Christine Atkins is the Chair of the Committee Cabinet and in that role, is an ex-officio voting member of the Board. She joined the collective in 2013 and has served as the Pooled Fund Grants Committee Chair, as a member of the International Grant, and the Impact Assessment Committee. She has also participated in the PFGC Strategic Planning Grant Task Force and the WaWF DEI training. Christine has 25 years experience working for Wall St. firms most recently as a fixed income bond trader. She was Parent Association President and Board Member at Seattle Academy and co-auction chair at UCDS school and an active volunteer at many Seattle non-profits. She is a graduate from the State University College of NY at Oneonta. She joined the WaWF transformation to be active and educated in philanthropy in WA State with dynamic and informed women in a collective organization.

Susan Barley joined the Foundation in 2013. Over the years, she has been a member of the Pooled Fund/Collective Grant Committee, Partner Grant Committee, International Grant Committee, Finance Committee, Intersect/Convening Committee and Cabinet.

Susan has been an enthusiastic member of our community as we have redefined our mission and values.  She values working with our members, staff, and nonprofit communities to learn more about how we may focus our philanthropic efforts to increase racial/gender equity with a systemic approach. She enjoys connecting with other women and believes in the power of listening, learning, and communicating. She also really enjoys the social events! She is excited to embark on another chapter with the Foundation as a board member.

By training, Susan is a corporate attorney, with her own special projects practice. She has a lot of family in the Seattle area and spends much time with them.  Too much time, perhaps, in the view of her children. She enjoys the outdoors, travel, art, and connecting with friends and family.

Sue Bennett joined the Foundation in 1997. She currently serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary, and has served as Chair of the Pooled Fund Grant Committee and the 10th Anniversary Committee. Sue is the Executive Director of Leadership Tomorrow, an organization whose purpose is to educate, inspire, connect, and catalyze cross-sector leaders who work together for collective impact. Prior to this, she was the Senior Learning Manager at Philanthropy Northwest, an organization that works with grant makers in six northwest states and Hawai’i to promote effective, collaborative grantmaking. Sue has served on the boards of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Child Care Resources, Planned Parenthood, and Cancer Lifeline. She graduated from Stanford University. Sue has been a part of the Foundation since the very beginning and is humbled and inspired by the many smart and engaged women who continue to find new ways to learn together and have collective impact. Sue is an optimist and is confident that together we can create a better, healthier, more equitable community for all.

Julie Hickman Burg joined the Foundation in 2018. She has served as a member of the International Partner Grant Committee, Arts and Culture Equity Grant Committee, Capacity-Building Committee and Human Services and Environment Pooled Grant Committees. Professionally, Julie is a senior consultant with Nygren Consulting, a boutique consulting firm which focuses on governance, strategy, and leadership. She works with boards and senior leadership teams, specializing in board effectiveness, merger integration, and executive leadership projects. Julie graduated with a BA from the University of Vermont, and DePaul University with a masters and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She served on the Kavana Board for six years, two of which as Board President, and co-chaired its strategic planning efforts. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors, skiing, reading, making art, and connecting with friends and family. Julie joined the WaWF transformation because she is inspired to learn from and partner with others to help create a more equitable community.

Chris Charbonneau became a member of the Foundation in 2005. She was the longest serving CEO of a Planned Parenthood Affiliate, at 29 years. The Affiliate that she led works in 6 States. During her tenure, she worked to change laws and health policy. She co-founded Planned Parenthood Online, which serves 16 million users a month. For 12 years Chris chaired Afaxys, a pharmaceutical company created to make supplies of contraceptives available to low-income women. It is now the largest supplier of these products to the social sector in the United States. Chris also serves on the Board of Planned Protection Insurance Company, providing insurance to Planned Parenthood Affiliates. A graduate of the University of Washington, Chris joined the WaWF transformation to collaborate with visionary women to improve our communities and change lives.

Cedra DuFlon-Heide joined the Foundation in 2003 and chairs the Governance Committee. She has served on a variety of Pooled Fund Grant Committees, Partner Grant Committees, the Impact Assessment Committee and the Planning Committee for Intersect (formerly Discovery Days). She previously served as the board treasurer of Yoga Behind Bars – an organization she discovered during the Pooled Fund grant process. A graduate of Humboldt State University, Cedra has over 20 years of HR leadership in the Seattle area, mostly recently as the VP of HR for ROOT Sports television networks. Cedra joined the WA Women’s transformation for the opportunities to make strong relationships and create meaningful change in our community.

Barbara Hebenton Fielden joined the Foundation in 2005. Barbara has been Cabinet Chair, a member of the Pooled Fund Grant Committee leadership, several Partner Grant Committees and the Impact Assessment and Membership Committees. She is on the Northwest Advisory Board of the Trust for Public Land and has served on a number of other Boards, including Seattle Shakespeare Company, Seattle Academy, and PEPS. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, Barbara has practiced law for many years at Juno Therapeutics, as the General Counsel of Active Voice, and in private practice. Barbara is a part of the WA Women’s transformation because she is inspired by our engaged group of women learning about and investing in important issues in our community.

Jodi Green joined the Foundation in 2008 and is the Vice Chair of the Board. She is Chairwoman Emerita of the University of Washington Foundation Board and just completed co-chairing the UW’s “Be Boundless” campaign, raising more than $6.3 billion. She also serves on the Board of the Seattle Parks Foundation. The first in her family to attend college, Jodi earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Brown University. As a software developer at Microsoft, she led the Development team for Microsoft Word and was later instrumental in creating the first version of Microsoft Outlook. Jodi is a part of the WaWF transformation because we inspire our members to make positive change in the world and they, in turn, inspire others to do the same. Leverage at its best.

Yvonne Hall has been a member of the Foundation since 2001, is the Treasurer of the Board, and chairs the Foundation’s Finance & Investment Audit Committee, which she has served on since 2017. During her time with the organization, she also has served on the Membership Committee, several Diversity Partner Grant Committees, and the Pooled Fund Grant Committee.  Yvonne joined the Washington Women’s Foundation because she believes in the empowerment of women and girls as a source of positive change in our world and enjoys working with like-minded women to bring about those changes.  She values the opportunity to learn, grow, and be challenged in the supportive and collaborative culture of the Washington Women’s Foundation.  Professionally, Yvonne is one of the founding partners of the Hall & Dornan Capital Partners. She and her team of financial professionals (all women) provide holistic planning and wealth management services to individuals and families in multiple states around the United States. Yvonne earned and maintains the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation and the credential of Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®). She earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Berry College in North Georgia. She also is a certified yoga instructor and teaches periodically through Village Green Yoga in Issaquah.

Melinda Herrin joined the Foundation in 2017 and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2019. She currently serves on the Membership Taskforce and previously served on the Member Engagement and Pooled Fund Grant Committees.

Melinda is an owner and principal at Metrix Engineers in Renton; a firm specializing in mechanical and electrical building consulting and design. She leads a team that designs mechanical systems for buildings in the K-12 market sector. She is involved in the Washington State Association for Learning Environments serving on the conference and meeting logistic committees. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and twin toddlers, being outdoors, running, and playing lacrosse.

Melinda is inspired by the Foundation’s willingness to listen, learn, and adjust as needed to make the biggest impact in partnership with the local community. She also enjoys being a part of this collective and meeting new people through the Foundation.

Nikki Huang joined the Foundation in 2018 and is excited about the collective giving process as well as the ongoing learning opportunities. She served on the Pooled Fund Grants Committee in 2019 and 2020 and joined the Capacity Building Grants Committee in 2020; currently serving on the Membership Taskforce. Since 2014, she has been the Director of Development and Marketing for Denise Louie Education Center, a nonprofit early learning organization in King County. In this role, she oversees all philanthropy efforts to grow the agency’s capital and unrestricted funding as well oversee all marketing and external communications.

Nikki brings in over 18 years of nonprofit experience, taking on a range of roles from being Highline Medical Center Foundation’s Development Manager to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Washtenaw County’s Executive Director. She has served as a Board Member for the International Community Health Services Foundation, API Chaya, and was on the Komen of Puget Sound’s grant committee. Nikki has 3 young children and is currently a Board Member for the Kawabe Memorial Fund and holds a Master of Public Administration from Seattle University.

Kris Kaminishi joined the collective in 2008 and has served as the Pooled Fund Grants Committee Chair as a member of a Partner Grant Committee and the Strategic Planning Grants Task Force. Kris has 20 years of experience as a grant writer, development professional, and advisor for Puget Sound nonprofit organizations. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the King County Library System Foundation. Kris is a graduate of the University of Washington Business School and active in her local Kirkland community. She joined the WaWF transformation to connect with like-minded women and is excited about the Foundation’s journey towards greater diversity, equity and inclusion.

Patricia Kiyono joined the Washington Women’s Foundation in 2014 and has volunteered for Collective Grants, International Partner Grants, and the 2020 Strategic Planning Task Force. A retired communications professional and book editor, Patricia crafted publications for trade publishers, academic presses, and nonprofit organizations. Most recently, she directed the publication strategy for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), a global health research center at the University of Washington. She has a B.A. in art history from Oberlin College and a UW certificate in Fundraising Management.

Patricia serves on the Board of Directors of Seattle Arts & Lectures and the Advancement Board for University of Washington Press. Patricia joined the Washington Women’s Foundation to promote social justice through collective philanthropy.

Ann Kumasaka has been a member of the Foundation since 2012 and joined the Board of Directors in 2017. She currently serves as Chair of the Board. Ann also has served on the Pooled Fund and International Partner Grant Committees and was a co-leader of the 2016 Diversity Partner Grant Committee. Ann previously served on the Board of Directors of Fabian’s Fund, a nonprofit organization supporting higher education in prisons and is a community organizer with The People’s Institute Northwest and the Village of Hope. Ann has worked as an art director and graphic designer for over 30 years and is the founder and director of A.K.A. Design. She received her BFA from the University of Washington. Ann is committed to the pursuit and realization of social justice through the power of community organizing. Ann is excited to be a part of the WaWF community because she believes in the strength of collective will and action to drive meaningful, positive change in our society.

Jennifer Sik joined Washington Women’s Foundation in 2010. She currently serves on the Governance Committee and Membership Task Force.  She also has served on the Pooled Fund Grant Committee, several Partner Grant Committees, the Impact Assessment Committee, and the Intersect Planning Committee, before joining the board.  Jennifer is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Bellevue, working with clients to transform wealth to life goals and making an impact to the community. Her education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and English Linguistics from the University of Hong Kong and a Master’s of Applied Finance from Macquarie University, Australia. Jennifer is an alumna of Leadership Tomorrow and has served on various boards, including Women’s Funding Alliance, Mercer Island Rotary Club, and Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Foundation. Jennifer joined the WaWF transformation to be part of a collective force that helps bring more equity to our community.

Alison Varco joined the Foundation in 2017 as an opportunity to practice philanthropy in her local community. She has served on the Pooled Fund Grant Committee for 4 years, including two as a co-lead, the Impact Assessment Committee, Women’s Leadership Partner Committee, Capacity Building Committee, and, most recently, Advocacy Committee.

Alison has an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Washington, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.  She is currently a Program Officer for Women’s Leadership at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where she leads a portfolio of grants dedicated to advancing women’s power and influence in the global health sector. In this role, Alison also serves on the Gender Equality Division’s DEI committee, leads her team’s strategy and portfolio related to empowering women leaders, and acts as an internal consultant to teams interesting in advancing women leaders in their sector. Prior to joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Alison spent ten years working for local non-profit organizations in both development and program management.

Alison resides in Ballard with her two young kids.  In her free time, she enjoys traveling, dancing, and exploring Seattle’s dining scene with friends.

Amy Zimerman moved to Seattle, in part, to join in the collective giving of Washington Women’s Foundation. Since becoming a member in 2006, Amy has served multiple stints on the Education, International Partner Grant, Impact Assessment and Finance, Investment and Audit Committees. Amy is a seasoned nonprofit executive, consultant and former auditor with a deep passion for education and financial literacy. She is a CPA and holds three Masters – in Business Administration, International Relations and Nonprofit Leadership. She was the Lead Instructor for the Certificate in Nonprofit Management at the University of Washington and a former Adjunct Professor in the Master of Nonprofit Leadership program at Seattle University. Amy is currently the Director of People & Culture at MOHAI, the locally treasured and nationally respected Museum of History and Industry. She is the Treasurer of the Cedarmere Foundation and was previously on the board of Women’s Funding Alliance. Amy is dedicated to serving Foundation members, staff and grantees who are creating a more equitable future for our community.