Council Board | Vashon-Maury Council

Community Council Board

Last Update: April 24, 2024

The community council board consists of 12 members when all positions are filled. The community elects 8 members in even years, and the board will appoint 4 more to fill gaps in skills needed and/or sectors to be covered. We currently have openings for 6 more board members, and are looking for board members who will be willing to work in the following areas:

Learning how to run Hybrid meetings (Zoom and In-person)
Expertise in Wix websites
Newsletter design and wording
Social media and other publicity – radio, newspaper, posters on bulletin boards
Fundraising (events, grants, online donations, other)
Serving as the board liaison to one or more committees working on community issues

We are also looking to have a board member be a liaison to the following sectors:

Culture (art) and history
Education
LGBTQIA2S+
Recreation

The sectors mentioned with each board member are those areas of special interest to the board member. The board member does not represent these sectors. Rather, the purpose is to have the board member connect with these sectors to understand their issues and needs and encourage participation in the Community Council meetings. This will result in greater visibility and understanding of community issues specific to each sector, and action on those issues.

Here are the Sectors and Board Member coverage, as of March 30, 2024:

Affordable housing: Diane Emerson

Business: Diane Emerson, Ben Carr

Culture (art) and history: Open

Education – Open

Environment: Diane Emerson

Faith –Jessica Anakar

Food: Debra Gussin

Health and human services – Debra Gussin

Latinx Community – Jamilla Stigall

LGBTQIA2S+ Open

Recreation: Open

Safety (Traffic safety, sheriff): Ben Carr

Youth – Jamilla Stigall

Others As Occur

The Board meets the 1st Thursday of the month, beginning at 7:00 pm. If you would like to attend a board meeting, please send an e-mail to DianeEmerson@yahoo.com at least a day before the board meeting, and you will get a copy of the agenda and a link to attend the meeting.

Ready to Apply? Send an e-mail to board president Diane Emerson; dianeemerson@yahoo.com

Board Member, Treasurer

Tammy Dye, more info coming soon

E-mail: info@v-mcc.org
Sectors:
Committee:

Board Member

E-mail: info@v-mcc.org
Sectors: To Be Determined
Committee:

Board Member

Ben Carr

E-mail: info@v-mcc.org
Sectors: Business

Ben serves an Assistant Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. He previously served for 14 years as a Senior Deputy Prosecutor in the King County Prosecutor’s Office, focusing largely on issues of legal reform, violent crime, and gun violence prevention. He got his J.D. at U.W. Law in 2008. Before going to law school he worked as a professional actor.

Frequent visitors for many years, Ben and his family moved to Vashon permanently in early 2020. They now live on the south end of town along with their dogs, cats, chickens, and bees.

"I have dedicated my professional life to public service, and have made it a point to get involved in outside organizations that promote equity, safety, and positive change. That mindset is something I would bring with me into this role, and I believe it could be a benefit to the council."

Board Member, Secretary

Jamilla Stigall

E-mail: info@v-mcc.org
Sectors: Youth, Latinx Community

Background - Coming Soon

Board member, President

Diane Emerson

E-mail: info@v-mcc.org
Sectors: Business, Environment
Committee: Co-Chair, Communications Committee (website team)

I grew up in Minnesota. I have a bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Technology, and an MBA in marketing management. I worked 17 years in the specialty chemical industry, where I became Director of Marketing for HB Fuller Company, a Fortune 500 adhesive manufacturer, and served on several boards. Later, I spent seven years volunteering full time in the USA, New Zealand, France and India for many causes. Along the way I gained skills in Nonviolent (Compassionate) Communication and permaculture.

Vashon became my permanent home in 2013. I met an Islander (Michael Laurie) and we married in 2014. Together we run Garden Green, an effort to help people garden organically, plus we jointly run a small plant nursery of native and medicinal plants. I also run a landscaping business – Emerson Gardening Services.

Sectors: I have strong connections to the environment sector, between the Garden Green effort, and membership in VIGA, the Fruit Club, the Garden Club, and more. In 2019, I organized a community forum on pesticides and the recycling effort for the Strawberry Festival, washing out and sorting recycling right on the street. In my first year on Vashon, I generated no waste, only recycling. I organized a Permaculture Design Course on Vashon in 2014. At our home, we strive to follow these permaculture principles: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle.

I also have strong connections to the business community. I am an active member of the Vashon Chamber of Commerce. I have long been a proponent of buying local and have been buying pretty much only locally grown food (WA and OR) at the grocery store since 2012. My service to the community through the Community Council is a very high priority in my life.

Board member, Corresponding Secretary

Jessica Anakar

E-mail: info@v-mcc.org

Board Liaison, Equity, Social Justice and Inclusion Committee

I am a 4th generation islander and a mother of three school aged children. I deeply care about our community and our Island spirit.

My family has been in service to our island community for generations.

Board Member, Vice President

Debra Gussin

E-mail: info@v-mcc.org

Debra has previously worked as a clinical social worker and in healthcare management, and is happy now to be spending time growing things and doing community work. She volunteers and is on the board of the Vashon Food Bank, and is proud to be part of the Vashon-Maury Community Council.