Board of Directors

Loretta Bell

Acting Board & Vice President

Loretta Bell is an advocate for people, families, and communities who are faced with the complex process of finding a way to a peaceful, gentle death. Early personal experience, and much later, as a critical care and flight RN, she forged a dogged determination to move the needle in this world to a place where dying may be experienced as beloved, choice driven, and person centered. As a VCA liaison for Eastern Washington, she is honored to bring a voice to the many challenges that distinguish the region, to listen and learn from her Western colleagues, and to further the goal of providing broad statewide access to the law.

Ted Kohler, MD

Treasurer

Ted Kohler is a retired vascular surgeon and University of Washington Emeritus Professor of Surgery. Following his surgical training in Boston, he came to Seattle in 1983 to join the faculty of the University of Washington Medical School, based first at Harborview Medical Center for five years and then the Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Medical Center for the remaining 30 years of his practice. He continues to teach as a volunteer instructor in anatomy at the medical school and as a high school tutor for Jubilee Reach in Bellevue. His wife is the medical director of the Kline Galland Hospice, and it is through her that he became involved as an attending provider for EOLWA patients. He is passionate about end-of-life care and has found great fulfillment caring for patients and their families at this critical and vulnerable time in their lives. He is grateful for the opportunity to do this work and to contribute as an EOLWA director.

Marty Garfinkel, JD

Interim Secretary

Marty is a (mostly) retired attorney specializing in the labor and employment rights of workers. In his law practice, he has handled individual and class actions cases before administrative agencies, state courts, and federal courts in both New York and Washington state. His most recent employment was as the Director of Seattle’s Office of Labor Standards. He was first introduced to the work of EOLW in 2009 (then Compassionate Choices) when his father was at the end of his life. The organization provided a Volunteer Client Advisor who came to his bedside and provided kind and helpful support to him, which he and his family deeply appreciated.

Midge Levy, LICSW

Founding Board Member

Midge is a retired social worker with extensive experience in hospice. She has been involved in the right-to-die movement since her student days as a member of the Exit Society in the UK. She was a founding member of the Hemlock Society of Washington State, and served as its president from 1993-2005. Midge was Co-President of the board from 2005-2006.

She is an active member of the NASW Legislative Action Committee, served on their board and Executive Committee, and was a consultant for the NASW Policy on End-of-Life Decisions in 1993. Midge received the “Social Worker of the Year” award in 2000 for her legislative activities. She served on the leadership team of the Initiative 1000 (Washington Death with Dignity) campaign in 2008.

Bonnie Bizzell, MBA, MEd

Board Member

A healthcare strategist with an MBA and MEd, Bonnie Bizzell has spent nearly two decades helping individuals and organizations navigate life’s most complex, emotional decisions. She shaped person-centered research for a $12.9M clinical trial changing appendicitis care, led statewide advance care planning that resulted in over 17,000 interactions, and served as Interim Executive Director at the nation’s oldest funeral education and advocacy nonprofit. Her father’s death in 2021 led her to found one good moment, a consultancy at the intersection of healthcare, deathcare, and selfcare. Bonnie is honored to bring her experience to End of Life Washington’s Board of Directors.

Lorrie Breshears

Board Member

Lorrie Breshears is a semi-retired social worker who spent decades advocating with people to meet their goals, and served on committees and boards to strengthen policy. After attending a number of funerals & memorials in 2010, she began to explore her interest in end of life topics.  She is EOL Doula trained and has volunteered with hospice, as a VCA with EOLWA, and as a client volunteer with End of Life Choices Oregon.  Lorrie is excited to join the EOLWA board and be part of an organization that works to create tools to improve client’s end of life experience through an anti-oppressive lens.

Hillary Lyons, MSW

Board Member

Hillary Lyons, MSW, is a hospice social worker and supervisor with more than a decade of experience serving individuals and families facing serious illness, grief, and end-of-life decisions. Throughout her career, she has worked in hospice, skilled nursing, community mental health, and school social work, with a passion for helping people navigate some of life’s most challenging moments with dignity and compassion.

In her current role, Hillary supports hospice patients and families while also mentoring and supervising hospice social workers. She believes that every person deserves access to accurate information, compassionate care, and the opportunity to make informed decisions that reflect their values and goals.

Hillary is honored to serve on the End of Life Washington Board of Directors and is committed to advancing education, advocacy, and compassionate end-of-life care throughout Washington

Amisha Mehta

Board Member

Amisha is a dedicated advocate for patient autonomy, person-centered choices, and the right to a dignified transition at the end of life. Driven by a deep commitment to ensuring individuals and families can navigate life’s final chapters with clarity and support, she is honored to serve on the End of Life Washington Board of Directors.

Professionally, Amisha brings this advocacy into practice as a palliative care physician who is also trained in geriatric and internal medicine. Her clinical background provides the board with an essential perspective on quality-of-life care, complex medical navigation, and healthcare ethics. Through her dual roles in clinical medicine and board governance, Amisha works to expand access to compassionate end-of-life options across the state.

Outside of her medical practice, Amisha unwinds by focusing on life’s simpler pleasures. She firmly believes that any day can be improved with a bit of dark chocolate and a strictly non-negotiable, fully stocked supply of ice cream.

Robert Drake, MDiv, MSci

Board Member

Jennie Beth Banks

Board Member

Jennie Beth Banks is the founder and Creative Director of Death Dancer, a nonprofit in Olympia that seeks to open conversations around death, dying, loss and living through arts-based programming and community events.

Originally from the UK, Jennie more recently trained as an end-of-life doula after a lifetime interest in the topic of death and dying, and after experiencing her own personal brush with mortality in 2021. She has special interests in artmaking, grief rituals, memorialization and legacy work.

She has a background in nonprofit and event management, communications, community building and regeneration work, interfaith work, community archaeology and wedding planning. She gained a BSc Hons degree in Archaeological Science and later went on to study Community Regeneration, Identities and Change at postgraduate level. She currently works as a Grants Director for a non-profit that supports adults and kids with disabilities with life skills and recreational therapy.

She is delighted to bring her experience and skills to the EOLWA Board and to advocate for end of life choices and support.