Gov. Inslee Appoints Jim Vollendroff to the LCB Board

OLYMPIA – The Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) today announces that Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Jim Vollendroff to the vacant seat on the LCB board.

Vollendroff, MPA, has 35 years of experience in the behavioral health field. He currently serves as the Behavioral Health Senior Advisor for Policy and Advocacy for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW). In Jan. 2019 he was recruited to be the founding Director of the Harborview/UW Medicine Behavioral Health Institute, a position he held until early 2021. In this role he worked to bring researchers and clinicians together to innovate and improve the delivery of mental health and addiction services and to implement and disseminate research-based practices including planning for the development of a crisis stabilization urgent care walk-in clinic. In addition, for 16 years he served in top leadership roles at the King County Department of Community and Human Services including 11 years as Deputy Director and five years as Director the King County Behavioral Health and Recovery Division.

“Jim brings a unique perspective and life experience to the board that is completely new and will be enormously valuable, said Gov. Jay Inslee. “The transformation of Washington’s cannabis industry influences the economic, public health and social well-being of our communities. I appreciate Jim’s willingness to serve in this role.”

In a Jan. 19, letter of support to Gov. Inslee signed by 22 legislators, they wrote “In addition to the wealth of professional expertise that Jim brings, we deeply value his lived experience as a person in recovery from both mental health and substance use challenges and as a biracial member of the LGBTQ community. We applaud Jim for his decades of service in behavioral health care in Washington and can think of no one better suited to join the Liquor and Cannabis Board at this crucial time.”

The board is composed of three members appointed by the Governor to six-year terms. The board holds regular public meetings and work sessions with stakeholders, makes policy and budget decisions, and adjudicates contested license applications and enforcement actions on licensees. Board members also hired the agency's Director, Rick Garza, who manages day-to-day operations. The agency has licensing, enforcement, tax collection and/or regulatory roles concerning alcohol, cannabis, vapor products and tobacco. It has a staff of approximately 350.

“It is a first for the board to have a member with Jim’s professional behavioral health perspective and I am confident that it will be invaluable to our work ahead,” said Board Chair David Postman. “In my initial meeting with Jim I found him to engaging, energetic and positive. Ollie and I look forward to having him join the board.”

Mr. Vollendroff is filling the term of former board member Russ Hauge who retired in Jan. 2022. He joins current Chair Postman and board member Ollie Garrett. His first day will be May 1, 2022.