Kevin Brown, Parks Director

Kevin has worked with King County for 12 years. Prior to being appointed as the Parks' Division Director, Kevin served as a Program Analyst and Special Projects Coordinator for King County. Brown has a degree from Arizona State University.

Pearson F. Cummings, Business Development Manager

Pearson is responsible for building long-term partnerships with our private sector partners to ensure our parks can fully operate and thrive.  He brings a private sector perspective to the public challenges he tackles—prior to joining the Parks team, Pearson served as a marketing and communications manager at Microsoft.  At Microsoft, he helped drive global marketing and communications for one of Microsoft’s fastest growing businesses, its Server and Tools Division.  Prior to joining Microsoft, he worked as a strategic communications consultant at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, building global communications and public affairs programs for clients such as Microsoft.

Pearson’s career in public service started as a legislative aide to Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, where he advised the Senator on matters related to education, the environment, transportation, and agriculture.  In 2000, he took a position in the White House under President Bill Clinton managing appointments and nominations.  Pearson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the College of Wooster.

T.J. Davis, Community Partnerships & Grants Manager

T.J. manages the Division's innovative and successful Community Partnerships and Grants (CPG) Program. The CPG Program is a public/private partnership tool that empowers community-based organizations to design, construct, operate, and maintain new public recreational facilities on King County-ownded land. King County contributes long term use of public land and capital grants up to $100,000, the community-based partner contributes the remaining capital, as well as, programming and maintenance. T.J. also managed the Active Sports and Youth Recreation Commission, a 19-member citizens board that advised King County on regional active recreation issues and recommended the creation of the community partnerships initiative. A natural consensus-builder, T.J. shepherded the Commission's vision into the public policy arena and now is a key liaison with the region's recreation groups, sports associations, and other community-base organizations.

Before coming to King County Parks, T.J. spent 8 years with the Governor's Commission on Disabilities under Governor Kitzhaber advising on and developing statewide disabilities related policy. He also spent a year working with the Oregon Lottery resolving a Department of Justice investigation for which he received the International Powers Award, the highest international honor in the worldwide field of public gaming. T.J. has a bachelor degree in Public Policy from Western Oregon University.

Since the Aquatic Center opened its doors in April of 1990 for the Goodwill Games, Mike has been at the helm. A veteran of the aquatics industry, Mike started his career as a swimming coach and lifeguard 30 years ago.  Over the past decade and a half he has seen the Aquatic Center through thousands of functions, welcoming more than 7 million visitors to his facility.  Each year Dunwiddie represents King County at the US Aquatic Sports Convention to place bids for national and international events.  In addition to hosting a multitude of events, Dunwiddie served as Event Director for the 2003 Olympic Trials for Synchronized Swimming. His efforts to ensure the King County Aquatic Center remain a regional source of pride and economic powerhouse (bringing in more than eight million dollars per year to the regional economy) have resulted in him receiving the 2000 Ticketmaster “President’s Award” for Outstanding Event Coordination & a Washington State Senate Resolution acknowledge his success and importance to the Pacific Northwest’s aquatics community.  In a National landscape where park & aquatic facilities are struggling for funding & upgrades, Dunwiddie has increased and diversified his revenue streams.  His facility & track record enable him to compete for and win millions toward renovations ensuring the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center remains on the leading edge of competitive swimming facilities in the world.

Robert Foxworthy, Regional Trails Coordinator

Robert is responsible for coordinating planning, policy, and development for King County’s Regional Trail System. As a certified urban planner, he has extensive experience in policy development and planning for parks, transportation, land use, communities, and the environment. Since joining King County is 2000, Robert has focused on regional parks development, transportation, and regional trails. Robert is active at all levels of planning and implementation, working with relevant agencies, organizations, and the public. He coordinates trail system policy development, planning, acquisitions, capital projects identification & development, system character, budget, and community liaison.

Robert’s 25-year career includes working with federal, state, and local governments as well as communities and neighborhood groups on a variety of projects throughout the Pacific Northwest, California, and the East Coast. He is a recognized authority on neighborhood collaborative planning, and has led extensive multi-disciplinary efforts to address community needs where transportation issues have figured prominently. Prior to taking on the Regional Trail System, Robert co-authored the County’s the Roads Strategic Plan and coordinated planning and development within the County’s regional park system.

Robert’s education includes study at the University of Washington, University of California, San Diego, University of Texas at Austin, and San Diego State University. He holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in communications and the sciences. Robert is currently on the Professionals Council for the University of Washington’s Urban Planning and Design Program.

Robert’s favorite projects (aside from regional trails) have included coordinating neighborhood planning for Queen Anne, Fremont, and Magnolia communities in Seattle.Other favorite projects have included nonmotorized planning for King County, land use and development planning in Alaska for native corporations, and the planning of the extensive San Dieguito River Park in San Diego.

Sujata Goel, Special Projects

Goel is a believer in finding innovative and responsive solutions to delivering government services. Goel joined the Parks Enterprise team in July of 2005.  In her role as Special Projects Coordinator for Parks, Goel is involved in many aspects of business plan implementation.  This includes evaluating return on investment, capital project implementation, managing corporate partnerships, and working with community groups.  

Nick Halverson, Land Manager

Nick specializes in the land use and real property aspects of parks and regional trails, and provides on-the-ground expertise for Regional Trail System operations. His specialty is oversight of uses for Natural Resources and Parks Department properties, including regional trail lands. In this capacity, he reviews requests for public and private uses of parks and natural resources lands and identifies terms and conditions for approvals of Special Use Permits, leases, and easements. Nick also investigates, identifies, and remedies improper or unauthorized uses, right-of-way liabilities, and storm damage issues. He is involved in property acquisitions and is a Division lead in collecting accurate mapping and GPS data.

Nick has responsibility for developing and implementing land use and operational procedures consistent with Regional Trail System policies and plans. Much of his work focuses on the analysis of uses within regional trail corridors and the determination of appropriateness. Approvals and denials of requests for uses of trail right-of-way, identification of use terms and conditions, and liaison with legal authorities are all a part of Nick’s daily work program. If there’s an issue with an encroachment on Park or Natural lands,  Nick will likely be working on it.

Because Nick has a thorough understanding of land uses and the legal framework in support of property, he represents an important asset to Regional Trail System policy, planning, and development. He works closely with the Regional Trails Coordinator to identify appropriate trail corridors, alignments, and facility sites. Nick also has a solid understanding of on-the-ground regional trail and park operations, and he functions as a liaison for system maintenance activities.

Nick joined King County Parks in 1979 and has worked within the Division’s Parks Resource Section and Natural Resource Program. He has an extensive familiarity with the King County Parks System and the regional trails. One of his favorite assignments was as resident manager of Tolt McDonald Campground in Carnation.

Jessie Israel, Business Development & Partnerships, Section Manager

Israel's team specializes in imagining and implementing non-traditional partnerships geared to increase government efficiency and private investment. Israel is a believer that a combination of creativity, efficiency and technology should trump bureaucracy - a notion reflected in every project she takes on.

Since joining King County, Israel has worked to meet the public’s expectation for an innovative park system – exceeding revenue goals and building support with media, park user groups, and corporate community. Israel has been on point for breakthrough projects including the development of the MSN Wi-Fi Hotspot at Marymoor Park, Starbucks trails initiative, Lakewood Park Community Center with the Technology Access Foundation, Starbucks Ultimate Park Makeover, Group Health bicycling partnership among others.

Prior to joining King County, Israel was recruited to manage the Center for Women & Democracy at the University of Washington. Over two-years, the organization's budget increased exponentially and programs broadened reach to thousands in the United States, Morocco & Cuba featuring notable figures including Gloria Steinem, Madeleine Albright, Sen. Maria Cantwell, Gov. Christine Gregoire, Mavis Leno & Fidel Castro.

Over the past decade, Israel has worked with numerous elected officials, non-profit organizations and government agencies as a political consultant and project manager. She has trained in English and French on communications, political strategy, public-private partnerships and sustainable development. In 2002, Israel was a part of a high-profile team with the National Democratic Institute training candidates for Morocco’s national election—resulting in historic jump from 1% to 10% female representation in Moroccan Parliament. Also a former Peace Corps volunteer, she spent two years in West Africa managing agro-forestry and sustainable development initiatives.

Over her career, Israel has served as a trainer/facilitator with the Women’s Political Caucus, National Education for Women Leadership Institute, City Year Seattle, National Democratic Institute, United States Peace Corps, Campaigns & Elections Magazine, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks, State & National Recreation & Parks Associations.

In 2006, Israel was honored to be named by the Puget Sound Business Journal as one of their '40 Under 40'. This list identifies some of the region's rising business stars who are under the age of 40 and possess a passion that drives their business and community involvement to a new level.

Tom Koney, Parks Deputy Director

Tom has worked for King County for the past 12 years. Prior to serving as Parks' Division Deputy Director, he served as Program Manager, Legislative Analyst for the King County Council, Growth Management Planner & Budget Analyst.

In the hospitality indulstry, Koney worked as a Commercial Appraiser and Consultant in addition to being th Assistant Resort Manager at the Lawrence Welk Village in San Diego.

Koney has a degree from Cornell University and Masters from University of Michigan.

Butch Lovelace, Youth Sports Facility Grant Manager

Butch Lovelace has a long history in athletics and outdoor recreation and wants to ensure that the next generation does as well.

Lovelace manages King County’s youth sports grant program which has distributed 7 million dollars between 200 projects over the past 15 years. By infusing a strong partnership ideal in the program , Lovelace ensures that the grant program is matched five times over. Since 2001 alone, the program has leveraged more than $25 million in capital improvements for the betterment of sports facilities for children.

A key member of the Partnership for Parks team, Lovelace is also on point for King County Parks’ strategies on park signage & branding, legislation, green building, and implementation of performance measures.

In addition to speaking to community groups on the Partnership for Parks initiative, Lovelace is regularly invited to speak on youth sports resources, green building, park planning, community relations, physical rehabilitation & the role organized sports play in a child's life.

Frana Milan, Program Manager & Grant Writer

Frana is the newest member of our Partnership for Parks team and specializes in grant writing, developing partnership initiatives and Parks' new individual giving program.

Prior to joining Parks in July 2007, Frana worked with the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle (ECOSS), where she was responsible for fund development, communications, and community organizing and support for the South Park community.  Frana has extensive experience in the environmental non-profit arena, from working locally with People For Puget Sound as the grants and contracts manager to working internationally with Earth Day Network as European Coordinator.

Frana earned an MPA and MAIS from University of Washington, with an emphasis on environmental policy and non-profit management, and has a BA in Political Science and French from the Ohio State University. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of EarthCorps and Mangrove Action Project and volunteers with a variety of other community groups.

Robert Nunnenkamp, Land Manager