Offices
PO BOX 3541
Seattle, WA 98124-3541
206.332.9900
info@seattleparksfoundation.org

© 2022 Seattle Parks Foundation

Seattle Parks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Tax ID: 91-1998597

About Us

Mission: We partner with community to champion thriving and equitable parks and public spaces.

Vision: People feel welcomed and invested in our parks and public spaces, leading to healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities.

Children sitting on the grass listening and talking.

Strategic Plan

In late 2021, we went through an extensive process with many of our community members to create our 3-year Strategic Plan. We invite you to explore it here.

Programs

Fiscal Sponsorship
We provide 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and a suite of accounting, insurance, fundraising, communications, and advocacy services to community groups that are making park and public space projects happen across the city.

Fund Management
We manage restricted and general-purpose funds, including endowments, for donors who want to make long-term and legacy investments in Seattle’s parks and public space system.

Major Initiatives
We support partner capital campaigns, large-scale community park planning, and civic-scale parks and public space advocacy initiatives.

Our History

Founded as a nonprofit partner for Seattle Parks and Recreation and fueled by the energy of civic leaders whose efforts to build a 60-acre “Seattle Commons” in South Lake Union were twice thwarted at the ballot box in the mid-1990s, Seattle Parks Foundation became an independent nonprofit in 2001. Its first endeavors included supporting the acquisition and development of Lake People (Xacua’bs) Park near Columbia City, the restoration of Schurman Rock at Camp Long in West Seattle, field and play area enhancements at Maple Elementary School on Beacon Hill, and early planning for Lake Union Park.

Since then, donors have contributed over $59 million through Seattle Parks Foundation to support more than 200 community-led park projects spanning almost every neighborhood in the city.

Learn More

Board of Directors

Chair

Garrett Kephart

Head of ESG and Social Impact Consulting, Point B

Vice Chair

Debra Guenther

Design Partner, Mithun

Secretary

Jodi Green

Community Volunteer

Treasurer

Sam Howard

Supply Chain Director, Starbucks

Member

Ross Baker

Public Policy Director, Virginia Mason Medical Center

Member

Allegra Calder

Principal, BERK Consulting

Member

Dr. Jeremy Hess

Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Global Health and Emergency Medicine, University of Washington

Member

Taylor Hoang

Senior Manager, External Affairs, Amazon

Member

Lyn Hunter

Director, Regional Strategies Network, Philanthropy Northwest

Member

Gerry Johnson

Founding Partner, Pacifica Law Group LLP

Member

Brad Kahn

Founder, Groundwork Strategies

Member

Rachel Kirschner

Vice President, Senior Wealth Manager, BNY Mellon

Member

Maya Mendoza-Extrom

Chief Operating Officer, Sounders FC

Member

John Nesholm

Founding Partner, LMN Architects

Member

Beth Purcell

Principal, Purcell Planning and Design

Member

Amit Ranade

Attorney, Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson

Member

Neelima Shah

Sr. Program Officer, Bullitt Foundation

Member

Myra Tanita

Retired COO, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Member

Patrice Thomas

Equitable Development Initiative Project Manager, City of Seattle

Member

Jerry Tone

Community Volunteer

Member

Catherine Walker

Retired SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, REI

Staff

Elias Arkham

Elias Arkham

Administrative Coordinator
Rebecca Bear

Rebecca Bear

President and CEO
Michelle Benetua

Michelle Benetua

Director of Strategic Partnerships and Programs
Leah Bostwick

Leah Bostwick

Manager of Grants and Institutional Engagement
Lauren Daniels

Lauren Daniels

Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications
Theresa Farrell

Theresa Farrell

Accounting Assistant
Robert Furlong

Robert Furlong

Systems and Operations Manager
Diana Grusczynski

Diana Grusczynski

Director of Finance and Operations
Anna Guthrie

Anna Guthrie

Program Coordinator
Falisha Kurji-Janmohammed

Falisha Kurji-Janmohammed

Community Partnership Coordinator
Shava Lawson

Shava Lawson

Director of Fiscal Services
Kristen Milliron

Kristen Milliron

V.P. of Philanthropy, Marketing and Communications
Kiyomi Morton

Kiyomi Morton

Accounting Manager
Emi Okikawa

Emi Okikawa

Communications and Content Manager
Sarah Olivo

Sarah Olivo

Annual Giving Manager
Stacy Segal

Stacy Segal

Interim Development Director

Opportunities

Seattle Parks Foundation relies on a network of staff, contractors, partners, and community members to make great things happen for Seattle’s parks and public spaces.

Seattle Parks Foundation is accepting proposals from consultants to facilitate and lead internal staff and board Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice consulting to align with our new strategic plan and provide us with actionable items to help us operationalize our anti-racist values and new strategic outcomes. We invite you to submit qualifications and a proposal (or signal your intent) to us for priority consideration by Wednesday, September 7th. Selection decisions and oversight will be managed by an ad hoc committee that is made up of a small team of staff and board members. Compensation for this 10-12-month consultation contract ranges from $50,000 to $75,000 depending on proposals.

View Full RFP

Contact

General Information

info@seattleparksfoundation.org

Press and Media

communications@seattleparksfoundation.org

Fiscal Sponsorship

partner@seattleparksfoundation.org

Donations

donations@seattleparksfoundation.org

Offices

Seattle Parks Foundation
PO Box 3541
Seattle, WA 98124-3541
206.332.9900
Phone: 206.332.9900