Park Board

Amanda Judd and her husband moved to Kirkland in 2010, residing in the Moss Bay neighborhood and then, most recently, Finn Hill.  Professionally, Amanda has spent 17 years in the behavioral health and human services field working to connect marginalized youth and adults to resources and recovery services. Recognizing the privilege she has in calling such a beautiful and thriving city home, Amanda has actively volunteered and engaged in community-building efforts.  She has served on her neighborhood association board, volunteered as a coordinator for Crossing Kirkland, participated in the Neighborhood Safety Program, and participated in Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN).  Amanda is thrilled to serve on the Park Board.  She recognizes that Kirkland’s parks and community services are a treasure and represent the best assets of the community.  With the anticipated continued growth in the population density, ensuring effective green spaces and recreational activities is going to be key in maintaining Kirkland’s sense of community.

Amanda served as the 2020-2021 Park Board Vice Chair.

Mike Holland was excited to begin his role on the Parks Board starting in April 2019.  He retired in 2017 from an information technology leadership role within our local King County government and hopes to use some of those skills as a member of the Parks Board.  Mike and his family have resided in our great city for about 39 years.  Both his son and daughter graduated from the UW and still live in the Seattle area.  In his spare time, Mike is an outdoor enthusiast who is an avid hiker and road biker.  Crestwoods Park is his favorite park and he takes his three-year-old granddaughter there three times a week (weather dependent).  The park has a wonderful playground, lots of open green space for kids to play, plus acres of wooded trails to enjoy!

Uzma Butte first moved to Kirkland in 1992, and has lived on the Eastside since 1989. She is an educator and enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures and their histories. She has two children, who are now adults. Uzma and her son are both Huskies. She and her husband, are avid boaters, and are thankful for the public marina we have in Kirkland.

Her favorite park is the Marina Park, but when her kids were younger, they used to go to Houghton Beach Park, so they could go on the play structure, and then swim as well! Uzma and her family have many wonderful memories of hanging there. 

Tammy Cohen moved to Kirkland WA from western New York at the end of 2017, trading harsh winters for the milder, always green Pacific Northwest. She and her husband chose the Norkirk neighborhood to be near downtown and close to the lake; and to have easy access to all the amenities that Kirkland offers. They also calculated that the walkability would be a great draw for their five adult children to come and visit, and they haven’t been disappointed!

Tammy is a health and human services senior fundraising executive of more than 25 years. Most recently she retired from the Stroum Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle as senior director of advancement to focus on the needs of her aging parents and the joys of travel. She believes her roles in philanthropy and management make her a strong advocate for Kirkland residents as she serves on the Park Board.

Tammy enjoys volunteering to decorate downtown for the July 4th Parade and volunteers at Summerfest and other outdoor festivals. She enjoys walking and biking along the Cross Kirkland Corridor, swimming laps in the outdoor pool, and boating on Lake Washington. Tammy and her husband Barry are expecting their first grandchild and they look forward to exploring each and every playground in Kirkland when the time comes. Tammy’s favorite park is Heritage Park.

Alison Cunningham was born in the city of Kirkland in 2004 and has lived here all of their life. They have a passion for learning more about what makes communities tick and are delighted at this opportunity to better serve and represent their neighbors on the park board. They have always enjoyed spending time at the parks with friends and considers the parks to be a vital part of their neighborhood. Alison has participated in volunteer opportunities both in and out of the city to help with the removal of invasive species and overall park upkeep. Their favorite outdoor activities are hiking and backpacking, which they hope to be able to find more time for after high school. They will be part of the graduating class of 2022, hoping to major in political science or urban planning.

Alison's favorite park is the Marina Park in downtown Kirkland.

Tessa Hansen has lived in Kirkland for 5 years and counting but is a south sound native who know the PNW inside and out. Professionally, Tessa has a background in biology and ecology but currently works for a local non-profit, the Kirkland Downtown Association, leading events for the Kirkland community and tourists alike. She takes pride in building community. Her favorite park is Juanita Bay Park because it was the first park she visited when she moved here and it’s where she fell in love with Kirkland’s beauty. Tessa is pleased to serve on the park board and continue working for her community while learning about the inter-workings on the parks and community services department.

Roshan Parikh moved to Kirkland in 1967 and graduated from Lake Washington High School, earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Washington, a Master's Degree from Seattle University, and is a CPA as well as a Chartered Financial Analyst. Professionally most of his career he served as the treasurer of a not-for-profit healthcare system.  Roshan’s children also grew up in Kirkland and graduated from Lake Washington High School and from the University of Washington, and someday they hope a third generation will love Kirkland as much as them.

An outstanding feature of, and central to Kirkland’s character, is its system of parks and the city personnel who over generations develop, enhance, and maintain these crown jewels of our community. Integrating the philosophy of conversation, health and wellness and social equity to all of Kirkland and applying these goals to other city decisions related to development, population growth, transportation, and human services is essential to keep this city a desirable place to live for our generation and for those yet to come.

Roshan’s favorite string of parks runs from Waverly Beach Park through Heritage to Marina, David E. Brink, Marsh and Houghton Beach Park.

Crystal Thimsen has lived in Kirkland for twelve years. Professionally she has worked in the environmental industry for many years and started a position with Seattle Parks and Recreation as an Environmental Analyst in 2020. When asked to pick her favorite Kirkland park she had many including 132nd Square Park, Marsh Park, Terrace Park and enjoys taking walks through Edith Moulton Park.