Board of Directors
Peter Ehrlichman - Chair
Kathy Wilson - Vice Chair
Thom Hall - Secretary
Catherine James - Treasurer
Bobbe Bridge
Sherryl Christie
John Meyer
Louis Muniz Jr
Michele Panelli-Venetis
Christopher Stowell
Executive Committee
Peter Ehrlichman (Chair) started attending theatre and the symphony in the 1960’s as the young son of an active arts supporter. He has been involved in nonprofit work ever since returning to Seattle in 1975 after graduating from Stanford Law School. Peter served on the boards of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra for nine years, the Seattle Children’s Theatre for nine years, and on ArtsFund’s Board of Trustees for four years, among others. A partner in the litigation group at Foster Pepper for 27 years and partner, chair of Dorsey & Whitney’s Seattle trial group or of counsel for 17 years, Peter retired from the practice of law in 2020. Peter and his wife Debi bought their Holmes Harbor home in 2006, and moved from Lake Forest Park to live full time on the island in 2018. Over the years they have enjoyed attending a variety of performances at Whidbey’s Center for the Arts and look forward to supporting this organization more in the future. When not spending time with his three children, their spouses and 7 grandchildren, Peter keeps busy boating, fishing, oyster and vegetable farming, skiing, golfing at UBG&CC and playing jazz piano. Life on the island is good!
Kathy Wilson (Vice Chair) spent most of her career at IBM. She was hired as a marketing rep trainee and held many managerial and executive positions in the field and on marketing and product development staff. Kathy left US headquarters as VP of Marketing and ended her field career as VP and M.Dir of commercial operations in Washington DC then became one of 5 M.Dir's at Talegen Holdings. After Talegen, Kathy served on several nonprofit boards: Childhaven, Seattle Children's Home and the Northwest School. She became a nonprofit consultant for 501 Commons and worked with the Master Gardeners Program, Hopelink, Solid Ground, WICA, Readiness to Learn and the Waldorf School. Kathy and her husband, Clyde, have been long-time patrons of the arts and supporters through annual gifts to The Arts Fund in Seattle. Kathy and Clyde have become passionate advocates and frequent patrons of WICA. Kathy finished her first 7 years on the WICA board in October 2021. She served on the gala committee each of those years and as procurement chair in 2016; also serving on the Fund committee, and she chaired the Donor Stewardship committee in 2020 and 2021.
Thom Hall (Secretary) is a former journalist, political aide, and entrepreneur. He graduated from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) in 1971 and was editor of the campus newspaper. After graduation he continued in journalism as a reporter for the Middletown (Ohio) Journal and the New Haven (CT) Register. In 1977-84, he worked in Washington, D.C. for U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D-Ohio) as press secretary and senior legislative assistant. In 1985, Thom started Capitol Reservations, a hotel reservations business for tourists and businessmen coming to Washington, D.C. (forerunner to Hotels.com). He and his wife Marshall moved to Whidbey Island in 2007. Hobbies include black and white photography and exploring the Northwest in their Airstream trailer.
Catherine James (Treasurer) is a native of Berkeley, California. She left the Bay Area to attend St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and returned to the Bay Area after graduating with a BA in Liberal Arts. Her interest in local government and public policy led her to a career as a business officer in the California public schools. After seventeen years in public school finance she left her position as Associate Superintendent for the Berkeley Unified School District and became a consultant. This led her to the second phase of her career as a Business Director for a charter school in Oakland; retiring from public service in 2011 and from consulting in 2014. In 2017, Catherine and her husband Colin relocated to Whidbey Island. Both in California and on Whidbey, Catherine has been an active volunteer at her golf clubs serving on finance and membership committees and in a variety of leadership roles for her women’s groups.
Board Members
Bobbe J. Bridge is a Washington native who graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in Political Science. After obtaining MA and PhC degrees, also in Political Science from the University of Michigan, she returned to University of Washington for her Juris Doctor. She spent fourteen years with the law firm of Garvey, Schubert and Barer, becoming its first woman partner. Bobbe then spent eighteen years in service as a judge on the King County Superior Court and a justice on the Washington State Supreme Court. She retired from the bench and joined the Center for Children and Youth Justice, a non-profit working to improve outcomes for children and youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems by improving the practices, processes, and procedures in those systems. Bobbe has devoted over forty years serving on a host of committees, commissions, boards, and work groups, advising governors, state and local legislatures, the Department of Social and Health Services, and the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families on issues relating to children, youth, and families. She and her husband Jon are proud owners of a home in Coupeville, and are looking forward to spending more time there as well as supporting the arts community on Whidbey through WICA.
Sherryl Christie in addition to being a mother, grandmother, sister, partner, and friend, Sherryl is a master- level certified executive coach. It is not only her vocation, it is her passion and calling to help leaders find their most heart-felt voice and build the necessary skills to lead in the change they most desire to experience in their organizations, and in the world. Four+ decades she began the transition from therapist/counselor to a developer of leaders and teams, which she has been doing for the last 30 years through her company Best Practice, Inc. In that role she has partnered with leaders in a wide variety of companies (e.g., REI, PSE, Shutterfly, Intel Pixar, Camelbak, GLY Construction) as well as government and not-for-profit organizations (Good Cheer, Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind, the Conservation Alliance, US Coast Guard, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, City of Issaquah). A division of her company focuses on women leaders who are spearheading change to improve their communities (and beyond) and operates under the title, The Curse of the Competent WomanⓇ. Additionally, Sherryl has volunteered for two non-profit community leadership organizations since their inception, Leadership Eastside and Leadership Whidbey. Sherryl believes that positive change happens primarily through the sharing of stories, particularly stories from peoples who are not part of the dominant culture. And that the Arts are the means by which those stories can be shared most broadly, with the greatest impact in building true community. As a result, she is honored to be a member of the WICA Board.
John Meyer served as a Skagit County Superior Court Judge from 1997 until his retirement July 1, 2015. From 1995-97 he sat as a Skagit County District Court Judge. From 1975-1995 he was a partner in the Mount Vernon law firm of Gilbert and Meyer, where his practice emphasized civil litigation. From 1973-75 he was a Staff Attorney for the Federal Power Commission, Washington, D.C. He received his BA/BS in Education from the University of Washington in 1968, and his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1971. A great believer in life-long education, John has been active in judicial and legal education. He sat on the Board of Trustees of Skagit Valley College from 1993-1997. After retirement, John was appointed by Governor Inslee to the Board of Trustees of Western Washington University, where he is currently serving his third term as Chair. John is a past-President of the University of Washington Alumni Association. He also served as a Dean for the Washington State Judicial College and a member of the Board for Judicial Administration. John was recognized by the Washington State Association for Justice as its Judge of the Year in 2009. John and his wife of fifty-one years, Susan Johnson Meyer, recently moved full-time to Whidbey Island after many years in Mount Vernon. They believed that it was time for a “new adventure” and are thrilled to be a bit closer to their children and grandchildren in Seattle. John was involved in the original legal work for the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, while Susan was a board member. Susan also served as a member of the Governor’s Council on Architecture and Historic Preservation. The extended family has always been involved in the performing and visual arts and is excited with the opportunities presented by WICA.
Louis Muniz Jr was born in California, but moved to South Whidbey Island in 1976 and was enrolled in the public school system. A graduate of South Whidbey High School who went on to attend The University of Washington and graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Photography in 1996. His interest in both photography and music led him to the Bay Area where he pursued his passion in the arts. He worked for high-end post production studios and labs while simultaneously starting his own event production company for international world music becoming a force in the reggae music industries as an event producer, booking agent, tour manager, band manager and DJ. A turn of events and opportunities in 2002 led Louis to the world of finance where he specialized as a Residential Loan Officer. This career change eventually carved the path for Louis to return home to Whidbey where he took a position as the Lead Mortgage Consultant for three branches of Wells Fargo Bank for Central and South Whidbey from 2007 to 2014. With a natural progression and desire to bring his creative side to the forefront Louis accepted the chance to join local real estate leader Windermere of South Whidbey and eventually became an Executive Director for Windermere’s Western Washington Luxury Board from 2017 to 2021. Since returning home Louis has continually pursued his promise to give back to his community by serving and volunteering with numerous organizations such as Rotary of South Whidbey where he spearheaded the creation of the Rotary Basketball Court at the Playground In The Park. Basketball being an integral part of his upbringing he continues to hold an annual basketball fundraiser to support youth basketball programs on South Whidbey Island. He has also served as a board member for his home town Freeland Chamber of Commerce since 2007 and has chaired major fundraising events and also held the position of Treasurer and most recently Vice President with the Chamber.
Michele Panelli-Venetis is California-born, but she and husband Steve made their home on Whidbey Island in 2015. Michele worked in the motion picture industry in Los Angeles for 40 years and served Assistant Director on such films as Jurassic Park, Indian in the Cupboard, Lemony Snickett, Harriet, and over 65 additional films. She worked with directors Neil Simon (six films), Frank Oz, Brad Silberling, and Steven Speilberg. Michele received her BA degree from the University of the Pacific in Theater Arts and Comparative Literature. Her theater degree was the impetus for moving to Los Angeles to seek a career in acting. Along the way, she found that production suited her talents best and she never looked back. Michele volunteered for WICA along with Whidbey Island Nourishes quickly after arriving on the island. She has never lost her love for theater and giving back to her community.
Christopher Stowell is the son of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, was born in New York City and received his training at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. In 1985, he joined San Francisco Ballet where he danced for 16 years, appearing in theaters throughout the world including the Paris Opéra, New York's Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and Moscow's Bolshoi Theater. As a Principal Dancer, Mr. Stowell performed leading roles in full-length classics and had roles created for him by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson as well as contemporary choreographers including Mark Morris, William Forsythe, David Bintley and James Kudelka. An established interpreter of the George Balanchine repertoire, Mr. Stowell appeared in almost every Balanchine ballet performed by San Francisco Ballet. In 2003 Stowell was named the Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre, a position he held until 2012. During his tenure Stowell made significant additions to OBT's repertoire, bringing works to Portland from some of the world's most celebrated choreographers, including Fredrick Ashton, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, William Forsythe, Paul Taylor, Helgi Tomasson, James Kudelka, Christopher Wheeldon and Lar Lubovitch. Stowell was the Assistant to the Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet from 2014 to 2015, has served as a juror for international competitions in Lausanne and Beijing as well as a guest repetiteur, teacher and choreographer in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Beijing, London and Copenhagen. In 2017 Stowell was named the first Associate Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, a position he held until 2022. Mr. Stowell has taught and coached in San Francisco, New York, Japan, China and across Europe. He has created works for San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada and Pacific Northwest Ballet as well as the New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute. He has also staged the works of George Balanchine, Mark Morris and Christopher Wheeldon.