Highline Community College

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY

DATE: June 18, 2007

CONTACT: Kelly Maloney, (206) 878-3710, ext. 3146

Lisa Skari, (206) 878-3710, ext. 3705

Conservationist Earns Highline Honor

Executive Director of Friends of the Hylebos named Distinguished Alumni

DES MOINES, Wash. — Widely recognized for his work in helping to preserve more than 150 acres of Hylebos Creek habitat, Chris Carrel, executive director of the Friends of the Hylebos, has been named Highline Community College’s 2007 Distinguished Alumni.

A graduate of Highline’s Economics program, Carrel attended the college from 1982 to 1984. "I had some unique life circumstances when I came out of high school, and if I hadn't been able to attend Highline Community College, I likely would not have been able to enter college at that time. I think that underscores Highline's importance to the community. It fits a lot of educational needs and makes college education possible for so many people," said Carrel. He returned to Highline in 1986 to pursue his interests in psychology and human development.

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Carrel’s conservationism started at an early age. “During my time at the University of Washington I interned at the Washington Wilderness Coalition (WWC). After I graduated, the WWC hired me as executive director,” said Carrel. In 1993, Carrel co-founded the Atmosphere Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to inform the public about the threat of global warming and strategies for addressing the problem. This group became the precursor of Olympia-based Climate Solutions. As a freelance journalist, Carrel put his passion to work in his writings. In 1997 he won first place in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Western Washington Excellence in Journalism awards with his writing about Consumer and Environmental Affairs. That same year, he was awarded the third place prize for the Washington Press Association’s Communicator of Excellence awards when he wrote about ecology and the environment.

In 1999, Carrel led the conversion of the Friends of the West Hylebos from a wetland steward to a watershed conservation organization. He has been the executive director of the Friends of the Hylebos since that time and has helped preserve more than 395 acres of wetlands, and has personally helped preserve more than 150 acres of Hylebos Creek habitat.

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Started in 1990, the Distinguished Alumni Award honors former Highline students who are making outstanding contributions in their chosen fields of endeavor.

Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, who attended Highline in 1968–69, was the first recipient of the award.

Highline Community College was founded in 1961 as the first community college in King County. With approximately 10,000 students and 350,000 alumni, it is one of the state’s largest institutions of higher education. The college offers a wide range of academic transfer and professional-technical education programs, with day, evening and weekend classes. Other notable alumni include entrepreneur Junki Yoshida and best-selling author Ann Rule.

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