Board of Trustees

Malinda Elien is a Technical Program Manager at Fresh Consulting and parent of two children in the Bellevue School District who are currently at Bellevue Big Picture school. She is a passionate believer that our public institutions should work for everyone, and that the community must work to ensure that happens. As a long-time volunteer on PTSA Boards and other community organizations, she is thrilled to be serving as a Foundation Trustee to help impact the lives of all students in Bellevue.

Stephanie is a Corporate Vice President at Microsoft where she has worked for 25 years. She’s a parent of two BSD graduates. Stephanie loves solving complex problems and building new operational capabilities and has a passion for equity in education.

Allison Frey has been involved in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, volunteering for organizations including San Francisco Spinsters, BUILD.org, Amnesty International, Oxfam America, KEXP, NatureBridge, and serves as fourth-generation board member on the Dean Witter Foundation, among others. For over 25 years, she has built a successful career in marketing, project management, content development, public relations, and sales in the financial, technology and media broadcasting verticals.

Renuka Getchell is an experienced and passionate advocate for the Bellevue School District, a mother of four, she has three daughters who are graduates of the district, and one daughter in High School at the International School of Bellevue. Renuka serves on the Board of Bridle Trails State Park Foundation and Co-chaired Bellevue Quality Schools support in passing the recent School District’s Bond and Levies. She was born and raised in the Seattle area and keeps on top of this community as a Residential Broker with Windermere Real Estate.

Born and raised in this area with parents new to this country, I have always wanted to give back to my community especially to the youth. As a trustee I am happy to be part of an organization who believes in supporting the students and community through innovated and encouraging ways.

Jungyeol is a passionate advocate for education, firmly believing in its transformative power to unlock opportunities and empower individuals to reach their full potential. She recognizes education as the cornerstone of our society's foundation. As a Bellevue Schools Foundation Trustee, her primary goal is to ensure that BSD provides equitable and high-quality education to all students, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.

Jungyeol believes that a vibrant and dynamic school district requires engaged community members. To this end, she recently founded the Pacific Northwest Korean Parents Association and currently serves as its Co-President.

With a decade of dedicated volunteering experience in the Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA), Jungyeol brings a unique perspective and deep understanding of the district's inner workings. As a proud parent of three successful graduates from our school district, she has witnessed firsthand the impact of a quality education on students' lives.

Senior Accountant at Regency Pacific Management; 4 kids that have graduated or attend Enatai, Chinook MS, and Bellevue HS. Lives in Enatai neighborhood.

After 14 years on the Bellevue School Board, I knew better than most the significant role the Foundation has played for the Bellevue education community through 40+ years of meaningful partnership. BSF was the team I wanted to join!

Dr. Nguyen and his wife live in Bellevue with their two daughters, with one currently attending International School. For the past 17 years, Jerry has been providing his expertise in strategy and operations to philanthropic organizations in the Pacific Northwest. He has been an active volunteer, serving on the Lake Hills Elementary PTSA as President and as Member-at-large and providing any support needed to his wife as she serves on the International School PTSA as Secretary.

Deepa Patten has children at Chinook Middle School and Woodridge Elementary, where she has been a long time PTSA board member and has received the Golden Acorn Award. With her experience in marketing and business management, and a personal passion for the Arts, Deepa feels strongly about the BSF mission to enable programming and support for all BSD students.

Wealth Management at Merrill Lynch. 4 kids that have graduated or attend Clyde Hill Elementary, Chinook MS, and Bellevue HS. Lives in Yarrow Point.

Claire Sumadiwirya is the founder of Bellden Cafe in Bellevue, Washington, which was voted the Nicest Place in WA by Reader’s Digest for its community work and philanthropic focus. After graduating from the University of Washington with degrees in Business and Sociology, and earning an MBA from Seattle University, she gained extensive experience in global business relationships, hospitality consulting, and community development.

Since opening Bellden, it has been voted the Best Coffee Shop in Bellevue for two consecutive years. Claire has also partnered with over 25 charitable organizations, donating both time and money by allocating a portion of her proceeds and allowing her employees up to eight hours a quarter for community service work. Her passion for others, coffee, and the success of her cafe have attracted media attention from outlets such as The Seattle Times, Reader's Digest, Good Morning America, local 425, Bellevue Lifestyle Magazine, King 5 News, and Seattle Refined. In May 2019, she graced the cover of 425 Business for her purpose-driven approach to business. When she is not working at the cafe with her team or caring for her young children, Claire supports the boards of the Overlake Foundation, Bellevue Downtown Association, and Congregation For the Homeless as a board member.

A parent of 2 BSD graduates, has been a member of several PTSA and school organizations and is a retired Software Design Engineer from Microsoft. She is passionate about STEM education, focusing on getting children to like Math early in their lives. She currently spends many hours volunteering with Interlake High School's Robotics team and with Washington FIRST Robotics. She hopes to help with making sure all students have access to help they may need to help them grow

With a master’s degree in economics, a multilingual global perspective, and a successful business background, Xenia Tshahhirov is well-prepared to serve her clients at Marketplace Sotheby’s International Realty. Xenia began her professional career in Estonia before moving to the PNW, where she started a small business, proudly receiving a Seattle Times People's Choice Award in 2023. She credits kindness, a readiness to help, open-mindedness, and perseverance as the reasons for her success and the most important values she brings to any transaction. Xenia has lived on the Eastside for many years, where she is a well-connected and active member of the community. As a mother of three and a small business owner, she understands how important it is to find a home that meets the needs of a busy lifestyle, where good schools, a short commute, shopping options, and a high walking score are key. Xenia loves spending quality time with her family and friends and staying active. She has summited four Cascade peaks- Rainier, Hood, Baker, and Adams, and even skied down 2 of them! With integrity, expertise, and determination, Xenia is ready to help her clients reach all of their real estate goals.

Lisa is a Senior Vice President of People & Culture with the Seattle Mariners, leading employee engagement, inclusion and belonging. She is a parent of a BSD graduate and two children attending Chinook Middle School.

Lisa is also a passionate believer in equitable, accessible, high-quality public learning, serving the dynamic and diverse needs of students. She’s thrilled with the opportunity to give back to the community and our youth, and positively impact students’ lives through learning.

Janice Zahn is a dedicated Bellevue City Councilmember and Chief Engineer at the Port of Seattle. She is passionate about serving the community - supporting families and student success as a PEPS, Girl Scouts and PTSA volunteer and leader. Her council vision includes advancing environmental sustainability, community safety and affordable housing, and creating engaged and connected communities that thrives. Known for her active volunteerism, and collaborative approach to address our many complex challenges, she is energized by time spent connecting in neighborhoods and building relationships. Her public policy expertise, systems thinking and engineering approach to problem solving helps drive innovative solutions for advancing Bellevue’s bright future.