President: open

Acting President: Grace Stiller

Grace became Acting President in 2016 after the retirement of President Lance Haslund. She serves on several local non-profit boards and two County boards as well as running her own environmental non-profit, Weed Warriors. Grace holds degrees in Education and Art, and has experience teaching in Haiti as well as the US. Now retired, she volunteers her time for both art and environmental organizations. She was named Burien Citizen of the Year in 2020.

Secretary: Armando (Mando) Ramos

“I have the honor of working and volunteering for several causes whose missions I believe in,” Armand stated. “My appreciation for the arts spans everything from painting, sculpture and novels to film, video games and zines both online and off. Roleplaying games and worldbuilding are my primary tools for contributing to the cathedral of the arts as well as model painting, writing and singing.”

“I believe in being an active member in my community as well as being a good steward of the blessings I’ve been given, ” he continued. “Together we create the world around us.”

Armando works as a counselor on a mental health hotline.

Treasurer: open

Board Member: Claire Yurdin

Claire serves as Webmaster and was Chair of Shakespeare in the Park 2018-2-23. She has also co-hosted the artists opening receptions for the past seven years and worked at our now-defunct brick-and-mortal gallery in Olde Burien for two years. She retired in 2022 after twenty years in web and marketing in the Seattle metro and is working on several writing projects. She holds a BA in English.

Board Member: Cydney Moore

Cydney served on the Burien City Council with a term expiring in December 2023. She has worked as a journalist and editor as well as in social media and digital marketing management and consulting, web design, and sales. In 2011 she launched her own digital media start-up, which became a successful small business.  Cydney has served as a Lead Organizer for ACLU Burien People Power, Co-coordinator of the Burien/White Center Migra Watch Team, and spent several years on the steering committee of statewide nonprofit Sensible Washington. She has also volunteered with the Community Visions Network, the People’s Harm Reduction Alliance needle exchange program, Burien C.A.R.E.S., Burien Clean Sweep, Burien PRIDE Festival, and the Burien Severe Weather Shelter.

Board Member: Sahily McMillan

Sahily has long experience photographing and editing visual content as well as working as a certified makeup artist. In the last few years, she has turned to printmaking and curates the Burien Little Art Museum, a small neighborhood museum in Burien. A first-generation Cuban-American from South Florida, Sahily has called the Pacific NW home since 2016. She holds a BA in Communications with a minor in Fine Arts from Florida International University and a User Experience and Visual Design Certificate from the University of WA.

Board Member:  Ambar de Kok-Mercado

Originally a fine arts major, Ambar transitioned into digital arts and has explored various creative fields, including graphic design, mixed media, printmaking, painting, upcycling, and costume design. With Puerto Rican and Dutch heritage and a touch of Midwestern roots, she brings a diverse perspective to her work.

Ambar earned a BA in Fine Arts in Printmaking from the University of Iowa and an Associate Degree in Graphic Design and User Experience from Seattle Central Creative Academy.  She previous curated art for neighborhood coffee shop in Seattle’s Central District and now resides in Burien. As a Digital Product Designer and UX researcher, she is enthusiastic about contributing her passion for the arts to the Burien community.

Chair, Shakespeare in the Park: Halie Looper

Halie’s non-profit background includes Director of Artistic Operations for Seattle Choruses, Operations Manager for the NW Children’s Foundation, and work with Altruist Partners, a consultant for non-profits. She has served as a teaching artist for Youth Theatre NW, Mercer Island. She is Chair of our Shakespeare in the Park program.

Halie currently works at ad agency Wunderman Thompson. She holds an MFA from Seattle Pacific University.