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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: FounderAdditional 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
Ducksoon Hwang
Role at A Child’s Notebook: FounderAdditional 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
Founder
Yvonne Leach
Role 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
Role 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Past President, Fundraising CommitteeAdditional 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Past President, Fundraising CommitteeAdditional 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
Jenn Miller
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Governance CommitteeAdditional 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Governance CommitteeAdditional 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.
Mary Nelp
Role 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
Role 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
Ducksoon Hwang
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising CommitteeAdditional 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising CommitteeAdditional 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
Role 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
Role 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Program CommitteeAdditional 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Program CommitteeAdditional 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: SecretaryAdditional 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: SecretaryAdditional 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising CommitteeWork 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
Role at A Child’s Notebook: Fundraising CommitteeWork 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
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
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
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 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 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
Non 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
Non 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 & DevelopmentWork 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
We couldn’t do it without our partners
Learn more about the most important members of our team.