Who We Are

Board of Directors

A Child’s Notebook depends on partners, volunteers and advisors to help us improve the education and lives of children living in poverty in select areas of Southeast Asia. We count on the guidance of a dedicated board of directors to make sound strategic, financial, and legal decisions for the organization. Their support helps assure long-term viability and effective operational practices.

Ducksoon Hwang

Ducksoon Hwang

Ducksoon Hwang, A Child's Notebook FounderRole at A Child’s Notebook: Founder

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Board Member of King County Library System Foundation, Member of World of the Women Seattle leadership

Work Experience: Retired Senior Manager of Boeing Supplier Management, International Marketing

Education: Non-profit Management and Operations, International Business, BA in German Linguistics and Literature

Interests: Travel, Dancing

READ OUR FOUNDER’S STORY

Ducksoon Hwang

Ducksoon Hwang

Ducksoon Hwang, A Child's Notebook FounderRole at A Child’s Notebook: Founder

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Board Member of King County Library System Foundation, Member of World of the Women Seattle leadership

Work Experience: Retired Senior Manager of Boeing Supplier Management, International Marketing

Education: Non-profit Management and Operations, International Business, BA in German Linguistics and Literature

Interests: Travel, Dancing

READ OUR FOUNDER’S STORY

Founder

Ducksoon Hwang

Yvonne Leach

Yvonne Leach, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: President

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Spokane Humane Society – manages the shelter’s dog play group program. Vashon Island Pet Protectors – volunteer dog walker.

Work Experience: 25 years at The Boeing Company. Previous position as Director of Communications of Boeing Commercial Airplane Programs.

Education: BA, Washington State University; MFA, Eastern Washington University.

Interests: Poetry (published collection of poems called Another Autumn in 2014).

Yvonne Leach

Yvonne Leach

Yvonne Leach, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: President

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Spokane Humane Society – manages the shelter’s dog play group program. Vashon Island Pet Protectors – volunteer dog walker.

Work Experience: 25 years at The Boeing Company. Previous position as Director of Communications of Boeing Commercial Airplane Programs.

Education: BA, Washington State University; MFA, Eastern Washington University.

Interests: Poetry (published collection of poems called Another Autumn in 2014).

President

Cindy Sharek

Cindy Sharek

Cindy Sharek, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Past President, Fundraising Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Songea’s Kids, King County Primary Prevention Task Force

Work Experience: Director of Donor Relations at the King County Library System Foundation

Education: Oregon State University – Bachelor’s in Journalism/Business. Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)

Interests: Travel, Reading, Cooking

Cindy Sharek

Cindy Sharek

Cindy Sharek, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Past President, Fundraising Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Songea’s Kids, King County Primary Prevention Task Force

Work Experience: Director of Donor Relations at the King County Library System Foundation

Education: Oregon State University – Bachelor’s in Journalism/Business. Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)

Interests: Travel, Reading, Cooking

Past President, Fundraising Committee
Jenn Miller

Jenn Miller

Jenn Miller, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Governance Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Animal Rescue (fostering), Sustainer in Seattle Junior League, Volunteer at Mary’s Place, Seattle Work

Experience: Family Law Attorney and sole proprietor MiIler Law Group, King County Prosecutor’s office and City of Seattle Prosecutor’s Office. Pro-Tempore since 2013.

Education: MBA Willamette University, BA English/Spanish and speech rhetoric studies Willamette University

Interests: Spending time with her rescue pup, Rosie, and fostering other rescue dogs in the Seattle area.

Jenn Miller

Jenn Miller

Jenn Miller, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Governance Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Animal Rescue (fostering), Sustainer in Seattle Junior League, Volunteer at Mary’s Place, Seattle Work

Experience: Family Law Attorney and sole proprietor MiIler Law Group, King County Prosecutor’s office and City of Seattle Prosecutor’s Office. Pro-Tempore since 2013.

Education: MBA Willamette University, BA English/Spanish and speech rhetoric studies Willamette University

Interests: Spending time with her rescue pup, Rosie, and fostering other rescue dogs in the Seattle area.

Governance Committee
Gail Dobberthien, A Child's Notebook

Mary Nelp

Mary NelpRole at A Child’s Notebook: Treasurer

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Northwest Children’s Foundation, Treehouse, Invest-in-Youth, Emergency Shelter volunteer, Office of Rural Housing

Work Experience: Westin Hotels Corporate – Development, Washington Office of Rural Housing, Consultant – Seattle Housing Authority, Intern – Housing Development Authority

Education: MS in City and Regional Planning – Harvard University, BA in Art and Environmental Studies -Williams College

Interests: Travel, Skiing, Hiking, Reading

Mary Nelp

Mary Nelp

Mary NelpRole at A Child’s Notebook: Treasurer

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Northwest Children’s Foundation, Treehouse, Invest-in-Youth, Emergency Shelter volunteer, Office of Rural Housing

Work Experience: Westin Hotels Corporate – Development, Washington Office of Rural Housing, Consultant – Seattle Housing Authority, Intern – Housing Development Authority

Education: MS in City and Regional Planning – Harvard University, BA in Art and Environmental Studies -Williams College

Interests: Travel, Skiing, Hiking, Reading

Treasurer
Minh Pham

Ducksoon Hwang

Minh Pham, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: NA

Work Experience: In Vivo Core Leader at the Institute for Protein Design of the University of Washington

Education: Pharmacist, Ph.D. in Immunology

Interests: Hiking, Running, Reading, Cooking, Baking

Minh Pham

Minh Pham

Minh Pham, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: NA

Work Experience: In Vivo Core Leader at the Institute for Protein Design of the University of Washington

Education: Pharmacist, Ph.D. in Immunology

Interests: Hiking, Running, Reading, Cooking, Baking

Fundraising Committee

Mark Jenks

Mark Jenks

Mark Jenks, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Governance Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Served as Board member of the Kirkland Performance Center.

Work Experience: 38-year employee of The Boeing Company, Retired Senior Vice President, Commercial Airplane Programs and member of the Corporate Executive Council. Previously served as VP 737 Program, VP 787 Program, Chief Engineer and Deputy Program Manager, International Space Station and various leadership roles in Program Management and Engineering at the Commercial, Defense and Space Divisions.

Education: BS and MS in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1982 and 1983); MS degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1991) and MS in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management (1991).

Interests: Travel, hiking, history

Mark Jenks

Mark Jenks

Mark Jenks, A Child's NotebookRole at A Child’s Notebook: Governance Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Served as Board member of the Kirkland Performance Center.

Work Experience: 38-year employee of The Boeing Company, Retired Senior Vice President, Commercial Airplane Programs and member of the Corporate Executive Council. Previously served as VP 737 Program, VP 787 Program, Chief Engineer and Deputy Program Manager, International Space Station and various leadership roles in Program Management and Engineering at the Commercial, Defense and Space Divisions.

Education: BS and MS in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1982 and 1983); MS degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1991) and MS in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management (1991).

Interests: Travel, hiking, history

Governance Committee

Chris Herink

Chris Herink

Role at A Child’s Notebook: Program Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Stewardship Foundation Board Member

Work Experience: Vice President, Habitat for Humanity; Senior Civil Society Specialist, Asian Development Bank; Country Director, Laos and Myanmar, World Vision; Senior Director, Asia, Middle East, & Eastern Europe, World Vision; Partnership Coordinator, American Red Cross

Education: MEd, Harvard University; BA, Pomona College

Interests: Travel, cooking, cycling, and open water swimming

Chris Herink

Chris Herink

Role at A Child’s Notebook: Program Committee

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Stewardship Foundation Board Member

Work Experience: Vice President, Habitat for Humanity; Senior Civil Society Specialist, Asian Development Bank; Country Director, Laos and Myanmar, World Vision; Senior Director, Asia, Middle East, & Eastern Europe, World Vision; Partnership Coordinator, American Red Cross

Education: MEd, Harvard University; BA, Pomona College

Interests: Travel, cooking, cycling, and open water swimming

Program Committee

Emmy Masangcay

Emmy Masangcay

Emmy MasangcayRole at A Child’s Notebook: Secretary

Additional Non-Profit Experience: NA

Work Experience: 5+ years of experience across numerous business roles at The Boeing Company, including Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Contracts. Currently works as a Contracts Manager at Amazon Web Services’ Legal department supporting networking supply chain infrastructure procurement.

Education: University of Southern California: Master of Studies in Law. University of Puget Sound: Bachelor of Arts in Business, Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Interests: Baking, working out, photography, and traveling

Emmy Masangcay

Emmy Masangcay

Emmy MasangcayRole at A Child’s Notebook: Secretary

Additional Non-Profit Experience: NA

Work Experience: 5+ years of experience across numerous business roles at The Boeing Company, including Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Contracts. Currently works as a Contracts Manager at Amazon Web Services’ Legal department supporting networking supply chain infrastructure procurement.

Education: University of Southern California: Master of Studies in Law. University of Puget Sound: Bachelor of Arts in Business, Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Interests: Baking, working out, photography, and traveling

Secretary

Michelle Sinnett

Michelle Sinnett

Michelle SinnettRole at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising Committee

Work Experience: Retired General Surgeon with Proliance Surgeons, Swedish Edmonds

Education: BA University of Texas, MD Baylor College of Medicine, Surgical Residency University of Washington

Interests: Quilting, knitting, cooking

Michelle Sinnett

Michelle Sinnett

Michelle SinnettRole at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising Committee

Work Experience: Retired General Surgeon with Proliance Surgeons, Swedish Edmonds

Education: BA University of Texas, MD Baylor College of Medicine, Surgical Residency University of Washington

Interests: Quilting, knitting, cooking

Fundraising Committee

Pei Chin-Nguyen

Pei Chin-Nguyen

Role at A Child’s Notebook: Event Committee, Co-chair; Cultural Liaison

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Event Planning

Work Experience: NA

Education: NA

Interests: Singing, tennis, hosting gatherings

Pei Chin-Nguyen

Pei Chin-Nguyen

Role at A Child’s Notebook: Event Committee, Co-chair; Cultural Liaison

Additional Non-Profit Experience: Event Planning

Work Experience: NA

Education: NA

Interests: Singing, tennis, hosting gatherings

Fundraising Committee

Many dedicated individuals contribute their talents to support our work

Project Manager Building Schools

Every project at A Child’s Notebook starts with a proposal from the community. Our selection process includes evaluating the need and setting priorities. Seng, our Lao Country Manager, is seen above reviewing conditions at a dormitory. Challenges include damaged floors and doors, missing windows, and an overall structure inadequate for local weather conditions.

Lao Country Manager, Seng Mitthaphome

A college graduate, Seng first helped with several school improvement projects as a volunteer before joining A Child’s Notebook. Seng’s cultural and language fluency have been invaluable to many of our partners’ greatest successes. Read more about Seng here.

Volunteers

Our volunteers complete day-to-day tasks or special projects to keep administrative costs low for fundraising and administrative tasks.

Advisory Council

Our advisory council members serve as a resource for expert advice and consultation.

Somphavanh (Linda) Cajski

Somphavanh (Linda) Cajski

Linda CajskiSomphavanh was born and raised in Vientiane, Laos. Her experience working in Southeast Asia conducting business with the private and public sectors enhances her understanding of how the local people and local authorities operate. As a native Southeast Asian she is passionate to transform her multicultural insights into helping those who are most vulnerable in her native region.

Somphavanh has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the National University of Laos. She was a Fulbright Scholar from Laos and she has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California.

Somphavanh (Linda) Cajski

Somphavanh (Linda) Cajski

Linda CajskiSomphavanh was born and raised in Vientiane, Laos. Her experience working in Southeast Asia conducting business with the private and public sectors enhances her understanding of how the local people and local authorities operate. As a native Southeast Asian she is passionate to transform her multicultural insights into helping those who are most vulnerable in her native region.

Somphavanh has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the National University of Laos. She was a Fulbright Scholar from Laos and she has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California.

Mike Horner

Mike Horner

Mike HornerNon Profit Experience: Trustee, Bridging the Gap Mekong Trust (Laos – Fundraised school builds / rebuilds); Personally funded / fundraised village school rebuilds (Laos); Trustee, Chair & Life Member, The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand; Life Member, New Zealand Association for Training & Development

Work Experience: Early career in finance industry: business analysis, product development, technology, leadership & culture; 25 years in advisory positions to Senior Executive / Boards in range of industries – focus on strategy and leadership – New Zealand and Asia; Recently retired as non-executive Director / Chair of Community Medical Centre

Education: University of Life: interactions with diverse cultures; influenced by good people who expanded/challenged my thinking

International: Based in Bangkok for 15 years: during/since have travelled extensively, including most of SE Asia

Interests: Travel, Photography, Model Railways, Armchair Sport

Mike Horner

Mike Horner

Mike HornerNon Profit Experience: Trustee, Bridging the Gap Mekong Trust (Laos – Fundraised school builds / rebuilds); Personally funded / fundraised village school rebuilds (Laos); Trustee, Chair & Life Member, The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand; Life Member, New Zealand Association for Training & Development

Work Experience: Early career in finance industry: business analysis, product development, technology, leadership & culture; 25 years in advisory positions to Senior Executive / Boards in range of industries – focus on strategy and leadership – New Zealand and Asia; Recently retired as non-executive Director / Chair of Community Medical Centre

Education: University of Life: interactions with diverse cultures; influenced by good people who expanded/challenged my thinking

International: Based in Bangkok for 15 years: during/since have travelled extensively, including most of SE Asia

Interests: Travel, Photography, Model Railways, Armchair Sport

Villagers building a school in Laos

We couldn’t do it without our partners

Learn more about the most important members of our team.