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. In addition to raising $110M by 2025 to fund park construction, Friends will provide funding and manage the programming and operations of the future Waterfront Park through a joint-delivery partnership with the City. 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.
The design of Waterfront Park was created with community input and collaboration at its core. Programming the park is made possible through consistent collaboration with community partners, and we invite you to get involved. Interested in partnering with Friends?
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
Leadership
Gloria Alvarez Connors
Interim Operations Director
Tom Beck
Data Systems Analyst
Blake Bowers
Finance / P&C Administrator
Brianna Browne
Public Programs Manager
Angela Escudero
Office Coordinator
Kelli Faryar
Public Programs Manager
Laura Hendrichsen
Facilities On-Site Operations Supervisor
Yoon Kang-O'Higgins
Director of Public Programs
Marie Kidhe
Senior Community Engagement Manager
Jessica Lotz
Outreach and Events Coordinator
Jason Merges
Communications Content Manager
Mark Meuter
Production Manager
Jamala Myres
Facilities On-Site Operations Manager
Anna O'Donnell
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Nico Onoda-McGuire
Community Impact Manager
Cody Purchase
Facilities On-Site Operations Staff Member
Jordan Remington
Public Programs Manager and Curator of Indigenous Programs
Maria Reyna
Programs Project Manager
Heather Ryan
Vending & Concessions Lead
Britt Rynearson
Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications
Erin Saunderson
Assistant to the Director of Operations & Park Experience
Joy Shigaki
President & CEO
Kathleen Shin
Philanthropy & Stewardship Officer
Joey Smith
Campaign Manager
Michael Snuttjer
Facilities On-Site Operations Supervisor
Jon Stone
Interim Public Safety Manager
Eldon Tam
Chief Operating Officer
Chelsea Wong
Community Outreach Assistant
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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The City of Seattle, Alliance for Pioneer Square, and Friends of Waterfront Seattle are seeking a retail/F&B tenant for the historic and newly restored Washington Street Boat Landing. Located at the south end of the new Central Waterfront, adjacent to Habitat Beach (opening summer, 2023), just south of Colman Dock, on the route to Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park, and at the west boundary of Pioneer Square, the boat landing is an iconic structure that will benefit as a retail/F&B venue from high levels of foot traffic year-round.
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Join our Community Partnership Committees and provide recommendations and feedback in support of Friends’ inclusion and racial equity impact. The Pulling Together Committee consists of Indigenous community organizers and leaders, and the Community Connections Committee consists of BIPOC community organizers and leaders. Applications are due by February 20th.
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The Membership Manager will lead the development of a membership program for Waterfront Park. This role will help determine the vision for membership, launch a public campaign to kickstart the program’s growth, and work with colleagues and community partners to develop the benefits, systems, and events that will sustain the program. The intent of this inclusive program is to invite everyone to be part of Waterfront Park, while building a sustainable, long-term engagement pipeline and annual giving program. 2023 will be a pilot year for this program, focused on the assessment, branding, and launch of the program with an emphasis on new member acquisition and benefit package design as a lead up to park opening in 2025 and beyond.
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The Philanthropy Coordinator will be a central member of the Philanthropy team, working with colleagues across the organization as well as leadership volunteers to support prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts. This newly created role is an opportunity to be a critical part of a growing team that is working to complete the $200M comprehensive campaign, and build a robust, community-focused philanthropy program that will sustain Waterfront Park in perpetuity.
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Reporting directly to the COO and working closely with the contracted CFO, the Accounting Manager will manage all day-to-day accounting responsibilities for the organization. Main job functions include accounts payable, journal entries, donation processing, bank reconciliations, managing expense reports, and budgeting. The position will serve as the main point of contact for internal and external finance-related inquiries. In collaboration with leadership and the CFO, the Accounting Manager will also support higher-level budgeting and forecasting across departments. Candidates with knowledge of GAAP and experience in nonprofits are preferred. This is a full-time, exempt employee with no direct reports.
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The Director of Park Experience and Operations ensures that Waterfront Park is the highest and best functioning public space in Seattle. They will work with Friends’ partners to deliver immaculately maintained grounds and facilities, beautifully designed park amenities that meet and anticipate the needs of all users, and a visitor experience that feels inviting, pleasing, and safe—in every sense of that word—to the enormously diverse user groups who need to feel that waterfront park is a home place.
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The Assistant Production Manager supports the organizational and onsite operational functions of the Public Programs team, ensuring efficiency and consistency in implementing department processes, onsite tasks, and communication. This role also provides logistical support for all internal and external events with various complexities.
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Reporting to the President and CEO, Friends is looking for an experienced Executive Assistant to perform a wide range of administrative duties, including executive support, project management, and Board relations and coordination. This role requires an organized, detail-oriented, multitasker who can handle many diverse projects at once and meet tight deadlines.
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The Public Safety Manager is a key member of the operations team and works in collaboration with colleagues across the organization, as well as with public, private, and nonprofit partners in community efforts around public safety. The Public Safety Manager will oversee the goal of fostering a healthy waterfront neighborhood through partnerships that include City law enforcement, private security, and social service outreach. Responsibilities will grow as the entire 20 acres of new public spaces open in 2024, welcoming over 8 million visitors.
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The Event and Facility Onsite Operations Assistant supports the on-site operational functions of the Event and Operations team, ensuring efficiency and consistency in implementing department processes, on-site tasks, and communication. This role also provides logistical support for all internal and external events with a variety of complexity. This position requires continual demonstration of the following core competencies: maintaining a quality guest experience, and collaborating across groups to ensure successful events. This is a high-volume environment where work productivity, efficiency, and effective communication skills are a must. This position will also support ensuring that Friends’ diversity, equity and inclusion values are upheld and advanced in the production of events.
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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. See our sign-up page to join our newsletter and see an archive of past newsletters.
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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
- Friends Annual Report 2020
- Friends Annual Report 2019
- Friends Annual Report 2018
- Friends Annual Report 2017
- Friends Annual Report 2016
- Friends Annual Report 2015
Press & Media

Revitalization of Seattle waterfront takes shape after more than a decade of construction
Puget Sound Business Journal
November 7, 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
Friends of Waterfront Seattle Incubates Small Business to Promote Equity March 2019
Puget Sound Business Journal — March 14, 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
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].
Partners
Friends of Waterfront Seattle deeply values our partnerships with local nonprofits, foundations, government entities, corporations, and organizations that make our work possible.
Are you interested in joining our robust list of partners that program and steward Waterfront Park?
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.