meet our board members
JCIRA Board members come from different backgrounds, but they share a commitment to human rights, recognizing and respecting the dignity and humanity of every person.
“If you have come here to help me, then you are wasting your time…. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
– Lila Watson
Our JCIRA Board
Learn more about our board members and their commitment to JCIRA:
Julia Cochrane, Secretary
Housing the unsheltered has been Julia Cochrane’s mission her entire life. From young adulthood, she has sheltered young people—over 40 in Port Townsend alone—and helped people of all ages to find a home. She was a founder of Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County, and over the years has worked for and advocated for affordable and homeless housing on state and county task forces and in local organizations, work she continues. Julia moved to Port Townsend from Manhattan after experiencing repeated crimes, including an attempt on her life. “I moved nearly 3,000 miles for a safe place to live. Isn’t that what immigrants want? They are fleeing violence or unlivable conditions and just want a better life. Everyone should have that right.”
John Collins, Treasurer
When John Collins arrived in Port Townsend in 2004, he came from a distinguished career of more than 35 years as a professor and nearly a decade as director of Seattle University’s Institute of Public Service. In 2007, he was elected as a port commissioner for the Port of Port Townsend, where he put his experience into practice. He served until 2011 when Seattle U. summoned him back for two more years before he fully retired. After the election of 2016, “I saw our democratic values in jeopardy,” he says. “And because my faith teaches the inherent worth and dignity of every individual, I felt I had to act. I joined JCIRA.” Today, serving as board treasurer, he is pleased to help JCIRA broaden its mission.
Holly Hallman
For Holly Hallman, joining JCIRA grew out of her faith and her experiences. She has had a varied work life, initially as a teacher, then after acquiring her first master’s degree in counseling psychology, she had a successful career as a therapist and director of a counseling center. In later life, she attended seminary, afterwards serving as a chaplain and minister at Harborview, UW Medical Center, Providence Hospice, and elsewhere, before retiring to Jefferson County in 2017. From childhood, she has made many trips to Mexico, and while living in Texas, provided food and assistance to desperate people crossing the border. “I’ve met so many wonderful people from Mexico who were generous even if they were struggling. Maybe supporting JCIRA is one way I can pay them back.”
Kathleen Holt, Assistant Treasurer
Kathleen Holt retired to Jefferson County nearly 14 years ago, after a successful career as a mediator and organizational consultant at the University of Wisconsin. She arrived at a tense time. “That was when the Border Patrol was stopping vehicles on Highway 104, holding up traffic for long stretches of time, ruthlessly searching for undocumented people,” she says. Drawing on her commitment to justice, reinforced by her master’s degree in social work and her extensive background in conflict resolution, she knew she had to do something. She joined Indivisible and JCIRA, where she continues to play an important role. Today, Kathleen is pleased to be part of JCIRA’s important work and appreciates the support of the community. “Now, we’re set to do even more,” she says.
Larry Jensen, Chair
By the time Larry Jensen retired to Jefferson County from Omaha in 2018, his resume included 33 years in the railroad industry, an early career in academia (assistant professor of mathematics at Loyola University Chicago), and extensive volunteer activity in organizations that work to advocate, support, and resettle refugees and asylum seekers. He and his wife sponsored a young asylum seeker who was fleeing gang violence in Mexico, and helped resettle him and his family in Omaha, once even driving him to Atlanta for a hearing on short notice. Larry’s experience is an asset for JCIRA, as it moves forward. “I’m pleased and proud to be part of JCIRA,” he says. “And in the future, we will do much more to serve our local immigrant community.”
Roberta Lindeman
Roberta Lindeman brings her extensive background in education and leadership to JCIRA. In college, she engaged in the women’s movement, then moved to Seattle, where she became involved in the Tenants Union and began teaching. She traveled in Cuba, Mexico, and throughout Central America, including teaching English and translating for two news agencies in Nicaragua for two years during the Sandinista Revolution. She was a union leader throughout her nearly 40-year teaching career. For 18 years, she taught in a Seattle high school program for primarily Latino immigrant students, preparing them for college and connecting them to the community, while celebrating their culture. “I learned from these young people and their families about the difficulties when you're undocumented and living in this country,” she says. “That motivates me.”
Linda Murphy
It’s no surprise that Linda Murphy joined JCIRA. She always had a sense of what is just. In college, she became involved in civil rights, and after graduating from Central Washington State College with an education degree, she taught in inner city schools before moving to Hawaii. There she created a tutoring center where she worked for more than 30 years, forming alliances with youth support organizations such as the Liliʻuokalani Trust and the Casey Foundation. In the mid-1980s, she helped found the Big Island Committee for Peace in Central America and later visited Nicaragua, seeing the effects of war first-hand. “I’ve always found it to be more effective to work in a group,” Linda says. “I think that’s the best way to succeed and why I’m committed to JCIRA.”
Jean Walat
Jean Walat came to Port Townsend in 2000. With a master’s degree in environmental sciences from Rutgers, she worked as city planner on environmental issues and later became the program director for the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. When she retired in 2015, with the Trump candidacy looming, she felt she had to counteract anti-immigrant sentiment. Jean brought her years of activism in the LGBTQ community, in women’s rights, and in environmental groups to JCIRA. She notes that her grandfather was an immigrant from Poland, and her father was a first-generation American. “I see their same work ethic in local immigrants now,” she says. Her work with JCIRA reflects her beliefs: “We can have a more just society. We just have to keep working for it.”
“If you have come here to help me, then you are wasting your time…. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
– Lila Watson
Our JCIRA Board
- Julia Cochrane, Secretary
- John Collins, Treasurer
- Holly Hallman
- Kathleen Holt, Assistant Treasurer
- Larry Jensen, Chair
- Roberta Lindeman
- Linda Murphy
- Jean Walat
Learn more about our board members and their commitment to JCIRA:
Julia Cochrane, Secretary
Housing the unsheltered has been Julia Cochrane’s mission her entire life. From young adulthood, she has sheltered young people—over 40 in Port Townsend alone—and helped people of all ages to find a home. She was a founder of Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County, and over the years has worked for and advocated for affordable and homeless housing on state and county task forces and in local organizations, work she continues. Julia moved to Port Townsend from Manhattan after experiencing repeated crimes, including an attempt on her life. “I moved nearly 3,000 miles for a safe place to live. Isn’t that what immigrants want? They are fleeing violence or unlivable conditions and just want a better life. Everyone should have that right.”
John Collins, Treasurer
When John Collins arrived in Port Townsend in 2004, he came from a distinguished career of more than 35 years as a professor and nearly a decade as director of Seattle University’s Institute of Public Service. In 2007, he was elected as a port commissioner for the Port of Port Townsend, where he put his experience into practice. He served until 2011 when Seattle U. summoned him back for two more years before he fully retired. After the election of 2016, “I saw our democratic values in jeopardy,” he says. “And because my faith teaches the inherent worth and dignity of every individual, I felt I had to act. I joined JCIRA.” Today, serving as board treasurer, he is pleased to help JCIRA broaden its mission.
Holly Hallman
For Holly Hallman, joining JCIRA grew out of her faith and her experiences. She has had a varied work life, initially as a teacher, then after acquiring her first master’s degree in counseling psychology, she had a successful career as a therapist and director of a counseling center. In later life, she attended seminary, afterwards serving as a chaplain and minister at Harborview, UW Medical Center, Providence Hospice, and elsewhere, before retiring to Jefferson County in 2017. From childhood, she has made many trips to Mexico, and while living in Texas, provided food and assistance to desperate people crossing the border. “I’ve met so many wonderful people from Mexico who were generous even if they were struggling. Maybe supporting JCIRA is one way I can pay them back.”
Kathleen Holt, Assistant Treasurer
Kathleen Holt retired to Jefferson County nearly 14 years ago, after a successful career as a mediator and organizational consultant at the University of Wisconsin. She arrived at a tense time. “That was when the Border Patrol was stopping vehicles on Highway 104, holding up traffic for long stretches of time, ruthlessly searching for undocumented people,” she says. Drawing on her commitment to justice, reinforced by her master’s degree in social work and her extensive background in conflict resolution, she knew she had to do something. She joined Indivisible and JCIRA, where she continues to play an important role. Today, Kathleen is pleased to be part of JCIRA’s important work and appreciates the support of the community. “Now, we’re set to do even more,” she says.
Larry Jensen, Chair
By the time Larry Jensen retired to Jefferson County from Omaha in 2018, his resume included 33 years in the railroad industry, an early career in academia (assistant professor of mathematics at Loyola University Chicago), and extensive volunteer activity in organizations that work to advocate, support, and resettle refugees and asylum seekers. He and his wife sponsored a young asylum seeker who was fleeing gang violence in Mexico, and helped resettle him and his family in Omaha, once even driving him to Atlanta for a hearing on short notice. Larry’s experience is an asset for JCIRA, as it moves forward. “I’m pleased and proud to be part of JCIRA,” he says. “And in the future, we will do much more to serve our local immigrant community.”
Roberta Lindeman
Roberta Lindeman brings her extensive background in education and leadership to JCIRA. In college, she engaged in the women’s movement, then moved to Seattle, where she became involved in the Tenants Union and began teaching. She traveled in Cuba, Mexico, and throughout Central America, including teaching English and translating for two news agencies in Nicaragua for two years during the Sandinista Revolution. She was a union leader throughout her nearly 40-year teaching career. For 18 years, she taught in a Seattle high school program for primarily Latino immigrant students, preparing them for college and connecting them to the community, while celebrating their culture. “I learned from these young people and their families about the difficulties when you're undocumented and living in this country,” she says. “That motivates me.”
Linda Murphy
It’s no surprise that Linda Murphy joined JCIRA. She always had a sense of what is just. In college, she became involved in civil rights, and after graduating from Central Washington State College with an education degree, she taught in inner city schools before moving to Hawaii. There she created a tutoring center where she worked for more than 30 years, forming alliances with youth support organizations such as the Liliʻuokalani Trust and the Casey Foundation. In the mid-1980s, she helped found the Big Island Committee for Peace in Central America and later visited Nicaragua, seeing the effects of war first-hand. “I’ve always found it to be more effective to work in a group,” Linda says. “I think that’s the best way to succeed and why I’m committed to JCIRA.”
Jean Walat
Jean Walat came to Port Townsend in 2000. With a master’s degree in environmental sciences from Rutgers, she worked as city planner on environmental issues and later became the program director for the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. When she retired in 2015, with the Trump candidacy looming, she felt she had to counteract anti-immigrant sentiment. Jean brought her years of activism in the LGBTQ community, in women’s rights, and in environmental groups to JCIRA. She notes that her grandfather was an immigrant from Poland, and her father was a first-generation American. “I see their same work ethic in local immigrants now,” she says. Her work with JCIRA reflects her beliefs: “We can have a more just society. We just have to keep working for it.”
Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates
P.O. Box 647
Port Townsend, WA 98368
JCIRAwa@gmail.com
360-232-6070
Donate
Newsletter
P.O. Box 647
Port Townsend, WA 98368
JCIRAwa@gmail.com
360-232-6070
Donate
Newsletter
