Board & Steering Committee Members

Reed Blanchard

A growing sense of unease at the changes coming to Kitsap County led him to join KEC in 2020.  KEC allows him to convert anxious energy into action. With a Master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering (UW) and over 20 years in civil engineering design, he is eager to engage others—experienced or unexperienced— in actively working for earth justice. He is currently employed with Seattle Public Utilities.

Martha Burke

Martha has worked for the city of Seattle in planning and management, has developed environmental action agendas and has been a member and/or leader of several community groups including the Suquamish Citizen’s Advisory Committee and the League of Women Voters of Kitsap. She has a long-standing interest in the environment and its protection with a holistic perspective.

Cara Cruickshank

Cara lives in Indianola and has a Master's in Environment & Community, and has lived in WA for 30 years. She's been an eco/political activist and environmental educator for three decades, co-founding EcoSolutions and the Natural Landscapes Project on Bainbridge, and spearheaded Oysters for Salmon, a bio-filtration project to reduce nutrient pollution in the Sound. She's also involved with the Washington Community Rights Network working on Nature's Rights. She loves running her nature camp for young children each summer, hiking in forests, and exploring the Sound in her kayak.

Lisa Hurt

Lisa has been a Kitsap County resident for 58 years and has always been a lover of the outdoors, parks, and an advocate for environmental awareness. Her concerns about the use of toxic spraying in the county, the increasing population density in the area, and the diminishing wildlife corridors led her to Kitsap Environmental Coalition.

Bruce McCain

Bruce (retired) has a PhD in microbiology. He worked for a federal fisheries agency with his research focused largely on the effects of pollution on marine fish. Much of his team’s research was conducted in Puget Sound. He has been involved with various environmental groups in Kitsap County for the last 10 years.

Beverly Parsons

Beverly is a 15-year resident of Kitsap County. She connects her role as director of InSites (a research nonprofit with a national and international focus on large scale systemic change) with her passion to rebalance the relationship of humans with the rest of life on this planet. She has a PhD in social science research.

Carol Price

Carol is a lifelong Washington state resident. Over that time, she has lived on both sides of the state. For the last 27 years she has called Kitsap County home. Having retired from nursing some years ago, she is taking the opportunity to explore our changing world.

Margaret Tufft

Margaret has taught music on three continents during her musical career. During that time, she has been exposure to the ways different cultures deal with challenges, especially concerning nature, culture, community and coming together. Currently, she is finishing her certification as a life coach. Her major interests are ecosystems and permaculture.

Pedro Valverde

Pedro has a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (UW) and has worked a total of 30 years in the US and Latin American countries in the electrical power and renewable energy industries. Inspired by the climate change activism of Bill McKibben, Jim Hansen, and Greta Thunberg, Pedro joined KEC in January of 2020 during Earth Day of that year. He joined KEC because he was a new retiree who found himself without having contributed adequately to the decarbonization effort of planet earth. After learning that due to the new nationwide Covid virus restrictions, we would not be allowed to perform any public gatherings or activities for Earth Day commemoration, Pedro proposed that people commemorate by performing a virtual educational activity consisting of reading this article posted on KEC’s website.

Learning & Action Teams

Local Projects

Carol Price, Lead: Local environmental projects with a focus on parks and wetlands

KC Issues

Reed Blanchard, Lead: Kitsap County issues related to the intersection of climate change, economic development, and growth (includes the County’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update)

State Issues

Beverly Parsons, Lead: State governance issues related to the health and protection of forests (with focus on protection of Legacy Forests)

Education & Outreach

Cara Cruickshank, Lead: Educating ourselves and the public about the well-being of all of life in Kitsap County

Officers

  • Co-President: Beverly Parsons
  • Co-President: Carol Price
  • Vice President: Bruce McCain
  • Secretary: Reed Blanchard
  • Treasurer: Margaret Tufft

Steering Committee Members

  • Reed Blanchard
  • Martha Burke
  • Cara Cruickshank
  • Lisa Hurt
  • Bruce McCain
  • Beverly Parsons
  • Carol Price
  • Margaret Tufft
  • Pedro Valverde