Mayor and Council Bios

Mayor

Current term: 2022 through 2025

Anne McEnerny-Ogle was originally elected to Vancouver City Council in November 2013 and took her first oath of office on January 1, 2014. She became the first woman to serve as Mayor of Vancouver on January 1, 2018, where she has helped to lead efforts in economic development, regional community relations, and transportation.

Anne attended Southern Oregon State College in Ashland, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1974. Two years later, she received her master’s degree in education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland. Mayor Anne taught for 30 years for Lake Oswego Public Schools, where she also served as chair of the mathematics department. During her career, she served as editor and author for Oregon’s State Math Journal, was a lecturer and instructor at colleges and universities, consulted for school districts in Washington and Oregon, and co-authored a book about reforming middle school mathematics.

Anne made improving the city she and her family call home a priority. She served for five years on the Vancouver’s Planning Commission and chaired both the Shumway Neighborhood Association Board and the Vancouver Neighborhood Alliance. She also served as board member and vice president of the Clark County Historical Society, chair and board member of Daybreak Youth Services’ Advisory Board, treasurer for the Uptown Village Association and president of the League of Women Voters, just to name a few.

Mayor Anne’s current assignments include serving as the chair for the C-TRAN Board of Directors, vice chair of the Southwest Regional Transportation Council, member of Metro’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation, and chair of the Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization Policy Committee. The Mayor also serves on the board for Greater Portland Inc. (GPI), is a member of the Metropolitan Mayors Ad-Hoc Consortium and the Association of Washington Cities and has active memberships in numerous business associations.

She continues to volunteer with the Vancouver Police Department’s Neighbors on Watch (NOW) program, the Rotarians, and the Community Military Appreciation Committee. Anne’s heart for Armed Forces is evidenced by her faithful presence and participation in local events honoring their bravery and sacrifice. The wife of a Vietnam veteran, Anne is personally grateful to celebrate those who have served, continue to serve and will serve in the future. Mayor Anne and her husband, Terry, have one grown son, and have been Vancouver residents since 1980.

Recent Awards

• Iris Award – Women of Achievement in Southwest Washington, 2016
• The Leadership Clark County Outstanding Alumnus Award, 2016
• SW Washington Central Labor Council – In Solidarity Award, 2018
• Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce – Community Statesman, 2019
• Boy Scouts of America – Distinguished Citizen Award, 2020
• U.S. Global Leadership Coalition – Global Statesman, 2021
• Royal Rosarians – Honorary Member, 2021
• American Public Transportation Association Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member, 2022
• Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative - Class of 2023

Current Assignments

• Association of Washington Cities Large City Advisory Committee
• Association of Washington Cities Bylaws Committee
• Clark County Law & Justice Council
• Clark Regional Wastewater District Oversight Committee
• Columbia River Economic Development Council (alternate)​
• C-TRAN Board of Directors – Chair
• Ending Community Homelessness Organization (alternate)
• Greater Portland Inc (GPI)
• Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Community Benefits Co-Convener
• Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Executive Steering Group
• Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation
• Greater Portland Economic Development District Board of Directors Advisor
• Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization (RDPO) – Chair, Policy Committee
• Southwest Regional Transportation Council – Chair
• Vancouver Fire and Police Pension Boards – Chair
• WA Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board – City Representative
• Governor-elect Transition Team – Transportation Subcommittee
• Governor-elect Transition Team – Public Safety Subcommittee
• Clark County Law and Justice Council – Vice Chair

Current Community Involvement

• Community Military Appreciation Committee (CMAC), Volunteer 
• Neighbors on Watch (NOW), Volunteer 
• Clark County Historical Society, Member 
• Vancouver Downtown Rotary Club, Member 
• Uptown Village Association, Member 
• Clark County League of Women Voters, Member 
• Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Government and Public Affairs, Member 
• East Vancouver Business Association, Member 
• Greater Portland Inc., Board Member 
• Metropolitan Mayors Ad-Hoc Consortium, Member 
• Association of Washington Cities, Member 
• Assistance League of Southwest Washington 
• Fire Corps Volunteer 
• NAACP, Member 

Previous Community Involvement

• Leadership Clark County Graduate
• Shumway Neighborhood Association Chair
• Vancouver Neighborhood Alliance Chair
• Vancouver Planning Commission Chair
• Fort Vancouver Boy Scouts of America Chair
• WA Department of Revenue Tax Structure Work Group – Association of Washington Cities Appointee

Council Seat 1

Current term: 2022 through 2025

Kim D. Harless was elected to Council in November 2021 and took her oath of office December 29, 2021. 

Kim has lived in Vancouver for over 27 years since moving here as a child in 1996. She currently is the Oregon & Washington Program Coordinator for PaintCare, a 501(c)(3) Paint Product Stewardship Program. Prior to this position, Kim worked for nearly a decade at Clark County Public Health and Clark County Environmental Services, serving mostly as an Environmental Operations Specialist in the Solid Waste Planning Program.  

Kim graduated with Honors from Heritage High School in Vancouver  and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from Washington State University Vancouver and her Associate of Arts degree from Clark College. Kim has also earned certificates in Community-Based Social Marketing for sustainable behavior change, Hazardous Waste Management, and Leadership. 

Current Assignments

• Solid Waste Advisory Commission
• Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, Chair
• SW Clean Air Agency
• Clark Regional Wastewater District Oversight Committee (alternate)
• C-TRAN Board of Directors (alternate)

Community Involvement

• Boardmember of the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
• Councilmember of League of United Latin American Citizens, SWWA Chapter
• Formerly elected as District 1, Position 2 representative on the first ever Clark County Charter Review Commission
• Formerly elected Co-chair of the first ever Clark County Charter Review Commission
• Former Vice President of Urban Abundance, a local Vancouver-based food sovereignty nonprofit
• Former President of SWWA chapter of Slow Food, an international food justice organization
• Former Vice-Chair and former Treasurer for the Clark County Food System Council
• 2019 Graduate of Leadership Clark County
• Nominee Finalist of the General George C. Marshall Public Leadership Award

Council Seat 2

Current term: 2021 through 2025

Erik Paulsen was appointed to a vacant Council seat on January 14, 2019. He was elected to serve the remainder of the term for Council Seat 2 on November 5, 2019. He was elected to his current term on November 2, 2021. He currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem.

Erik has lived in Vancouver for over 40 years and worked in financial services for more than 30 years. He was a member of the Vancouver Planning Commission for eight years and served as the chair for six of those years. He also was a member of the City’s Affordable Housing Task Force.

A graduate of Hudson’s Bay High School, Erik holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Portland State University, and a Master’s of Business Administration from Washington State University.

Current Assignments

• Columbia River Economic Development Council Executive Committee
• C-TRAN Board of Directors
• SW Regional Transportation Council
• Vancouver Fire and Police Pension Boards

Community Involvement

• Clark County Food Bank
• Friends of Trees
• Washington Trails Association
• Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital Foundation

Council Seat 3

Current term: 2022 through 2025

Diana H. Perez was elected to Council in November 2021 and took her oath of office December 29, 2021.

Diana has lived in Vancouver for 23 years. She currently works as a program specialist.  She has served with the USDA for 30 years throughout the Northwest, including Alaska, and has worked in various positions such as a biologist, a forest fisheries program manager and an acting district ranger. She has also served as deputy monument manager at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Diana earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from Texas Tech University, and earned her Master’s degree in Fisheries Science at Oregon State University. She was a participant in the Executive Leadership Institute at Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University and earned an Executive Women in Leadership Graduate Certificate from Cornell University online in 2021.

Current Assignments and Certifications

• Clark County Elder Justice Center Board
• Ending Community Homelessness Organization
• Clark County Community Action Advisory Board
• SW Clean Air Agency (alternate)
• Executive Women in Leadership Graduate Certificate, Cornell University

Community Involvement

• Board Member for Latino Leadership Northwest (01/2015 – Present)
• Southwest Washington League of United Latin American Citizens Council #47013 (08/2011 – Present)
• Volunteer for City Of Vancouver’s Stronger Vancouver Executive Sponsors Council (2018) and Task Force On Council Representation (2019)
• Washington State Parks and Recreation Commissioner (01/2018 – 12/2021)
• Board Member for Clark County Volunteer Lawyer’s Program (01/2018 – 12/2021)
• Co-Chair of East Old Evergreen Hwy Neighborhood Association (06/2008 – 01/2012)

Council Seat 4

Current term: 2024 through 2027

Bart Hansen was appointed to the Council January of 2010. He was elected to the position in November of 2010 and re-elected in 2011, 2015, and 2019. He was elected to his current term on November 7, 2023.

Hansen is the Executive Director of the Building Industry Association of Clark County. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from WSU-Pullman and received his Master of Business Administration from Marylhurst University. Bart also sits on the C-Tran Board of Directors.

Current Assignments

• C-TRAN Board of Directors
• Children’s Justice Center Executive Board (alternate)
• Clark County Elder Justice Center Board (alternate)
• Solid Waste Advisory Commission (alternate)

Community Involvement

• Vancouver School District Management Advisory Task Force
• Building Futures Foundation

Council Seat 5

Current Term: 2024 through 2027

Ty Stober was elected to Council in November 2015 and 2019. He was elected to his current term on November 7, 2023.

Ty comes from a two-decade career in sales, marketing and operations, with leadership experience in medium-sized, publicly traded and entrepreneurial organizations. He last served as an energy efficiency program manager for an organization supporting all utilities in the Northwest. His first professional career was with Larsen Electronics (now a division of Pulse Engineering) in Vancouver.

Ty graduated from Canby Union High School in Canby, Oregon, and went on to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Current Assignments and Certifications

• National League of Cities: Vice Chair – Race, Equity and Leadership Council
• National League of Cities: Board of Directors and Board Policy Committee
• National League of Cities: First Vice President, LGBTQ+ Local Officials
• National League of Cities: First Tier Suburbs Council – Past Chair
• Ending Community Homelessness Organization
• Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (alternate)
• Metro Policy Advisory Committee
• SW Regional Transportation Council (alternate)
• Association of Washington Cities Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership
• National League of Cities University Bronze Certificate

Community Involvement

• NAACP, Member

Council Seat 6

Current term: 2024 through 2027

Sarah J. Fox was elected to Council in November 2019. She was elected to her current term on November 7, 2023.

Sarah has over 20 years of experience and expertise in long-range and current planning, land development, zoning, economic development and is a nationally certified urban planner. Currently works as the Climate & Ecosystem Section Manager for WA State Department of Commerce. Prior to urban planning, Sarah worked as a construction cost estimator and for her family’s local ornamental metal construction firm. She served six years in the U.S. Army.

Sarah received her Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Community Development, from Portland State University. She has also studied at the Defense Language Institute (U.S. Military), and she attended Hudson’s Bay High School.

Current Assignments and Certifications

• Vice Chair, Climate Workgroup of the Local Government Advisory Committee for the Environmental Protection Agency
• Clark County Children’s Justice Center Executive Board
• Columbia River Economic Development Council Board and Finance Committee
• Emergency Operations Center representative
• Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (alternate)
• Regional Disaster Preparedness Organization Policy Committee (alternate)
• Association of Washington Cities Certificate of Municipal Leadership

Community Involvement

• Honor Guard for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7824
• Habitat for Humanity
• Friends of Trees
• Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts
• Historic Preservation Commissioner (2013-2019)
• President of the Camas Public Employees Association (2012-2018)
• SW WA Section of the American Planning Association

Military Service

U.S. Army Veteran (1991-1997)