Northwest Folklife

Board of Directors

Margo Reich, President, CPA
Karen Shaw, Vice President, Psychologist
Edward D’Alessandro, Treasurer, Exec. Director, Seattle Youth Soccer Assoc.

Andrew Snoey, Secretary, Manager, Microsoft
Luther F. Black, Immediate Past President, Marine Environmental Analyst

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Warren Argo, Sound Engineer

Ross Braine, Higher Education Coordinator, University of Washington

Kim Camara, Anthropologist

Rafael Maslan, Student

Don Morgan, Retired Hospitality Manager

Irene Y. Namkung, Administrator, Digital Learning Commons
Harvey Niebulski, M.D., Radiologist, Group Health Cooperative

Michael Richardson, Professor of Radiology, University of Washington

Ann Suter, Principal, Prizma
Dave Trop, Engineering Manager, The Boeing Company

John Ullman, Artist Management

Staff

To contact staff, please use the links below, or email folklife@nwfolklife.org.

Daniel Atkinson

Outreach Coordinator

I like Folklife because I can interact with people from all walks of life and learn something every second of every day. It’s a seasonal city of controlled chaos! When not at work I enjoy photography, gardening and collecting 78rpm recordings.

Michael Chandler

Production Manager

Folklife is one of the few all-ages, FREE events that people from all walks of life can enjoy; making that happen is a good thing. I also work at many other arts festivals and events in town. I am a photographer, a screen printer, and am part of a co-op art gallery in Sodo.

Tara Cunningham

In-kind Sponsorship Coordinator

My favorite part about Folklife is the unique opportunity to learn and interact with different heritages and local performers. Seattle is a cultural melting pot which NW Folklife highlights. In my free time you can find me traveling, snow skiing or sweating my brains out in hot yoga.

Holly Decker

Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator

I love Folklife because it gives people an opportunity to travel the world without leaving Seattle. Cultural enrichment is essential to sustaining healthy communities and I believe that the NW Folklife Festival contributes greatly to that cause. I love to travel – eat, observe, participate. I play soccer regularly and enjoy the outdoors.

Erin Doherty

Electronic Media Coordinator

My favorite thing about Northwest Folklife is that the annual Festival is a FREE event, making the arts accessible to everyone. When I’m not working, I enjoy knitting, attempting to garden, listening to music, and spending time with my dog.

Debbie Fant

Director of Programs

I’m lucky to get to meet extraordinary people—performers and community workers—who are passionate about their arts, heritage, and cultures. Off-hours I read, noodle on the banjo and juggle cats.

Jenny Farr

Accounting Manager

Jerin Falkner

Festival Programs Coordinator

I love learning about the different cultures in our region, and it is incredible to be a part of such a diverse and celebrated Festival. Outside of Folklife, I enjoy reading, songwriting, bowling, and composing haikus about David Bowie.

Kelli Faryar

Festival Programs Coordinator

I love learning everyday about new cultures, traditions, instruments and local performers. I enjoy roller skating to Olivia Newton-John records, decoupage and rockin’ out on the guitar.

Kristina Goetz

Development Manager

New to the Pacific Northwest from Florida, I am excited to have landed at Folklife! When not at work you might find me thrifting, listening to records, cooking delicious vegetarian meals, or traveling and adventuring with my dog, cat and significant other.

Molly Haas

Marketing Manager

I love that the Folklife Festival is a yearly meeting place to celebrate the different cultures that make the Pacific Northwest special. When I’m not here, you can find me knitting, training for a triathlon or on a quest to find the best Indian food in Seattle.

Sean Hunter

Merchant Coordinator

I love where Northwest Folklife has been, 39 plus great festivals, and where we are going, Rhythm & Moves, Folk’n Skate, 50 plus great festivals. Stay tuned to see what we come out with next…… If you can’t find me at Northwest Folklife you might catch me working at one of many music festivals around the country, or in a warm locale somewhere between Miami and Tierra del Fuego.

Annie O'Dowd

Production Assistant

I relish the "choose your own adventure" aspect of Folklife. When I am not organizing logistics for Folklife, you can find me organizing Bend It, the NW Tea Festival, as well as several other festivals at Seattle Center and drinking tea!

Ari Rinzler

Development Associate

I love that Folklife celebrates Northwest coast communities and their traditions, new and old. It's a privilege to collaborate with a great team to organize, build and sustain this awesome resource. When not at work, I write about participatory learning experiences, eat my way around Seattle, endeavor to learn Yiddish, dance and hang out with my dog and significant other.

Beth Schlansky

Festival Front Desk

The Northwest Folklife Festival is my favorite event of the year. I love getting to see all my friends from various parts of the country and the world. In my free time, I enjoy volunteering for cat rescue organizations and being a season ticket holder for both the Seattle Opera and the Seattle Mariners.

Bruce Sielaff

Director of Operations and Technology

My favorite things about Folklife (the festival and the organization) are its supportive, collaborative spirit, its energetic sense of mission, and the falafels. Outside of work, I enjoy (in ascending order) cooking, playing music, reading, running, fencing, and spending time with family and friends.

Rob Townsend

Executive Director

Creating opportunities for folks to come together in the enjoyment and celebration of arts at Folklife is a great privilege. The odd off hours might find me walking, woodworking or spending time with family and friends.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Here's what's coming up:

August 21: Family Days - West African 1-3PM at the EMP - FREE
November 13: 2nd Annual A Night for Folklife, a benefit for Northwest Folklife

This calendar is reserved for events hosted, presented, or sponsored by Northwest Folklife or events that benefit our organization. To post community events please visit our Forums.