Imagine Housing’s Board of Directors is a diverse group of civically engaged local leaders who bring integral perspectives to our mission. The group is reflective of the community we serve – 63% of members are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and 63% identify as female. 50% of members have experienced housing instability at some point in their life and 63% currently live, or have lived, in an affordable housing community.
You can learn more about individual members below – please feel free to reach out to Aubrey White at aubreyw@imaginehousing.org with questions about the Board and their role with Imagine Housing.
Carolynn Ferris
Board President
Nonprofit Executive
Leadership, Fundraising, Land Use, Advocacy
LinkedIn
For nearly 30 years, Carolynn Ferris has contributed to the growth and success of Imagine Housing and is an essential bridge connecting the organization’s past and future. She is committed to ensuring affordable housing continues to be a high priority on the Eastside and is an active civic leader who currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Bellevue Planning Commission. Carolynn brings leadership acumen that was honed through a successful career as a senior executive for an international Fortune 100 company. Her positive, can-do attitude is infectious and creates an atmosphere of teamwork and progressive thinking. She empowers those around her to be their best selves both personally and professionally, while always keeping the organization’s best interests in mind. She lives in Bellevue with her husband and when she’s not spending free time with “the littles” (grandkids) you’ll likely find her deftly navigating waves on waterskies.
Kashif Zahoor
Board Vice President
Vice President of Business Intelligence, Influence Mobile
Finance/Investments, Information Technology, Marketing, Analytics, Strategic Planning, Digital Strategy, Nonprofit Governance
LinkedIn
Diane Pietrowski
Board Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer for Housing Nonprofit – Retired
Accounting, Affordable Housing, Asset Management, Nonprofit Governance
LinkedIn
Laura Coughlin, Esq.
Board Secretary
Managing Attorney, McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLP
Real Estate Law, Lending, Servicing, Compliance, Litigation
LinkedIn
Laura Coughlin believes that affordable housing and access to social capital can change a person’s life trajectory – when she looks back on her own path to a successful career as a real estate attorney she sees firsthand how this this principle has impacted her own life. Laura regularly practices in state and federal courts throughout Washington and in recent years, has been admitted to practice before the Tulalip, Puyallup, and Quinault Tribal Courts. She is inherently curious and is known to be expert at navigating unique, complex legal issues. Laura was a Chateau Ste. Michelle Diversity Scholar at the University of Washington before going on to obtaining her juris doctorate at Washburn University School of Law in Topeka Kansas. Prior to joining the Board of Directors, Laura served on Imagine Housing’s Real Estate Development Committee. She enjoys DIY projects, baking, camping and attempting to live sustainably.
Denille Bezemer
Consultant
Leadership, Housing and Human Services, Strategic Planning, Race and Social Justice
Linkedin
Evan Chan
Partner, Edge Developers, LLC
Real Estate Development, Construction Management, Leadership
Linkedin
PennyMarie Curry
Resident Service Youth Initiatives & School Liaison, Mercy Housing
Community Volunteer, Advocacy, Human Services
PennyMarie Curry is a dedicated advocate for her neighbors and the broader community. She speaks from her heart and seeks to find connections through authentic discourse. After escaping domestic violence, PennyMarie and her children navigated transitional housing for a number of years until finding stability at an affordable housing community. She believes everyone deserves a safe place to sleep, a stable home to build a life, and a seat at the table. She is committed to correcting the negative perceptions that are often assigned to those who have experienced housing instability. PennyMarie has 15 years of experience as an early learning and school age educator and contributes this expertise to families in her community – she is a Parent Advocate with Family Engagement Expert Leaders and a Parent Representative and member of the Policy Council with Denise Louie Early Head Start. She also volunteers her time as a Board member at Farms for Life and enjoys creating art, sewing and tending to her indoor garden on the Eastside.
Jackie Frank
Real Estate Development, Costco Wholesale – Retired
Development, Architecture, Construction, Asset Management, Nonprofit Governance, Advocacy
LinkedIn
As a licensed architect and executive in real estate development, Jackie Frank works in the built environment – and brings this talent to initiatives focused on supporting people experiencing housing instability. As a past president and Board Member at Temple Bnai Torah, an Eastside faith based community, he was involved with his community’s commitment to host homeless individuals including Tent City 4 and The Sophia Way. Jackie is the type of leader who guides groups with multiple perspectives and motivations toward actionable consensus. He and his wife live in Woodinville and have three children who grew up on the east side and in the Temple Bnai Torah community.
Peter Tran
Senior Vice President, Lockton Companies
Risk Management, Insurance, Leadership
Linkedin
Amber Walsh
Senior Property Manager for Housing Nonprofits
Advocacy, Community Volunteer, Business Organization and Management, Information Technology
