Committees and Advisory Groups

DSA utilizes the expertise of its diverse member network to make recommendations and decisions on a variety of topics and issues in support of the DSA’s mission to champion a healthy, vibrant urban core. With five committees currently in place, there are many opportunities for members to get involved.

	Downtown Communications & Marketing Committee (currently full for 2011/12) The Downtown Communications & Marketing Committee develops campaigns to build on Downtown’s image as the preferred place to shop, dine, stay and play. In partnership with the Metropolitan Improvement District, the committee implements destination marketing initiatives including the holiday carousel in Westlake Park and the Out to Lunch Summer Concerts, while coordinating with the MID neighborhoods to produce a variety of seasonal, neighborhood-specific campaigns and promotions. Committee Leadership Co-Chair: Natalie Price, Frause Co-Chair: Cary Clark, Argosy Cruises & Tillicum Village
	Membership Committee The Membership Committee works to identify and recruit new DSA members while developing innovative programming that encourages current members to stay engaged throughout the year. Committee Leadership Chair: Jack McCullough, McCullough Hill Leary, PS Vice-Chair: William Weisfield, Michael J. Goldfarb Enterprises, LLC
	Smart Growth & Economic Competitiveness Committee The Smart Growth & Economic Competitiveness Committee researches and makes recommendations on a wide range of policy and project issues related to land use, zoning, the urban form and development, with emphasis on the DSA Strategic Plan focus areas of: South Lake Union, South Downtown and Seattle Center. Committee Leadership Chair: Denny Onslow, Harbor Urban, LLC Vice-Chair: David Yuan, NBBJ
	Transportation & Access Committee The Transportation & Access Committee researches and makes recommendations across a variety of policy and project issues related to transportation, transit and parking, focusing on the DSA Strategic Plan goals of: bored tunnel construction, neighborhood circulation and multi-modal access. The Committee also identifies issues to be discussed at the Downtown Transportation Alliance, a partnership between DSA/MID, King County Metro and the City of Seattle. Committee Leadership Chair: Rita Brogan, PRR, Inc. Vice-Chair: Dan Greenshields, ING DIRECT Investing
	Urban Experience Committee The Urban Experience Committee researches and makes recommendations regarding issues and projects related to urban design, activation and safety of public spaces and the pedestrian experience, with a concentration on DSA Strategic Plan priorities of the Waterfront, a Pike/Pine Corridor renaissance, and family/kid friendly urban core. Committee Leadership Chair: Patrick Gordon, ZGF Architects LLP Vice-Chair: Craig Schafer, Hotel Ändra

In addition to our standing committees, DSA offers a number of sector advisory councils which meet a few times each year to discuss issues of mutual importance and to provide an opportunity for those within each sector to connect. These advisory councils include:

Arts (hosted by Beth Takekawa, Wing Luke Asian Museum)
Global Health & Life Sciences (hosted by John Slattery, University of Washington)
Health Services (hosted by Dan Dixon, Swedish Health Services)
Human Services (hosted by Rita Ryder, YWCA; Kathy Williams, HomeStreet Bank)
Information Technology/Interactive Media (hosted by Fred Kiga, Amazon)
Retail, Restaurants & Nightlife (hosted by Paul Ishii, Mayflower Park Hotel)
Downtown Residents (hosted by Weldon Ihrig, Downtown resident; and John Oppenheimer, Columbia Hospitality)

In addition to the committees and sector advisory councils listed above, DSA conducts additional business through several standing committees of the DSA Board of Directors. Participation on these committees is a benefit of Board membership.

Executive Committee

Committee Leadership
Chair-DSA Board Chair: James Hendricks, PhD, Seattle Children’s Research Institute

Elections Committee

Committee Leadership
Chair: Richard Stevenson, Clise Properties
Vice-Chair: Anne Fennessy, Cocker Fennessy

Governance Committee

Committee Leadership
Chair: Jane Rakay Nelson, Kantor Taylor Nelson Boyd & Evatt PC

Downtown Champion Award Selection Committee

Committee Leadership
Chair: Jane Rakay Nelson, Kantor Taylor Nelson Boyd & Evatt PC

Meeting schedules and notes are available to members only. Learn about the benefits of membership.