Kathy Coffey

Kathy Coffey was named Executive Director of the Leadership of Snohomish County in August of 2014, Championing the mission of Leadership Snohomish County in support of leader development in Snohomish County by providing education and opportunities for people and organizations to strengthen our community.  Kathy also was a co-owner of Pivot Edmonds which was an in depth community magazine, marketplace and community engagement site and was the Development Relations Coordinator at Bastyr University.

Dr. Gary Cohn

Superintendent, since July 2009. He was superintendent of Port Angeles School District, vice president at Lake Washington Technical College, and a teacher and administrator in the Lake Washington and Northshore school districts. Gary holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Puget Sound, a Master of Business Administration from Seattle University, a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Washington’s College of Education, and Washington State teaching, principal, and superintendent certificates. Before education, Gary worked in marketing for an international technology manufacturer.

Rick Cooper

Rick Cooper is the newly appointed Northwest Market President for Davita Medical Group. Prior to this position he was the Chief Executive Officer of The Everett Clinic, which serves 300,000 patients in Snohomish County. He joined the Clinic in 1977 and became CEO in 1985. During his tenure, Mr. Cooper has helped position the Clinic as one of the most successful healthcare provider medical groups in the Pacific Northwest.

In 2013, Mr. Cooper was named Executive of the Year by the Herald Business Journal, noted for his drive and passion for improving healthcare, and Henry M. Jackson Citizen of the Year by the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County, honored for exemplary service to the community. He’s also been a Seattle Business Magazine Top Healthcare Executive and finalist for the national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Mr. Cooper is active in professional associations at the state and national level. He is past Chairman of the American Medical Group Association and former President of the Washington State Medical Group Management Association. He is actively involved in community and civic organizations and serves on the Board of Trustees (Past Chair) for the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County. He supports local human services organizations and is a member of the Tocqueville Society, which aims to change lives through philanthropic leadership and giving.

He earned his master’s degree in Hospital Administration from the University of Michigan.

Rick Cooper serves in a Dyad role on the Steering Committee alongside Chris Knapp

Bob Drewel

Bob Drewel is the Special Assistant to the President of Washington State University, North Puget Sound Everett. Prior to that appointment, he  served as the interim chancellor at WSU North Puget Sound Everett. His roots run deep in Snohomish County, having served 10 years as the Executive Director of the Puget Sound Regional Council. And serving as Snohomish County Executive for November 1991 to December 2003. Bob is known for promoting solutions to challenges facing the Northwest, including economic development, land-use regulation, transportation and environmental enhancement. In his 12 years of service, Bob has worked to build partnerships between private and public sectors – partnerships based on shared vision for a healthy and vigorous community.

Within Snohomish County, Bob helped build partnerships as a board member of the Economic Development Council, Healthy Communities Initiative, United Way, Snohomish County Tomorrow, Snohomish County Needs Assessment Project, Economic Investment Plan, SnoNet and City/County Task Force on Criminal Justice.

Bob is a 1970 graduate of the University of Washington. He lives in Arlington with his wife, Cheryl. They have two grown daughters.

Dr. Robin Fenn

Robin Fenn has responsibility for the hospital district entity, financial and capital assets, and the day-to-day program and operations of the Verdant Health Commission.  Verdant focuses on supporting innovative programs that will make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of South Snohomish County residents, with investments in 2016 totaling approximately $6.5 million. It also provides many free or low-cost health and wellness education and prevention classes at the Verdant Community Wellness Center in Lynnwood.

Fenn served the Snohomish County Department of Human Services since 2010, most recently as the Research Manager. While there, in conjunction with the Community Action Program, she developed and conducted the most comprehensive low-income needs assessment undertaken by Snohomish County. She also designed and evaluated programs aimed at improving the social determinants of health for frequent users of the crisis response system including hospital emergency departments, emergency medical services (EMS), law enforcement, jails, and crisis mental health services.

She has a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs as well as a Master of Science in Social Work. Previously, in addition to her role as Director of Institutional Effectiveness at Bastyr University, Fenn held academic appointments at two different medical schools teaching research and evaluation methods in addition to community health courses. Fenn also has significant experience providing behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use counseling, most recently as a private practitioner.  Her research in health-related areas has led to publications in Pediatrics; Academic Emergency Medicine; Journal of Trauma, and Washington Healthcare News.

Fenn serves on the Board of Directors for Leadership Snohomish County. She also serves on both the Steering Committee and the Governing Body of the North Sound Accountable Community of Health. She recently completed terms on the School of Nursing and Health Studies Advisory Board at the University of Washington Bothell and the Snohomish Health District Public Health Advisory Council.

Fenn’s husband is an engineer at Boeing Everett, and they live in Snohomish.

Jennifer Gregerson

Jennifer Gregerson is the qualified, proven leader you know- your current Mayor, and longtime Councilmember serving since 2004, with two years as Mayor Pro Tem. She led the fight to bring our own homegrown paramedic services into Mukilteo fire stations. She is known for working against commercial air service, and led the first efforts to invest in the city’s Paine Field defense fund.

She is respected in Mukilteo’s business community as a small business owner. Jennifer grew her business to nearly $10million in sales, serving hundreds of customers. Jennifer has established an expertise in community planning, earning a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from the University of Washington.

She learned the values of hard work and responsibility growing up in Mukilteo. Both her parents worked as cabinetmakers in a long-time Everett family business. Watching her parents fight to preserve trees and wetlands in Harbour Point, she says taught her the importance of getting involved, speaking out and defending your community.

Jennifer is committed to Mukilteo, and believes in service: she is the President of the Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival Association and volunteers with the Farmers Market. Today, she makes her home with her husband, Jeff, in Mukilteo, a few miles from where she grew up.

Jefferson Ketchel

Jeff Ketchel is the Interim Administrator at the Snohomish Health District, where he’s been the Director of Environmental Health since 2015. Prior to his appointment in Snohomish County, he was the Director of the Grant County Health Department and spent 15 years in King County’s public health department.

Jeff received his Masters degree from the University of Washington Bothell and graduated from the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, Executive Education Program at Harvard University. 

Chris Knapp

Chris Knapp is Chief Executive Officer of The Everett Clinic, a medical group with DaVita Inc. He previously served as the Clinic’s legal counsel since 1997 and Chief Legal Officer since 2012, and has demonstrated leadership throughout his time at The Everett Clinic. He was instrumental in moving forward the merger in March 2016 between the Clinic and DaVita Inc. and has been a champion of its growth and integration.

Mr. Knapp joined The Everett Clinic in 2012. Previously, he was managing partner at the Anderson Hunter Law Firm in Everett and served as legal advisor to The Everett Clinic while there.

As general counsel, Mr. Knapp advised The Everett Clinic on all legal issues related to business operations. His role included strategy development, oversight of payer arrangements, regulatory compliance, enterprise risk management and legislative affairs.

He earned his law degree at the University of Minnesota School of Law and bachelor’s at the University of Washington. He is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association and the Washington Society of Healthcare Attorneys.

Mr. Knapp is a past chair of the Board of Trustees for Economic Alliance Snohomish County, a catalyst for economic vitality in the north Puget Sound region.

Chris Knapp serves in a Dyad role on the Steering Committee alongside Rick Cooper

Steve McGraw

Steve McGraw is the CEO of Senior Services of Snohomish County. Steve comes to SSSC as the President and Executive Director of the Foundation for Private Enterprise Education dba Washington Business Week. He also served as the Executive Director of the Starlight Children’s Foundation Northwest, The Seattle Children’s Museum, and the Seattle Aquarium Society. His thirty plus year career also includes Catholic Community Services of Western Washington and Harborview Medical Center.

He has a Master’s degree in Applied Psychology/Organization Development from the University of Bridgeport, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Buffalo, and a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of Washington. He served on the Board of Directors of The Children’s Music Foundation. Steve is a seventeen year member of Seattle Rotary #4. Steve has dedicated his career for over thirty years to making the community a better place through education, human services, healthcare, and cultural arts. Steve has been married to his wife Michele for 30 years and they have two grown daughters who attended school in the Edmonds School District and at the University of Washington. Steve and his family have been residents of Lynnwood, WA for twenty-eight years.

Josh O'Connor

As Vice President of Operations, Josh O’Connor is responsible for 7 publications for Sound Publishing, as well as Sound’s Press operation in Everett. Mr. O’Connor joined Sound’s parent company, Black Press Ltd. in 1998.

Josh has a marketing & communications degree from Kwantlen Polytechnic University and an undergraduate degree in Executive Management from Thompson Rivers University. He enjoys the challenging dynamics of building successful community publications.

Josh coaches a commitment to delivering relevant, local news that directly affects the lives of those who raise families and work in the communities that Sound serves and is an active contributor to many community organizations throughout the Puget Sound.
Josh married his high school sweetheart Erin and together they have two girls, Lauren 9 and Mailie 7.

Patrick Pierce

Patrick Pierce was appointed as the CEO for Economic Alliance of Snohomish County, on January 1st, 2016. Patrick brings his extensive background of public policy, government affairs and building alliances with key leaders to the role. Before assuming the CEO role he was a Program Manager of Economic Development at Puget Sound Regional Council where he worked closely with the Central Puget Sound Economic Development District and its board of directors. He was Chairperson for the Snohomish County Youth Professionals for over 3 years.

Patrick is a graduate from the University of Washington with a BS in political science. He went on to Seattle University for his masters of public administration. Patrick resides in North Creek with his wife and two daughters.

Jorge Rivera

Jorge Rivera has a Bachelor’s Degree in Systems Engineering from the National University of Colombia, and an MBA (Master’s Degree in Top Management) from the University of Los Andes, also in Colombia; he came to the country in 2002, as Director of Information Technology for the local operations of The Washington Post Company.

In 2004 he was asked to take on some production responsibilities, and a year later he was asked to contribute to the business growth side of the business; he designed and launched what today is the highest readership publication in Spanish in the Puget Sound, “La Raza del Noroeste”; after the success of “La Raza” he also served as General Manager of Seattle’s Child Magazine and Publisher of The Weekly Herald in Lynnwood and Edmonds.

When The Post sold its local operation in 2013, Jorge moved over to the Healthcare sector as Director on Enrollment Growth and Community Engagement for the state’s largest Medicaid Health Plan, Molina Healthcare, where he has worked since, contributing to Molina’s significant growth in membership and community presence over the last three years.

Jorge also currently serves as Molina’s representative on several of the state’s Accountable Communities of Health, and as a volunteer Board Member for Workforce Snohomish, and for the Latino Community Resource Group of Clark County.

Jeff Roe

Jeff Roe is President of Premera Blue Cross. He leads a team of executives responsible for corporate performance and all day-to-day functions – including operations, healthcare services, sales and marketing, information technology, strategic planning, human resources, legal, finance and administration – for the Premera family of companies. The position of President reports to CEO Gubby Barlow.

Most recently Roe served as Executive Vice President of Premera’s Employer and Individual Markets. Roe’s responsibilities included leadership for individual markets and employers with up to 5,000 employees for Premera Blue Cross in Washington, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield in Alaska, and Premera’s subsidiaries in Washington and Oregon.

His leadership in insurance includes positions as Co-President of Safeco Insurance and Chief Marketing Officer for Torrent Technologies. Roe started his career in the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Senator Slade Gorton and later consulted as a member of The Gallatin Group, a public affairs firm.

At the University of Washington, Roe earned Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Political Science and a Masters in Business Administration. He serves on the Visiting Committee of the University of Washington Economics Department.

Preston Simmons

Preston Simmons, FACHE, serves as Chief Operating and Administrative Officer, Western Washington, for Providence Health & Services.

Before joining Providence in 2007, he served as a senior associate administrator for the University of Washington Medical Center. Prior to that, he was chief executive officer of a rural hospital in the Samaritan Health System in Page, Arizona. He also served in senior leadership roles at Stevens Hospital in Edmonds and Ballard Community Hospital in Seattle.

Simmons holds a master’s in health administration from the University of Washington and is a clinical professor for the university’s School of Public Health and Community Medicine. He is a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Preston Simmons serves in a Dyad role on the Steering Committee alongside Kim Williams

Philip D. Smith

Following a 25 year career as a leader in the non-profit community of Corvallis, Oregon, Phil Smith then served four years as Volunteers of America Western Washington’s Vice President of Development & Communications. Phil has been with the agency since April of 2005, and officially began his role as President/CEO on January 1, 2009.

Mr. Smith has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on Non-Profit Management. He has worked in the non-profit sector for nearly 30 years, including 18 years as Executive Director of the Corvallis, Oregon Boys & Girls Club by being named a Benton County History Maker by the Benton County Historical Society.

Phil’s passion and commitment to the non-profit community is centered on the social good each non-profit organization brings to its community. VOAWW is a critical service provider serving families in crisis, children at risk, seniors and adults with developmental disabilities. The agency answers over 350,000 calls for assistance each year while employing over 450 professionals and utilizing over 400 volunteers.

As President/CEO Phil’s focus is on expanding the agency’s role as  a leader of change that provides creative, innovative service to people in need in our community.

Volunteers of America Western Washington is governed by an active Board of Directors and has a regional organizational structure that covers eight counties in the Puget Sound area including Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Island, Snohomish including Sky Valley, King, Pierce and Kitsap–and three regional Executive VP’s and advisory councils to focus on community needs. The focus and scope of our work is solving these problems:

1. Low income children have limited opportunites to succeed.
2. Vulnerable individuals and families are experiencing depression, hunger, homelessness, domestic abuse, substance abuse, crime and violence.
3. Seniors and individuals with disabilities face an imminent crisis in long-term care and support for independent living.

Dave Somers

Dave Somers took office as the Fifth Snohomish County Executive on January 1, 2016. Having previously served for 14 years on the Snohomish County Council, Dave is focused on developing policies to make our community safer, healthier, and more prosperous. Dave also served for over a decade on the Health Board of the Snohomish Health District.

Dave manages the 14 diverse departments that comprise the Snohomish County government, including Public Works, Paine Field Airport, Emergency Management, Human Services, Medical Examiner, Parks, and Planning and Development Services. County government touches every family in Snohomish County, whether getting a permit, licensing a pet, engaging with the criminal justice system, or enjoying the Evergreen State Fair.

Dave believes more needs to be done to create regional partnerships, improve customer service, and build sustainable finances. He is committed to improving the delivery of services to the homeless and ensuring everything possible is being done to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.

Dave is Vice President of the Puget Sound Regional Council and serves on the Sound Transit Board. He also is on the Board of the National Association of Counties and the County Executives of America, giving Snohomish County a voice in national policy-making. Dave is a strong proponent for mass transit in general and light rail in particular, looking forward to the day when it reaches Lynnwood, Everett, and Paine Field.

Dave is a proud graduate of the University of Washington where he earned a master’s degree in forest ecology and a bachelors in fisheries science.

Jim Steinruck

Bill Tsoukalas

Bill Tsoukalas has been the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County since 1992 growing the organization from 4 Clubs to 22 Clubs with over 22,000 members. Four of the Clubs are in partnership with the Tulalip, Warm Springs, Colville and Spokane Tribes. Prior to coming to Snohomish County he spent twelve years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. Bill grew up in Seattle graduating from Lincoln High School and then attended Everett Junior College before graduating from Seattle University with a degree in Education. He later completed his Masters Degree in Education from Seattle Unviversity. His community involvement includes being in the first graduating class of Leadership Snohomish County, Past Board Member of Leadership Snohomish County, member Rotary Club of Everett, Board Member with Economic Alliance Snohomish County, Everett Community College Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, Seattle University Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, Past Chair Washington Boys & Girls Clubs State Alliance, and volunteer with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. Bill has been honored with several Boys & Girls Clubs of America leadership awards including the prestigious Thomas G. Garth Character and Courage award, the Economic Alliance Snohomish County John M. Fluke Community Service Award, and the Leadership Snohomish County Alumni of the Year Award. Bill has also been inducted into the Everett Community College Athletic Hall of Fame, the Northwest Association of Community College Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Seattle University Athletic Hall of Fame and has coached and played baseball including Little League, American Legion, high school, collegiate and professional.

Scott Washburn

Scott Washburn has spent 36 years in leadership and financial development with four Associations and YMCA of the USA. He has been the CEO of the YMCA of Snohomish County for 9 years, leading and supporting capital campaigns for South Sound YMCA, YMCA of Greater Seattle and YMCA of Snohomish County.

Under his leadership the YMCA Annual Campaign has seen an increase of over 36% in five years, planned giving programs have doubled assets and the Snohomish County Association has expanded into a new market, Stanwood/Camano!

Scott has served on Washington State Charities Advisory Board (by appointment), and achieved CFRE certification in 2013

Allison Warren-Barbour

Allison Warren-Barbour comes from United Way of the Greater Triangle in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. There, she served as senior vice president of resource development & engagement. She led her team in developing innovative approaches to engage local problem-solvers around the Triangle’s most complex social issues that families with young children face. She directed strategies around individual and corporate engagement, major gifts and grants, and social innovation. Allison’s nonprofit career started in Atlanta, where she worked for a financial literacy nonprofit, Operation HOPE, and then joined United Way of Greater Atlanta in 2009. Over the course of her career, Allison has raised over $100 million in community investments. She recently launched a 2-year, $1.5 million, “Innovate United” incubator fund to help create an ecosystem of social entrepreneurs with investable ideas. Allison has also been integral in moving United Way of the Greater Triangle to a collective impact model, which approaches solving complex social issues through building collaborative partnerships.  She feels strongly that this new model requires innovative approaches to tapping capital markets. Allison has worked diligently to align fundraising and impact by reorganizing internal resources around individual engagement and corporate partnerships.

“The United Way system is in a time of transformation as we work to deepen the relevance of the organization, both for the people we serve and for our stakeholders. I am honored to be selected, and look forward to bringing my experience in North Carolina where we successfully implemented a collective impact strategy, which has already begun to shift lives of vulnerable families,” said Warren-Barbour, future United Way of Snohomish County President & CEO.

She added, “Snohomish County has always held a special place in my heart and I am delighted to now call it ‘home.’ I am honored to serve alongside passionate staff, board, and community members who understand the complexity of poverty and the bold, collaborative work required to break the cycle.”

Kim Williams

Kim Williams RN, is the Chief Administrative Officer for Providence Health and Services, Northwest Washington.  As CAO she oversees operations of a 501-bed medical center with two locations and the Providence Medical Group in multiple locations throughout Snohomish County. Providence Regional is a Level II Trauma Center and serves five counties with comprehensive, not-for-profit, mission-based health care.

Kim returned to Providence in 2003 where she has served in several leadership roles, including Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer before being named Chief Administrative Officer.  Kim serves on various boards including the North Sound Accountable Community for Health, the Stanwood-Camano YMCA Advisory Board and this year she is the Board Chair for United Way of Snohomish County.

Kim Williams serves in a Dyad role on the Steering Committee alongside Preston Simmons

Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory

Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory was named Executive Director for the Sno-Isle Libraries in March 2002. Sno-Isle Libraries serves residents in Washington’s Snohomish and Island counties through 21 community libraries, online services, and Library on Wheels.

Sno-Isle Libraries provides a network of public library services to more than 713,000 residents across approximately 2,200 square miles.
Jonalyn completed her undergraduate work at Washington State University and earned her Masters of Library Science at the University of Washington. In her heart, she bleeds Crimson and Gray.

Jonalyn grew up in the wilds of Whatcom County close to the Canadian border. Although cars and tractors were available, she liked to show up at the small Deming Library with her pony cart and boxer named Tiger.

When Jonalyn is not at work, she is chasing her 9-year-old grandson and 5-year-old granddaughter. Next to libraries and children, Jonalyn’s next favorite passion is clam digging. When the tides are low, she is out on the beach up to her elbows in mud and rocks.

Marie Zackuse

Marie Zackuse currently serves as Chairwoman of the Board and has served on the Tulalip Board of Directors since April 1990. Marie is a delegate to the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, a member of the Indian Education Committee, and is chairwoman of the Pharmacy Board, as appointed by the Board of Directors. She is actively involved in the Early Learning Advisory Council, established by the Washington State Legislature. Her accomplishments include signing of a memorandum of agreement that encourages WSSDA to develop a curriculum that includes tribal experiences, to work on narrowing the achievement gap, and to increase understanding of tribal history, culture, and government. Marie and her husband, Gene, live in Tulalip. They have four children and eleven grandchildren.