Board of Directors

Eileen Ravella, PAC

President

I graduated from the University of Oklahoma as a PA in 1984 and received a graduate degree in End of life care from George Washington University in 2004. I’ve been a PA for 40 years, 20 years in rural family medicine and 20 years in emergency medicine. I was privileged to follow my family medicine patients from terminal diagnosis to end of life. They taught me end of life care was the most meaningful if patients understood the process of dying. It allowed them endless choices on how to die well. I was able to witness their brave choices without death with dignity as they faced their final time alone or with loved ones. It was profoundly life changing. I moved to the northwest when Oregon passed death with dignity, I was encouraged that other states would follow and maybe someday PAs could be part of this important movement. As president of Washington Academy of physician assistants, we supported the recent EOLWA bill allowing PAs and NPs to prescribe. The door finally opened.

It’s been an honor to work alongside EOLWA colleagues to provide education and support to patients choosing death with dignity. The volunteers and providers in Olympia are committed to allowing non-judgmental choices for all EOLWA inquiries and are dedicated to creating a safe place to die. I am so proud to be a part of a phenomenal group. Thank you for allowing me to serve on the death with dignity board.

Loretta Bell

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.

Anne Stuyvesant Whigham, MS

Board Member

Anne Stuyvesant Whigham earned her Master of Science in Counseling/Psychology from California State University, Fullerton. She went on to build a career of more than 40 years in social services, serving in a variety of roles including family therapist, program manager, and nonprofit executive director.

Beginning in 1993, Anne worked with people living with HIV/AIDS during a time when treatment options were extremely limited. Her clients became some of her greatest teachers, showing her what it means to live fully while facing a terminal diagnosis. She witnessed firsthand the courage of individuals who took control of their lives and end-of-life decisions long before Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) became available.

Throughout her career, Anne has remained deeply committed to serving her community. In addition to her professional work, she has volunteered with hospice programs and helped provide breakfast to people experiencing homelessness. In addition, Anne served for 6 years on the City of Spokane, Community, Housing and Human Services board.  She was chair for 2 years and on the Executive Board Committee for 6 years.  

More recently, Anne and a colleague developed Demystifying Death, a six-week educational series designed to help people better understand end-of-life planning and reduce fear surrounding death. The course features experts in legal planning, medical care, and burial options, along with facilitated discussions about grief, anxiety, and preparing for the end of life. The program has been offered for more than two years and has received an enthusiastic response from the community.

Anne has completed Volunteer Client Advocate and Phone Volunteer training and is eager to expand outreach and involvement throughout Eastern Washington. She lives in Spokane.

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

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.