Vik Sahney
We're pleased to present you with the outcome of our most recent election:
- The bylaw amendment was approved.
- The following BoD candidates were elected:
- 3-year term (highest vote recipients): Steve Swenson, Kara Stone, and Brynne Koscianski
As a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led organization, The Mountaineers continues to depend on the generosity, initiative, and leadership of our volunteers. We are humbled by the service provided by board and branch directors whose positions are confirmed by members each year.
The Governance Committee and the Board of Directors presented three candidates to our membership at-large for elections in October 2018. Each of the candidates is eager to serve The Mountaineers, and possesses the professional skills and personal commitment needed to further our mission.
This year, the Foothills branch aligned their branch election timelines to coincide with the Board elections. Stay tuned for links about branch-specific election results.
PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the organization-wide bylaws were approved by the vote. The updates, in sum, were to provide flexibility to the board to vary the number of at-large directors from nine to fifteen based on the needs of the organization and the availability of ideal board candidates. The amendment was presented and then endorsed to the board at the May 2018 meeting of the board.
MEET OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS!
The new members possess the professional skills and personal commitment needed to further our mission: To enrich the community by helping people explore, conserve, learn about and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
BRYNNE KOSCIANSKI
MEMBER SINCE 2016
Growing up in the PNW, Brynne Koscianski fondly remembers ascending to the top of a neighbor's basketball hoop via Texas prusik - practicing before a family climb of Mt Baker. A second generation Mountaineer, she recently graduated from the intermediate glacier travel course and is working to become a climb leader. She also serves on The Mountaineers Advisory Council. Brynne enjoys climbing, trail running, skiing, and paddling around the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband Ryan, heeding the call of their family motto: "it doesn't have to be fun to be fun".
A graduate of Yale University, Brynne is a product development leader at Amazon where she leverages customer-centric design to develop and launch new products. Passionate about advocating for women and girls in the outdoors, Brynne has also served on an advisory council for Girls on the Run, a non-profit organization inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident through running.
Personal Statement: "My favorite Mountaineers photo is from 1911, showing a group of men and women climbing Paradise Glacier in Mount Rainer National Park. Balancing on a high heeled boot, a woman jumps across a ridge in the snow - her long wool skirt pulled taught mid-stride. As thankful as this photo makes me for modern climbing gear, it also reflects something I love about The Mountaineers: from the beginning, this community has been formed with the values of equality. 16 years before women had the right to vote in Washington State, we made up nearly half of the 110 founding members of The Mountaineers. I'm proud to follow in the footsteps of these female adventures, risk-takers, and leaders, and appreciate the power of the outdoors to generate meaningful connections across a diverse community. We come together through the common language of exploration, perseverance, and love for our wild places."
KARA STONE
MEMBER SINCE 2012
Kara Stone has been a Member since 2012, and has volunteered on the advisory board and the board of directors for several years in various roles and committees. She is the General Manager of REI’s Seattle Flagship Store, where she leads the co-op's largest team to inspire, educate, and outfit Puget Sound’s Outdoor Community. Kara has worked for REI for over 21 years, in 6 locations across the country. She has a B.S. from Michigan State in commercial recreation and tourism and a background in youth programming through her time working, volunteering, and serving on the board of directors for YMCA camps in Michigan, California, and Washington. In addition to getting kids outside, Kara has a passion for conservation, recreation access, and protecting public lands. She is an avid mountain biker, backpacker, telemark skier, and an aspiring climber. Kara is expected to graduate from our Basic Alpine Climbing Course this coming fall, and is excited to get out and climb with our marvelous member and volunteer community! Lastly, she is the proud mom of two daredevil outdoor enthusiasts that keep her on her toes, her 5 year old daughter Kaelyn and her 11 month old son, Bryer.
Personal Statement: “As a board member and a basic climbing student, I see firsthand the beating heart that makes The Mountaineers such a special organization: our volunteers. It is an absolute marvel to behold the literally thousands of outdoor enthusiasts across the Puget Sound who are inspired to pass along their hard earned outdoor skills. And all for the love of getting each other outside, safely, to live life in a better way….in the wild places that connect us all. I have been honored to serve our dedicated volunteers and members as an at-large board member and would be thrilled to continue this work.”
STEVE SWENSON
MEMBER SINCE 2010
Steve Swenson is a world-renowned alpinist who has climbed all over the world with a special interest in peaks in China, India, Pakistan, Patagonia, and Nepal. He is retired from a 35-year career as a water resources consulting engineer. From 2009 to 2012 Steve served as board president of the American Alpine Club and spearheaded an ambitious new strategic plan whose implementation helped drive the growth of AAC from 9,000 at that time to over 20,000 members today. His leadership was instrumental in setting a vision, raising funds, and executing that vision. He brings executive, non-profit, and deep technical expertise to our organization.
Personal Statement: "My initial interest in working with The Mountaineers when I began my first term was to help modernize its climbing education program. During the past three years, the Mountaineers has completed a study and is now in the implementation phase of its Progressive Climbing Education program (PCE). PCE should enable The Mountaineers to better accommodate new climbers, most of whom start out in indoor gyms, and better support our existing volunteer instructors. PCE will help The Mountaineers retain their prominence in this space. In addition to working on PCE, I spent time with other board members, club leadership, and staff on governance. The former Nominating Committee responsible for board development has been rolled into a new Governance Committee. I’ve been serving on the new GC that has been working hard throughout the year to recruit new board members that possess the skills needed for the work at hand. In addition to board development, the new GC is responsible for bylaws and policy revisions that are necessary to keep the organization current. My other work for The Mountaineers that is of increasing importance is fundraising (aka development). Implementation of our strategic initiatives like PCE requires investments beyond what The Mountaineers can generate with its traditional sources of revenue. Fundraising is becoming an increasingly important tool to help us meet our goals and the organization is making significant strides to build a more robust development function. I’m excited about being nominated to serve a second term on The Mountaineers Board of Directors and the opportunity to continue this work."
