Design Review - Boards & Staff
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Program
Design Review - Program
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Boards & Staff
Design Review - Boards & Staff
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Design Guidelines
Design Review - Design Guidelines
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Design Excellence
Design Review - Design Excellence
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Virtual Board Meetings
Design Review - Virtual Board Meetings
Boards
The city is divided into eight geographic districts. Each district has its own designated Design Review Board, made up of volunteer members who are appointed by the Mayor and City Council. The 5 seats on each board represent the following interests: 1 design seat, 2 community / residential seats, 1 development seat, and 1 business / landscape design seat.
Board Members by District

Jeffrey Floor
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Jeffrey is an Architect at LMN Architects. His nearly 30 years of experience as a manager and project architect have included multifamily, single-family, civic, educational, and hospitality projects. He completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Utah before earning a Certificate of Urban Design and a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington. Mr. Floor has lived in the Central District for the past 23 years. During this time, he has become involved in community life by serving as the chair of the Central Area Land Use Review Committee and has participated in the Central Area Collaborative which worked to develop the Central Area Design Guidelines.

Sharon Khosla
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Sharon is a principal at Fivedot Architects where she oversees public and non-profit work. Her background is in architecture that specializes in public, civic work, and non-profit community healthcare clinics. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts from Lehigh University. She has served her community extensively by serving on the Southeast Design Review Board and the Central Area Land Use Review Committee, and chaired the Central Area Collaborative that developed the Central Area Design Guidelines. Ms. Khosla lives in the Central Area with her family.

Kenny Pleasant
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Kenny owns Global Investor Solutions, a real estate investment business with a mission to preserve and restore community, promoting real estate rehabilitation and development. He is also a licensed real estate broker at Re/Max. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Seattle King County Realtors - Young Professionals Network. Mr. Pleasant is a founding board member of the Africatown Community Land Trust and was previously a member of the East Design Review board. He lives in the Madrona neighborhood.

Ed Palushock
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Ed is a licensed Architect at Perkins+Will where he works on the design of institutional, commercial, office, and multifamily residential developments. He holds a master's degree in architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture and a bachelor's degree in architecture from Syracuse University. Ed lives in the Arbor Heights neighborhood in Southwest Seattle. He is affiliated with the U.S. Green Building Council and American Institute of Architects, and has served as a Steering Committee member at United Way King County, a guest architecture critic at the UW and WSU Schools of Architecture, and on the Board of Directors at the Baltimore Architecture Foundation and American Architecture Foundation.

Aaron Luoma
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Aaron is a Landscape Architect at Hough Beck & Baird Inc. His projects are mostly public and include small pocket parks, higher education institutions, and large-scale infrastructure projects. He is also a lecturer at the University of Washington. Aaron received a master's degree in landscape architecture and a historic preservation certificate from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from the University of Idaho. His extensive public service commitments include serving on the Seattle Landmarks Historic Preservation Board for 8 years, first as a Get Engaged member and later as board chair.

Belinda Bail
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Belinda is a Senior Vice President of Development with Bentall Kennedy, a real estate investment company. Her work focuses on residential, office, and industrial projects and she previously worked extensively on hotel development. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Architecture from Washington State University. Belinda lives in the Green Lake neighborhood. She has volunteered with the Burke-Gilman Place Public Development Authority and served as board member with The Children's Center. She is LEED AP certified.

Emily van Geldern
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Emily is a certified Landscape Architect and Project Manager at Site Workshop in Seattle. Previously, she was employed at Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects PC and Ennead Architects, both in New York City. Emily holds a bachelor's degree in urban design and architectural studies from New York University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to a Certificate in Horticulture from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Emily lives in the Madrona neighborhood.

Lauren Powers
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Lauren is a registered architect and a project manager at ARC Architects. She was previously employed at JW Architects, where she served as the head of the Community Studio and a core member of the leadership team. Lauren earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon. She resides in the Jackson Place neighborhood.

Melissa Alexander
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Melissa is a licensed architect who currently practices as an urban designer / planner with NBBJ in South Lake Union. She works on a wide variety of projects, including the development of digital planning tools for healthcare and academic master plans, mixed-use development, and civic work for various sized municipalities. She recently completed a fellowship to study high speed rail systems throughout the world, focusing on their impact on urban places. She holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee, and a Certificate in Design Education from the Boston Architectural College. She has also enjoyed positions as a studio instructor at Harvard University and the University of Tennessee, and as lead faculty at the Boston Architectural College. Melissa lives in Capitol Hill.

Alastair Townsend
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Alistair is a Senior Development Analyst at Bentall Kennedy, a real estate development company where he oversees capital funding for a nation-wide portfolio of real estate assets under development. He was previously the founder and architect of BAKOKO Design Development based in Tokyo, which focused on single-family residential and tenant improvement projects. Alistair earned an architectural diploma from the Architectural Association in London before completing a master's degree in Real Estate from the University of Washington. Alistair has spoken professionally on the issues of housing design, affordability, and economics to the Wall Street Journal, CNN and NPR, and has presented lectures before the Urban Design Institute and Harvard's Graduate School of Design. He has additionally edited the architectural journal A+U (Architecture + Urbanism). He lives in Capitol Hill.

Andrew Haas
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Andrew works as a Project Manager and Ecologist at Seattle City Light, implementing the fish and aquatic measures required by Seattle's FERC License for operating Boundary Dam on the Pend Oreille River in eastern Washington. He previously worked for Snohomish County as Principal Habitat Specialist and the Tulalip Tribes as an Ecologist. Andrew has lived in the Capitol Hill neighborhood for the past 25 years and is active in the community. His educational background includes a MA in public administration from the University of Washington and BS in environmental studies and BA in economics. He also served as the Chair of the Snohomish Basin Salmonid Recovery Technical Committee for a decade and their ran monthly stakeholder meetings, which were open to the public, so he has extensive experience in the forum of public meetings.

Maggie Honig
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Maggie is a civil design engineer at Magnusson Klemencic Associates, where her work includes site utility and stormwater design, site plan preparation, and strategic water planning. Previously, she worked as an environmental analyst at S.E. Minor and Co. and additionally performed academic research focusing on environmental science issues. Maggie earned a Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from Binghamton University before completing a Master of Civil and Environmental Engineering degree from the University of Washington. She lives in Madison Park.

Katherine Liss
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Katherine is a landscape architect with 10 years of professional experience. She is currently employed at Gustafson Guthrie Nichol in Seattle, and previously worked at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates in Brooklyn, New York. She has worked on a variety of project types, including public parks, residential developments, corporate headquarters, and streetscapes, and is tasked with overseeing projects through from design to construction. Katherine earned a Bachelor of Sciences in Landscape Architecture from the University of Connecticut. She lives in the Roosevelt neighborhood.

Dan Rusler
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Dan Rusler is a licensed Architect at Workshop AD, a small design firm with projects spanning a wide range of geographies and scales. He was previously a project designer at Mithun Inc. Dan has experience in teaching architecture at the University of Oregon as a design studio mentor and at Washington State University as a visiting instructor in the School of Design and Construction. He has been a visiting critic locally at Cornish College of the Arts and the Art Institute of Seattle. Dan earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon after he received an Architectural Technology Diploma from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. He is involved with the local community through youth hockey coaching and serves on the Hearing, Speech, and Deaf Center's PTA. He lives in Seattle's North Beach neighborhood with his wife and three young children.

Katy Haima
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Katy is a Planning Analyst with the Seattle Planning Commission. She also owns a bar/restaurant in the Maple Leaf neighborhood. She has previously worked as a Land Use Planner with the City of Seattle and as a Project Planning Associate at the NW Center for Livable Communities. Her work has included guiding applicants through the design review process, conducting Land Use reviews, and drafting design guidelines used to shape Seattle communities. Katy lives in the Ravenna neighborhood in Northeast Seattle. She has considerable community leadership experience including as the Young Professional Representative of the WA State American Planning Association Board and as the Continued Education Coordinator at the Office of Planning and Community Development. Katy holds a master's degree in Urban Design & Planning from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from The University of Wisconsin.

Christian Gunter
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Christian is the Senior Vice President of Development at Alexandria Real Estate. Prior to this role, Christian was the Vice President of Skanska Commercial Development, where he was responsible for all aspects of development for the Seattle office, including acquisition, project vision, entitlements, design and construction management, marketing, community outreach, leasing, and project divestment. Previously, Christian held leadership roles as Sellen Construction and Bentall Kennedy after starting his career in public policy as a legislative aide and senior legislative assistant. Christian earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Whitworth University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington. He lives in the View Ridge neighborhood.

Tim Carter
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Tim is a registered architect and founding principal of Cone Architecture. He has professional experience designing and permitting large-scale multifamily projects. Originally a designer of townhomes and K-12 schools, Cone has in recent years shifted to larger scale multi-family developments. Mr. Carter lives in the Maple Leaf neighborhood. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Washington. His 18 years of experience have been primarily in the Seattle area, with a residency in Hawaii.

Connor Stein
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Connor is an architectural intern at The Miller Hull Partnership, where his work includes performing site, code, and program research and analysis for public projects, as well as developing graphics and presentations. Previously, Connor served multiple roles at the University of Washington, including on the leadership committee of the student organization 47°North, as a student ambassador for the Department of Architecture, and as a teaching assistant. Connor earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and is currently a student in the University of Washington's Master of Architecture program. He lives in Fremont.

Penn DiJulio
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Penn is a Senior Development Manager at Touchstone Development with almost 15 years of experience working in construction and project management in the greater Puget Sound region. His work involves all aspects of the development process, from acquisition to project closeout and transition. Penn's work experience includes urban development, hospitality, mixed-use, multifamily, and single-family residential development. Penn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Washington and a certificate from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He lives in the Ravenna neighborhood.

Phoebe Bogert
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Phoebe is a licensed Landscape Architect with 10 years of experience working in the Northwest. She is currently a Principal at PLACE. The projects she has worked on vary in scale from grassroots work with local, traditionally underserved communities, public engagement focused projects, and design innovation. Phoebe lives in Phinney Ridge. She earned a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Environmental Studies from Pitzer College Claremont in California.

Brian Johnson
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Brian is a licensed architect with over 10 years of experience. He currently works as a Project Architect at Environmental Works in Seattle, focusing on large multifamily residential structures intended for low-income and elderly residents, as well as those requiring memory care. Previously, Brian worked for b9 Architects as a Project Manager and Project Architect. Over his career, the projects Brian has worked on range in scale from single-family residences to mixed-use multifamily housing. Brian earned a bachelor's degree in architectural studies from Washington State University and a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois. He lives in the Whittier Heights neighborhood.

Lauren Rock
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Lauren is a licensed Architect at Weinstein A+U. She has previously worked at the DLR Group here in Seattle, and Brereton Architects and Arcsine Architecture in California. Her portfolio includes multifamily housing, fire stations, and rehabilitation projects of historic buildings. Lauren has lived in northwest Seattle for over 7 years, first in Fremont and currently in Ballard. She has a Master of Architecture and Certificate of Urban Design from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Michigan.

Garrett Nelli
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Garrett is an Architect at NAC Architecture in Seattle, where he served as Project Architect for the new Wing Luke Elementary School in South Beacon Hill and as Architectural Designer for Enumclaw High School. He previously worked as a Summer Scholar at Hanbury Architecture in Virginia and Architectural Intern at Niles Bolton Associates in Georgia. Garrett received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee and additionally studied at the University of Arkansas Rome Center. He lives in Queen Anne.

May So
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May, a registered architect, has over 20 years of architectural experience, practice management, and project leadership working on complex, large-scale, mixed-use high-rise office and mixed-income residential developments. A Senior Associate at Mithun, she works on urban placemaking projects, where she manages an integrated design process from concept to construction. May previously worked as an Associate at Henriquez Partners Architects in Vancouver, Canada. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Calgary and a Master of Architecture from the University of British Columbia. May currently serves on the Pike-Pine Neighborhood Council, the Capital Hill EcoDistrict, and the AIA Seattle Committee on Homelessness. She lives in Capitol Hill.

Stewart Germain
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Stewart is a registered architect and a real estate development professional with nearly 20 years of experience. He currently works as a Senior Development Manager at Skanska Commercial Development USA. Previously, Stewart worked for The Miller Hull Partnership as an Architectural Designer and Project Manager, J.A.S. Design-Build, and was a teaching assistant for studio and shop classes at the University of Washington College of Built Environments. Stewart earned bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the University of Washington. He lives in Columbia City.

Daniel Maier
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Daniel is a Project Engineer at PAE in Seattle. He has been active in the building design field for 8 years as a mechanical design engineer, previously working at EYP Architecture & Engineering in Washington, D.C. and Dewberry in Fairfax, VA. Daniel earned his Master of Architectural Engineering degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He is an active participant in ACE Mentors Seattle and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). He lives in the Othello neighborhood.

Chris Colley
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Chris is a licensed Architect and general contractor employed by Graham Construction. He has previously worked for FORMA Constructions and SRG Partnership. He holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from California Polytechnic State University. Chris has worked extensively on K-12 schools and colleges including master and campus planning. His "bilingual" professional background allows him to translate and connect ideas that span the fields of development and design. He looks forward to identifying creative and equitable solutions through design by his participation on the board. Chris lives in the South Beacon Hill neighborhood.

David Bader
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David is a Landscape Architect at Seattle Parks and Recreation, where he designs upgrades to new and existing park facilities and performs public outreach to engage the community in the design process. He earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Ball State University. David lives in Madrona. David has experience with school campus designs, community master plans, and active transportation and streetscape design from his work at the Cascade Design Collaborative. He has also coordinated Safe Routes to School programs in South Seattle and Texas to encourage walking and bicycling among students.

Crystal Loya
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Crystal is a licensed architect at working Mithun. While she has worked on multi-family, retail, restaurant, institutional, workplace, and urban planning projects her primary focus is on the design of people-centered public spaces. She has spent time with continuing education on the topic of placemaking and community based design, and holds Masters and Bachelor's degrees in architecture from the University of Idaho. Crystal has considerable community engagement experience working with the Seattle Architecture Foundation where she has been a committee member, co-chair of the public lecture committee, and now serves on the Board of Directors Executive Committee.

Alan Grainger
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Alan has 40 years of experience in the field of architecture. He was a Founding Principal of the firm GGLO, and a Principal at The Bumgardner Architects prior. His work included affordable and market-rate multifamily housing, including townhouses, low-, mid-, and high-rise apartments, historic renovations, and hotel projects. Alan lives in the Fauntleroy neighborhood of West Seattle. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Environmental Design at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington.

Scott Rosenstock
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Scott is a Development Manager for Urban Visions, a real estate development firm in Seattle. He was previously a Senior Project Manager at SECO Development where he specialized in development of mixed-use buildings with a focus on active, transit-oriented, and sustainable projects. He is also a Landscape Architect and has previously worked at the offices of Hewitt, Karen Kiest Landscape Architects, and Mithun here in Seattle. Scott lives in the West Seattle Junction neighborhood. He received a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from the University of Oregon and a Commercial Real Estate Certificate from the University of Washington. His professional affiliations include membership in the American Society of Landscape Architects, NAIOP, and the real estate association The Belden Club where he was previously president.

John Cheng
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John is a licensed Architect and Project Designer at NBBJ. His portfolio includes workplace, residential, senior housing, high-rise, retail, hospitality, and mixed-use development. His current work is primarily in Seattle and he draws from an extensive background of regional and international projects, including those in Canada, China, and Hong Kong. John lives in West Seattle. He earned a bachelor's degree in architectural studies from the University of Hong Kong before pursuing a Master of Architecture at the University of Oregon

John Morefield
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John is a licensed architect. His work on diverse projects includes multifamily housing and commercial development specifically focusing on modular construction. He previously worked as the principle and lead designer at J Arthur Design Corp specializing on residential design, and was the Founder and CEO of Architecture 5¢, a design outreach company based on engaging with city residents about the built environment. John lives in Magnolia. He holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Arizona.

Brian Walters
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Brian is a licensed architect working at Olson Kundig on the design of mixed-use buildings, commercial spaces, and residential projects. He holds Master of Architecture and Bachelor degrees in Architecture from Washington State University. As a Board Member for the Seattle not-for-profit organization Space.City, Brian works to provide events and forums for the discussion of diverse design issues relevant to the community. He considers serving as a Design Review Board member an extension of his interest and experience in improving the built environment. Brian lives in the Belvedere neighborhood of West Seattle.

Jen Montressor
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Jen is a licensed Landscape Architect and Project Manager at the Berger Partnership. She was previously a Landscape Designer at the firms GGLO and HBB. She works on a variety of project types and scales, including multifamily housing, mixed-use, urban design, master planning, corporate and college campuses, residential, civic, and parks. Jen earned a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Puget Sound. She resides in Whittier Heights.

Stephen Porter
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Stephen is a real estate development manager. His work places a high value on the urban fabric and strong urban design. He holds a Master's degree in real estate from Cornell University and studied business at the University of Cincinnati. He previously worked as a Development Manager with Skanska USA Commercial Development in South Lake Union and in the financial sector at the US Department of the Treasury before pursuing a real estate degree at Cornell, where he sought to meld his knowledge of business and finance with his passion for vibrant urban places. Stephen lives in downtown Seattle and is excited for the opportunity to provide public service.

Patreese Martin
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Petreese is as Associate Principal at the architecture firm of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. She is a LEED accredited professional and actively advocates for both good design and sustainability. She received her Master's in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelors of Arts in Architecture from the University of Washington. Petreese is a former Board member of the Seattle Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and former president of the University of Washington Department of Architecture Professional Advisory Council. Patreese frequently serves on student juries at university architecture programs and as a guest speaker at North Seattle Community College. Ms. Martin and her family have been residents of the Queen Anne neighborhood since 1999.
Staff & Program Administration
The Design Review Program is administered by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections.
Staff
Our Design Review Program staff:
- Manage the program
- Recruit and train residents to serve on the Design Review Board
- Schedule and advertise the Design Review Board's project review meetings
Lisa Rutzick, Program Manager
lisa.rutzick@seattle.gov
(206) 386-9049
Erika Ikstrums, Program Specialist
erika.ikstrums@seattle.gov
(206) 684-3160
Brinn Campaz, Scheduling and Administration
brinn.campaz@seattle.gov
(206) 684-8919
Daniel Kopald, Public Relations Specialist
daniel.kopald@seattle.gov
Heather Harris, Public Relations Specialist
heather.harris@seattle.gov
Design Review Planners
Our Design Review planners:
- Lead developers and architects and their development projects through the design review process
- Explain the land use code and design guidelines
- Serve as professional staff support for the Design Review Boards
Ellen Aebischer
ellen.aebischer@seattle.gov
(206) 386-1981
Corey Buttry
corey.buttry@seattle.gov
(206) 727-8607
Irving Chu
irving.chu@seattle.gov
(206) 684-8737
Sean Conrad
sean.conrad@seattle.gov
(206) 733-9063
Brandon Cummings
brandon.cummings@seattle.gov
(206) 684-0251
Tami Garrett
tami.garrett@seattle.gov
(206) 233-7182
Holly Godard
holly.godard@seattle.gov
(206) 684-0532
Carly Guillory
carly.guillory@seattle.gov
(206) 684-0720
Michael Gushard
michael.gushard@seattle.gov
(206) 727-8601
Joe Hurley
joseph.hurley@seattle.gov
206) 684-8278
Greg Johnson
greg.johnson@seattle.gov
(206) 727-8736
David Landry
david.landry@seattle.gov
(206) 684-5318
Theresa Neylon
theresa.neylon@seattle.gov
(206) 615-0179
David Sachs
david.sachs@seattle.gov
(206) 684-0814
Crystal Torres
crystal.torres@seattle.gov
(206) 684-5887
Colin Vasquez
colin.vasquez@seattle.gov
(206) 684-5639
Abby Weber
abby.weber@seattle.gov
(206) 684-7188
Allison Whitworth
allison.whitworth@seattle.gov
(206) 684-0363