BOARD MEMBERS
Ken is a retired Everett firefighter, paramedic and fire captain. He’s been active in Firefighter’s Local 46 and various community groups. In his previous lives, he was the drummer in the 60’s era rock band Fragile Lime, a reluctant soldier, a scholar (Ph.D. in developmental psychology), an adjunct professor, dishwasher, and just about everything in between. He serves on the newsletter committee and chairs the resource development committee.
Linda is the former WAmend Chair. She grew up in Canada, but moved after graduate school to the United States. After 20 years without a political voice, she became a citizen in 2000, and vowed to roll up her sleeves for the changes she wanted to see. As a psychologist, Linda abhorred the role insurance companies play in the health care she was able to offer my patients and the pre-existing conditions they were saddled with. It was clear to her that big money (and the political leverage that purchases in the US) was impacting the care people were allowed.
Linda Bock was born and raised in the southeastern part of the United States and is happy to be a transplant from the right coast to the left coast. Her work with I-735 is her first major foray into the world of politics and was the top signature gatherer, collecting over 21,000 signatures! Every day working with WAmend she is constantly reminded of Margaret Mead’s words to “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” She is truly one of those committed citizens.A board member.
David is a principal at Energy Friendly Holdings. After graduating from the University of Washington in 1985 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, David went on to manage several groups as a software developer at Microsoft. He received an MBA in Sustainable Business from Bainbridge Graduate Institute and founded a non-profit called Home Performance Washington to promote whole-house energy efficiency programs in the state.
Erik is an Attorney with the Law Office of Sweeney & Dietzler. He graduated cum laude from Seattle University School of Law, where he served as the Business and Marketing Editor for the school’s law review and made the Dean’s List. Erik has previously worked on election reform issues as a steering committee member for Fair Elections Seattle’s Proposition 1 campaign, and for FairVote, including in their national headquarters in the Washington, DC area, and as the campaign manager against three ballot measures in Pierce County, Washington. Prior to that, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Swaziland, working on HIV/AIDS education.
Former chair of the corporate personhood/clean elections committee for MoveOn.org’s Seattle Council and former Co-ordinator/Organizer for the reported #1 council in MoveOn Co-founder of WAmend and chair of the committee that wrote I-735. He was instrumental in helping write the initiative language and is a great source of historical and constitutional information.
John has served as President of Fix Democracy First, as well as chair of its policy (legislative) committee. He is a Washington native and a retired attorney. In addition to having engaged in private law practice, he has been a naval officer, counsel to a U.S. Senate committee, a law school adjunct professor, and a board or committee member of various civic groups. He is a former president of the Western Washington Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and a recipient of the national Arthritis Foundation’s distinguished service award. John is the author of Captive Notions, a book of original aphorisms, and a recreational basketball player. He has three grown children and six grandchildren.
Ryan is a home inspector and has a background in photography, graphic design
STAFF
Cindy Black served as WAmend’s campaign director for Initiative 735 and as Secretary during the I-735 signature-gathering campaign. In 2014 she served on the executive committee for I-1329, the predecessor of I-735. Prior to that, she was a grassroots organizer for I-522 to label GMOs. Her involvement as an activist was spurred on by a desire to see her grandchildren grow up in a more sustainable and just world. She has been a small business owner and veteran, and believes it’s our civic duty to stand up to the moneyed influences corrupting our democracy and to give power back to the people.
Genezaret is currently a senior at the University of Washington studying Communication. He has held various leadership positions with his fraternity on campus, Omega Delta Phi, making sure to always give back to the surrounding communities through community service and setting good examples. He is also the Vice President of the United Greek Council, which serves 13 minority Greek organizations on campus. Genezaret hopes to assist in fixing our democracy within his role and position in the organization.