About

Our Team

Museum Staff

Amber Buell (she/her) has always had a fascination with history. As a seasoned nonprofit leader, Buell was most recently the Executive Director of Kitsap County History Museum. During her tenure she led her team through the process of an update and remodel of their permanent exhibit space.

Buell is thrilled to bring her experience to Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. She looks forward to leading the museum into a new era as it grows, deepening engagement through the sharing of Bainbridge Island’s rich, diverse history. Amber holds a BFA in Art History from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.

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Michele Miller

Director of Development

Michele Miller, Director of Development

Michele Miller (she/her) has spent most of her life in Alaska although she was born in Port Angeles! She’s happily transplanted to Bainbridge Island and the Bainbridge Island Historical Musuem as its first Director of Development. Her 20+ year career in fundraising includes the arts, health and human services organizations, the Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska, and most recently the United Way of Anchorage. She looks forward to meeting the donors, volunteers, friends, and patrons of the Museum!

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Lindsay Ogles

Director of Exhibits and Engagement

Lindsay Ogles, Director of Exhibits and Engagement

Lindsay Ogles (she/her) has had a lifelong love of history. As a public history and museum professional, Lindsay joins our team from Florida, where she worked with local history organizations and collections to showcase a variety of figures and experiences across communities and eras.

Earning her BA in Humanities from Florida State University and her MS in Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lindsay is excited to bring her passion and experience to the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. She is looking forward to working with community members and groups to highlight the island’s fascinating history and heritage.

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Madelon Morrow

Museum Experience Coordinator

Madelon Morrow, Museum Experience Coordinator

Madelon Morrow (she/her) is native to the Pacific Northwest having grown up and lived in Oregon until she moved to Washington in 2019. Madelon received her BA in Anthropology at Willamette University in 2017, and has since worked in Human Resources, but she has always had a passion for museums. Madelon received her MA in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University in 2023, which led her to working in the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. At BIHM, Madelon looks forward to bringing her love of history and engagement to the volunteers and patrons of the museum.

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Board Members

Susie Burdick

President

Susie Burdick, President

Susie has lived on Bainbridge Island since 1980, where she and her husband, Steve, raised their son, Beau. Beau and his wife, Sara, have two children, ages one and four (who are the center of Susie’s universe!).

For 40 years, Susie led regional, national, and international nonprofits in both arts and culture and health and human services. Now retired, she is active with the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum and the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island. She also serves on Bainbridge Community Foundation’s Community Impact Committee and on the Civil Service Commission for the City of Bainbridge Island.

John Klimp

Vice President

John Klimp, Vice President

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

Secretary

Tom Lamping, Secretary

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.

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.

Kevin Dwyer

Bruce Genung

Bruce loves history and the lessons we can learn from it. Retired from a career in nonprofit management and institutional advancement, mostly in higher education, his professional interests/expertise include ethics, organizational structure, and strategy in philanthropy. Since 2015, he has lived near Fay Bainbridge Park with his wife Debra, and has relished their time in the Pacific Northwest since the early 1980’s. Debra is a third generation Washingtonian who grew up with her toes in the clear waters of the Puget Sound near Tulalip. They have two grown sons, a daughter in law, a grandson, and one exuberant German shorthaired pointer.

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.

Jenny Peters

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.

Joe Stanko

My name is Joseph Stanko. I am originally from Detroit, Michigan. My spouse and I have been living in Hollywood, Florida, for the last twenty years. My spouse and I moved to the island in January 2020, and we fell in love with the people and the island when we came here. Since moving, I have been volunteering for many of the non-profits on the island. You can find me at BIMA, Bloedel Reserve, The Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, and BPA, to name a few.

I have worked in the aviation industry for the last 29 years. I am a Flight Attendant with American Airlines, and I fly a combination of international and domestic routes.

Volunteering is a passion of mine, and I believe in helping others, especially our local community, in any way I can. If you see me around town, please feel free to say hi.

Joan Walters

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.

Dave Williams

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.