Jacqui Gordon Nunez has been named director of education and member services at the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, based in Yakima, Washington.

Jacqui Gordon Nunez, left, and Tim Kovis

Nunez has a background in food and horticulture, with a degree in Ingeniera Agroindustrial (equivalent to a bachelor’s of science in food science) from Escuela Politécnica Nacional in Quito, Ecuador.

Nunez first came to the United States for a one-year internship with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission in May 2011.

She returned to Ecuador and worked as a food safety leader, before returning to the U.S. in January 2014 to pursue a master’s degree in horticulture from Washington State University. She graduated in 2016.

Meanwhile, Tim Kovis has been appointed communications manager at WSTFA. Kovis has more than 10 years’ experience in communications, outreach and event planning in Washington state politics and government.

His most recent position was as manager of Republican Dan Newhouse’s successful congressional campaign in Washington state.

Kovis also has worked for the Washington State Republican Party, Congressman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., and for the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee where he was responsible for organizing committee field hearings around the country.

Kovis also comes from an agricultural and tree fruit background, having grown up on an alfalfa and cherry ranch in Pasco.