Board of Directors

Biography:

• Resident of Finn Hill (Champagne Point) since 1997
• DCNA/FHNA history: First got involved in neighborhood activities in 2000, when DCNA organized to save Juanita Woodlands; joined DCNA board in 2005 (??), became president in April 2010 (when Jeff insisted on resigning!)
• Other activities: Currently serving on Kirkland Parks Funding Exploratory Committee; secretary to a nonprofit focused on Haiti relief efforts; also on boards of Seattle Art Museum and law school in California
• Work: Corporate attorney in wireless communications industry; background in government affairs, international transactions
• FHNA interests:
  • ensuring that DCNA transitions smoothly to FHNA, increasing active membership and sustaining charitable donations, and getting schools involved in our environmental programs
  • developing more effective means of communicating with the Finn Hill community and enriching FHNA website/social media with timely and intelligent content (environmental and social blogs, features, etc)
  • promoting a long-term vision for the Finn Hill neighborhood in which pressure for additional development is compensated by additions to/enhancements of neighborhood green space and parks (Finn Hill 2050)
  • working with the City of Kirkland effectively, proposing ideas and solutions rather than merely reacting to city initiatives
  • Finishing our reforestation program for the Woodlands

Contact Email: scott@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

Jon has been a resident of northern Finn Hill since 2001, but was born and raised in Bellevue. Jon is a State licensed civil engineer and is part-owner of an engineering consulting firm, Transpo Group, headquartered in Kirkland. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Washington where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and a Master of Science in Engineering. In his profession, Jon works as a consultant for public agencies throughout the State focusing on transportation planning and engineering design and has played a role on many important transportation projects throughout the region.

He originally became involved in DCNA during the Juanita Woodlands campaign, supporting the need to preserve open space on Finn Hill. He has also been a big supporter of the Finn Hill Parks and Recreation District, believing residents in the neighborhood value their parks and want to see them maintained for future generations. Before annexation took place, Jon was one of the leaders of the OneKirkland group to build support for a favorable annexation vote. After Finn Hill was annexed into Kirkland, Jon then volunteered to lead a DCNA exploratory committee that helped form FHNA in late 2011.

Jon has actively volunteered with the City of Kirkland on various Commissions or stakeholder groups. In 2001, Jon was first appointed by the Kirkland City Council to the Transportation Commission. He served 8 years as a commissioner, and chaired it for two of those years. During that time he led the effort in developing the Commission’s Transportation Conversations policy document and helped develop the City’s Active Transportation Plan and Complete Streets Ordinance. He then was appointed to the Planning Commission for a two-year temporary term as an annexation area resident, and was re-appointed in 2012 to serve another 4 years. In his position as Commissioner, he brings the perspectives of annexation area residents to make sure City policies and regulations can meet the needs of the entire City, but not to the detriment of the new neighborhoods.

Jon also has been active in the City’s Business Roundtable Group that meets quarterly to discuss business related issues and work on economic development opportunities. As both a resident and business owner in Kirkland, Jon believes that there are many similar objectives between the neighborhoods and businesses, and is focused on maintaining a high quality of life in the neighborhoods while also improving the overall business climate in the City.

Contact Email: jon@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

Resident of Finn Hill since 1980.  Married with 3 adult children, two of which either live or work in Kirkland.  Seattle native, with family presence in the Seattle area since 1889, and in Kirkland since 1940s.

FHNA Interests:

• Developing a comprehensive communication tool for our neighborhood
• Developing a cohesive Finn Hill neighborhood
• Continuing the social and stewardship programs that DCNA has ably established
• Working with City of Kirkland as partners on city-wide and Finn Hill issues

DCNA/FHNA history: joined DCNA in 2010 to have a voice in the evolution of DCNA to FHNA

Organizational Activities:

• Member of Washington Native Plant Society.
• Past treasurer for Inglemoor Cooperative Preschool, Finn Hill JH PTSA, and Juanita Rebels Booster Club for multiple terms.
• Licensed Volunteer coach for 9 years with LWYSA
• Micro-Mod Coordinator for Finn Hill Club of LWYSA for several years
• Neighborhood and Area Captain for former American Heart Association Fundraising program

Current Work:  Office Manager for Pacific Rim Aerospace in Totem Lake area

Past Work:

• School Bus Driver for LWSD #414 for 12 years, mostly in the Finn Hill, North Juanita, and Kamiakin neighborhoods; K-12.
• Licensed Home Daycare Provider for 8 years
• Expeditor at Boeing on the PHM & 767 programs

Education:  Graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor of Health Information Services from the School of Science and Engineering

Other Interests:

• Licensed ham radio operator, KC7ADK
• I enjoy my pedal & motorized road bikes, hiking in the Cascades, walks with my dog at St. Edward State Park and Big Finn Hill Park, and wine tasting in the Northwest.
• Member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church

Contact Email: connie@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

• DCNA: got involved with DennyFest in 2010 and joined the board in 2011.
• Lived on Finn Hill since 1996
• Worked in various areas of management including Operations and Program Management in wireless industry until 2004/working as a consultant now.
• Other interests:
  • Volunteer at Carol Sandburg: helping students in classroom with reading, managing an after school science engineering (with Lego) program , leading a team that is re-writing Art Curriculum for Carl Sandburg and working on Community Outreach programs through Carl Sandburg PTSA.
  • I also took up running this year to run in a race to raise money for Leukemia research and treatment and am now training for a second race in April.
• FHNA interests:
  • Support reforestation in the Woodlands by getting students involved.
  • Ensure that development and zoning changes are done thoughtfully.
  • Getting children back outside in the parks and having environmental projects/programs for students/children/families.
  • Help plan events that bring people to our parks

Contact Email: meg@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

• Resident of Finn Hill (Holmes Point) since 1998
• DCNA/FHNA history: First got involved in helping with mailings and a few volunteer woodlands/plantings events, then joined the DCNA board in around 2007-8.
• Other volunteer activities: currently active with the Society of Environmental Journalists and a few other professional organizations; regular participant in the Music Therapy program at Evergreen Hospital; and KBCS Radio reporters and producers @ Bellevue College.
• Work: freelance writer & editor and invited speaker on health and environmental topics; managing editor of a green architecture/design blog Solaripedia. Currently contribute to national and local publications (among them Popular Mechanics, The New York Times Green Blog, The Sacramento Bee, MSN Channels, Ms. Magazine, Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, Horizon Air, the Green Guide/National Geographic, Parks & Recreation Magazine, the Patch.com, and other magazines and newspapers). Before moving to Seattle, taught ecological design at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City and was Editor of the magazine of The Natural Resources Defense Council. Author of an early book on global warming, The Greenhouse Trap: What We are Doing to the Atmosphere and How We Can Slow Global Warming, with World Resources Institute (Beacon Press), and Inside the Dzanga Sangha Rain Forest with the American Museum of Natural History (Workman Publishing Company). Former daily newspaper reporter, Herald-News of Passic, N.J.; The Record; Hackensack, N.J..
• Interests w/FHNA:
  • Continuing to help with events like Denny Fest, booking the musicians, recruiting artists.
  • Trails project (developing brochures, maps, public education); newsletter articles, website development, and other projects. Would especially like to develop some local publications spreading environmental awareness of our local area, including a children’s book on exploring our local forests and shorelines.
  • 2050: Because of my experience teaching and writing about urban design and planning, I’d like to help develop some community ‘visioning’ charettes as part of the 2050 planning process, to help our little community grow its identity from a satellite of a larger city to becoming a model for suburban community planning.

Contact Email: francesca@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

• Resident of Finn Hill (Champagne Point) since 1982
• DCNA/FHNA history: In 1994, I won a grant from King County SWM to get neighbors, young and old, to “explore your backyard waterways.”  Organized neighbor groups around Denny, Champagne, North Holmes, and 132^nd St ravines. These people discovered we had something worth preserving, and we formed the Denny Creek Neighborhood Alliance. I worked to shape the organization; others did the bulk of the work and all the hard politics and engineering projects.  I have stayed on with DCNA intermittently as president, board member, database developer, newsletter editor, party organizer, education coordinator, restoration volunteer, advocate, writer, and speaker; am now secretary.
• Work: Taught English in private high schools and community colleges for 24 years. Worked for Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall since 1995. With school’s founder, coauthored 500 page Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature. Now consult as keynote speaker, online course producer, resource developer for the book and the cause.
• Other activities: Starting a very small business called Coyote Circles to support nature connection education. Writing my mother’s biography.  Travelling and hiking from our national parks to Himalayas.
• FHNA interests:
  • Envision Finn Hill in 2050 as a regional and national model of urban planning around a remarkable intact landscape.  Advocate early with Kirkland and in partnerships to preserve, protect, and restore green space.
  • Foster opportunities to energize Finn Hill neighbors, schools, churches, and businesses to connect with nature and each other.
  • Trail signage – create signs, flyers, kiosk displays, web tours, of local park trails and plant, animal and heritage features.
  • Education and Outreach – work with schools and young families outdoors. Recruit teens to take lead on small restoration projects.  Recruit schools and families to build school ground playscapes (as at Sandburg.) Coordinate, guide, and provide resources for school field studies in local open space.  Inspire a sustained network of family nature outings by allying with Wilderness Awareness School and the Children and Nature Network.
  • Convert Fire Station 25 into community nature center.

Coordinate neighbors and partners to make St Edward building, grounds, and program into a regional/national nature connection center.

Contact Email: ellen@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

DCNA history: First involvement was with compiling membership list in 2010 and joined the board in 2011. Donor since 2008.

• Residence: Born and raised in Renton, WA. Have lived on Finn Hill since 2000, moved from the east side to the west side of Juanita Drive in 2006.
• Work: Have worked at the Boeing Company since 1997 in manufacturing engineering.
• Family: Married with 5 teenage children. Two dogs and four cats round out the crew.
• Other Volunteer work: Volunteered at local schools from elementary through high school. Assisted my wife in producing plays for elementary and junior high. PTSA membership chair at Carl Sandburg Elementary, PTSA webmaster at JHS. Have managed for KNLL boys A ball, and coached City of Kirkland and Boys and Girls Club youth sports teams.
• FHNA interests:

o        Bringing neighbors together as a community. Promoting community involvement.

o        To accumulate and categorize contact information of FHNA members.

o        To develop distribution lists based on membership interests which will support specific DCNA projects.

o        Trail mapping.

o        Community gatherings.

o        Emergency planning.

Contact Email: kurt@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

Returned to the Kirkland/Bothell area five years ago after almost 20 years away, mainly in Colorado. Chose Finn Hill as home due to the presence of parks as well as clear community interest in natural areas. Lives near Thoreau. Has BSc in Botany and PhD in Plant Pathology. Spent career in the bio-pharmaceutical industry, and currently consult. Has volunteered with King County Parks as Park and Trail Ambassador, is leading remapping efforts with Big Finn Hill Trails Committee.

Interested in participating on the FHNA board to support sustainable natural areas, conserve the features of Finn Hill that make it a special place to live over the next few decades, and contribute to our ability as a community to respond to emergencies. Contact email: jeanette@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

Finn Hill resident since 1966. Part of a group of architects and others led by Paul Kirk that raised the money to purchase the triangle of land between Juanita Drive and Holmes Point Drive. It was the first piece of what is now The Juanita Woodlands. Involved in the School Trust Land trade that resulted in Big Finn Hill Park. Involved in the design of the bridge over the creek at Denny Park. Actively involved in Finn Hill land use issues – siting of Fire Station, soccer and playing fields, etc. over the years. Work as Architect in airport planning and design around the world.

Contact email: ted@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

• Resident of Finn Hill since 2005
• DCNA History: A frequent visitor to Denny Park, St Edwards and Big Finn Hill
• Park Activities: Appointed Green Kirkland Steward of Juanita Heights Park. Stewards organize volunteer events to restore forests, wetlands and other natural areas.
• Other Activities: Appointed to Kirkland Parks Funding Exploratory Committee 2011-2012; Eastside Sustainable Business Alliance and engaged in a variety of nature preservation groups.
• Work: Background in art education teaching high school.  Masters in Business focus on organizational developement and multi-culural issues.  Co-owner of a business providing curated content.
• FHNA Interests:
  • Contributing to strong social connections on Finn Hill through effective communiction channels and community activities that connect people around common interests.
  • Working with the social channels: FHNA Web site, Facebook and YouTube.
  • Preserving open space
  • ‘Safety’ walking, playing, running and riding on the hill and in our parks.

Contact Email: kathy@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

Finn Hill resident since 2001 (rented home from 2003 – 2006 while living in Washington D.C.)

MA in Public Administration, Seattle U; BA in Political Science, UW.

Worked in politics for three years as an aide to a member of the state legislature and then the King County Council. Began a career in labor relations and personnel management in Washington D.C. in the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, currently work in the same field for the Alderwood Water and Wastewater District in Lynnwood. Worked for every level of government at some point: federal, county, state, city, and special purpose

Commissioner for O.O. Denny Park  (Finn Hill Park and Recreation District).

Active at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Juanita.

Involvement in DCNA:

• Helped Jim Sproull with the salmon project on Denny Creek in 2001
• Helped with the Denny Creek bank stabilization project in the summer of 2009
• Member of the Finn Hill neighborhood organization committee

Future Interest:

• 2050 project
• Trails
• Community planning/zoning issues
• Future O.O. Denny Park funding
• Relationships with new elected officials/future redistricting planning
• Identifying civic issues that are of interest to the neighborhood
• Potential development of a community center/meeting place on Finn Hill

Contact Email: matt@finnhillalliance.org

Biography:

Moved with partner to Finn Hill 2 years ago. Has served since 2008 on Kirk- land Park Board to preserve, protect, and expand Kirkland Park system. Helped create bylaws for FHNA. Volunteered with Green Kirkland, 4th of July parade, Summerfest.

Graduated from Western Washington University in 2006 followed by a Master’s degree in special education. Taught in Issaquah, now works as Behavioral Specialist in Bellevue School District.

Contact email: adam@finnhillalliance.org