We acknowledge that this Indigenous land now called Pioneer Square is the ancestral land of the Coast Salish people. We recognize, honor, and respect the Indigenous peoples connected to this land; past, present, and future.
We manage two organizations – the Alliance for Pioneer Square and the Pioneer Square Business Improvement Area (BIA). The Alliance for Pioneer Square is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works to help preserve what makes Pioneer Square the most authentic, engaging and dynamic neighborhood in Seattle. We do this by effectively implementing programs in the following areas: business development, communications and marketing, advocacy, public realm, and leadership. The oldest Business Improvement Area in the city, the businesses of the Pioneer Square BIA fund beautification, marketing and promotion, and the Alliance’s neighborhood advocacy and activation.
The Alliance for Pioneer Square is funded in part by the 4Culture Lodging Tax.
Executive Director
Deputy Director
Business Strategy Manager
Angela nguyen
Marketing & Communications
Manager
Design & Planning Manager
Programs & Administration Manager
Communications Specialist
The Alliance Board of Directors consists of a diverse mix of Pioneer Square professionals and residents.
Jane Rakay Nelson is a real estate attorney who has more than three decades of experience handling numerous real estate financing, lease and acquisition transactions for nonprofit and for-profit clients. She is a resident and has an office in Pioneer Square.
Steve is a partner at a law firm in the Collins Building at 2nd and James. He advises corporate and individual clients on a full range of complex commercial disputes and risk management.
Heather Hodge is the Cofounder and Culinary Director of The Pastry Project. Founded in 2019 and located in Pioneer Square, The Pastry Project is a social enterprise providing job training and mentorship to individuals facing barriers to entry in the baking and pastry industry.
Leila Kirske is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for RadarFirst, a Vista Equity Partners portfolio company. She has served on the Alliance’s board since 2014 and has also served as a board member for Photographic Center NW, PAWS, and Bicycles for Humanity.
Adam Hasson serves as the Director of Real Estate for Samis Land Company where has been responsible for asset management of a diverse portfolio including residential and commercial properties. As many of Samis’ holding are in the Pioneer Square Historic District, he is involved in historic preservation and is also on the board of the Pioneer Square BIA.
Grant Wojahn joined the Alliance board in 2019. He is an alumnus of the Pioneer Square BIA board, having served as Treasurer as well as heading up the Finance committee. He is the Director of Human Resources for LT Partners, a marketing & consulting services firm.
Kim Cook is the President & CEO of Bread of Life Mission (BOLM), founded in Pioneer Square in 1939. BOLM is a shelter for men who are caught in homelessness and addiction. The staff there walk alongside their guests to find healing and life transformation in all areas of their lives.
Jennie relocated to Seattle from Sarasota, Florida in 2001 and started her CRE career with Samis Foundation at the Smith Tower. She currently serves on the board of directors for BOMA Seattle and also serves on BOMA’s executive and finance committees. Additionally, Jennie is a recent new board member of the Metropolitan Improvement District.
Justin is the Vice President of Financial Operations at Weyerhaeuser, one of the world’s largest private owners of timberlands and one of the largest wood products manufacturers in North America. Justin has spent most of his career in or around Pioneer Square, starting at KPMG in Public Accounting in the early 2000s, and more recently at Weyerhaeuser, which has its Headquarters in Occidental Square.
A born Seattleite, Tija started working in Pioneer Square in the early ’80s. By the mid ’90s, she and her partner moved into the neighborhood, purchased the business, and transitioned it into a modern facility, running it until it closed in 2020. She currently chairs the Pioneer Square Residents’ Council and has served on various PS Boards.
Barry is the “Chief Problem Solver” and a founding principal of Blanton Turner, an AMO® (Accredited Management Organization) real estate management and consulting firm based in Seattle, Washington. Barry is a Certified Property Manager (CPM®) and a Counselor of Real Estate (CRE®).
Henry is the Director of Placemaking, Leasing, and Activations for the Railspur project in Pioneer Square, while also managing placemaking initiatives for Urban Villages’ portfolio in Seattle and Denver. He has attracted notable businesses to Railspur and has forged partnerships with non-profit organizations. Henry also serves on the Pioneer Square Historic Preservation Board.
Ryan oversees the management of the property portfolio and operations of Martin Smith Inc, based in Pioneer Square. He was the third generation of Smith’s to join the firm when he began his career in 2003. Ryan also serves as a board member of the Friends of Waterfront Seattle and the Seattle Historic Waterfront Association.
Kendra is the Community Steward for the Metropole Building, which is owned by the Satterberg Foundation. She is responsible for the building’s day-to-day operations, tenant outreach and selection, and managing community engagement. The Metropole is a nonprofit center providing affordable office space and amenities, particularly for organizations focused on social justice and communities of color.
Charles has served as superintendent for the National Park Service in Seattle since 2015, during which time he has led significant initiatives. He helped Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Pioneer Square offer a more thorough and accurate understanding of Native Americans, LGBTQIA+ communities, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and the working class.
Emeritus
Jen fell in love with Pioneer Square shortly after moving there in 2009. After living in the neighborhood for just a few months, she decided to start a blog called “The New Pioneer Square” that could show people the positive aspects of the neighborhood and help build a strong community of Pioneer Square residents. In 2014, she and her husband opened a fast-casual restaurant in Smith Tower, called SPROUT.
Emeritus
Kevin is a founding board member of the Alliance for Pioneer Square. He is President of Daniels Real Estate. Kevin serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Trust for Historic Preservation for which he is vice-chair of the Preservation and Audit Committees. He also serves on the Board of Regents for Gonzaga University, and he serves as a board members emeriti for the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and Historic Seattle.
