Who We Are
Waterfront Park is the joint effort of the City of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects, Friends of Waterfront Seattle, and Seattle Parks and Recreation. Friends of Waterfront Seattle is the nonprofit partner to the City of Seattle responsible for helping to fund, build, steward, and program the park — today and into the future.
Dedicated to a renewed place to connect — to the water, to the mountains, to our city, and to one another.
In deep collaboration with individuals, communities, and institutional partners, Friends of Waterfront Seattle’s mission is creating, caring for, and activating a renewed place of connection on Seattle’s central shoreline. As the non-profit partner, Friends is continuing to raise $200M to support programming, construction, public safety and maintenance at Waterfront Park. Friends will is responsible to fund, program, steward and activate the park now and in perpetuity.
Park construction began following the Viaduct’s removal and the first piece of the park — Pier 62 — is now open.
The vision for Waterfront Park was conceived through a community‑wide effort.
Friends is a founding member of the High Line Network, a movement in cities across the world to reclaim underutilized infrastructure and re-imagine it as public space.
A core promise of Friends of Waterfront Seattle is to activate and program Waterfront Park; to make this new public space meaningful to the community that lives here. The city opened Pier 62 in September 2020, and Friends has been piloting programs ever since, bringing arts and culture, education, and recreation to the waterfront.
Board
Mary Bass
Wells Fargo
Carol Binder
Community Volunteer
Tom Byers
Cedar River Group
Chris DeVore
Founders’ Co-op
Leonard Forsman
The Suquamish Tribe
Olive Goh
Citi Private Bank
Paul Goodrich
Madrona Venture Group
Patrick Gordon
ZGF Architects LLP
Sandra Jackson-Dumont
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
Falona Joy
SNP Strategies, Inc.
Martha Kongsgaard
Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation
Dan Kully
Kully Struble
Carla Lewis
Community Volunteer
Lori Metcalf
Seattle Academy
John Nesholm
LMN Architects
Jeannie Nordstrom
Civic Leader and Philanthropist
Stuart Rolfe
Wright Hotels, Inc.
Charley Royer (emeritus)
Former Seattle Mayor
Kayley Runstad Swan
Runstad Foundation
Ryan Smith
Martin Smith, Inc.
Louie Ungaro
The Muckleshoot Tribe
Maggie Walker
The Walker Family Foundation
Brady Piñero Walkinshaw
Grist
Charles Wright
Merrill Gardens, LLC
Julie K. Stein
Burke Museum, University of Washington
Hewan Teshome
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle Kraken
Leadership
Priyanka Anand
Philanthropy Coordinator
Tom Beck
Data Systems Analyst
Blake Bowers
People & Culture Manager
Brianna Browne
Public Programs Manager
Lilia Deering
Assistant Production Manager
Richelle Dickerson
Executive Assistant
Angela Escudero
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Kelli Faryar
Public Programs Manager
Alex Harding
Assistant Production Manager
Laura Hendrichsen
Facilities On-Site Operations Supervisor
Yoon Kang-O'Higgins
Director of Public Programs
Marie Kidhe
Director of Community Relations & Strategic Investments
Oona Kilcommons
Seasonal Park Operations Assistant
Kjerstin Laine
Membership Manager
Maria Lopez
Public Safety Manager
Jessica Lotz
Community & Outreach Coordinator
Jason Merges
Communications Content Manager
Mark Meuter
Production Manager
Jamala Myres
Facilities On-Site Operations Manager
Anna O'Donnell
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Kelsey Oliver-Connelly
Office & Administrative Assistant
Nico Onoda-McGuire
Community Impact Manager
Cody Purchase
Event & Facility Operations Assistant
Jordan Remington
Public Programs Manager and Curator of Indigenous Programs
Maria Reyna
Assistant Director of Programs
Heather Ryan
Vending & Concessions Lead
Britt Rynearson
Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications
Joy Shigaki
President & CEO
Joey Smith
Assistant Director of Philanthropy
Michael Snuttjer
Facilities On-Site Operations Supervisor
Amanda Streams
Director of Operations & Park Experience
Eldon Tam
Chief Operating Officer
Chelsea Wong
Community Engagement Administrator
Yiling Wong
Park Marketing Manager
Pulling Together Committee
John Bailey (Muckleshoot)
Member
Sean Daniels (Muckleshoot)
Member
Jolene Haas (Duwamish)
Member
Cleora Hill-Scott (Crow, Sioux, & Pawnee)
Potlatch Fund Representative
Lynett Jordan (Lakota & Ojibwe)
Member
Jessica Juarez-Wagner
Potlatch Fund Representative
Ellany Kayce (Tlingit)
Member
Tim Lehman (Arapaho)
Member
Crystal Purcell
Member
Jordan Remington (Quileute)
Facilitator
Robin Sigo (Suquamish)
Member
Brian Tanner (Salish & Cree)
Potlatch Fund Representative
Community Connections Committee
Tom Byers
Member
Velma Chaney
Member
Timothy Corey
Facilitator
Sarneshea Evans
Facilitator
Olive Goh
Member
Joseph Guanlao
Member
Aleksa Manila
Member
Taelore Rhoden
Member
Omari Salisbury
Member
José Vázquez
Member
Tracey Wong
Member
Work With Us
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Seasonal Park Operations Assistants provide onsite support and stewardship at the Waterfront Park. They act as public-facing ambassadors and work to ensure that the park is safe, welcoming, inclusive, and clean. This role supports all day-to-day Waterfront Park operations. During the summer months, there are several events per week that accommodate thousands of visitors. This means that time management and work efficiency are a must for this role.
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The Park Events Assistant role is a seasonal, part-time role (April 2023 through October 2023) with flexible hours. This role will support the Public Programs and Production team, reporting to the Assistant Director of Public Programs. This position will focus on providing onsite administrative, logistical, and programmatic support.
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The Production Assistant supports the onsite operational functions of the Public Programs team, ensuring efficiency and consistency in implementing department processes, onsite tasks, and communication. This role provides logistical support for all internal and external events with various complexities.
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Waterfront Park is seeking a skilled and experienced Sound Engineer to join our team for the 2023 season (May-September). The Sound Engineer will be responsible for the setup, operation, and live sound mix for various events held at the park. This includes concerts, festivals, classes, and other public gatherings.
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Would you like to sell your products and / or services at Waterfront Park?
Resources
Download more information on the design, history, and community partners behind Waterfront Park.
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- HR&A Value Study
- HR&A Value Study Summary
- Friends Activation Report 2019
- Friends Activation Report 2018
- Friends Activation Report 2017
- Friends Activation Report 2016
- Gratitude Report 2022
- Friends Annual Report 2020
- Friends Annual Report 2019
- Friends Annual Report 2018
- Friends Annual Report 2017
- Friends Annual Report 2016
- Friends Annual Report 2015
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- Waterfront Park Tour Book
- 2023 Corporate Sponsorships packet
- Waterfront Park Operating Commitments Brochure 2020
- A Sustainable Waterfront Park
- Central Waterfront Map June 2017
- Project Overview January 2016
- Gray Magazine Interview with James Corner December 2016
- Hot Spot Schedule 2019
- Hot Spot Schedule 2018
- Hot Spot Schedule 2017
- Hot Spot Schedule 2016
Press & Media
FRIENDS OF WATERFRONT SEATTLE ANNOUNCES 2023 CALENDAR OF MUSIC, ARTS, & COMMUNITY EVENTS AT WATERFRONT PARK
Converge Media
May 16, 2023
New street signs honor first name of Seattle’s waterfront: Dzidzilalich
Seattle Times
April 24, 2023
Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Nurtures Neighborhood Recovery with $1.1M Activation Fund
Art Beat Blog — April 4, 2023
Seattle Center Expands Role to include Managing Waterfront Park Operations in Partnership with Friends of Waterfront Seattle
Center Spotlight — January 24, 2023
Waterfront Seattle to Kick Off 2023 Events with Lunar New Year
The Urbanist — January 12, 2023
Transformative waterfront park to be completed in 2025
NW Asian Weekly — November 23, 2022
Revitalization of Seattle waterfront takes shape after more than a decade of construction
Puget Sound Business Journal — November 7, 2022
Shigaki is Friends of Waterfront Seattle’s new CEO
NW Asian Weekly — September 16, 2022
Seattle’s Waterfront is transforming and UW’s tentacles are all over it
UW Magazine — September 1, 2022
How Seattle’s new waterfront could boost a battered downtown and impact tech companies
GeekWire — April 14, 2022
Seattle Waterfront: What’s new and what’s planned for family fun
Seattle's Child — March 31, 2022
A day out on the Seattle waterfront with kids
Seattle's Child — March 31, 2022
In Waterfront Park, the seeds of a better Seattle
The Seattle Times — March 18, 2022
Amazon pledges $5M to help support ongoing construction of Seattle’s new Waterfront Park
Seattle Pi — December 9, 2021
‘Reflections’ Dance Festival: A Gift of Indigenous and African American Solidarity
South Seattle Emerald — November 3, 2021
Maggie Walker anticipates the construction of Seattle’s Waterfront Park
Puget Sound Business Journal — September 10, 2021
Pier 62 Shows Seattle in Its Best Light
Seattle Met — March 2, 2021
Seattle’s newest waterfront public space has finally opened
Seattle Urbanized — September 21, 2020
The Future Of Art Is Collaboration: A Conversation With Takiyah Ward
South Seattle Emerald — August 16, 2020
Salmon swim past downtown along new ‘highway’ for fish
Seattle Times — June 4, 2019
New study: Waterfront park is Seattle’s new weapon to retain tech talent
Puget Sound Business Journal — March 11, 2019
A Bold New Waterfront Is Coming to Seattle Soon
Seattle Magazine — March 1, 2019
Waterfront Park fits how Seattle lives, works
Daily Journal of Commerce — February 28, 2019
Friends of Waterfront Seattle Incubates Small Business to Promote Equity February 2019
Puget Sound Business Journal — February 20, 2019
Opinion: Shared investments show Seattle at its best
Puget Sound Business Journal — February 20, 2019
Will we really have a ‘Waterfront for All’?
Daily Journal of Commerce — December 5, 2018
For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
With support from our sponsors:
What do you want to see, eat, and do on the waterfront?
Want to plan an event? Have an idea for an activity? We want to hear from you! Waterfront Park is committed to serving the needs of its diverse communities through cultural, educational, and recreational activities in a beautiful, welcoming environment.