have seen first-hand how Whitworth’s mind-and-heart education can shape the lives of young people.”
Julie Levi
Levi has served as Board Chair for Penasquitos Christian Preschool, PAC President for Maranatha Christian Schools and Co-Chair of Women’s Ministry at Penasquitos Lutheran Church. Currently, Levi attends North Coast Church in Rancho Bernardo, where she leads the hospitality team.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Carleton College in 1986 and her juris doctor from Hamline University in 1991. She was admitted to the Minnesota State Bar Association in 1991.
President Taylor added, “Julie Levi’s presence on the board will benefit the university through her passionate advocacy, legal acumen, and heart for God. Julie and her husband, Mark, have watched their daughters grow and learn at Whitworth, and I’m thrilled that Julie wants to ensure that same experience for many generations of students to come.”
Barbara Richter
Richter is the co-chair of the Whitworth Women’s Leadership Network, Seattle, and is a member of the university’s business advisory board.
She had a 34-year career with Procter & Gamble, retiring in 2016 as the leader in the Center of Excellence for Healthcare and Building, Government and Education sectors at P&G Professional.
Richter is a lifelong elder serving on the Legacy Foundation at Bellevue Presbyterian Church.
President Taylor remarked, “Barb Richter has been on the board’s short list for several years, and I’m so grateful that she will serve in this very important role. As an alumna of Whitworth, Barb embodies Whitworth’s mission to honor God, follow Christ, and serve humanity, and her experience as a business executive will contribute important insights as Whitworth charts its path forward.”
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Scott McQuilkin, vice president for institutional advancement, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4386 or smcquilkin@whitworth.edu.
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
