Our Team

Vanessa is a lifelong conservation advocate who has dedicated her career to working at the federal, state, and local levels for social and environmental progress. She spent years working for nonprofits in Washington, DC, including on international land and human rights issues at the Latin America Working Group and on mobilizing people for environmental action at the League of Conservation Voters.

Vanessa is also an elected member of the Redmond City Council, where she currently serves as Council President. During her time on council, she has worked on local and regional conservation policy, including leading as Chair of the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council and as past Chair of the King Conservation District Advisory Committee and a member of the Lake Sammamish Kokanee ILA Management Committee.

Vanessa holds MBA and MPA degrees from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business and Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. During graduate school, she was appointed by Governor Inslee to serve as the sole student member of the University of Washington Board of Regents. She also brings experience from the private sector, having worked at Microsoft on smart city and healthcare technology that helps make communities healthier, safer, and more sustainable.

In addition to conservation-focused work, Vanessa serves on other regional boards engaged in public-private partnerships, sustainable economic development, and effective transportation policies, such as the Eastside Transportation Partnership and OneRedmond. Vanessa is a devoted mom and loves spending her free time taking her family out to play in parks and hike the trails near her home in Redmond and beyond. She enjoys volunteering, supporting local art, and playing strategic board games.

Kate grew up in Kirkland, Washington and graduated from Whitman College with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Humanities. During her time in college, Kate interned with the Blue Mountain Land Trust, and developed a deep interest in the vital role landowners play in conservation initiatives.

After graduation, Kate moved to New Zealand and worked for two environmental organizations: the National Wetland Trust and Trees for Survival. While at the National Wetland Trust, she helped develop educational programming that highlighted the cultural and ecological significance of wetlands to New Zealand's landscapes. At Trees for Survival, Kate facilitated events between schools and landowners, which involved planting native trees along riparian areas. The collaborative experiences between community groups and landowners continued to fuel her interest in conservation across working landscapes.

After moving back to Washington, Kate spent a year working for a Seattle based software company where she honed her skills in engaging audiences and facilitating conversations. In her free time, Kate enjoys spending time hiking, writing, and traveling.