About
Our Team
Museum Staff
Brianna Kosowitz
Executive Director
Brianna Kosowitz, Executive Director
A newcomer to the Pacific Northwest, Brianna originally hails from Upstate New York. She fell in love with museums after a stint with her hometown’s Corning Museum of Glass. She spent five years with Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. As the head of Visitor Experience, she oversaw 500 volunteers and increased overall satisfaction ratings for 4 million visitors annually. She is thrilled to be leading the team at the Historical Museum and is excited to find new and innovative ways to connect people with the unique history of Bainbridge Island. Brianna holds a Master’s degree in Public History from American University in Washington, DC.
Merilee Mostov
Director of Exhibits and Engagement
Merilee Mostov, Director of Exhibits and Engagement
Merilee Mostov has been working with museums for more than 17 years as educator, curator, and interpretive specialist. Prior to moving to Bainbridge Island in 2017, she worked at the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio where she spearheaded many experimental initiatives including the Wonder Room and Big Idea galleries in the Center for Creativity. In her current role at BIHM, Merilee is excited to collaborate with others to transform the Museum into a dynamic community hub.
Katy Curtis
Education Outreach Manager
Katy Curtis, Education Outreach Manager
A Bainbridge Islander originally, after years of living in Northern California, Katy returned here with her husband Brad Schabert, and has been at BIHM since 2007. Katy received her BA from Humboldt University and her professional mediation credential from the Institute for the Study of Alternative Dispute Resolution. She has trained staff and students communication skills and diversity awareness in non-profit and public organizations including UC Berkeley. Katy’s passion for fostering cross-cultural knowledge and understanding is well reflected in her work for the museum facilitating history education programs and building community outreach partnerships with teachers, local schools, and cultural organizations. Katy enjoys travel and being a host parent for foreign exchange students.
Dan Groff
Administrative Manager
Dan Groff, Administrative Manager
Dan is a climate refugee from Minnesota who was rescued from life-threatening cold and fierce summer insects by an intra-company move to Bainbridge Island in 1998. One of the first things he enjoyed on the island was a fascinating Historical Society program about Fort Ward. He spent 25 years in insurance, financial services, and compensation consulting while helping raise three children. Dan volunteers with the City of Bainbridge Island on water quality monitoring and helps the Bainbridge Island Watershed Council count salmon returning to island streams each fall. Dan joined the Museum as Administrative Coordinator in 2008.
Jordan Lamont
Volunteer & Tour Coordinator
Jordan LaMont, Volunteer & Tour Coordinator
Jordan is a recent transplant to the Pacific Northwest. Originally from Southern California, Jordan lived in Arizona, and London, England before moving to Poulsbo in 2019. Jordan fell in love with museums at age 10 when she saw an exhibit on Egyptian mummies at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California. Jordan received her BA in Comparative Cultural Studies from Northern Arizona University and her MA in Managing Archaeological Sites from University College London. As her first post-college role, Jordan is eager to connect with her new community and help the museum flourish.
Board Members
Dave Williams
President
Dave Williams, President
Dave and his wife, Nancy, have been Bainbridge Island residents since 1980. They have one daughter, Natalie, who resides in Spokane. Dave graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in History and an MBA in Finance. He spent 30 years in the fiduciary and investment business, managing personal trust departments for Seattle’s largest banks. He has served as Chair of the Bainbridge Island Historic Preservation Commission, President of the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation, a member of Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum Board of Directors and President of both the Seattle Public Library Foundation and the Seattle Children’s Museum Board of Directors. Dave’s family has been in the Puget Sound region since the early 1860s which accounts, in part, for his love of local history.
Jenny Peters
Vice President
Jenny Peters, Vice President
Jenny was born in Ohio and moved to Bainbridge Island when she was 9 years old. A graduate of Bainbridge Island High School and the University of Washington, she started her career in sales and marketing just after college and joined Seattle Plastics in 1992. She became an owner in 1999 and manages the company with her business partner. Jenny has previously volunteered with Union Gospel Mission and Mary’s Place while splitting her time between Seattle and Bainbridge Island. She has been married to Carl Lucks since 1984.
Joan Walters
Secretary
Joan Walters, Secretary
Born in Chicago and a graduate of Governors State University, Joan was twice elected to her local school board and worked as a teacher’s aide with developmentally disabled high school teenagers. In Illinois, she served as Assistant Secretary of State and State Budget Director among other positions. In Seattle, Joan was the City’s first Homeless Coordinator under Mayor Royer, City Budget Director under Mayor Schell, and head of Customer Service for Seattle City Light. Since retiring, she has served on several boards and commissions and transcribed Lincoln letters at the Papers of Abraham Lincoln. Joan moved to Bainbridge Island in March of 2016. She has five children and eight grandchildren.
Charlie Averill
Treasurer
Charlie Averill, Treasurer
Charlie moved to Bainbridge Island as a sixth grader, after his parents bought the Bainbridge Review from Walt and Milly Woodward. After graduating from Bainbridge High School (class of 1972), he left the island for college and graduate school, then lived in Spokane for five years before returning to the island in 1986. He worked at the Review during summers as a high school and college student, and for three years after finishing college. Since 1990 he has commuted to work in Seattle in the investment industry. Charlie has been a member of Bainbridge Island Rotary for more than 30 years, and has served on the boards of Rotary, Helpline House, the Bainbridge Island Health, Housing & Human Services Council, and now the Historical Museum since 2015.
Bill Covert
Bill Covert
Bill spent most of his early years in Portland, Oregon, graduated from Wilson High School in 1974, and from Whitman College in 1974 with a major in Psychology. After working for several years in the field of psychology he decided become a teacher. After gaining a Masters in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street College in New York, he began his teaching career at the Bertschi School in Seattle, Washington, where he worked for 8 years, as both a first grade and kindergarten teacher. For the past 24 years he has taught at Capt. Charles Wilkes Elementary School on Bainbridge Island, primarily as a fourth grade teacher, enabling him to share his students his passion for Bainbridge Island history. Bill has lived on Bainbridge Island since 1990. He cherishes the time spent with his wife, Stephanie, and two daughters. He enjoys basketball, biking and spending time in the kitchen.
John Klimp
John Klimp
Born in the Netherlands, John emigrated with his family to Portland, Oregon, in 1957. He graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from California State University-Long Beach, and subsequently earned an MBS from Santa Clara University. He worked on Project Apollo, the U.S. moon landing program, and later for a Bay Area defense contractor as a system engineer. He subsequently founded an apartment management business with his wife, Nancy, which has operated since 1972. After residing in Palo Alto for 44 years, John and Nancy discovered Bainbridge Island in 2015. He has served many academic and community organizations and joined the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum board in 2018. He has two children and five grandchildren.
Tom Lamping
Tom Lamping
Tom grew up on Agate Pass, attended Bainbridge Island High School, and graduated from Washington State University in 1973 with a B.S. in Communications. He retired in 2014 after 41 years as a salesman in three different industries, ending with 18 years in the printing business, making approximately 10,000 round trips on the ferries. Tom “unretired” in 2016, driving a school bus for the Bainbridge Island School District. He and his wife, Penny, have two children and one grandchild.
Sean Megy
Sean Megy
Sean is originally from Corvallis, Oregon. He and his lovely bride, Joy Megy, are parents of three beautiful girls: Emeral, Grace and Alice. After serving as a military photographer in Hawaii and the Middle East, he worked for several Seattle internet companies, and consulted for State Farm Insurance in Illinois. Sean recently retired from eight years teaching at Ordway Elementary School on Bainbridge Island, and now enjoys spending time with family, working in the community, sailing, reading, climbing, forging, and pursuing his new-found love of Pickleball.
Frank Willmann
Frank Willmann
Frank and his family moved to Bainbridge Island in 1971 during the time of rotary phones, Viking prefixes, address route numbers and Welcome Wagon greeting every new resident. After graduating high school and a near two-decade absence, Frank and his wife Amy moved back to wonderful Bainbridge Island in the late 1990s to raise their two daughters. Frank holds a B.S. in Geological Engineering from the University of Nevada and an MBA from Seattle University, and has spent his career working in the environmental profession in operations management of large design/construction projects and in business development. Until recently, Frank served 13 years as an officer on the Board of Directors for one of the Northwest’s largest non-profit trade associations supporting environmental business and the environment.
Mark Mumm
Mark Mumm
Mark comes to Bainbridge Island as a Washington native. He was born in Chewelah and as a child his family lived in Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Chehalis. He graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and has an MBA degree from the University of Washington. Mark spent his career in the travel industry, doing sales and marketing, for cruise lines and tour operators based in both Washington and Alaska. His focus has always been on Alaska. He started his travel career sharing Alaska’s history and beauty with visitors, as a tour guide/ motor coach driver while in college. Mark, his wife Nancy, and their three children moved to Bainbridge Island in 2003. Now retired, he has no trouble filling his time as a substitute school bus driver, golfer, racquetball player, world traveler, and gardener. He especially enjoys family gatherings with his children and son-in-law, all of whom have settled in the Seattle area. Mark feels deeply rewarded by contributing to the Bainbridge Island community in general, and the historical museum specifically.
Patrick Dunn
Patrick Dunn
Patrick originally moved to Bainbridge Island with his family in 1968, where he attended school until graduation. While at BHS, he played for the undefeated 1975 football team and earned a full athletic scholarship to the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Upon graduating from CU with a degree in History, Pat stayed in the Denver area, where he started his business career with the Chrysler Corporation before transitioning into healthcare industry.
He returned to Seattle area in 1996 and moved back to Bainbridge in 2018 with his wife Ginger after a 41 year hiatus! He is a proud Colorado CU Alum, supporter of CU Foundation, Buffs 4 Life and Ben’s Fund. He’s thrilled to be on the Board of Directors at the Historical Museum working to preserve and share the important stories of Bainbridge Island.
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