Following their regularly scheduled monthly meeting on December 11, the Northwest College Board of Trustees welcomed its newest member, R.J. Kost of Powell. The trustees selected Kost to fill the unexpired term (until the 2024 General Election) of Powell Trustee Dusty Spomer, who resigned on November 14.

“I am honored to be joining the NWC Board of Trustees,” said Kost, “and look forward to working with the board as we look toward the future of not only NWC, but meeting the needs of students in Wyoming at our great college.”

To qualify for selection, applicants had to be residents of Park County School District #1 and be willing to attend regular and special meetings.

Born in Greybull, Kost is a near lifelong resident of the Bighorn Basin with a decades long career serving the citizens of Park County, first as a high school educator and later as Wyoming State Senator for District 19 from 2019-22.

Kost holds bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and physical education/health from Rocky Mountain College, and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wyoming. He began his educational career in 1975, teaching math and coaching multiple sports in Dubois before moving to Powell in 1982, where he continued as a math teacher while also coaching football and wrestling until 1996.

In 2006, Kost became Curriculum Coordinator for Park County School District #1, a position he held until his retirement in 2018. In that position, he worked with state and federal funding, as well as grant writing.

As a state senator, Kost was a strong advocate for Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the Wyoming Community College system, while serving on many state-appointed committees such as the Standards, Hathaway Scholarship, Early Childhood Education and Literacy. He was also appointed by Governor Mark Gordon to the State Board of Education in 2023.

In addition to his experience as an educator and legislator, Koss has served or continues to serve as Board Member for Powell Schools Federal Credit Union, the Powell Economic Partnership, the Powell Hospital District and Powell Valley Healthcare, and the Northwest College Foundation.

Other members of the Northwest College Board of Trustees include Mark Wurzel (president), and Denise Laursen of Powell; Tara Kuipers (vice president/secretary), John Housel and Bob Newsome (treasurer) of Cody; and Larry Todd of Meeteetse.