Background
Kepner, Rita Marie was born on November 15, 1944 in Binghamton, New York, United States. Daughter of Peter Walter and Helena Theresa (Piotrowski) Kramnicz.
Kepner, Rita Marie was born on November 15, 1944 in Binghamton, New York, United States. Daughter of Peter Walter and Helena Theresa (Piotrowski) Kramnicz.
Student, Elmira College, 1963. Bachelor, Harpur College at State University of New York, 1966. Postgraduate, Oklahoma University, 1988.
Postgraduate, Seattle Pacific University, 1991. Postgraduate, Western Washington University, 1992. Master of Arts in Management, City University, Seattle, 1998.
Diplome of merit (honorary), Academy Bedriacense, Calvatore, Italy, 1984. Postgraduate, Washington State University, since 2005.
Instructor experimental college University Washington, 1972-1974. Instructor sculpture internship program Evergreen College, Olympia, Washington, 1974-1978. Informal visual arts ambassador between United States and Poland, 1976-1981.
President federal women's program council Seattle district, 1985-1986. Federal women's program manager Schweinfurt, Germany, 1986-1987, Wiesbaden, Germany, 1988. Artist-in-residence City of Seattle, 1975, 77-78.
Delegate International Sculptors Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1978. Writer, editor, public affairs specialist Seattle district United States Army Corps Engineers. Spokesperson Exxon Valdez oil spill clean-up operations.
Public affairs officer Wiesbaden Milcom Headquarters, 1987-1988. Editor Schweinfurt Crusader, 1986-1987. Instructor writing and editing for managers Department of Navy, Bremerton, Washington, 1991—1993.
Teaching assistant, instructor Edward R. Murrow School Communications, Washington State University, Pullman, since 2005. Instructor City University Seattle, since 2006. Member disaster assistance employee public information and Congressional affairs Department Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency, since 2003.
Appointed disaster assistance spokesperson public affairs reservist Headquarters, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, mid-western floods United States, since 1993, Southern California firestorm, 1993, Northridge earthquake, California, 1994, States of Georgia, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, 1994, Northern California floods, 1995, Oklahoma City Bombing, 1995, West Virginia floods, 1995, Washington State floods, 1996, New York State snowstorms and floods, 1996, Pennsylvania floods, 1996, Huricane Fran, North Carolina, 1996, severe storms and flooding California, 1997, Ohio, 1997, Illinois, 1997, blizzards and floods, North Dakota, 1997, winter storms, New Hampshire, 1998, El Nino earthslides and floods in California, 1998, Massachusetts floods, 1998, Hurricane Bonnie, North Carolina, New York storms, Hurricane Georges, United States.V.I., 1998, Oklahoma City tornadoes, 1999, Kansas tornadoes, 1999, Hurricane Brett, Texas, 1999, Salt Lake City tornado, 1999, Tropical Storm Floyd Floods, New York, 1999, Tropical Storm Floyd, Vermont, 1999, disaster response reservist. Temporary reassignment to National Transportation Safety Board Flight 990 Egyptian Airline crash, 1999, Federal Emergency Management Agency reservist spokesperson, Los Alamos fire, 2000, Montana fires, 2000, Arkansas ice storm, 2001, Oklahoma ice storm, windstorms, tornadoes and floods, 2001, Kansas ice storms, 2002, Kentucky hailstorms, floods and tornadoes, 2002, Louisiana hurricanes, 2002, Tennessee tornados and floods, 2003, reassigned to external affairs Department Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2003, special assignment Federal Emergency Management Agency Reg. 3, Philadelphia, 2004, Nebraska, Missouri, Florida, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, 2005, 06, Pennsylvania flooding, 2006, Illinois Floods, 2008, Arkansas-Ice Strom, 2009, Connecticut-Floods, 2010.
Appointment to National Crisis Response Team,Washington, 2002. Trainer class for lead public affairs officers Emergency Management Institute, Emmitsburg, Maryland, 2003, trainer external affairs, 2008.
Founder Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council, 1984. Volunteers in Service to America volunteer, 1982-1984. Paramedic volunteer and board director Aradia Medical Clinic, Seattle, 1972-1974.
Founder Chimacum (Washington) School District Learning Boosters, 1989. Loaned executive to government campaigns United Way, 1989. Trainer for campaign coordinators and key workers, 1989.
1st aid trainer Medic I, Seattle, 1989-1991. Elected chair Marrowstone Island Groundwater Committee, 1989-1994. Member advisory committee Seawater Intrusion Team Department of Ecology, Washington State.
President Marrowstone Island Community Association, 1993-1994. Member, secretary organizational task force to structure The Marrowstone Island Foundation, 2000, advisory, certified member Jefferson County Explorer Search and Rescue, 1990-2000. Member Northwest Multihull Association (commodore 1974), Marrowstone Island Community Association (president 1983), Quimper Arts.
Married John C. Matthiesen. 1 child, Stewart J. Matthiesen.