The Community Foundation of NCW has selected new members for the Methow Valley Fund Advisory Board: Don Linnertz, Sara Steele, Kelly Wiest and Jacob Young.
The Methow Valley Fund was established in 2006 by donors who wanted to support the charitable causes that make the Methow Valley a thriving community, according to a foundation press release. The Methow Valley Advisory Board was created, comprised of local residents, to help inform grantmaking decisions through the fund.
Last year, the Methow Valley Fund received charitable bequests by Ken Westman, Mike Real and David Walter that significantly increased its capacity for grantmaking and opportunities for making an impact in the community, the release said.
The MVF advisers serve three-year terms. The new members:
- Don Linnertz is the former executive director of TwispWorks. He helped established the Methow Housing Trust, has served on the board of Methow Recycles, and serves on several other boards in the valley and Okanogan County.
- Sara Steele is a documentary filmmaker and experienced in nonprofit communications. She works with many national, regional and local organizations. A recent project was creating films for the Methow Headwaters campaign. She has served on the boards of Little Star and Blue Earth and is a Clean Air Ambassador for the Methow Valley Citizen’s Council.
- Kelly Wiesthas been an educator in the Methow Valley for over 15 years and now has two roles at Methow Valley Elementary School: she teaches fifth grade and acts as the Program Coordinator for the International Baccalaureate-Primary Years program. Before taking on the coordinator position, she spent two years as an educator in India.
- Jacob Young is the general manager of the Old Schoolhouse Brewery. He has extensive experience in event management, logistics, and planning and guiding luxury cycling vacations. He volunteers with the Methow Housing Trust Policy Committee and the Winthrop Riverwalk Committee.
The new members join a team of current advisers including Sarah Brooks, Betsy Cushman, Jane Gilbertsen, Jay Lucas, Don Miller and Barry Stromberger. For more information, visit www.cfncw.org/methowvalleyfund.
