Hello, Everyone!
This is a fun message for me to write because I’m so excited to be a part of the Third Place Commons community. I see the Commons as an important and vital resource for our community, a place where families, friends, and future friends can all connect and flourish. A place where civic, arts, and social service partners can gather to build their collective impact. A place where music, art, food, and fellowship all combine to enliven and enrich our experience of shared community.
I also greatly value the role that the Commons play in presenting the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market every Sunday from Mother’s Day through the third Sunday in October. I’m proud to be a part of an organization that is providing our community, including our low-income, food-insecure neighbors (through programs like Market Bucks and Fresh Bucks – more on those soon!), with access to fresh, local, organic food, flowers, and related products.
As the new Executive Director for Third Place Commons, I will be wandering around a lot! My office is just next door to the Stadler Room, and of course, I’ll be at our Farmers Markets all season long. When you see me, I hope you’ll say hello and share with me your experiences at the Commons. After all, you are the community that makes this place run and gives my work meaning.
I look forward to seeing you at the Commons!
Amy Whittenburg
Executive Director
About Amy Whittenburg
Prior to her arrival at Third Place Commons, Amy served as the Interim Executive Director at the statewide nonprofit ArtsEd Washington, after having joined the team as their first ever Deputy Director in March 2013. There she provided leadership and strategy in development, communications, and operations to lead the organization and develop programs and partnerships to support arts education in schools for all Washington students. Before that, she served for nearly four years as the Assistant Director of Development at Cascadia Community College. In that capacity, she developed and implemented a broad array of donor cultivation and stewardship initiatives, worked with the Foundation Board of Directors, spearheaded Foundation communications, and managed a variety of program services. Prior to Cascadia, Amy worked with alumni and executive level VIPs while planning cultivation events for top tier donors at the $25,000+ level at the University of Washington.
Amy also has an extensive professional background in a variety of arts organizations including the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University, the UCLA Fowler Museum, and Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition, she served on the Kirkland Cultural Arts Commission for six years including two years as commission Chair. As an arts commissioner, she co-founded and led Kirkland CACHET – a community network dedicated to building a Collaboration of Arts, Culture, Heritage, Education, and Theatre – and helped launch and present the annual Mayor’s CACHET Award for contributions to the city’s arts, culture, and heritage.