Evelyn Martinez-Ostrom

Director, Office of Student Engagement and Leadership

Washington State University Tri-Cities

Age: 35

Current city of residence: Kennewick 

Briefly describe your company:

WSU Tri-Cities is one of the regional campuses within the WSU system in Richland. It serves a diverse population of students, including traditional, transfer, first-generation and working students and offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

How long have you worked there?

Almost 7 years at WSU Tri-Cities, 3 years in my current role. 

Briefly describe your job and what you do. Tell us how you got into it. 

I lead the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership at WSU Tri-Cities. My role includes managing student organizations, campus recreation, major student spaces like the student union and fitness center, advising student government and initiatives such as peer mentoring, while also supervising staff, managing budgets and collaborating with campus leadership to enhance student success and engagement.  

I got into this field through my own experience as a student leader in college, where I progressively took on roles in club leadership, student government and university-sponsored mentoring programs. My strong interest in people, reflected in my bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology, shaped my passion for student organizations and the impact they have on a student’s college experience. That passion led me to pursue a master’s degree in educational leadership with a focus on higher education, and I’ve continued to build my career in student affairs since then. 

Tell us about your first job.

My REAL first job ever was working in the fields while I was in high school. From pulling weeds in the mint fields to driving a combine and harvesting grass seed, I learned the importance of having a strong work ethic and supporting myself and my family. 

What advice would you give to your younger self about achieving success?

I would tell my younger self that the worst thing that can happen is someone tells you no, but you will never know unless you try. I earned so many opportunities in my life by simply trying, even when I thought I couldn’t succeed. Sometimes, I didn’t succeed, but it helped me try harder every time. 

What was your dream job as a child?

To be a veterinarian. I have always loved animals. 

Tell us about your community involvement/community service:

During the Covid pandemic, I walked multiple dogs a day, multiple times a week. This evolved into marketing the dogs on social media platforms to try and get as many of them adopted as possible. At the time, I did not have a dog, so this evolved into fostering animals for the shelter, as well as for the Mikey’s Chance Canine Rescue organization.

I had an emotional connection to one of the dogs at the shelter, a German Shepherd named Apollo, and decided to bring him home with me permanently

Six months later, I “foster failed” another German Shepherd named Artemis.

One day, I was flying out of the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco and came across a dog in a red vest, Ruby. She was an older Golden Retriever, walking around the airport with her handler, Kathy, as part of the Go-Team Therapy Dogs of Tri-Cities team. I got to pet Ruby and get her trading card, and she took my mind off my nerves and anxiety about flying.

As my home was feeling pretty full with two large-breed dogs, I decided to pivot from walking and fostering shelter dogs to the therapy dog program. Apollo and I trained for a few months, got certified and started working around the community.

We’ve participated in various events from story  time at public libraries to finals week de-stress events at Columbia Basin College and WSU Tri-Cities. We have even worked at the airport, bringing that experience full circle for me! 

Another opportunity presented itself to me when I learned about the city of Kennewick Parks & Recreation Commission.

As a dog-mom, I frequented various parks across Kennewick to walk my pups and thought this could be a great opportunity to advocate for other people like me.

I applied for and began my term in 2022, and in 2023, I became a mother, and my perspective evolved from focusing on pet-friendly amenities as a dog owner to prioritizing how our parks, playgrounds and community spaces serve children and families. Apollo and I have volunteered at many city-sponsored events during my term, from National Night out to the annual Arbor Day celebrations.

During my term, the city saw many improvements, from pickleball courts to new and accessible playgrounds, to the new Columbia River Dog Park! My term concluded this March, marking four meaningful years of public service. 

List any awards/honors you have received.

2023: Woman of Distinction, WSU Tri-Cities

2008: Gates Millennium Scholar

What else should we know about you?

I have a beautiful almost 3-year-old daughter named Cora, with my amazing college sweetheart, Erik. My dogs and my family are the most important things to me. I am very passionate about my career and I absolutely love my job and the work I get to do every day. It is such a gift to have the best of both worlds. None of it came without some adversity, but I wouldn’t change a thing about my upbringing and where I am today.

How do you achieve work-life balance?

It took me at least a year after my child was born to really understand work-life balance. My husband and I both really value our careers and get such fulfillment from them that we didn’t really have traditional work-life balance.

Now, with our little family and priorities, I have had to learn how to give my all during my 40-hour work week and still have enough to give to my family after a job well done. It is a work in progress every day, and sometimes there isn’t balance.

How long have you lived in the Tri-Cities? If you didn’t grow up here, what brought you here? 

I lived here when I started college from 2008-11. I transferred to Pullman, then came back here in 2019.  

What’s your dream vacation?

Disneyland with my family 

Planner or procrastinator?

A little of both. I like to go with the flow. 

First car?

2014 Subaru Impreza 

Introvert or extrovert?

Hybrid, depending on the occasion. 

Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities?

Go to the Gesa Carousel of Dreams with my daughter on the weekends. 

Text, email, phone call?

Text

What would people be most surprised to learn about you?

I used to own a lot of snakes when I was an undergrad. I also had birds, chinchillas and bearded dragons. No one would ever guess. 

Favorite Tri-City restaurant?

Picante Mexican Taqueria 

Favorite day of the week?

Saturdays! Swim lessons with my kid then family swim time. EVERY SATURDAY. We love it. Then lunch and a walk with the dogs. 

Would you rather travel back in time or to the future?

Back in time, definitely.