Board Members

Pat became involved with the Library in 1997, shortly after she moved to the Island.  She facilitated the BPL Book Discussion Group, and volunteered to work with the Friends of the Library.  She has served as President and Vice-President of the Friends Board. She has also served on the Kitsap Regional Library Foundation Board.  During her pre-Island life, she benefited from the travel that was a major part of her husband's career, raised a family, and taught school.  Pat considers her service on the Bainbridge Public Library Board both a challenge and a pleasure. Pat was the Vice-President of the BPL Board in 2010.

Sarah has lived and worked on Bainbridge since 2004. A professional editor for nearly two decades, Sarah has worked in the book publishing industry for the past dozen years. In addition to the role books play in her professional life, Sarah’s lifelong love of reading and belief in the importance of libraries to communities and individuals prompted her to volunteer with the library’s communications and fundraising committee. When not reading—on or off the clock—Sarah enjoys gardening, cooking, and knitting.

After 35 years as an expatriate business executive, primarily in emerging Latin American and Asian markets, Charlie retired to Bainbridge. He has been active in the Bainbridge Island Friends of the Library, serving on their Board in the past as Treasurer and later as President. Prior to retirement, his last posting was as Chairman and President of DuPont in China. During the years in Shanghai, he was active in the American Chamber of Commerce, and was elected to serve a term as Chairman. In 2004 he was conferred the Magnolia Award for contributions to Shanghai's development by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government. He and his wife are amateur gardeners.

Kathleen was born and raised on the East Coast in an upstate NY village.  As a young reader, she has fond memories of visiting her local library every week with her father.  Seeking a place where it didn’t snow so much, she traveled west for graduate school, and eventually moved to the island about eleven years ago.  Kathleen is Associate General Counsel at Amgen where she practices intellectual property law.  In a former life, she was a molecular biologist and still maintains a passion for science.  She is married to a high school biology teacher and has a daughter in middle school.

Ruth Baleiko, AIA, has been an island resident since 1998 and is a Principal with The Miller|Hull Partnership in Seattle.  As an architect focusing on library projects for the past 10+ years, she brings a working knowledge of library facilities--as well as an avid interest in service trends and patron experience.  When not at work, Ruth enjoys an early morning run, preparation of a shared meal, or time spent with husband Matthew & dog Henri.

Christy is a new addition to the Bainbridge Public LIbrary Board. She has lived on the island with her husband and 3 children since 1993. Christy is a member of Soroptomists of Kitsap County, has volunteered with the schools and served on the BPL Fundraising Committee for the past year. In her professional life, Christy is a financial advisor specializing in financial planning for retirement. In addition to reading, she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and riding her horse through the Grand Forest. Christy loves her book club and encourages everyone to join one!

Suzan is a native Bainbridge Islander. Long before Bainbridge Island had a library, the Book Mobile came to Lynwood Center every two weeks. She helped her Grandpa find the Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour books that he loved, plus enough books to keep Suzan reading until the next Bookmobile visit. Suzan graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Business Education and a minor in Journalism. She retired in 2009 from the UW’s Applied Physics Laboratory where she worked as a financial manager, and administrator for the Polar Science Center. Her non-fiction essays have been published in The Seattle Times, and magazines such as Still Crazy, Fresh Boiled Peanuts, and Stories with Grace. Suzan came to the Bainbridge Public Library Board through her involvement with Field’s End, which is a committee of the BPL Board.

Pamela is an attorney at Foster Pepper PLLC.  Her practice focuses on estate planning with an emphasis on family business planning.  Pamela has served on the boards of Cancer Lifeline and Humanities Washington, as well as on the University of Washington Estate Planning Board.  Pamela has been a resident of Bainbridge Island since 2005 and can be seen bicycling around the island with her husband, Don, when they aren’t tending to their small vineyard.  She also enjoys spending time with her children, grandchildren and other extended family members.

Brian writes for a local marketing firm. He taught at UW and the School of Visual Concepts in Seattle, has done public service work for Boys and Girls Clubs, Campfire Boys and Girls, First Place and United Way and has a wife named Terry and a dog named Archie.

Linda graduated from UW, has a M.Ed., and taught in the Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Community College.  For 23 years she was the owner of Frame it on Broadway/Linda Meier Gallery.  Linda has served on many community organizations in leadership positions including the Seattle Chamber of Commerce Diplomats, Broadway Business Association, Seattle Women Business Owners, and the NW AIDS Foundation.  She was awarded the Capitol Hill Community Lifetime Recognition Award in 1998.  Currently she is serving on the Boards of the Bainbridge Friends of the Library, the Bainbridge Public Library, Squeaky Wheels, and PAWS.  She volunteers at PAWS where she is a cat adoption counselor.  "I have lived on Bainbridge Island since 2001 on a small farm we call Chateau Poulet.  We raise chickens, ducks, peacocks, sheep and 3 spoiled indoor cats.  I grow most of our own vegetables and my husband grows most of our fruits and berries.  I am a step-mother to 6 grown “children” and  7 grandchildren, thanks to my husband, Dr. Stephen Hubbard, a cardiologist at Harborview Medical Center."

Lois became involved with BPL in 2008 when she volunteered both at the Library and with the Friends of the Library.  She became a Board member of FOL in 2008 and a Board member of BPL in 2009.  Lois moved to Bainbridge Island in 2006 from New York State to marry her husband, Richard Storch, an over 30 year resident of Bainbridge Island.  Prior to leaving New York, Lois retired from her long-time position as law clerk to a judge.  Lois has taught college-level courses, and before obtaining her law degree from Syracuse University, she taught first grade.  As a voracious reader, Lois has been a life-long supporter of libraries.  In addition to reading, she and her husband enjoy traveling and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Lois was previously Treasurer of the BPL Board and currently serves as President of the Friends of the Library Board.

George began his professional work with children in 1973.  After experience as a children’s librarian and professional storyteller, his first children’s book, LIZARD’S SONG, was accepted by Greenwillow in 1979. Since then he has had 38 books published including 27 picture books (among them DANCE AWAY, CLIMBING KANSAS MOUNTAINS, WHITE IS FOR BLUEBERRY, THE SECRET CHICKEKN CLUB and BUSY IN THE GARDEN).  TIPPY-TOE CHICK, GO! was selected as a Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book for picture book writing in 2003.  2008 brought both the Washington State Book Award and the Worzalla/Burr Award for RABBIT'S GIFT, and the "Life time Achievement Award" from PNWA.  He has also published essays on various aspects of children’s literature, and continues to work with children around the world on their own creative writing.  Conferences, workshops, and author visits have taken him to schools from the Arctic Circle to Jakarta, and Kuwait to Japan.   www.georgeshannon.org

Ann and her family are long time island residents who have been involved in many organizations and community support activities.  In the past Ann has served on the Bainbridge Arts & Crafts Board, the One Call for All Board, and the Bainbridge Foundation Board.  One of the most rewarding experiences she’s had was serving on the committee that successfully raised funds to expand the Bainbridge library which was a project met with great enthusiasm by people of Bainbridge Island.

Nancy Taylor is an Emeritus member of the faculty of Evergreen State College, having served there for 37 years in teaching and administration. Locally, Nancy has served on the K-12 Language Arts Curriculum Committee for Bainbridge Island Schools (2007 - 2009), worked as a tutor in the Woodward Middle School TAP program (2007 - 2009), a volunteer at Helpline House since 2007, a member of the funding selection committee for BIAHC, and on the Bainbridge Public Library Planning Committee since 2009.

Teri has lived on Bainbridge Island since 1987 and in Kitsap County since 1980. She is a teacher with the Bainbridge Island School District. Prior to earning a teacher’s certificate, Teri worked in social and human services, mostly with teens. She and her husband, Chuck, have two sons, both graduates of Bainbridge schools, who now live in Seattle. Teri has a long history of volunteering with the community. When she realized that Bainbridge Public Library was one of the sites she always took out of town visitors to, she decided to become involved and began volunteering on several BPL committees. She continues to be very proud of the facility that the good people of Bainbridge Island built almost 50 years ago and the stewardship that allowed for the beautiful library, gardens, and art that now define Bainbridge Public Library.   

Delight came to the Bainbridge Public Library Board through her involvement with Field's End, which is a committee of the BPL Board.  Prior to her retirement as Professor Emerita at Seattle University, she taught first in the doctoral program in Educational Leadership, and then set up and worked in the Master's Degrees in Adult Education and in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.  Prior to moving to Seattle University, she worked for sixteen years as an administrator at Renton Technical College.  She began her teaching as a junior high school teacher in Ottawa, Canada.  Besides the library, Delight spends time with her horses and other animals and with many books. Delight was President of the Library Board for 2009 and 2010.