Gov. Chris Gregoire has appointed retired Auburn School District Superintendent Linda Cowan to the Green River Community College Board of Trustees.

Cowan succeeds Arlista Holman, who served on the board for 11 years.

Cowan, who began her career in education as a teacher in Kent, spent 30 years in the Auburn district. The school district board appointed her superintendent in 1997, and she led the district until her retirement in 2008. During Cowan’s tenure, voters approved six levy propositions, as well as bonds to renovate 18 existing schools and build three new schools.

Among her many community affiliations, Cowan is past president of Auburn Rotary and a former board chair of the White River Valley Museum. She earned a BA in education from Western Washington University and a MEd from the University of Washington.

Holman served two, five-year terms plus a partial term on Green River’s board. She was instrumental in the selection of Dr. Eileen Ely as the college’s fourth president, replacing Rich Rutkowski, who retired in June.