Our Staff
Carolyn Thurston
Executive Director
A long-time resident of Kittitas County, Carolyn Thurston has been a professional mediator for over 24 years. Carolyn worked and taught at Central Washington University for over 25 years, and during her tenure at CWU, working primarily with first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities, she also worked with colleagues, students, and faculty to utilize more effective alternatives to formal and legal grievance and complaint processes. She conducted workshops for faculty, staff, and students, gave presentations and trainings on Nonviolent Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, and Restorative Conflict Resolution, and taught Basic Mediation in the Law and Justice department for over 15 years.
Since 2023, Carolyn has served the Community Peace Center (CPC) of Central Washington in the role of Executive Director, providing visionary leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight, advancing its mission through mediation, facilitation, education, restorative practices, conflict resolution, violence prevention, and community partnerships. Carolyn leads organizational strategy, staff development, grant and financial management, program growth, and community engagement while collaborating with the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, funders, courts, and community partners to strengthen CPC’s impact and sustainability.
Julia James
Director of Programs
Julia joined the staff in 2023. With a background in higher education, she brings a wide array of experience in training, program management, grant writing, marketing, events, and relationship building. At the CPC, Julia directs training, the mediation program, and manages outreach and engagement.
In her spare time, Julia enjoys gardening, movie nights with family, and day trips to explore the beautiful PNW.
Sasha Blair
Fiscal Manager
Sasha joined the CPC staff in 2023. She is an experienced bookkeeper with 10+ years in the small business world in Yakima. With a keen eye for detail, her responsibilities include overseeing the overall financial data, processing payroll, managing the day-to-day operations of the office, and preparing CPC grant billing and reports.
When she is not organizing financial transactions, Sasha enjoys spending time with her two boys, family, and Siberian husky. She is often in her outdoor garden, tending to indoor plants or on a road trip.
Lucy Urbina-Alaniz
Program Support Specialist
Lucy has been with the CPC since summer 2010. She has more than 20 years of case management experience in job training and social service programs. She has lived in the Yakima Valley for most of her adult life. Lucy is a bilingual senior mediator, specializing in family, small claims, and VOM mediation.
Dora Valdez
Intake Specialist
Originally from Texas, Dora made her way to the Pacific Northwest by way of the Caribbean, and she has discovered that the Pacific Northwest is an excellent location to sharpen her green thumb. She worked in the legal field for 15 years and in the Caribbean for 17 years. She is delighted to be working with the Dispute Resolution Center and looks forward to helping many clients reach a satisfactory resolution in their mediations.
Yesenia Castaneda
Reception and Intake Specialist
Born in California and raised in Washington, Yesenia’s mother migrated from Mexico. She has worked around the valley as a receptionist, caseload manager, NAC, and currently as a Reception and Intake Specialist at the CPC. She loves the CPC’s mission of PEACE and is ecstatic and proud to be a part of this amazing organization. In her free time, she loves spending time with her loved ones and friends, dancing, and exploring new places.
Evelia Cervantes
CPO Court Navigator
Evelyn Heflen
Kittitas County Victim Offender Meeting Coordinator and Outreach Worker
Evelyn has been with the DRC since 2004. She coordinates the CPC’s outreach work in Kittitas County, helping to inform the community and referring agencies about the CPC’s work. She also brings youthful offenders together to meet with the people victimized by their crimes. Evelyn is a family, small-claims, and VOM mediator.
