Board of Directors
Kelly Soligon
Vice President Digital Direct Sales, Microsoft
Becky Wall
Associate Principal, Rice Fergus Miller
Lani Banning
Senior Benefits Business Partner, Microsoft
Laura Larson
Senior Manager, T-Mobile
Susan Corning
Senior Program Manager, Amazon
DeAnne Dodson
Vice President | Community Advocate
Judy Gowdy
Immediate Past President | President, J.C. Interiors, Inc.
Diane Kuslich
President Elect | HR Manager, Microsoft
Ty Madarang
Project Manager, Marketer, Business Owner
Kerry Robinson
Of Counsel, Davis Wright Tremaine- Retired
Diann Strom
Senior Business Program Manager, Microsoft
Alexandra Chasin
Secretary | Senior International Strategic Consultant, SAP Concur
Andrew Symons
Treasurer | Attorney/Shareholder, Inslee, Best- Retired
Michelle Steffin
Vice President of Finance Operations, Sono Bello
Kara Durbin
Director Clean Energy Strategy, Puget Sound Energy
Jessica Nevers
Sr. Director, Enterprise Strategy, Grant Thornton
Michele Sauer
Director, Imaging Services & Central Transport
Staff Leadership
Jack Edgerton
Executive Director
Helen Banks Routon
Director of Development & Community Relations
Carolina Liendo
Senior Manager of Progams
Karen Ridlon, Founder, 1949-2023
The late Karen Ridlon founded our organization in 1990. A certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (University of California, San Francisco, 1972), Karen worked as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in California and Washington, working in well-child care, newborn care, and newborn ICU support for a number of medical groups and doctors. Karen’s intent was to fill an unmet need for parents with newborns who lacked basic supplies for their children.
She is Executive Director Emeritus and a lifetime member of the Board of Directors. Karen has been recognized for her efforts with many volunteer awards, including receiving the Leadership Eastside LENi Community Choice Leadership Award in 2013, Distinguished Member Award for the Washington State Chapter of NAPNAP (National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners) in 2013, Issaquah Schools Foundation Golden Apple Award (2009), and chosen as a UCSF Distinguished Alumni.
Karen passed away August 20, 2023. Her vision and leadership remain the inspiration for the work we do every day to help all kids to be safe, healthy, and able to thrive.
Photo Credit
Melanie Smith, www.melaniesmithstudios.com