The Montlake Community Club Board of Directors is composed of the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer of the club, together with nine trustees. Trustees are elected to three-year terms and three trustees are elected every year. Trustees contribute to discussions at monthly board meetings, share perspectives and concerns of neighbors, and volunteer for committee work.
The MCC could not function without the work of volunteers, some of whom are listed below. Interested in joining the board or volunteering? Please contact us.
MCC Board
Sharsti Sandall – President
Sharsti has lived in Montlake since 2013, when her family relocated from San Diego. Although Sharsti is new to Montlake, her neighborhood ties run deep: her husband was born and raised on Shelby Street and she got engaged 15 years ago in West Montlake Park. Her two children attend Montlake Elementary and her strong family connection to the area inspired her to serve on the board. As a board member, she initiated and directed the first ever Montlake 5K Turkey Trot and Kids Run.
Tim Burkart – Vice President
Tim lives with his wife Darcy on Boyer Avenue and has lived in Montlake since 2006. Tim joined the board to try to preserve and improve it for Montlake residents. Tim believes that positive changes to Seattle need to be made from the grassroots up and hopes his service might help the city in a small way.
Darcy LaBelle – Secretary
Darcy has resided in Montlake with her husband and daughters since 1999. Her passion for this community, with its historic architecture and strong network of neighbors, inspired her to join the board. She hopes to work on community building events to further knit this beautiful neighborhood together and bring about positive changes to its residents.
Carol Cordy – Treasurer
Carol and her family have lived in Montlake for 37 years. Her children attended Montlake Elementary School. She has been active over the years in several volunteer activities, including volunteering at Montlake Elementary. Carol joined the board to become more active in community projects.
John Cordy
John and his wife Carol have been Montlake residents since 1979, and raised three children in the neighborhood. John has been active in the community in various ways including delivering the Montlake Flyer for many years, parking cars for football games at the Montlake School, and jogging in the Arboretum. Newly retired from workin for the State of Washington, John now has time to get more involved through the Montlake Community Club.
Tyler Blitz
Tyler moved to Montlake in 2009 and lives near 21st & Boyer with his wife and young son. Before joining the board, Tyler advocated to keep the Montlake Elementary School catchment area in its current boundary. As a board member, Tyler helped launch the first Montlake 5k Turkey Trot and Kids run, and has a particular interest in 520 bridge plans and transportation.
Jamie Cobb
Jamie has been a Montlake resident since 2013 after falling in love with the neighborhood while attending the University of Washington in the late 90’s. He and his wife Annie have a two-year old daughter, Rylee. Jamie joined the MCC board to give back to the neighborhood he hopes to spend the rest of his life in. If Jamie is not with his family or working, he is on the golf course or hosting Husky tailgates at his house.
Chris Cumming
Chris has been a Montlake resident since 2013 and has a fourth grader at Montlake Elementary. Chris joined the board to serve Montlake and help protect what is special about the neighborhood while working to make sure inevitable changes are positive. Chris is an active runner and cyclist who is familiar with pedestrian safety and bicycle and traffic issues.
Heather Hardin
Heather and her husband, Eric, moved to 24th Avenue in Montlake in 2010. Heather’s office is in the U District and her husband works at UW. Heather loves her neighbors, frequents “downtown” Montlake, and adores the Arboretum. Heather chose Montlake for its location and was delighted to discover what a great neighborhood she selected.
Juan Lopez
Juan is the owner of the Glam and Tonics Aveda Concept Salon on 24th Ave East. Juan has owned businesses in the neighborhood for over 10 years and serves as the Montlake business district liaison to the Montlake Community Club Board of Trustees.
John O’Neil
John joined the MCC Board because of his interest in social, economic, and transportation issues affecting Montlake, as well as preserving the historic nature of the community and surrounding areas.
Jim Toomey
Jim has lived in Montlake for 28 years and lives on 24th Avenue East. He has engaged the city frequently over the years on traffic and safety issues. Jim’s interests on the MCC board, in addition to general community representation, include traffic and pedestrian safety issues.
MCC Volunteers
Shannon Cumming – Communications Chair, Montlake.net Editor
Shannon moved to the neighborhood with her husband Chris and their son in 2013 and was a volunteer at Montlake Elementary for five years. Shannon is a copywriter who enjoys keeping up with what’s happening in the neighborhood. Socializing with neighbors is her favorite part of volunteering. She loves walking her dogs at the Playfields and in Interlaken Park.
Jean Leed – Yard Sale Chair
Jean Leed and her husband Roger moved from Madrona to Montlake in 1994. They live on E. Hamlin Street across from the Seattle Yacht Club. Jean retired in 2007 from a 30-year career as a development director/consultant at non-profit organizations. She is the founding member of the Montlake Book Club, a member and volunteer at Saint Mark’s Cathedral, and organizer of the annual Shelby-Hamlin “Neighbors Night Out” in August.
Nathalie Gehrke – Reporter, Business District Development Project
Nathalie served on the MCC Board from 2012 to 2015 –as vice president for two years; the committee lead for Arts & Music events for 3 years; and co-founder of the All-Montlake Yard Sale. Nathalie was on the faculty at the University of Washington for 31 years, and has lived in Montlake since 1994. She’s actively involved in advocacy and education on housing and homelessness issues in the U. District, plays bluegrass fiddle, and enjoys kayaking, hiking, and gardening.
LeAna Alvarado-Smith – Montlake. net
LeAna has lived in Montlake since 2011 with her husband, Steve, and their two sons. In addition to being a former MCC trustee, LeAna is the current president of the Montlake Community Center Advisory Council. Additionally, she was co-chair of the group that organized and fundraised for the installation of the new sports court and fitness equipment at the Montlake Playfields.
Tomitha Blake – University of Washington Liaison
Tomitha returned to Seattle in 2012 to work at the University of Washington. She is proud to call this neighborhood her home and cites the coming light rail, Husky Stadium, UW, the Arboretum, the Montlake Playfields, and her amazing neighbors as a few of the reasons to love living in Montlake. Tomitha is a former trustee of the MCC and continues to serve as a liaison to the university. Her service to the MCC is inspired by long-time residents who championed a strong partnership with our vibrant business community to create a livable, engaged, safe neighborhood.
Jonathan Bridgman – Web and Creative
Jon, his wife and daughter live in the house Jon grew up in on 25th Ave E. Jon remembers when the “ramps to nowhere” where built and would have seen the freeway from his house had activists not succeeded in stopping construction. Jon created the original Turkey Trot logo and continues to volunteer with the Montlake Community Club.
Kerry Clayman – Montlake.net
Kerry has lived in Montlake since 2003 and is a former MCC trustee. Her first Montlake home was in the Four Seasons Apartments and she now lives on 22nd Ave E with her husband John and two sons. Kerry’s grassroots efforts with neighbors on school district issues, and the support they got from the Montlake Community Club, inspired her to join the board.
Rohit Manokaran – Technical Advisor
Rohit has served on the Board of Trustees and assists the MCC with technical solutions. Rohit moved to Montlake in 2015 and lives near the Montlake Playfields.
Erik Saginac – Mapping Technical Advisor
Erik has assisted with route maps for the Montlake 5K Turkey Trot & Kids Run as well as the mapping of crime and safety data for the neighborhood. Erik and his wife Laura have lived in their Montlake home for over 10 years. Their home has been in Laura’s family for over 60 years, and is where Erik picked up Laura 16 years ago for their first date. They are now raising two young children and hope to keep the home in the family for generations to come.
Lori Sabado – Yard Sale
Lori is a native Seattleite and has lived with her family in the Montlake neighborhood for 10 years. She has two children in Seattle Public Schools. Lori is a former MCC trustee and ran the All Montlake Yard Sale for several years. Lori may often be spotted riding her bicycle throughout Seattle.