WHO IS INVOLVED WITH ROSS
The ROSS represents decision makers and experts from around the region - from city and county representatives to local watershed coalitions, from land and business owners to academics and scientists, from health and equity advocacy groups to conservation practitioners. Facilitated by the University of Washington's Green Futures Lab, the ROSS is a regional table co-envisioning the future - we hope you will get involved if you are not already.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
Ron Sims
Former King County Executive
The ROSS represents a real opportunity to develop a national model for doing conservation right at the regional scale. To show people that you can have density and population growth and still preserve your open space, still have your parks, still have your beautiful places.
Martha Kongsgaard
Former Chair, Puget Sound Partnership
Safeguarding Puget Sound requires that we carefully steward the region’s natural areas and working lands in our river basins. Healthy rivers are essential for Puget Sound restoration and the ROSS is an important collaborator in PSP's work.
Gene Duvernoy
President, Forterra
For those of us doing this work on the ground every day, ROSS will be extremely helpful in taking our collective open space efforts further and maximizing the benefit to this place and its residents.
Maud Daudon
CEO and President at Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Some of our nation’s most dynamic companies call this region home. One reason they choose to locate here is the open space at our doorstep and the quality of life we enjoy. The ROSS is working to protect this competitive asset.
Terry Williams
Commissioner of Fisheries, Tulalip Tribes
We are all in this together and open space protects the health, economy, and traditions of everyone.
Howard Frumkin
MD, DrPH, Professor, University of Washington School of Public Health
Access to nature improves health and well-being in many ways—physical activity, stress reduction, spiritual renewal, and more. The ROSS recognizes these human health benefits and seeks to ensure they are accessible to everyone.
Jennifer Eberlien
Former Forest Supervisor, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
National Forest lands comprise the headwaters of our river basins and anchor the region’s open space network. We are delighted to actively participate in the ROSS dialogue. It is a critical and timely effort.
Denis Hayes
President, Bullitt Foundation
The ROSS goes to the heart of the Bullitt Foundation’s commitment to urban sustainability, not only at the scale of a single building, but also at the scale of the metropolitan region.
PEOPLE INVOLVED
Nancy Rottle, ROSS Co-Director
Director, Green Futures Research + Design Lab, University of WashingtonNancy is a registered landscape architect with over fifteen years of leadership roles in professional practice and eight years teaching at the University of Washington. She has a wide range of practice experience including large scale GIS-based planning and has won numerous awards for research, planning and design. In 2005 she co-directed Open Space Seattle 2100, a planning process to develop a 100-year plan for Seattle's green infrastructure.
The University of Washington’s Green Futures Research + Design Lab is the organizational home to the ROSS.
John Owen, ROSS Co-Director
AIA, Partner, Makers Architecture, Planning and Urban DesignJohn’s experience in urban design, regional and statewide planning spans decades. in that time he has helped the State prepare a new WAC for the Shoreline Management Act, and worked with the Puget Sound Regional Council to develop environmental management in addition to implementing numerous urban design strategies. In addition to his work at Makers, John provides leadership on the Watershed Open Space Strategies work of the ROSS
Ikuno Masterson, ROSS Senior Planner
Jonathan Childers, ROSS Lead Planner
VeraEve Giampietro, ROSS Associate Planner
Janet Lee, ROSS Associate Planner
Sarah Titcomb, ROSS Associate Planner
Steve Whitney, ROSS Leadership
As a Program Officer with the Bullitt Foundation, Steve focuses on the protection of natural capital and associated ecosystem services in the major metropolitan regions of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Prior to joining the Foundation, he spent fourteen years with The Wilderness Society first as director of its National Parks Program in Washington D.C., and later as Northwest Regional Director and Deputy Vice President. Under his direction, the Bullitt Foundation had been an anchor funder for the ROSS.
Sue Abbott, ROSS Leadership
Sue has worked with the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation (RTCA) program for over 20 years. Her work specializes in building coalitions and partnerships, designing public outreach strategies, facilitation, organizational development, community visioning, resource assessment, plan development and environmental education and stewardship. The National Park Service generously provides technical assistance to the ROSS project.
Executive Committee Chair
- Ron Sims, Puget Sound Partnership, Executive Committee
Committee Members
- Dave Somers , Snohomish County, Councilmember
- Elizabeth Babcock, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Natural Resource Specialist
- Steve Whitney, The Bullitt Foundation, Program Officer
- Michael Linde, National Park Service, RTCA Program Manager
- Ron Shultz, Washington State Conservation Commission, Director of Policy
- Barb Chamberlain, Bicycle Alliance of Washington, Executive Director
- Kelly Mann, Urban Land Institute Northwest, Executive Director
- Howard Frumkin, University of Washington School of Public Health, Professor
- Kaleen Cottingham, Washington Recreation & Conservation Office, Director
- Thatcher Bailey, Seattle Parks Foundation, Executive Director
- Marc Daily, Puget Sound Partnership, Deputy Director
- Jennifer Eberlien, United States Forest Service, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Forest Supervisor
- Charlotte Garrido, Kitsap County, County Commissioner
- Cynthia Welti, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, Executive Director
- Joanna Grist, Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition, Executive Director
- Joe Kane, Washington Association of Land Trusts, Vice President (Executive Director, Nisqually Land Trust)
- Paul Kundtz, The Trust for Public Land, Washington State Director
- Christie TRUE, King County Department of Natural Resources &Parks, Director
- Dennis Canty, American Farmland Trust, Pacific Northwest Regional Director
- Gene Duvernoy, Forterra, President
- Brian Boyle, UW School of Forest Resources, NW Environmental Forum Leader
- Terry Williams, Tulalip Tribes, Fisheries & Natural Resources Commissioner
- Josh Baldi, WA Department of Ecology, Special Assistant to Director
- David Fleming, Public Health Seattle-King County, Director
- Ken Konigsmark, , Rural Resident & Conservation Specialist
- Andrew Hayes, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Alternate to Peter Goldmark
- Ryan Dicks, Pierce County, Alternate to Pat McCarthy
- Lisa Dulude, Snohomish County, Office of Energy & Sustainability
- Tracy Stanton, Earth Economics, Policy Director & Program Leader
Role: Work Sessions & Targeted Strategy Development for Preliminary Comprehensive Strategy.
Ecosystems Technical Advisory Committee
Committee Co-Leads
- Bob Feurstenberg, King County, Co-lead
- Critter Thompson, Independent, Co-lead
Committee Members
- George Blomberg, Port of Seattle
- Gordon Bradley, University of Washington, School of Forest Resources
- Taylor Carroll, Forterra
- Dave Cook, Geoengineers
- Nicole Faghin, Faghin Consulting
- Keith Folkerts, Kitsap County Natural Resources Division
- Abby Hook, Hook Knauer LLP
- Peter Hummel, Anchor QEA
- Mark Isaacson, King County Water and Land Resources Division
- Gino Luchetti, King County Department of Natural Resources
- Tom Murdoch, Adopt-a-Street Foundation
- Susan O'Neil, Puget Sound Partnership
- Doug Osterman, Puget Sound Partnership
- James Rasmussen, Duwmamish River Cleanup Coalition
- Elaine Somers, USEPA Region 10
- Kari Stiles, Puget Sound Partnership
- Jennifer Thomas, Parametrix
- Chris Townsend, Puget Sound Partnership
Rural and Resource Lands Technical Advisory Committee
Committee Co-Leads
- Lauren Smith, King County Executive's Office, Co-lead
- Skip Swenson, Forterra, Co-lead
Committee Members
- Melissa Campbell, PCC Farmland Trust
- Ryan Dicks, Pierce County
- Mary Embleton, Cascade Harvest Coalition
- Leif Fixen, Snohomish Conservation District
- Joy Garitone, Kistap Conservation District
- Brock Howell, Futurewise
- Joe Kane, Nisqually Land Trust
- Kirk Kirkland, Pierce County Open Space Taskforce
- Joan Lee, King County Rural and Regional Services Section
- Bobbi Lindemulder, Snohomish Conservation District
- Doug McClelland, Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Mountains to Sound Greenway
- Jay Mirro, King Conservation District
- Linda Neunzig, Snohomish County Agricultural Services
- Rene Skaggs, Pierce Conservation District
- Sandra Staples-Bortner, Great Peninsula Conservancy
- Dan Stonington, Northwest Natural Resource Group
Recreation and Trails Technical Advisory Committee
Committee Co-Leads
- Jennifer Knauer, Hook Knauer LLP, Co-lead
- Amy Shumann, Public Health - Seattle + King County, Co-lead
Committee Members
- Kevin Brown, King County Parks Division
- Karen Daubert, Washington Trails Association
- Martha Droge, National Park Service Pacific West Region
- Jessica Emerson, King County DNRP
- Robert Foxworthy, King County DNRP
- Deborah Hinchey, University of Washington School for Public Health
- John Hoey, Trust for Public Land
- Amalia Leighton, SVR Design
- Ian Macek, Washington Department of Transportation
- Josh Miller, Bicycle Alliance of Washington
- Jane Moore, Washington Coalition of Promoting Physical Activity
- Thomas O'Keefe, American Whitewater
- Dennis Oost, Kitsap County
- Chris Overdorf, Elm
- Lisa Quinn, Feet First
- Kimberly Scrivner, Puget Sound Regional Council
- Tom Teigen, Snohomish County Parks and Recreation
- Diane Wiatr, City of Tacoma
- Don Willot, North Kitsap Trails Association
- James Yap, Snohomish County Parks and Recreation
Urban and Community Technical Advisory Committee
Committee Co-Leads Chair
- Ben Bakkenta, Puget Sound Regional Council, Co-lead
- Joe Tovar, TovarPlanning, Co-lead
Committee Members
- Gordon Bradley, University of Washington School of Envirionment and Forest Resources
- Vicky Clarke, Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council
- Dan Dewald, City of Bellevue
- Leif Fixen, Snohomish Conservation District
- Eric Hanson, Port of Seattle
- Gwendolyn High, Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition
- John Hoey, Trust for Public Land
- Mark Hoppen, Snohomish Health District
- Amalia Leighton, SVR Design
- Joshua Monaghan, King County Conservation District
- Chip Nevins, City of Seattle Parks Division
- Rocky Piro, Puget Sound Regional Council
- Andrea Platt-Dwyer, Seattle Tilth
- Lauren Smith, King County Executive's Office
- Sean Sykes, NAIOP Sustainable Development Committee
- Chris Townsend, Puget Sound Partnership
- Tim Trohimovich, Futurewise
- Alison VanGorp, Forterra
- Julie West, Seattle and King County Public Health
Climate Change Mitigation + Adaptation
Task Force Chair
- Rachel Gregg, EcoAdapt
Task Force Members
- Paul Fleming, Seattle Public Utilities
- Hilary Franz, Futurewise
- Bob Freitag, UW Institute of Hazards Mitigation Planning and Research
- Lara Hansen, EcoAdapt
- Lyn Keenan, GeoEngineers
- Meade Krosby, University of Washington Climate Impacts Group
- Keith Maw, Independent
- Eileen Quigley, Climate Solutions
- Jeff Rice, Puget Sound Institute
- Nancy Rottle, University of Washington, Green Futures Research and Design Lab
- Amy Snover, UW Climate Impacts Group
- Tracy Stanton, Earth Economics
- Jill Sterett, Sterett Consulting, LLC
Biodiversity
Task Force Co-chairs
- Fred Koontz, Woodland Park Zoo, Co-chair
- Abby Hook, Hook Knauer, Co-chair
Task Force Members
- Kitty Craig, The Wilderness Society
- Keith Folkerts, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Josh Lawler, University of Washington
- Lorna Smith, Western Wildlife Outreach
- Kari Stiles, Puget Sound Partnership
- Jennifer van der Hoof, King County
- Jen Watkins, Conservation NW
- Cynthia Wilkerson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Human Health
- Brian Saelens, Seattle Childrens Research Institute, Co-Chair
- Leann Andrews, University of Washington, Coordinator
Task Force Members
- Kathleen Wolf, UW School of Environmental & Forest Sciences Co-Chair
- Branden Born, UW Department of Urban Design & Planning
- Andrew Dannenberg, UW Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences
- Barbara Wright, Public Health Seattle-King County
*If you would like to contribute to this Task Force, please get involved!
Social Equity
- Richard Gelb, King County Department of Natural Resources, Co-chair
- Ginger Daniel, Regional Open Space Strategy, Staff Coordinator
Contributors to date
- Steve Hamai, Seattle Public Utilities, Contributor
- Rashad Morris, The Bullitt Foundation, Contributor
- Skye Schell, Forterra, Contributor
- Ben Bakenta, Puget Sound Regional Council, Contributor
*If you would like to contribute to this Task Force, please get involved!
Economic Development
- Jeff Raker, Regional Open Space Strategy, Staff Coordinator
Contributors to date
- Henry Izumizaki, The Russelll Family Foundation, Contributor
- Ken Konigsmark, Contributor
- Sarah Lee, Puget Sound Regional Council, Contributor
- Doug Peters, WA Department of Commerce, Contributor
- Vikram Sahney, REI, Contributor
- Jason Thibideau, Puget Sound Regional Council, Contributor
*If you would like to contribute to this Task Force, please get involved!
Committee Chair
- Tracy Stanton, USFS Urban Waters Partnership, Committee Chair
Committee Members
- Dale Blahna, US Forest Service
- Josh Baldi, WA Department of Ecology
- David Batker, Earth Economics
- Fletcher Beaudoin, PSU Institute for Sustainable Solutions & Cascadia Ecosystem Partnership
- Mark Buckley, ECONorthwest
- Ginger Daniel, Regional Open Space Strategy
- Brent Davies, EcoTrust
- Tom DeLuca, University of Washington
- Zach Ferdana, The Nature Conservancy
- Ricahrd Gelb, King County Department of Natural Resources
- Anne Guerry, University of Washington
- Kevin Halsey, EcoMetrix Solutions
- William Labiosa, US Geological Survey
- Josh Lawler, University of Washington
- Sara O'Brien, Willamette Partnership
- Jeff Raker, Regional Open Space Strategy
- Scott Redman, Puget Sound Partnership
- Elaine Somers, US Environmental Protection Agency - Region 10
- Stephanie Suter, Puget Sound Partnership
- Paula Swedeen, Swedeen Consulting
- Brian Walsh, Puget Sound Partnership
Committee Listing, Coming Soon
- Leslie Ann Rose, Citizens for a Healthy Bay
- Jennifer Arnold, Bonneville Environmental Foundation
- Bryan Bowden, National Park Service
- Dennis Canty, American Farmland Trust
- Ryan Dicks, Pierce County Dept. of Sustainability
- Kimberly Freeman, Pierce County
- John Garner, Metro Parks & PC Biodiversity Network
- Andrew Hayes, Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Colin Hume, WA Department of Ecology
- Tom Kantz, Pierce County Surface Water Management
- Kirk; Kirkland, Forever Green Council
- Krystal Kyer, Tahoma Audubon
- Russ; Ladley, Puyallup Tribe
- Teresa Lewis, Pierce County
- Ryan Mello, Pierce Conservation District
- Jane Moore, Forever Green Council
- Tristan Peter-Contesse, Puget Sound Partnership
- Jordan Rash, Forterra
- Lorin Reinelt, King Co. River & Floodplain Mgmt.
- Dave Seabrook, Puyallup River Watershed Coalition
- Marianne Seifert, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Dept.
- Lisa Spurrier, Pierce County Watershed Services
- Jeffrey; Thomas, Puyallup Tribe
- Michelle Tirhi, Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
- Robert Warren, Bonneville Environmental Foundation
- Sarah Wilcox, Pierce Conservation District
PARTNERS
The ROSS is facilitated by the University of Washington's award-winning Green Futures Lab. Our funder and partner organizations include:
