WDRC Welcomes Three New Board Members - Sarah Chan, Jon Krause, and CJ Seitz
Sarah Chan
Sarah is a Caribbean native currently residing in the Pacific Northwest and the USA home since March of 2006. She loves sharing her Caribbean experience through food and storytelling and is extremely proud of her Caribbean heritage. Much of her childhood was spent watching her maternal grandmother prepare meals for family & friends, her grammy has been the biggest influence and inspiration towards the creation of Calypso Kitchen.
At Calypso Kitchen, Sarah shares the flavors of the Caribbean through cooking classes, catering services and collaborations with local chefs & businesses. Calypso Kitchen also offers a range of authentic traditional sauces and spices and hot foods/meals that are available at our local Bellingham Farmers Market or for in store pick up.
Sarah is mom to four beautiful daughters who share her enthusiasm for fantastic delicious food. Most people who enjoy food describe themselves as foodies, they agree that a more apt description would be “adventurous discerning sensual eaters”.
When she’s not spending time in the kitchen or with her daughters, she is actively perusing ways that she can help make the community a better place for everyone. She is a passionate advocate for everyone having access to food security. Because of her personal experiences with domestic violence & human trafficking she is drawn to bringing awareness to these issues and finding ways to eradicate it. She looks forward to working with the Board of the WDRC to find ways to facilitate betterment in our community for everyone.
Jon Krause with his wife and two teenage children
Jon Krause
Professionally, Jon has spent his career in the courts, corrections and social service industries since 1989. He moved to Bellingham from Port Angeles in June 2019 to take a position with the Whatcom County Superior Court as a Pretrial Services Manager. For the last 16 years he resided in Port Angeles. He was active on different Boards in the community. He received his BS from Minnesota State University and MA from Liberty University in Human Services and Leadership.
Bellingham is like “the Big Sister” to Port Angeles that makes it so attractive. The water, mountains and citizens of Whatcom County are his passions. Jon feels being a Peace Maker is a calling and the WDRC is a great way to get involved in and serve Whatcom County. Jon’s life mantra is “Being a Catalyst for Change.” Jon enjoys biking, hiking, reading, and exploring the culinary side of Bellingham (Jon loves food).
CJ Seitz
Incoming WDRC board member, CJ, brings a passion for serving others and commitment to this exciting new role. Currently serving Whatcom County as the director of Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Centers, CJ’s experience includes over two decades of executive planning, financial strategy and organizational marketing in both the private and public sectors.
From her earliest career as a guide, navigating groups of kayakers through challenging waters, to her later roles leading change in complex governing environments, CJ seeks to discover mutually beneficial outcomes that build organizations and foster rich and rewarding life experiences.
It’s been said that peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. CJ believes that one of the most important roles of a good leader is to foresee the potential for conflict and to advocate for healthy communication that leads to the discovery of opportunities that move people and organizations forward toward mutually beneficial outcomes.
CJ spends down time with family and friends, enjoying the remarkable beauty of nature and pondering Mary Oliver’s quote from ‘Summer Day,’ “what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”