Board Members

In 2016 Kathy Bolles retired after a 26-year career as a municipal attorney and educator.  She returned to the Pacific Northwest to be near her sister who lives on the Island and mother who lives in Poulsbo.  For the last several years, Kathy has been active in the Friends of the Library and is currently on their Board.  Having to say "farewell” to her longtime volunteer positions upon her relocation, Kathy thoroughly enjoys the time she spends working with the Friends as they are all very interesting and engaged people with a dedication to the community and a love of reading.  She is looking forward to working with other members of the Bainbridge Public Library Board to support this most important community institution.

Denton graduated in 1981 from Seattle University with a BS in Finance.  He held a wide and interesting career as a financial and accounting professional, ownership and management of a highly regarded art gallery near the Seattle Art Museum, and leadership and management positions in complex retail and customer service operations.  He has served as the Board Chairman for the Friends of the Regional Epilepsy Association, Treasurer of the Northwest Cancer Center Foundation, and as a member of the Bainbridge Island Kiwanis.  He and his wife Caroline live on Bainbridge and he joined the Bainbridge Public Library Board in 2019.  

A Bainbridge Island resident since 1985, Walt retired from private law practice in 2016. He spent 6 years on active duty with the US Navy as a member of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and continued to serve in the Navy Reserve for an additional 22 years, retiring as a Captain in 2002. Walt’s volunteer activities on Bainbridge Island have included scouting (Scoutmaster, troop 1565), board service with Bainbridge Performing Arts, and Treasurer of Grace Episcopal Church. He currently acts as a tax counselor under the VITA program administered by the Internal Revenue Service. He has 4 children and stepchildren. He and his wife, Terry, enjoy golf, hiking, and travel among their many activities.

I am thrilled after a lifetime professionally working in libraries to be able to give again in volunteer position.  I got my Master's Degree in Librarianship from the University of Washington.  My husband and I with our two young children moved to the Island in 1976.  I began my career as a part-time children's librarian with Kitsap Regional Library at Bainbridge Island two years later.  I retired from the library two years ago as Director of Support Services.  It was wonderful to work and grow with the system and it even allowed me to actively volunteer for the Washington Library Association, culminating as its President.  I served for two years as the President of the Friends of the Library and facilitate one of the library's book groups.  I am an active reader, gardener and quilter.  My husband and I are travelers.  When not on adventures, we are surrounded by six grandchildren (all readers or read to) and two personable Ocicats, Joshua and Jericho.

Kip graduated from the University of Denver 1970 with a BS in Psychology, and afterwards moved up to the mountains to ski. He married Diane in 1976, and they’re still walking side by side! Kip entered the fast-growing field of telecommunications, and spent the next 23 years working in a variety of technical hands-on, administrative, analytical, sales and customer support positions. On Bainbridge he set up his own landscaping and handyman business and began working for BPL as the grounds keeper and maintenance and repair guy for the Ihland Way buildings.  He became the Facilities Manager for the KRL system, a position he held until he retired. Kip has been on the BPL Facilities Committee for twelve years and has continued into the present as a volunteer who discovered the magic of our library and can’t stay away! 

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.

Rachelle Castleberry graduated from the University of California, Davis with a degree in English and Anthropology. She moved to Bainbridge Island 15 years ago and has been involved in various volunteer projects at Helpline House, West Sound Wildlife Shelter and Bainbridge Island Child Care Centers. Rachelle currently leads the Enterprise Vendor Management Program at Zillow Group in Seattle and has worked in Business and Finance at other Northwest companies, such as Nordstrom and Russell Investments. In her free time, Rachelle loves to travel, read, garden and cook. Being in love with books her whole life, one of her happiest memories is watching her twin daughters proudly receive their first library cards. She has a strong devotion to libraries and the educational resources and refuge they provide all members of our community.

Jim spent most of his career in nuclear engineering and retired in 2008 from Livermore National Lab.  He moved to Bainbridge at the beginning of 2015 from the San Francisco Bay area. Residential remodeling (all aspects) and cabinetry experience are his sidelines. Since retiring, Jim has been involved with numerous volunteer jobs including: helping operate a kids summer camp in Northern California, the 2010 National Census, Black Rock Ranger for Burning Man, and a shop monitor for the Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network.

Envision a kaleidoscope. That’s my life! I have worked for several sports teams; a marine and land animal park; Special Olympics; a world-class museum (The Oakland Museum); received my MLS and was an online reference librarian at a major downtown public library (San Jose); bookseller (Eagle Harbor Book Co.); reporter and feature writer (Bremerton Sun; Bainbridge Review); researcher and writer for the City of Bainbridge Island; and President/Executive Director of PAWS of Bainbridge Island and another animal welfare nonprofit for total of 20 years. In addition, I have been involved with several island nonprofits over the decades since moving from the Bay Area to Bainbridge Island in January 1990. Currently, I’m an active volunteer with Island Volunteer Caregivers and Friends of the Library. I was secretary of the BPL board during the major remodel in 1997/98, and I look forward to again serving on the board of this premier community amenity.

Laurence Kerr retired from the US Senior Foreign Service in 2004. His last State Department assignment was with the National Defense University in Washington DC, where he was Associate Professor of National Security Strategy. Earlier postings included service as Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs in Mexico, Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé in Georgia, and Consul General in Chile, as well as assignments in Guadalajara, Singapore, Guatemala, and Washington. On Bainbridge Island, Larry has presented lectures in Military History for Library U and served as a moderator for the Great Decisions program. Larry and his wife Omie have been on Bainbridge Island for sixteen years.  The have two daughters, Margo, a marketing consultant, and Katie, a consultant on post conflict issues to the United Nations.

I first came to Bainbridge Island in 1963 to do David Black’s travel camp, and was hosted by my mother’s college roommate who had a summer home on Crystal Springs. I am a now-retired pediatric psychologist/neuropsychologist. I moved to Seattle in 1988 from the east coast with my wife and preschool-aged children, and then in 1989 to Bainbridge. I worked at Virginia Mason in Seattle for 15 years, and then at Seattle Children’s Hospital until summer 2021. I was a Clinical Associate Professor in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, and have been President of the Washington State Psychological Association and of the Pacific Northwest Neuropsychological Society. My children went to Wilkes and graduated from BHS. While I have loved reading all my life, I also love the outdoors and have been a life-long hiker and trekker. Libraries have always been a part of my life. My mother would drive me to the larger library in the next town (NYC suburbs) when I had exhausted the children’s section in our local library. My wife tells me I have amassed way too many books. I would like to contribute my services to help support this institution that has been so important to me and to our community.

Merry has lived on the island since 1996 and since that time has purchased many, many books at the FOL Book Sales.  After retiring in 2021, she is furthering her passion for books by volunteering with Friends of the Library and by joining the Bainbridge Public Library Board as a Director. She loves to read, spend time with family and is traveling whenever she can. In the past, she has served on the boards for Bainbridge Island Rowing Club, Marge Williams Center, and served as the Northwest chapter chair for the Professional Liability Underwriting Society.

My husband and I and our young family moved to Bainbridge Island in 1978. One of my first stops was to get a library card and that began my association with the Bainbridge Public Library. I found friends and a cause. I first became active in the Friends of the Library auxiliary group, worked on what were in those days twice yearly book sales, and became increasingly involved as a volunteer on library projects. I have served on the BPL Board of Directors during two different eras, was the coordinator for the library capital campaign in 1996 and I am currently chairman of our Lasting Legacy Committee with the mission to encourage others to join with us in making a gift to BPL as part of an estate plan. Suffice it to say I love my library—a refrain I hear from so many others when talking about our beautiful library building and grounds.