Back to Full List Press Debbie Berto Paper College & Ink on Canvas Kathy Schmitz, artist Debbie Berto has been the Publisher of the Issaquah Press for the past 30 years. Throughout those years, she has consistently used the power of the press for the good of the city. Issaquah Mayor Ava Frisinger wrote about Debbie: "During the entire time that [Debbie] has been with the newspaper, she has worked tirelessly on behalf of the community. What is most impressive is that she devotes so much care and time above and beyond what has to be a grueling work load." Through the paper and her editorials, Debbie has worked to preserve the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery and the Pickering Barn. She drew attention to issues about which she knew the community needed to be aware. Her accomplishments include 1983 Issaquah's Business Person of the Year, 1991 Issaquah Citizen of the Year, and serving as president of the Washington Newspaper Publisher's Association in 1999. She has been a community volunteer for most of her life, and a Kiwanis Club member since 1987 where she served as club president in 1995. Debbie received Washington State's Master Editor/Publisher Award in 2003. In addition to her public involvement, Debbie has always been passionate about her family and friends. Hearing how Debbie sold flowers at Gilman Village as a young woman is what inspired artist Kathy Schmitz to pair with her for Collective Memory. Kathy's piece, titled "Press", reflects the pride Debbie has in the Issaquah Press. And since the news is factual and literal, Kathy used the newspaper itself to create the layers. Like the "texture" of the articles in the paper - heavy hitting to fun events, she used actual letters to add texture to the piece. The red triangles represent the roof line of downtown Issaquah with the red representing Pickering Barn. The small red dots across the bottom blue (Issaquah Creek) represent salmon eggs for the hatchery. The 30 is for Debbie's 30 years with the paper. The K in the 0 represents the Kiwanis Club about which Debbie is very passionate. The typewriter letters represent the beginning of every story. The piece is titled "Press" because of its double meaning: "the method or business of printing" and "to advance eagerly; to push forward." Both of those meanings describe Debbie Berto's life. Personal Item: Newspaper