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.
Sophie Barnett-Dyer, Preschool Teaching Assistant
Sophie is a Seattle native and has been working with children for the last 18 years.
In 2005 she received her MA in Early Childhood Education and a Special Ed credential from Mills College in Oakland, CA. Sophie is also the mother of an awesome six year old, as well as an avid gardener, cook, and crafts person, and has recently started raising backyard chickens. She is thrilled to be joining the PlayGarden staff as an assistant teacher.
Alyson Burns, Graphic Designer
Alyson is a graphic designer who has been involved with the Seattle Children's PlayGarden since the very beginning. Along with her partner / husband, Dennis, she has provided graphic design, marketing and moral support throughout the development of the PlayGarden.
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
Joe Brody
Liz Bullard, MA
Drew Fillipo, MD
John Hemplemann
Rick Jones
Naveen Valurri
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.
Joe Brody
"Joe Brody works as a Senior Regional Vice President with DWS Investments, the retail mutual fund arm of Deutsche Bank. Joe has worked in sales with DWS Investments since 2003. Before DWS, Joe worked in the television and film production industry, as well as marketing and commercial real estate development and lending. He moved to Seattle in 2008, and lives here with his wife, Caitlin, and their two girls, Eva and Devin. Eva is currently in her second year at the Seattle Children's PlayGarden preschool. Devin eagerly awaits the time that she is old enough to attend herself. The entire Brody family is passionate about the PlayGarden and the experience it offers to all who visit."
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!
John Hempelmann
John Hempelmann is a founding partner of Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S., a full-service Seattle law firm. John has nearly 40 years of experience and is recognized as one of the premier land use, natural resources, and real estate development attorneys in Washington. He has worked extensively to help form the legislation that governs Washington's land use law. In addition to serving on the PlayGarden board, he is current President of Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Chair of the Quality Growth Alliance, past president of King County Neighbors in Need and past Chairman of the Board of Seattle Repertory Theatre. John has long been interested in helping children with special needs, and is glad to do so through his work for the PlayGarden.
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.
return to board members >
Board of Directors
Linda Hunter Suzman, Chair
Lisa Bove Young
Abraham Bergman, MD
Joe Brody
Liz Bullard, MA
Drew Fillipo, MD
John Hemplemann
Rick Jones
Naveen Valurri
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.
Joe Brody
"Joe Brody works as a Senior Regional Vice President with DWS Investments, the retail mutual fund arm of Deutsche Bank. Joe has worked in sales with DWS Investments since 2003. Before DWS, Joe worked in the television and film production industry, as well as marketing and commercial real estate development and lending. He moved to Seattle in 2008, and lives here with his wife, Caitlin, and their two girls, Eva and Devin. Eva is currently in her second year at the Seattle Children's PlayGarden preschool. Devin eagerly awaits the time that she is old enough to attend herself. The entire Brody family is passionate about the PlayGarden and the experience it offers to all who visit."
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!
John Hempelmann
John Hempelmann is a founding partner of Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S., a full-service Seattle law firm. John has nearly 40 years of experience and is recognized as one of the premier land use, natural resources, and real estate development attorneys in Washington. He has worked extensively to help form the legislation that governs Washington's land use law. In addition to serving on the PlayGarden board, he is current President of Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Chair of the Quality Growth Alliance, past president of King County Neighbors in Need and past Chairman of the Board of Seattle Repertory Theatre. John has long been interested in helping children with special needs, and is glad to do so through his work for the PlayGarden.
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.