Board of Commissioners

Commissioner Marion Jouas is certified in Health Care Governance (Level 2) by the Washington State Hospital Association and the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts. She also holds a certification in Rural Hospital Board Membership by the National Rural Hospital Association.

She is a career registered nurse, having served in both civilian and military health systems. She holds an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree in Nursing as well as a master’s degree from Georgetown in Health Systems Management.

She served a total of 21 years in the United States Air Force, excelling in positions from bedside to management, retiring as a LtCol. Her background includes Intensive Care, Trauma, Burn care and Emergency nursing.

As an Air Force spouse she served on many different non-profit organizations from volunteer to board leadership. Since arriving in 2015 Marion has been enjoying island living with her husband, Jan-Marc, in their home on South Whidbey.

Dr. Kirk Gasper is a graduate of Whitman College and the Washington University School of Medicine, with more than 30 years of experience as a practicing family physician and extensive leadership in hospital oversight.

During a 20-year career in Navy Medicine, he supervised a broad range of hospital services, including serving as:

• Director of Healthcare Business at Naval Hospital Yokosuka, where he oversaw referral management and business operations;
• Chair of the Medical Staff at Naval Hospital Naples;
• Director of Medical Services at Naval Hospital Oak Harbor, managing outpatient primary care urgent care, and mental health services.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Navy as a Captain, Dr. Gasper has practiced telemedicine for more than six years. He has lived in Oak Harbor since 2009 with his wife, Michele, a practicing pediatrician.

Katherine Nelson is an attorney with noteworthy experience in health law. Before retiring from full-time practice, she was the Chair of the U.S. Healthcare Regulatory Enforcement and Compliance practice for the global firm DLA Piper LLP (US).

Previously, she represented elected and appointed state and local officials and served as Chief Counsel for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General, which was responsible for oversight of all state health and human service programs.

She moved to Central Whidbey after retirement. She continues to work as a health dispute arbitrator and expert witness and enjoys the abundance of outdoor activities on Whidbey Island.

Commissioner Marcy Shimada has more than 40 years of healthcare leadership experience in a variety of settings, including medical groups, consulting firms, and health plans.

With 20 years as CEO of a Seattle-area medical group, she gained a particular interest in primary care and community engagement as a means to drive health improvement. The medical group achieved recognition for both high-quality care and patient satisfaction. Her ability to build collaborative relationships benefited the medical group in their risk contracts. Her background also included assisting boards in solidifying their visions.

She is a graduate of Cardinal Stritch University with a degree in business management and education. Focusing on training medical assistants was a key to building the medical group staff and launching others in healthcare careers.

Marcy has enjoyed living in Clinton for the past 22 years with her husband, Paul. Joyfully, her children have returned to the island as adults and live nearby. She believes the spirit of neighbors-helping-neighbors can be a catalyst to impact health on Whidbey Island and to best utilize the financial resources of the hospital district.

Commissioner Mary Engle retired in December 2025 after more than 32 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Island County. Throughout her career, she built a reputation for thoughtful leadership, technical expertise, and a deep commitment to public service. 

Mary began her career as a mass appraiser, serving in that role for 16 years before being elected Island County Assessor, where she served three consecutive terms. During her tenure, she also represented Island County on numerous committees and boards with the Washington State Department of Revenue and the Washington Association of County Assessors, helping shape policies and best practices for property assessment across the state. She later served as Director of Planning and Community Development and as a contract code specialist, assisting with code analysis and modernization efforts. 

A Whidbey Island resident for most of her life and graduate of Oak Harbor High School, Mary is deeply rooted in the community she has spent her career serving. She is married to a sixth-generation heritage farmer, and together they have two children, ages 21 and 19. 

Outside of her professional life, Mary restored the historic RC Hill Farmhouse, enjoys wedding and portrait photography, and can often be found hiking the prairies and bluffs of Ebey’s Landing. She also loves spending time with her horses, embracing the rural lifestyle that has long been part of her family’s story on Whidbey Island.