Members of the Board of Directors are volunteers. They are elected by members at the City Club annual meeting, scheduled just before the regular May meeting. Members serve up to three two-year terms.
The Board of Directors meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 a.m. unless that day is a holiday, e.g. Jan. 1, July 4, or the meeting needs to be rescheduled for the anticipated lack of a quorum.
Robin Barker was a professional librarian, graduating from University of California, Berkeley, with a Masters in Library Science. She came to Bellingham in 1980 to work for the Whatcom County Library System, and retired from WCLS in 2012 as Support Services Manager. Robin served on the boards of Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood and the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center and chaired the boards of both organizations. She was active in the local chapter of the ACLU for several years until it was disbanded. She is a charter member of the City Club, thanks to the invitation of Dick Beardsley. She is Chair of the City Club Membership Committee and manages the membership database. Robin joined the Board of Directors in 2016.
Tanya Baumgart has lived in Bellingham, WA most of her life, growing up in the Alabama Hill neighborhood. She holds degrees in Mathematics and Civil Engineering Technology, and spent many years co-managing a family commercial fishing business, Island Investments Inc. with her husband, Jim Baumgart. Tanya is currently employed in the Accessibility Resources Department of Bellingham Technical College. Community service has always been a passion and years were devoted to PTA, PTSA, and Girl Scout Organizations (3 daughters) prior to finding an interest in politics. In 1994, a statewide initiative was on the ballot that, if passed, would have eliminated commercial fishing in Washington State. Together with a group of local fishing folks, Tanya started a political action committee called Washington Women for Commercial Fishing. This led to serving on various committees for Governor-elect Gary Locke. After successfully defeating the initiative, she joined the League of Women Voters®, a nonpartisan organization focused on voter education and advocacy. Serving on the League Board for over 20 years, Tanya held the positions of Co-President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Voter Services Chair, Forum Moderator, Webmaster, PR, Social Media, and Newsletter Editor. In her spare time, Tanya is the Treasurer for her women’s investment club, enjoys reading, and trout fishing. Tanya joined the Board of Directors in 2017.
Jim Britain has a BA from WSU, a JD from Duke University and a LL.M. from Temple University. He and his wife Pat have lived in Bellingham since 1995. Before that, Jim was on the faculties of University of Dayton Law School and New England School of Law, a judicial clerk for the Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit and practiced in the litigation department of the Cincinnati law firm of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister. He continues to engage in the full-time practice of law in Bellingham as an attorney with Barron Smith Daugert PLLC. Jim was the President Whatcom County Bar Association and Chairperson and Board member of LAW Advocates, which provides free legal services in civil matters to those in need. He has also been the President of, and Board member with, the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra. Jim joined the Board of Directors in 2018. He is nominated for his second term.
Raymond Dellecker retired several years ago after a successful career spanning digital electronics design, technical marketing, and business development. His assignments included professional positions with Bell Laboratories, Siemens Electronics, and JTAG Technologies, a spinoff of Phillips. Upon retirement, Ray relocated to Bellingham and has become deeply involved with the community. He is a member (term ending June 2017) and past president of the board of Habitat for Humanity of Whatcom County, serves as treasurer and board member of the Happy Valley neighborhood association, and volunteers regularly in a 4th grade classroom at Alderwood Elementary School. Ray helped form and is an active member of the Bellingham chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stevens Institute of Technology and a Master’s in Engineering from Cornell University. Ray’s interests are cycling, downhill skiing, hiking, and reading. He and his wife Carol have three daughters (one in Bellingham) and five grandchildren. Ray joined the Board of Directors in 2017.
Jayne Freudenberger is a 50-year resident of Bellingham. She has been chair of the City Club’s program committee for several years. She is also a 12-year member of the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County: seven years as a board member, five years as president, two years as a State Board member, and currently co-chair of the Climate Change Committee. Other activities: small business owner for 17 years; president of the Eldridge Historical Society; eight years on the Bellingham Public Library Board of Trustees (three years as President); and seven years on the board of the YWCA, followed by four years on special projects like the Dorothy house. Jayne is married, with two children and four grandchildren.
Gayle Helgoe: After graduating from Western Washington University, Gayle earned her Masters in Library Science from the University of Illinois. Following a career of thirty five years at the Bellingham Public Library, she retired in 2005 as Assistant Director. With a research interest in local history, she is the principal author of the website, www.fairhavenhistory.com. Community involvement includes past president of Soroptimist International of Bellingham, board member of the Whatcom Literacy Council, and memberships in the YWCA, Whatcom Museum, Whatcom County Historical Society, Friends of the Library, South Hill Neighborhood Association and the Whatcom Horticultural Society. National memberships in the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, Southern Poverty Law Center and Planned Parenthood. She has been a member of the City Club since 2000. Gayle joined the Board of Directors in 2018.
Amy Kraham was born and raised on the East Coast and graduated with a B.A. in English Literature from Brandeis University. In 1990 she earned a law degree and masters in International Law from Duke Law School and moved to Seattle to practice law at Davis Wright Tremaine. In the mid-90s Amy moved to Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Reservation, where her husband, Gib Morrow, had taken a job with the Indian Health Service. In 1998, after working at DNA Legal Services representing low income Navajo and Ute tribal members in commercial and domestic violence matters, she and Gib and their two daughters moved to Bellingham, where she began working as an Assistant City Attorney. Amy practices in the areas of environmental law (focusing on waterfront cleanups), affordable housing and economic development. She was a founding member of the Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee and its representative to the Northwest Straits Commission for many years. She enjoys running and hiking with friends, reading, Tuesday night dates with her husband, traveling, and watching movies at The Pickford. Amy joined the Board of Directors in 2016.
Forrest Longman has lived in Bellingham for nearly 20 years and has worked for the City of Bellingham as the Budget and Finance Officer since 2017. He is an alumnus of Western Washington University and earned a master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington after several years running his own yacht maintenance business. Forrest lives in Happy Valley with his wife, Sarah and two sons, Henry and Alden. Before small children commandeered all his free time, he helped create the Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center and Millworks Cohousing. For fun, Forrest enjoys playing with his boys, riding bicycles and sailing in the San Juans.
Maureen McCarthy graduated from Western Washington University in 1993 with a B.A. in English. After living and working in her hometown of Seattle, Maureen returned to Bellingham in 2002. Since then, Maureen has worked for Whatcom Transportation Authority, in communications, marketing and government relations. In addition to advocating for public transportation, Maureen is also an avid bus rider and commutes by bus to work every day. She also enjoys jogging, reading, cross-country skiing, kayaking, camping, and spending time with her family and pets. Maureen joined the Board of Directors in 2017.
Nina Nancarrow grew up on farm outside the city of Gig Harbor, Washington. She began violin lessons in second grade and became a member of the Tacoma Youth Symphony in middle school. She was an active member of the local Girl Scout troop through high school and a
member of the local Pony Club chapter. She attended the University of Puget Sound where she studied foreign language and international affairs. While there, she discovered a passion for the French language which led to international travel and friendships spanning three decades.
She moved to Bellingham in 2007 with her son, Colin, and quickly became involved with the Lowell Elementary School PTA and its “Green Grass” campaign. She met her husband, Matt, and his daughter, Genevieve, at a neighborhood potluck shortly after arriving in Bellingham. Nina has worked for many years as a full charge bookkeeper for a number of local companies and now has her own bookkeeping business. Now that both children are out of the house, Nina has resumed volunteer work, most recently for the Whatcom Unified Command. She and Matt enjoy cooking, reading, traveling, and long walks through the South Bellingham neighborhood where they live and work. She is nominated for her first term.
Zach Nordwell came to Bellingham from the Olympic Peninsula in 2001 to attend Western Washington University. In 2006, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and began working as a tax accountant at a Bellingham firm. In 2009, Zach left the firm where he started his career and began as an accountant at Larson Gross, a local Bellingham firm. Zach recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary at Larson Gross, and is currently a CPA Manager at the firm. Zach works with local businesses and individuals in Bellingham and the surrounding areas. Zach is married and he and his wife Sonja Nordwell are starting a family. In his free time, Zach enjoys following the Seattle Mariners, watching movies, hiking, and is a craft beer enthusiast.
Kay Sardo reports: “After a lifetime of public service and retirement from 12 years as executive director of the Opportunity Council and former presidency of the Bellingham City Club, I’m delighted to continue our work providing great programs to inform public discussion of issues of interest and importance to our community.” Kay returned to the Board of Directors in 2017.
Candice Wilson is Executive Director of the Lhaq’Temish Foundation, formerly known as Lummi
Nation Service Organization, a tribally chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit. The foundation’s mission
is: ‘Nilh Xwenang Tse Schelangen Este Nexw Xwlemi’ (this is our way of life in Lummi) – a
healthy, giving, and prosperous community to strengthen our people through cultural, social,
and economic abundance.
Candice is the former Tribal & Community Liaison to the North Sound Accountable Community
of Health and served on the Lummi Indian Business Council for nine years as an elected official
for Lummi Nation, serving three of those years as the Vice Chairwoman.
Candice has a Bachelor’s degree in Tribal Governance and Business Management from
Northwest Indian College and is currently is pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration at
Seattle University.