Columbia Basin College’s two newest trustees have experienced the power of education and they intend to spend their time on the college’s board working to make sure it’s available to all.

Michelle Smith

Edison Valerio

Michelle Smith, an assistant principal at Pasco High School, joined the CBC Board of Trustees in January at its first public meeting of 2025. Edison Valerio, who owns and operates a State Farm insurance office, joined in March.

They replaced Holly Siler and Allyson Page, respectively. Valerio’s term on the board is through September 2028, and Smith’s is through September 2029

Neither Smith nor Valerio are from the Tri-Cities originally but have been in the region for years.

Smith grew up and went to school and college in Kansas but has spent the bulk of her educational career in Pasco. She started as an eighth-grade U.S. history and language arts teacher at McLoughlin Middle School in 2010. She spent 10 years at New Horizons High School, which is on the CBC Pasco campus, before becoming an assistant principal at Pasco High in 2022. She’ll take on that same role at Chiawana High later in 2025. Smith is also adjunct faculty at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

She recently received the 2025 Women of Distinction Alumna Award from WSU Tri-Cities.

Valerio emigrated to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic as a child, settling with his family in New York City. He moved to Walla Walla after high school to attend Walla Walla University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and international business. He’s been in the Mid-Columbia ever since, moving to the Tri-Cities in 2021. He has worked in finance, corporate retail and as a small business owner.

Both said they were excited and humbled upon learning of their appointments to the CBC board. They also said they have seen how the college already serves the region, especially those in communities that have not historically had access to higher education.

“They’re really trying to live up to their mission and vision,” Smith told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

“From my own observation, the college has made significant strides in providing education in a variety of affordable ways,” Valerio said.

While Smith said her experience in middle and high school gives her a unique perspective on knowing what students need as they enter higher education, she plans to spend her initial months on the board observing and absorbing information about the college.

“I don’t have any kind of agenda,” she said. “I’m here to serve. I’m here to grow.”

Valerio said he also has a lot to learn as his tenure begins but does have some areas he wants to focus on, such as student support services, especially mental health and academic advising; increased community engagement to ensure the college is responsive to the needs of local employers and the workforce; and exploring opportunities for expanding scholarship programs to improve access for financially disadvantaged students. 

“These areas are crucial for enhancing the overall educational experience and outcomes for our students,” he said.