A Housing at the Crossroads board member from September 1989, Terry joined Attain Housing’s board when HAC merged with Attain Housing. He recently served as board president from 2017 through 2019. Terry’s been an aeronautical/astronautical engineer at The Boeing Company for 40 years. He did his MBA studies at Seattle University in the mid‑1980’s.
Toby Nixon is a senior program manager in the Windows group at Microsoft, and chair of the board of directors of Bluetooth Special Interest Group, and a member of the Kirkland city council. He serves as chair of the board of Nourishing Networks Central, and previously served as State Representative for the 45th district, as a fire commissioner, and on the boards of Youth Eastside Services, and other local non-profits. He’s active in interfaith activities including Kirkland Interfaith Network (KIN) and Fostering Interfaith Relationships on the Eastside (FIRE). An outspoken advocate for ethics and transparency in government, he’s been president of Washington Coalition for Open Government since 2007. He graduated from Leadership Eastside in 2013. He and his wife Irene live in Kingsgate and have five grown children.
Ken brings a wealth of practical knowledge in real estate development and construction. He has personal experience with multi-family residential, retail, and office construction projects, including the 50,000 square foot Emerald Building, which houses the firm’s offices. He has also been involved in the ownership and management of a community bank, a commercial fishing vessel, a restaurant, and a ski area.
As the Founder and CEO of Chameleon Technologies, Melissa is focused on the growth and strategic vision of the company. Chameleon Technologies was established in 2000 and is known for expertly matching technically skilled professionals to contract, contract-to-hire and permanent positions at various local and national companies.
Chameleon also specializes in data services by providing project-based solutions around data analytics and business intelligence (BI) to a variety of companies across different industries.
Melissa supports the business community through her volunteering and board commitments. She serves as a Board member and co-chair for the Consulting and Business Development Center (CBDC) for the University of Washington, Foster School of Business. Melissa also resides on the Board for Attain Housing, which is helping fight homelessness on the Eastside. In addition to these commitments, Melissa is actively involved with Washington First Robotics, IGNITE (Inspiring Girls Now In Technology Evolution) Worldwide and The University of Washington Women’s Center. Furthermore, she is committed to supporting the City of Kirkland’s Business Roundtable, Kirkland Chamber of Commerce and the Make-A-Wish Foundation as an active wish granter since 2005.
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree from the University of Washington and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in Organizational Leadership from Argosy University.
Melissa currently lives in Kirkland with her husband, Ryan, her daughter, Olivia and their Havanese dog, Maui.
Alexis Ruhumuriza was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to Rwanda in 1995 with his uncle with six siblings. When Alexis was 17, he became very involved with his church and helping to spread gospel to the orphans of Rwanda. He helped found the Rwanda Faith Academy School, which provides education to 1500 children annually. Alexis studied at the Kigali Institute of Management and earned a degree in financial management in 2012.
Alexis was also a coordinator for the Arise and Shine Network from 2013 to 2015. Arise and Shine is a network of 8 non–profit organizations that collaborate on humanitarian projects. Alexis was very involved in helping them improve their ministries.
In August 2015, Alexis was forced to leave Rwanda with his family and came to the United States as a refugee. He struggled to find his footing before eventually deciding to start New Hope Revival through his relationships with Bellevue Presbyterian. He then helped co-found Agape In-Home Care. Through both New Hope and Agape, Alexis is able to help immigrant families get connected with services, jobs, and social connections as they get settled in their new country and homes.
After a rewarding career in the healthcare field, JK has focused her time and energy as a community advocate helping families and children. Her experience expands 18 years with non-profit organizations and school fundraising programs. JK has been an active member of the Attain Housing luncheon committee & a table captain for several years, and is motivated to help families provide stable housing in our community. JK lives in the Redmond area, with her husband, and is the proud mother of an adult son and high school daughter.
Mary Lue Gutow and her husband Gary own a home-based business, Colormasters Northwest, LLC, entering its 28th year. As an Attain Housing board member, she has worn every hat except that of treasurer. Some of the hats fit well, some were a little tight, but all of them were times of personal growth. Working with the board and ever-growing team of volunteers to develop housing for homeless and underfunded families has been a lesson in communication, collaboration, satisfaction, and love.
Walt Krueger is an attorney practicing in Kirkland in the areas of estate planning, probate, and trusts. Walt served on the Attain Housing board for 14 years and as President for two years. Among his volunteer activities, he serves as Secretary of Mentee Educational Foundation, which is building an early childhood education school in Kakata, Liberia, and as an ex officio member of the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce.
Jane Petter is a driving force for communicating about Attain Housing’s vision and passion to help make a difference in the lives of those who are homeless. She has the gift of being a great project manager, leading teams successfully through some large projects and challenges. For the past 15+ years, Jane has served in many volunteer capacities. She formerly worked for Northshore School District, and she is an accomplished musician.
Mark Shinstrom is a partner at Shinstrom & Norman Insurance and long-time Attain Housing supporter. Shinstrom & Norman is independently owned and locally operated, focusing on Kirkland, but offering affordable and reliable insurance choices all across Washington. Having served on the Board of Directors, Mark continues to support Attain Housing’s mission and vision by volunteering to serve on Attain Housing’s Advisory Council.
Currently serving as State Representative for the 48th Legislative District, Amy was the former Mayor of Kirkland has also served on the Kirkland City Council. She practiced law in Australia until she returned to Oregon in 1994. Amy is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Ford-Hyundai of Kirkland.
She has been an active fundraiser for the Komen Race for the Cure (Puget Sound Chapter) and has helped organizations such as Old Dog Haven, Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Kirkland Pace Race, Evergreen Hospital, and Attain Housing. In July 2011, Mayor Walen completed the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Certificate for Municipal Leadership training program.
Lynn Sanborn is a Managing Broker for Windermere Real Estate with over 30 years of real estate experience. She is a Windermere Premier Director, a member of the Windermere Builder Solutions Group and is a certified New Home Sales Professional. Lynn's vast professional achievements include being serving as 2021 President of Seattle King County Realtors 7500 members, serving as a Washington State Director since 2015, served as VP of Governmental and Public Affairs in 2019. She also served as the Washing-ton State Realtor Membership Benefits Chair in 2020. Lynn has been voted a 5-Star real estate agent by Seattle Magazine in 2006-2021 and was voted the Best of Kirkland Real Estate Agent in 2013-2020 and Community Service in 2020.
Lynn has made it her priority to be an advocate for the homeless and she served as VP on the Attain Housing Board of Directors and currently is on their Advisory Board. She is a founding member of The Butterfly Effect Group (a monthly giving group) and served over 7 years on the Windermere Foundation Board, which provides funding to support low-income and homeless families. Lynn received the Seattle King County REALTOR Community Service Award in 2011 and 2018. In 2019 she received the Realtor Excellence Award from Seattle King County Realtors. Lynn also serves on the Board of Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition.
Christine Rose, Attain Housing’s former Development Director who supported the organization through its merger with Housing at the Crossroads and its rebranding, is a bestselling author, speaker, and an award-winning business coach and founder of Christine Rose Coaching & Consulting. She works with CEOs and leadership teams of small to medium-sized businesses to grow company value while improving leadership skills, positive company cultures, innovative and effective teams, revenues and profits (https://coachchristinerose.com.) In addition to being an advisor for Attain, Christine serves on the Board of Directors for ICF Washington State, Urban Business Support, and Educational Communities Worldwide.
Bill Vadino is currently serving as the Policy Director for the Federal Way’s Mayor. He was formerly the Communications Director for King County Council Vice-Chair Jane Hague (District 6), From 2002-2012, he served as the Executive Director of the Kirkland Downtown Association and the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce. Previously, he was an administrator at the University of Minnesota and Washington State University.
Susan Sumeri is a past Attain Housing Board member who is enjoying her retirement from careers in education (42 years) and business. She and her husband Alex have owned a home in the Kirkland area since 1967. Her recreational activities include bicycling, traveling, hiking, and reading. She is also a long-time member of the Cascade Symphony cello section.
A longtime Kirkland resident, Peggy is devoted to service and education in her community. She served as Secretary on the Attain Housing board from 2014-2018. She has transitioned to an Advisory Board role and has hosted multiple donor appreciation events at her and her husband John's home. Since 1997, Peggy has been on the Board of Directors for Seattle Children's Hospital. As part of her Master's in Education at Seattle University, she did extensive work with designing curriculum and instructional methods for the adult learner. Peggy researched and wrote a comprehensive thesis on Parent Education which includes rationale, history, and assessment and recommendations for programs to serve general population and special needs families.
Director of Program Services
Greg joined Attain Housing in September 2016, with 5 years of experience working with vulnerable populations, providing case management and resource navigation. He has worked at a nonprofit in Seattle, providing support and assistance for individuals with criminal histories, substance abuse, mental illness, and housing issues. Greg is dedicated to assisting people in overcoming obstacles and is passionate about every individual’s capacity for change.
Case Manager
Megan moved from Knoxville, TN, and quickly found a place with Attain Housing in July of 2018. She has a history of working with women and children fleeing from domestic violence, those seeking transitional housing, and those who needed extra support outside office setting. For the past three and a half years Megan has spent her time trying to help those she can make positive change in their life by providing case management, resource guidance, and a helping hand. Megan hopes to continue to try and help those in need find not only temporary placement, but a place to call home!
Communications & Development Specialist
Eric joined Attain Housing in 2018 with a background in journalism, marketing, social media, event coordination, and nonprofit management. He loves to use his skills for a good cause and increase awareness of Attain Housing in the local community in order to serve more families in need. Eric lives in the Ravenna area of Seattle with his wife, two kids, and a rascal dog named Rookie.
Executive Director
Natalie, a non-profit executive and attorney, joined Attain in May 2021 after spending the previous 10 years in non-profit leadership at Hospitality House in Burien and with Family Law CASA.
Case Manager
Nasim moved here from Phoenix, AZ, and joined Attain Housing in December 2020. Originally from Iran, she has experienced being a refugee and the difficult transition in living in a new country. She has a history of working with children with behavioral issues by providing animal therapy and other therapeutic interventions. She is enjoying her new home state and is hoping to continue growing her community.
Development Director
Carol joined the team in 2018. Her career has spanned daily newspaper reporting, magazine editing, corporate marketing, nonprofit fundraising, and storytelling. Carol delights in engaging donors, volunteers, and leaders to uncover their “whys” for giving back to the community and connecting them to others who share their passions. She also enjoys exploring and strengthening the interconnections between people and organizations working to create a supportive, thriving community. Carol is a native of the Seattle area, a graduate of Seattle University, and now lives in Bothell with her husband and their two teenagers.
Resource Coordinator
Jesse Perrell is a Seattle native who has spent the last decade developing an arts nonprofit, producing music and arts festivals, working at community-engaging projects and development in the Pacific Northwest. He originally joined Attain Housing in 2015 as Ride Director for the 7 Hills of Kirkland cycling event. He is constantly tempted by the combination of panniers, Amtrak, and bicycle.
Stable Home Advocate
Darlene started with Attain Housing in 2019 as a volunteer. She became acquainted with Attain while she was helping a refugee family find housing. She was so impressed with the organization that she initially joined as a volunteer and then was hired to help with the Stable Home Program. Darlene is a licensed Realtor and also works with low income families to find housing. She is happy to be able to use her skills and passion to help those in need through Attain.