Director of Events

Gary Gao | Gary is a sustainability consultant focused on energy and water strategies. He spent the past 6 years in the sustainability field, developing custom client solutions to meet their sustainability goals and driving down their impact on the environment. He enjoys finding creative solutions to tackle complex challenges in an interconnected world. 

Why Net Impact? | Gary believes Net Impact is in a unique position to identify sustainability challenges and address those issues by connecting professionals in the industry. He is excited about organizing events to meet the demands of this rapidly changing industry. 

Why Seattle | Gary likes to spend his free time on or near bodies of water. On a typical weekend you can find him kayaking or hiking around the sound, or just drinking a bottle of water. 

Vice President

Liz Johnston | As Director at City Forest Credits, Liz works with local stakeholders in cities across the country who are leading the development of urban forest carbon projects. She has over a decade of experience leading complex projects and driving change through social and environmental impact projects at a regional and international scale.

Why Net Impact? | She is inspired by the enthusiasm, passion and commitment of the Net Impact community to create change through business. Liz is looking forward to growing her professional network of social impact advocates both locally and nationally.

About Liz | Liz likes to search for critters in the tidepools at Constellation Beach in West Seattle, or get lost walking through the Washington Park Arboretum. 

Director of Marketing

Kassie McKnight | Kassie is a sales and marketing professional with five years’ experience in recreation, sustainable tourism, and event management. After working in international sales and program development, she found a way to engage her skills locally. She is currently the Operations Manager at a family-owned urban winery, working to grow the brand and establish an inclusive community space in the heart of SODO.

Why Net Impact? | With her experience in sustainable, community-based tourism, Kassie has seen first-hand the positive impact that thoughtful social campaigns can have on a destination. Kassie believes that sharing knowledge across industries with a social impact lens will help strengthen communities and inspire people to find effective solutions to some of our biggest challenges. 

Why Seattle | Kassie's favorite thing about Seattle is escaping to the mountains and waking up fireside with a cup of locally roasted coffee.

Director of Technology

Joel Meyers | Joel started his career in the digital industry in 1996. From 2001-2019 was co-owner/founder of a digital solutions company (Fuse IQ) that provided services to nonprofits, INGOs and universities. From UX Specialist, to "webmaster," to Creative Director to Business Development Director he has seen and done quite a bit. He currently serves on several Boards, runs Seattle Tech4Good, and now is an independent consultant.

Why Net Impact? | Through his involvement with mission-driven organizations, Joel quickly realized the power of change is rooted in individual action, yet impassioned people typically need community, tools and structure to get things done. This is where Net Impact comes in! He looks forward to helping inspire the great Seattle community to help create the change they want to see.

About Joel | Originally from New York, Joel planted his roots in Seattle in the late 80's when it was still a small, sleepy city. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast and loves rock climbing, hiking and mt. biking. If not out on some trail, he is spending quality time with his family and friends, or out cruising twisties on his motorcycle.

Director of Marketing

Charlee Newman | Charlee works at YSC Consulting, developing comprehensive leadership strategy programs to enable the business objectives that are pivotal to an organization’s success. She has extensive experience in business development and marketing bringing a sharp commercial lens to all projects to increase impact. Charlee earned a B.S. in Advertising from the University of Illinois, with a focus on English Literature and Communications. More recently she earned an M.B.A. from Baruch College with specializations in Organization Behavior and Sustainable Business.

Why Net Impact? | Charlee first joined Net Impact as part of Baruch’s Graduate Chapter, serving as treasurer to manage club funds and to develop events that connected students with professionals in CSR roles throughout NYC. She wants to expand the business case for a triple bottom line approach to help businesses focus on people, the planet and profitability.  

Why She Loves Seattle | An avid adventurer, Charlee enjoys cycling around Seattle (and finding the routes with the least hills) and exploring Discovery Park with her dog. 

President

Daniel Pulse | Daniel is a finance and strategy consultant with a focus on helping small businesses and non-profits improve organizational performance and make informed, data-driven business decisions. Daniel has an MBA from the Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise at Florida Southern College, and is an experienced leader with a background in both finance and business development. He launched and later dissolved a non-profit named PlayUp, and now serves as Co-Director of Community Engagement for Minds Matter Seattle. Both organizations provide mentorship and supplemental education for at-risk youth. He is also an active member with several business associations in the greater Seattle area, and is on the selection committee for the GSBA Annual Scholarship Fund. Daniel is a former collegiate soccer player, and is the former Head Varsity Coach and Program Director for the Ballard High School Girls Soccer Program.

Why Net Impact? | Daniel is an eternal optimist who believes there is no limit to humanity’s collective potential. He believes that together we can combat some of the greatest challenges we face today. Net Impact brings people together to share information, strategies, and resources that can be used to address social inequality, educational reform, cyclical poverty, sustainability and environmental issues, and a myriad of other issues that are better tackled as a team.

What He Loves About Seattle | Daniel lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle and loves being in the heart of the city. He feels that Seattle is a special combination of access to outdoor adventures both in the mountains and on the water; world class art, music, food, sports, and more; and a population that, as a whole, cares about causes and having a positive impact in their communities, for humanity, and for the world.

Director of Membership

Annabelle Rosborough | Annabelle has spent over ten years in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector working on mission-driven projects. At a young age she became curious about the natural world and systems of change serving as a volunteer research scientist on Earthwatch Institute expeditions around the world. Annabelle is passionate about social impact, equitable solutions, and community building. Currently, she manages and programs parks and public spaces in the public realm to make downtown Seattle a dynamic, vibrant, and healthy urban core.

Why Net Impact? | Annabelle believes in the power of bringing mission-driven leaders together to address our most pressing environmental and social challenges. Net Impact is a platform for connection, learning, and discussion to identify opportunities for positive impact and professional development.

Favorite Things About Seattle | Annabelle appreciates Seattle’s access to local natural escapes, community gathering at farmers markets, paddleboarding on Lake Union, and the microbrewery culture.

Secretary

Aparna Sridhar | Aparna is an MBA with background in financial services and technology.She has experience working with United Nations FAO and has a degree in Social Impact Strategy with University of Pennsylvania. She is passionate about working in the non profit space particularly financial inclusion and agriculture. In her free time she loves making new friends, exploring the country, and is a huge theatre buff. She loves bringing accountability and highest ethical standards to her work, and is looking forward to being the Secretary and taking charge of this role.

Treasurer

Kendal Swinski | Kendal is excited to make use of her entrepreneurial skills in project management, program design, and service to create meaningful events and interactions for Net Impact Seattle members. Her passion is to inspire, connect and transform people and communities through deep respect and appreciation for life. She loves using her creative powers toward innovating systems that will allow for more health, thriving, and joy. Currently enrolled in Seattle University’s Leadership Executive MBA program (LEMBA) she aims to expand her capabilities for making large-scale strategic change.

Why Net Impact? | Kendal loves connecting people to each other and to new ideas. She used to work at Seattle Impact Hub as a community manager with the goal of bringing energy and interaction to the membership through the host program. Net Impact provides a similar opportunity – allowing Kendal the opportunity to engage more frequently with a variety of changemakers.

Love To Do In Seattle | Kendal has been infatuated with crew ever since she took Learn To Row at Greenlake just over a year ago. She has a love/hate relationship with Lagree Method Pilates at Studio 45. It is hard – but it’s quick and a great workout to strengthen her core (for better rowing!) Previous to finding her new, favorite sport, she loved rock climbing – outdoors and at Stone Gardens and Vertical World. She also enjoys gardening at her home, and when she can fit it in, at the Beacon Food Forest. On lazy evenings, a Netflix show and a cup of hot tea or a smidge of whiskey is the go-to.

Director of Fundraising and Sponsorships

Barbara Toorens | Barbara is passionate about circularity, working with mission-driven organizations to design programs aimed at reintroducing resources into the economy—material and human. Experienced in strategic marketing, communications, project management, fundraising and business development, primarily in the IT sector with an eye for private/public win-win collaborations, she spent 5 years as a director of sister NGOs in Brussels supporting African social entrepreneurs committed to changing the e-waste cycle with g’local, circular economic solutions. In 2017, she returned to the Seattle area and launched a boutique consultancy, Humanista Projects. Barbara’s a University of Pennsylvania teaching fellow in Social Impact Strategy with a MA in Cross-cultural and Sustainable Business Management from the University of Paris.

Why Net Impact? | Margaret Mead said it best, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” After being on the board of NetImpact Paris, she is looking forward to connecting to and with the Seattle community of changemakers.

Favorite Thing About Seattle | As a repatriated expat, she loves rediscovering old haunts, meeting new people, paddleboarding Lake Washington, and hiking with her rescue dog.