Board of Trustees
Scarlett Foster-Moss, PresidentScarlett is a consultant on strategic communications projects and a senior team member for a global public affairs/public relations firm. She is a community organizer, building grassroots support for the arts and environmental sustainability projects. Scarlett and her partner Nancy own the Beall Greenhouses, which include studio and office space for seventeen artists, craftspeople and activists. Scarlett joined the Board in 2005. She is also President of FosMos Enterprises, a social venture focused on arts and sustainability.
Anne O’Leary, Vice President
Anne has lived on Vashon since 1995. One of the first things she did upon moving to Vashon was to become involved with VAA and she says she has enjoyed every moment of her association with ‘this wonderful organization.’ She moved with her family to Seattle from the East Coast in 1979. Anne retired five years ago from a career in Social Work/ Non-profit administration with a focus on Children and Family services. Her previous posts include Community Hospice (volunteer coordinating and fundraising), Executive Director of PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support) and Program Director for Catholic Community Services. This is her second term on the VAA Board.
Kathi Jenkins, Secretary
Kathi grew up in Seattle, worked as a teacher, then became a delivery driver for United Parcel Service. She worked her way up the ranks in management and retired in 1997, and moved to Vashon Island. She originally visited Vashon to purchase Christmas trees and attend the December and May Art Studio Tours. Since then she has become a major collector of Vashon artwork, a collection that exceeds 90 works of art. Many of the pieces she purchased at VAA’s annual Art Auction. Kathi joined the Board in 2007 and has worked with the Board’s budget and finance committee, Art Auction and Garden Tour.
Leslie McIntosh, Treasurer
Leslie holds a degree in mathematics and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. Born in Toronto, she has lived on both coasts but has called Vashon home for over a decade. Leslie was a Human Resources and employee benefits consultant for 10 years before joining Weyerhaeuser Company where she works as the Corporate Actuary. Leslie is a long time supporter of the arts and arts education. Leslie joined the Board in 2008, and currently chairs the finance committee and co chairs the Garden Tour committee. She is an avid gardener and her garden was featured on the 2007 VAA Garden Tour. Previously she served on the Board of Vashon Maury Food Bank.
Mark Bennion, Executive Committee Member at Large
A painter and sculptor, Mark has lived on Vashon since 1976. Known for his iconic abstract paintings, installations and geometric welded steel sculptures, he also designs and builds architectural elements for both public and private spaces. Mark was a featured artist at the Museum of Northwest Art and has an ongoing installation of sculpture at the Museum of Glass. A show of his paintings recently opened at the Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia. He is represented by the William Traver Gallery Seattle. Mark joined the VAA Board in 2007.
Patti McClements
Patti is the Community Service Supervisor at the Vashon PSE office. She spends a good deal of her time working with and supporting community organizations such as Rotary, The Senior Center, Chamber of Commerce and now, VAA. In addition, she’s responsible for promoting energy efficiency and conservation and day-to-day office operations. Thirty year veteran of PSE, Patti has always supported the arts and comes from a family that encouraged and appreciated all art forms. She looks forward to taking a more active role in the Island’s arts community. She has been married for 29 years and has one son, a senior at the University of Montana. In her spare time she loves to scrapbook, travel and read.
Paul Martinez
Paul was born in Los Angeles and moved to Seattle in 1989, from Denver, where he worked as a ceramic artist and in the art services industry. He joined the Seattle Art Museum staff in 1993, and currently holds the position of Associate Exhibition Designer. He participated in the recent reinstallation of Seattle Asian Art Museum and expansion of the downtown Seattle Art Museum. His art work, primarily in ceramics, has been exhibited widely and is represented in many corporate and private collections. Martinez has been a recipient of the Artist Trust Fellowship Award. Martinez is Chairperson of the VAA Building Committee. He lives on Vashon with his wife Renee Roman.
Anna Martinsen
Anna Martinsen grew up on an island in Southeastern Alaska. While a student and young mother she worked summers in the commercial fishing industry. She lived forty in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she worked in the public school system and in the retail industry. Her expertise is in visual presentation and marketing. She worked as a department manager for Nordstrom for many years, organized fashion events and taught professional image seminars for companies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Martinsen has always loved theater and special events. She spent several years costuming local theater productions. Martinsen has collected Native American baskets for many years. She and her husband Nick retired to Vashon Island to live near their daughter and grandchildren. Martinsen volunteers at Heron’s Nest, is a member of Vashon Island Chorale and enjoys gardening. She co-chaired the 2009 Garden Tour.
Anita Halstead
Anita Halstead joined the board in 2008 and has been a resident of Dockton for ten years where she has been a community activist for the preservation of Dockton's maritime history. Her professional work includes 30 years in arts education, including Director of Education at the Frye Art Museum until her retirement in 2005. She has received numerous awards and grants for her work in the arts as well as for her community involvement. Anita was co-chair of the 2009 VAA garden tour and will serve on the VAA programs committee in 2010.
Lark Pelling
Lark works as an attorney on the Island. She is the mother of two children who love to dance and make a mess with paints, pens and clay. She previously served on the Board of the Bridger Clinic in Bozeman, Montana before moving to the Island in 2004. With a background in mediation, litigation and community outreach for a variety of organizations over the years, she has enjoyed contributing her time to VAA since 2008.
Ann Nicklason
Ann moved with her family to Vashon in 1992. Prior to living on the Island Ann owned a restaurant in Seattle. A varied and lifelong background in grassroots politics and community activism has kept Ann active on a number of boards and projects over the years. Her involvement with the Blue Heron began with her two girls taking art classes and ballet. She is a former VAA Board member, worked on staff as membership coordinator and Art Auction coordinator and is a strong arts supporter. She and her husband, Allen Ressler, are strong arts supporters enjoy collecting Island art.
Nancy Miracle
Nancy is Product Manager for Golf Savings Bank, a division of Sterling Financial Services. Nancy has been a regular participant in VAA programs and classes since moving to Vashon Island four years ago. In her free time she dabbles with painting, gardening and dance, and is an avid cyclist. While living in Seattle, Nancy was an active member of the Green Lake Park Alliance. Nancy joined the Board in 2008, and is co-chair for the 2010 VAA Garden Tour.
Dale Greenfeld Cunningham
Dale was born and raised in NYC then spent a stint in the NJ suburbs before coming to Vashon in December 2005. She was a Radio-TV-Film major at Temple University's School of Communication before moving on to multiple pursuits in the music business, stand up comedy, advice columnist and an assistant to a Broadway producer. Dale also spent time in the corporate world including positions with Nabisco & Dun & Bradstreet. She has been known to us on the Island as a Country Club employee, water aerobics instructor and personal/business professional organizer. Since November 2007, Dale works part-time for Trigg Insurance Agency. In addition to all things artistic & creative she is passionate about her pets, home crafts, literature, baking and her husband Patrick.
Judith Burwell
Judith looks forward to participating with VAA during with the many exciting plans and projects in the works. On Vashon Island since her youngest granddaughter was born in May 2004, she retired from the hospitality business in Snowmass Village (Aspen), Colorado. Judith grew up and started her career in Oregon, lived in Colorado for the past 25 years before returning 'home' to the NW. Judith was involved in many nonprofit organizations in CO, including the arts, hospital, community health, etc. She participated in building the first chapel and helped organize summer rodeos in Snowmass, among her many philanthropic activities. She also served on the Town Council. Judith looks forward interacting with the VAA group of 'activists'.
Kathy Pine
Kathy was born in Seattle and grew up in Port Hadlock on the Olympia Peninsula. As a visitor, she first fell in love with Vashon and Maury Islands about 30 years ago. She moved to Maury Island in 2002. A South End commuter, Kathy met her husband, Doug, on the Rhododendron ferry. In 2008, after 22 years, she retired from her professional career as Director of Policy Development and Senior Trust Officer for Russell Investments. Kathy has worked as a jewelry artist for more than 15 years. Since retiring from the financial services industry, she has focused attention on her jewelry business, which embraces Fair Trade and the use of eco-friendly materials.
Fred Albert
Fred grew up in Boston and studied art and design at Yale before moving to Seattle in 1979. He served as Public Relations Manager at Seattle Children’s Theatre and Publications Manager at Seattle Repertory Theatre before venturing out into a full-time career as a design journalist. Author of two books and contributor to numerous national magazines, he served as Editor in Chief of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles from 1996 to 2005, and is now Editor in Chief of Style 1900, a national magazine about Arts and Crafts architecture and design. Vashon resident since 1994, Fred has served on the Drama Dock board and is an active follower of the Island arts scene.
Bruce Morser
Originally from New England, Bruce moved to Vashon with his family in 1987. Long-time VAA members, he credits his daughter's life passion for dance to Blue Heron Dance program. Bruce is a nationally recognized freelance illustrator, known for images in magazines ranging from National Geographic to Fine Homebuilding. Apple Computer, NASA, Nike, Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing, Nintendo and Nordstrom are among his corporate clients. Bruce has taught Drawing and Creativity locally for several years at Cornish College of the Arts, School of Visual Concepts and the Art Institute of Seattle. Bruce earned an MFA in Painting from University of Washington in 1988, and a BA from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY in 1976. He feels fortunate to have remained involved in education by serving as a Trustee of Colgate University over the last 14 years, his primary interests being on Capital Projects and Student Affairs committees. He has also served on Vashon's Harbor School Board, as well as the Vashon/King County Town Plan Committee during the mid-1990s. Bruce enjoys rowing with Vashon's Rowing Team and cruising with his family on their old wooden boat.
Chanda Carlson
Chanda finds her inner artist as a Master Certified Coach, partnering with people to design and manifest the lifestyle of their choice, at whatever phase of life they are in. She has 25+ years experience developing communication skills in leaders, and most recently, coaching teams to achieve their bottom-line results. She was first introduced to VAA when her partner volunteered her to guide the organization through a strategic planning process in 2000, and has been a supporter ever since! Chanda and her partner, artist Jan Wall, have lived on Vashon Island for 15 years. Though she considers herself ‘stick-figure challenged,’ Chanda enjoys art in its myriad forms, loves gardening and dances often through the day – with or without music!
Kevin McMurdo
Kevin, a native Californian, has lived in the Pacific Northwest for 30 years. For the past 8 years, he has served as Chief Marketing Officer at Perkins Coie, a national law firm headquartered in Seattle. He and his wife, Jenny - an accomplished equestrian - moved to the Island in 1997. Kevin served for a number of years on the Vashon Lacrosse Club Board and remains an active supporter of the program. He served briefly on the VAA Board in between 1998 and 2000, but found his work-related travel interfered with participation. Now he travels less and rejoined the Board to assist with community outreach related to the building project.
