Board of Directors
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Board Member
Tasha is a managing Environmental Scientist at Anchor QEA in Bellingham. Her efforts as a remediation consultant aim to restore contaminated sites, protect ecosystems, and help communities and wildlife thrive. She brings experience as a project manager working on large, complex projects in the US and Canada. Tasha leads the Women in the Environment mentoring group in Bellingham, fostering support and professional growth for women in environmental fields. Tasha grew up in Snohomish County, was a first-generation college graduate (Go Vikings!), and fulfilled her dream of moving to Bellingham in 2017. She is inspired by what the YWCA organization brings to the community, and their mission to empower women and support families with meaningful, hands-on assistance. Outside of work, Tasha enjoys running, mountain biking, skiing with her kids, and reading.
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Member
Carrie Danielsen was born in San Diego, CA, and moved to WA at the age of 12. After living in the PNW for over 30 years, she considers herself a true Washingtonian. Carrie is an LPN who has worked in senior living for over 3 decades in a multitude of roles from being a floor nurse to an Executive Director running an Assisted Living Community. Her current role is as an Assisted Living Regional Manager for Nightingale Healthcare which locally owns and manages Mount Baker Care Center and Summit Place in Fairhaven, WA. Advocating for seniors and women has always been at the forefront of her mission and values, so joining the YWCA board was a very natural decision. Carrie learned at a very young age that helping others brought meaning and purpose to her life. She joined the YWCA Board in 2022 and serves on the Fundraising Committee.
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Treasurer
Joyce Lopes joined the YWCA board in December 2025. She serves as Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs at Western Washington University. Throughout her 44-year career in education, Joyce has held roles in finance and administrative management at K-12 schools, community colleges, and public and private universities across the US and Europe. Joyce is a member of the Western Association of College and University Business Officers (WACUBO) and sits on the Board, Finance, and DEI Committees. Joyce also teaches at the annual Business Management Institute and has been a mentor in the WACUBO Mentor Program for four years. She is passionate about ensuring every student in Washington has access to an academic career that helps them take their place as engaged citizens in our community and realize their aspirations.
She lives with her husband and two dogs just outside Bellingham. They moved here in 2021 during the pandemic. She enjoys walks in the woods behind her house with the dogs, traveling with her husband, camping, and crafting. She has three amazing children, twin sons aged 36 and a daughter aged 29.
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President
Liz was born and raised in Whatcom County by a family of educators and social service providers. She has her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Whitworth University (Spokane, WA, 2012), her Masters in Divinity and a Master of Arts in Christian Education and Formation from Princeton Theological Seminary (Princeton, NJ, 2018) and her Masters in Business Administration from the University of St Thomas (St Paul, MN, 2020). Liz has worked as a minister in churches in New Jersey and Washington. She also worked for a private family foundation in the Twin Cities providing grant funding for various organizations targeting poverty, homelessness, education, and mental health issues. Liz moved back to Bellingham in 2021 and joined the board in October 2023.
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Member
Melissa Logan is the owner of Rising Income, a Bellingham-based bookkeeping firm. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she moved to Bellingham in 1998 and has also lived in Alaska and Hawaii. Melissa holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications with a minor in Women's Studies from the University of Hawaii. Her professional background includes operations management, emergency management, volunteer coordination, and human resources. She is passionate about community building and being and advocate and ally for change. As a small business owner, she enjoys helping local businesses and non-profits gain confidence in their finances. Melissa lives in Sunnyland with her daughter Emma and their sweet older dog, Cedar. She enjoys traveling, spending time with loved ones, attending community events, and exploring the outdoors.
Melissa joined the YWCA Board in December 2024 and is excited to be a part of an amazing organization working to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
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Secretary
Samantha Roeder is a full-time Real Estate Agent and a mom who joined the YWCA Bellingham board in 2022. A Washington native, she came to Bellingham in 1998 to attend Western Washington University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with a focus on photography and art history. She has a background in art gallery operations, non-profit event planning, filmmaking, and graphic design. Additionally, she is a licensed postpartum doula with Childbirth International and holds a beginning yoga teacher certification from Red Mountain School of Yoga. Samatha served on the board for House to Home, a non-profit furniture bank, from 2017 until it dissolved at the onset of the 2020 pandemic. She recently purchased her first home in Bellingham with her daughter, cat, and four chickens, and she is grateful to have her roots in this beautiful community that she loves!
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Board Member
Saachi Chugh joined the YWCA Board in 2026 after moving to Bellingham in 2025. Prior to relocating to Washington, she spent two years in Louisiana working in communications and public relations, with a focus on storytelling, messaging, and community-centered impact. Saachi earned dual Master’s degrees in Neuroscience and in Communications and Journalism from Louisiana State University, a background that shapes both her analytical approach and her commitment to thoughtful, effective communication. Originally from India, she currently works at PeaceHealth as a Philanthropy Content Manager and is actively engaged in local civic life through her service on the Mayor’s Community Development Advisory Board. Saachi lives in Bellingham with her husband and their dog, Roti, named after the Indian flatbread. She loves hosting and spending time with friends and family, along with coffee and books, especially literature rooted in feminism. She deeply cares about women’s issues and is committed to empowering women in every way possible.
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Secretary
Vanessa is a communications professional and former journalist with more than 20 years experience in writing, editing, teaching, and public relations. She joined SPIE as a book editor in 2024, and before that, she taught writing, editing, and public relations courses in the journalism department at Western Washington University. She also served as the communications director for the City of Bellingham for five years and as publisher and editor-in-chief of the Bellingham Business Journal. Vanessa has been a community activist, artist, and political consultant at various times over the years, and she has a bachelor's degree in journalism from WWU and a master's in communication and leadership from Gonzaga University. She joined the YWCA Board in 2024 and lives with her family in a 100-year-old home in the Lettered Streets.
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Vice President
Amelia joined the Board of Directors in 2023. She is a Bellingham native, full time Real Estate Broker, and mother of 4. Prior to Real Estate, Amelia was a Physical Therapy Assistant and specialized in Pediatrics. Amelia has been an active supporter of several other non-profit groups throughout Whatcom county that support community members and youth who are experiencing housing insecurity and developmental disability and is excited to be able to continue this support with the YWCA in a more hands-on role. In her spare time, Amelia can be found spending time with her family and dog, attending various Trivia Night events with friends, and working in her garden.
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Member
Elizabeth Boyle brings over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, non-profit support, and advocacy to the YWCA Board. Through her current consulting practice, she is honored to partner with numerous community organizations to support action on meaningful, complex social issues. Elizabeth has a strong belief that we all want to do good in this world, but we need to keep opening doors and removing barriers to allow everyone to be part of the conversation.
At home, she is mom to two amazing sons in college, Jackson and Thomas, and two spirited dogs, Rizzy and Baker. Elizabeth and her husband, Jim, moved from the East Coast in 2000 and are incredibly grateful to call Bellingham home. She loves spending time with friends and family on the trails or adventuring deep into the mountains.
Elizabeth joined the YWCA Board in December 2023 and is excited to join such a wonderful team of community members working to eliminate racism and empower women.
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Member
Gabriela Cardona is a community advocate and professional from Bellingham, WA, where she was raised as the daughter of immigrant parents. Growing up with challenges like food scarcity, displacement, and being part of an underrepresented community, Gabriela developed a passion for advocating for marginalized individuals.
Gabriela studied Business Management at Whatcom Community College. Her personal struggles, including a young marriage, divorce, and raising a child as a single mother, led her into community health work. By God’s grace, she has overcome these hardships and is grateful for the resilience that brought her to where she is today.
With experience as a homeless case manager, integration specialist, and care coordination specialist, Gabriela currently serves as the DEI and Outreach Specialist at the Whatcom Center for Early Learning. She is committed to uplifting those who are oppressed and believes in bringing those in shame into honor.
Gabriela’s journey is rooted in faith, perseverance, and a deep commitment to creating a more inclusive society. She is driven by a desire to empower individuals and positively impact her community.
Contact the Board
The YWCA Bellingham Board of Directors values transparency, accountability, and hearing from our community. If you have a question, concern, or feedback you would like to share directly with the Board, please use the button below to send an email. Your message will be received by the Board and reviewed by the appropriate Board leadership.