Liz Bullard, Executive Director
The visionary and founder of the PlayGarden, Liz has an MA in Speech-Language Pathology from Indiana University at Bloomington, and a BA in Speech and Hearing Sciences/Spanish from Indiana University. She has worked with children and families in the Seattle area since 1985, and enjoys working and playing alongside PlayGardeners of all ages.
Kim Weatherby, Administrator
Kim received her BA in Social Work from the University of Washington in 1998, and has stayed in Seattle ever since. For the last 13 years, she's worked for multiple nonprofit agencies in the Rainier Valley, in administrative, program development, and direct social service roles. Kim has 2 young girls who love to pick flowers and make mud; and the whole family is excited to join the PlayGarden community.
Brittany Thurlow, Preschool Teacher
Brittany graduated from Central Washington University with degrees in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. Since 2008, she has worked as an Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy assistant for children around the Seattle area. An avid gardener and beekeeper, Brittany is thrilled to be a part of the PlayGarden team.
Anna Hoang, Preschool Teaching Assistant
I am a 23 year old Seattleite with a great love for the outdoors and adventure. Having been one of the first Playgarden camp counselors, it's been amazing watching it grow. I'm excited to be involved again and can't wait for this year to get started!
David Anderson, Gardener and Maintenance Worker
David is a graduate of the UC Santa Cruz Farm and Garden Program. He has an elementary school teaching credential from UC Berkeley and has taught kindergarten and first grade. He recently moved to Seattle from Berkeley, CA with his wife Helen, two daughters, Louisa and Neli and a goofy yellow lab named Lyla. He says about joining the garden staff, "Seriously, ...'working' at the PlayGarden?... yeah, I know! How great is that."
Board of Directors
Linda Hunter Suzman, Chair
Lisa Bove Young
Abraham Bergman, MD
Liz Bullard, MA
Drew Fillipo, MD
Rick Jones
Naveen Valluri
Yi-Chun Lin
Brooke Einstein
BOARD MEMBERS LOG-IN
Advisory Board
Lee Neff, Chair
Deborah Mersky
Gay Lloyd Pinder
Don Bullard
John Neff, MD
Marty Wingate
Leadership Council
Sherman Alexie
Don Berrysmith, MSW
Gerald Grinstein
Ralph Munro
Barri Rind
Stanley Stamm, MD
Henry Aronson
The Honorable Larry Gossett
Judy Maleng
Anne Redman
Helen and Phil Smart
Linda Hunter Suzman
Linda is a financial services professional for MassMutual Financial Group. She has been actively involved with the Seattle Children's Home Endowment, Seattle Art Museum Supporters, Seattle Opera Board, Eastside Preparatory Academy, Autism Walk-A-Thon, and co-chair for the Nelson Mandela/Graca Machel Foundation Benefit Dinner. She was honored as an ARCS Light recipient (Scholarships for University of Washington), Woman of the Year by Business and Professional Women, New Associate of the Year for John Hancock Insurance Company, and the first woman sales manager on the West Coast for Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company. Linda helped the PlayGarden launch a successful annual luncheon before joining the board.
Abraham Bergman, MD
Dr. Abraham Bergman is an attending physician at Harborview Medical Center and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he has taught since 1964. He was Director of the Outpatient Clinics at Children's Hospital from 1964-1982, and Chief of Pediatrics at Harborview from 1983 until 2002. Dr. Bergman has had a long career practicing "political medicine," which he defines as employing the political process to improve the health of children. In addition to serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of the PlayGarden, his major activities involve attempting to improve health services and early learning opportunities for Washington State children in foster care.
< Dr. Bergman, with son Zhenya.
Lisa Bove Young
Lisa Bove Young graduated from the University of Washington with a BA degree in English, and from Seattle University cum laude with a JD. In addition to her busy life with husband Jack, and children Chloe and Joshua, she instructs and tutors students studying for the Bar exam in Washington and Oregon. Lisa enjoys boating, soccer, and reading. "I am passionate about the mission of the PlayGarden and enjoy sowing the seeds with the children," she says.
Liz Bullard, MA
Elizabeth Bullard received her Master's degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana University. She worked for 20 years as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Seattle area serving young children and their families before becoming the Executive Director of the PlayGarden. She founded the Seattle Children's PlayGarden in 2002 in recognition of the right for all children to play outdoors. She lives in Seattle, and has three children, two dogs, and two cats.
< Liz with PlayGardener, Alex.
Drew Fillipo, MD
Dr. Drew Fillipo is a board-certified pediatrician with North Seattle Pediatrics, and a clinical faculty member of the University of Washington. He is a King County Emeritus Master Gardener. He tends to his garden and to four hens with help from his wife, Susan, and daughters, Isabell and Anna. His hens, in turn, help at our summer day camp!
Rick Jones
Rick Jones is the proud father of one big boy and three little girls. He is the president of the local chapter of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy and a frequent user of the PlayGarden with his family. Rick is a managing partner of the Seattle-based re-development company THREE.POINT.OH.
Naveen Valluri
I am passionate about the mission that PlayGarden stands for “A PlayGarden for everyone”. I absolutely believe in the learning, exploring and growing by integrating the outdoors.
My personal goal is to help spread the word and support the mission and vision that Liz and others are fostering.
Yi-Chun Lin
Yi-Chun is a designer who brings a diverse range of interests and skills through her architecture, landscape architecture and visual communications background. She knew PlayGarden would hold a special place in her heart when, on her first visit, she saw the sheer enjoyment exuded from people playing in the garden. Yi-Chun, her husband and the two children can be found on the grounds regularly, whether it be singing with the choir or rolling down Mt. Jordan. Yi-Chun is thrilled to have the opportunity to help PlayGarden broaden its community-based efforts and to support its vision and mission.
Brooks Einstein
Brooks is a Seattle Area native. He lives with his wife and two children in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle.
Brooks works for Umpqua Bank as a Commercial Relationship Manager and Vice President. His primary focus is delivering comprehensive banking services for prospective and existing commercial clients. Target clients consist of companies with revenues between $10 million and $300 million in revenues and capital requirements between $2 million and $30 million. Prior to working as a commercial banker, Brooks worked as a commercial lending analyst for a predecessor bank.
In addition to participating on the board of the PlayGarden, Brooks is currently active on the Business Advisory Loan Committee of Washington Community Alliance and is Chair of the Emerald City Rotary Club's Contributions Committee. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Puget Sound and a MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of Maine. In addition, Brooks is currently completing his 3rd and final year of Pacific Coast Banking School.
Sarah Maxwell
Sara is the parent of a special-needs daughter, Calla, who spends many happy, messy weeks at Playgarden summer camp and who spent a year digging in (and eating) the dirt at Playgarden preschool. Finding a place where Calla, and the whole family, could be comfortable, play outside, make friends, feel "normal" and fit in has made an incredibly positive impact on Calla and her parents. Sara is particularly passionate about welcoming special-needs familes to the Playgarden, connecting all Playgarden families with one another, and sharing the magic of this place with as many children and families as possible. Sara is also a wine specialist, is learning to speak Italian, an is a voracious collector and reader of cookbooks. Sara and her husband, Ryan, spend lots of time with Calla throwing rocks in the water along the beaches of their West Seattle neighborhood.
return to board members >
Board of Directors
Linda Hunter Suzman, Chair
Lisa Bove Young
Abraham Bergman, MD
Liz Bullard, MA
Drew Fillipo, MD
Rick Jones
Naveen Valluri
Yi-Chun Lin
Brooke Einstein
BOARD MEMBERS LOG-IN
Advisory Board
Lee Neff, Chair
Deborah Mersky
Gay Lloyd Pinder
Don Bullard
John Neff, MD
Marty Wingate
Leadership Council
Sherman Alexie
Don Berrysmith, MSW
Gerald Grinstein
Ralph Munro
Barri Rind
Stanley Stamm, MD
Henry Aronson
The Honorable Larry Gossett
Judy Maleng
Anne Redman
Helen and Phil Smart
Linda Hunter Suzman
Linda is a financial services professional for MassMutual Financial Group. She has been actively involved with the Seattle Children's Home Endowment, Seattle Art Museum Supporters, Seattle Opera Board, Eastside Preparatory Academy, Autism Walk-A-Thon, and co-chair for the Nelson Mandela/Graca Machel Foundation Benefit Dinner. She was honored as an ARCS Light recipient (Scholarships for University of Washington), Woman of the Year by Business and Professional Women, New Associate of the Year for John Hancock Insurance Company, and the first woman sales manager on the West Coast for Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company. Linda helped the PlayGarden launch a successful annual luncheon before joining the board.
Abraham Bergman, MD
Dr. Abraham Bergman is an attending physician at Harborview Medical Center and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he has taught since 1964. He was Director of the Outpatient Clinics at Children's Hospital from 1964-1982, and Chief of Pediatrics at Harborview from 1983 until 2002. Dr. Bergman has had a long career practicing "political medicine," which he defines as employing the political process to improve the health of children. In addition to serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of the PlayGarden, his major activities involve attempting to improve health services and early learning opportunities for Washington State children in foster care.
< Dr. Bergman, with son Zhenya.
Lisa Bove Young
Lisa Bove Young graduated from the University of Washington with a BA degree in English, and from Seattle University cum laude with a JD. In addition to her busy life with husband Jack, and children Chloe and Joshua, she instructs and tutors students studying for the Bar exam in Washington and Oregon. Lisa enjoys boating, soccer, and reading. "I am passionate about the mission of the PlayGarden and enjoy sowing the seeds with the children," she says.
Liz Bullard, MA
Elizabeth Bullard received her Master's degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana University. She worked for 20 years as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Seattle area serving young children and their families before becoming the Executive Director of the PlayGarden. She founded the Seattle Children's PlayGarden in 2002 in recognition of the right for all children to play outdoors. She lives in Seattle, and has three children, two dogs, and two cats.
< Liz with PlayGardener, Alex.
Drew Fillipo, MD
Dr. Drew Fillipo is a board-certified pediatrician with North Seattle Pediatrics, and a clinical faculty member of the University of Washington. He is a King County Emeritus Master Gardener. He tends to his garden and to four hens with help from his wife, Susan, and daughters, Isabell and Anna. His hens, in turn, help at our summer day camp!
Rick Jones
Rick Jones is the proud father of one big boy and three little girls. He is the president of the local chapter of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy and a frequent user of the PlayGarden with his family. Rick is a managing partner of the Seattle-based re-development company THREE.POINT.OH.
Naveen Valluri
I am passionate about the mission that PlayGarden stands for “A PlayGarden for everyone”. I absolutely believe in the learning, exploring and growing by integrating the outdoors.
My personal goal is to help spread the word and support the mission and vision that Liz and others are fostering.
Yi-Chun Lin
Yi-Chun is a designer who brings a diverse range of interests and skills through her architecture, landscape architecture and visual communications background. She knew PlayGarden would hold a special place in her heart when, on her first visit, she saw the sheer enjoyment exuded from people playing in the garden. Yi-Chun, her husband and the two children can be found on the grounds regularly, whether it be singing with the choir or rolling down Mt. Jordan. Yi-Chun is thrilled to have the opportunity to help PlayGarden broaden its community-based efforts and to support its vision and mission.
Brooks Einstein
Brooks is a Seattle Area native. He lives with his wife and two children in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle.
Brooks works for Umpqua Bank as a Commercial Relationship Manager and Vice President. His primary focus is delivering comprehensive banking services for prospective and existing commercial clients. Target clients consist of companies with revenues between $10 million and $300 million in revenues and capital requirements between $2 million and $30 million. Prior to working as a commercial banker, Brooks worked as a commercial lending analyst for a predecessor bank.
In addition to participating on the board of the PlayGarden, Brooks is currently active on the Business Advisory Loan Committee of Washington Community Alliance and is Chair of the Emerald City Rotary Club's Contributions Committee. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Puget Sound and a MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of Maine. In addition, Brooks is currently completing his 3rd and final year of Pacific Coast Banking School.
Sarah Maxwell
Sara is the parent of a special-needs daughter, Calla, who spends many happy, messy weeks at Playgarden summer camp and who spent a year digging in (and eating) the dirt at Playgarden preschool. Finding a place where Calla, and the whole family, could be comfortable, play outside, make friends, feel "normal" and fit in has made an incredibly positive impact on Calla and her parents. Sara is particularly passionate about welcoming special-needs familes to the Playgarden, connecting all Playgarden families with one another, and sharing the magic of this place with as many children and families as possible. Sara is also a wine specialist, is learning to speak Italian, an is a voracious collector and reader of cookbooks. Sara and her husband, Ryan, spend lots of time with Calla throwing rocks in the water along the beaches of their West Seattle neighborhood.