Staff Directory

Tracy Burrows

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Executive Director
[email protected]

Tracy Burrows joined MRSC as the executive director in September 2011. She has over 20 years of local government and non-profit experience, specializing in growth management, transportation, and general city management issues. Most recently, she was the legislative liaison for the Seattle Department of Transportation where she led the Department's efforts to develop a transportation funding ballot measure and advocated on behalf of the city on state and federal transportation policy transportation issues. She has also served as the City of Kirkland's intergovernmental relations manager, where she was instrumental in successful efforts to regionalize fire and police dispatch services and to secure state annexation funding. She has a bachelor's degree in economics from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Florida.

Executive Director
[email protected]

Flannary Collins

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Managing Attorney
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Flannary P. Collins is the managing attorney for MRSC. She first joined the organization as a legal consultant in August 2013 after serving as assistant city attorney for the city of Shoreline where she advised all city departments on a wide range of issues. Flannary became the managing attorney in 2018. In this role, she manages the MRSC legal team of five attorneys. At MRSC, Flannary enjoys providing legal guidance to municipalities on all municipal issues, including the OPMA, PRA, and elected officials’ roles and responsibilities. She also serves on the WSAMA Board of Directors as Secretary-Treasurer. Flannary is a Seattle native, graduated with a B.A. from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and received her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.

Managing Attorney
[email protected]

Harry Boesche

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Legal Consultant
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Harry Boesche joined MRSC as a legal consultant in April 2024. A municipal attorney with over 20 years of experience, he has served as a prosecutor and legal advisor to various Puget Sound local governments including Auburn, Tumwater, Roy, and Ruston. In addition to his legal practice, he has been a paralegal instructor at Tacoma Community College for over 20 years, teaching courses in labor and employment law, legal writing and civil procedure. Harry has a 1999 J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, and a 2003 taxation LL.M. from the University of Washington School of Law.

Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Jill Dvorkin

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Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Jill Dvorkin joined MRSC as a legal consultant in June 2016 after working for nine years as a civil deputy prosecuting attorney for Skagit County. At Skagit County, Jill advised the planning department on a wide variety of issues including permit processing and appeals, Growth Management Act (GMA) compliance, code enforcement, SEPA, public records, legislative process, and public records. Jill was born and raised in Fargo, ND, then moved to Bellingham to attend college and experience a new part of the country (and mountains!). She earned a B.A. in Environmental Policy and Planning from Western Washington University and graduated with a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law in 2003.

Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Linda Gallagher

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Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Linda Gallagher joined MRSC in 2017. She previously served as a senior deputy prosecuting attorney for King County and as an assistant attorney general. Linda’s municipal law experience includes risk management, torts, civil rights, transit, employment, workers compensation, eminent domain, vehicle licensing, law enforcement, corrections, and public health. She graduated from the University of Washington School of Law.

Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Sarah Doar

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Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Sarah Doar joined MRSC in September 2018. Most recently, she served as a civil deputy prosecuting attorney for Island County. At Island County, Sarah advised on many aspects of government business, including compliance with public record and opening meeting laws. She also defended the County in Growth Management Act and Land Use litigation. Prior to moving to Washington, Sarah practiced land use, environmental, and appellate law in Florida for over eight years. Sarah holds a B.A. in Biology from Case Western Reserve University and a J.D. with a certificate in environmental and land use law from Florida State University College of Law.

Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Steve Gross

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Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Steve Gross joined MRSC as a legal consultant in January 2020, having worked in municipal law and government for over 20 years as an assistant city attorney for Lynnwood, Seattle, Tacoma, and Auburn, and as the city attorney for Port Townsend and Auburn. He also has been a legal policy advisor for the Pierce County Council and has worked in contract administration. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University and the University of Puget Sound School of Law.
 

Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Melanie Dane

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Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Melanie Dane joined MRSC in 2021 as a legal consultant focusing on criminal and civil issues surrounding impaired driving. She is a state traffic safety resource prosecutor providing training and other assistance to prosecutors, law enforcement, judges, hearing examiners, probation staff, and legislators. She served as a city prosecutor in Snohomish County for 18 years, served as the presiding judge for the City of Black Diamond, and serves as a judge pro tempore. Melanie is a graduate of the University of Washington, attended the International Law Program in Madrid, Spain, with William and Mary School of Law, and earned her JD from Seattle University School of Law.

Legal Consultant
[email protected]

Steve Butler

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Planning & Policy Manager
[email protected]

Steve Butler joined MRSC in February 2015 as a planning consultant as well as the manager of the policy team. He has been involved in most aspects of community planning for over 30 years, both in the public and private sectors. Steve has served as president of statewide planning associations in both Washington and Maine, and was elected to the American Institute of Certified Planner’s College of Fellows in 2008. He received a B.A. from St. Lawrence University (Canton, New York) and a M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Planning & Policy Manager
[email protected]

Leonard Bauer

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Planning Consultant
[email protected]

Leonard Bauer joined MRSC in June 2024 as a planning consultant. Leonard has over 35 years of public service experience in planning and community development. He served as the managing director of the Washington State Growth Management Services Office at the Department of Commerce for 12 years. Most recently he was the community planning and development director for Olympia for ten years. He also served the Cities of Sumner and Tumwater, and a regional council of governments in Eugene, OR. Originally from Yakima, Leonard attended Washington State University and later earned a B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University of Oregon. Leonard was elected to the American Institute of Certified Planner’s College of Fellows in 2014 and received the Meyer Wolfe Award for Professional Achievement from the Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Planning Consultant
[email protected]

Lisa Pool

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Public Policy Consultant
[email protected]

Lisa Pool joined MRSC in June 2021. Most recently, she served as a senior planner for Bellingham. In this role, she primarily focused on long-range planning projects, including the city’s comprehensive plan and new housing regulations. Prior to moving to Bellingham, she worked on regional sustainability and transportation issues for a metropolitan planning organization and conducted development review for cities and counties in the Midwest. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental policy and a Master of Urban Planning, both from the University of Kansas in Lawrence. She has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 2009.

Public Policy Consultant
[email protected]

Eric Lowell

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Finance Consultant
[email protected]

Eric Lowell joined MRSC in December 2020 as a finance consultant. He has been involved in local government finance for over 13 years. Eric has worked in city government, as well as for a special purpose district. He received a B.A. in Secondary Education from Arizona State University and a B.S. in Accounting from Central Washington University. 

Finance Consultant
[email protected]

Cheryl Grant

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Finance Consultant
[email protected]

Cheryl joined MRSC in August 2023 as a finance consultant. Born and raised in Washington State, Cheryl has many years of experience working in local government finance, particularly with small cities. Prior to coming to MRSC, Cheryl spent 13 years as the finance director for the City of Chelan, as well as consulting on a variety of finance-related topics for small cities.

Finance Consultant
[email protected]

Josh Klika

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Procurement & Contracting Consultant
[email protected]

Josh joined MRSC in October 2021 as a procurement and contracting consultant. Josh has a broad public procurement background with over 20 years in state and local governments. In addition to holding roles in procurement at multiple agencies at the State of Washington, most recently Josh worked as contracts and procurement program manager for the City of Olympia. He has also served as a recurring panelist, facilitator, and presenter on numerous topics relating to procurement and contracting for various professional organizations. He currently holds a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) through the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC), a NIGP Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP) certification, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB) through the University of Washington.
 

Procurement & Contracting Consultant
[email protected]

Sandra Vong

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Controller
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Sandra Vong began working at MRSC in March 1998. She graduated from Central Washington University with a B.S. degree in Accounting and Finance. She has full charge accounting responsibilities for the center, as well as the two Professional Associations, WCMA and WSAMA. Sandra also handles the education training registration and maintains the membership database for the Washington Finance Officers Association.

Controller
[email protected]

Antoinette Avery

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Accountant
[email protected]

Antoinette joined MRSC as an accountant in December 2023. Her primary focus is bookkeeping for the professional associations APWA, WCMA and WSAMA. Antoinette moved to Washington in 2010 and has earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Certificate in Accounting Studies. She worked in finance and accounting for the City of Port Townsend and the Poulsbo Fire Department prior to joining MRSC.

Accountant
[email protected]

Eric Chang

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IT Manager
[email protected]

Eric Chang has been involved in technology ever since serving in the US Navy as a radar technician. Eric has been responsible for developing numerous software products and custom business applications. More recently, served as a senior data analyst in the Healthcare industry. Mr. Chang is Microsoft-certified and has received an MBA from the University of Washington in 2001. Eric grew up in the Northwest and when not staring at a computer is going for a hike, finding a new putter or feeding his four parrots.

IT Manager
[email protected]

Jon Rose

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Finance and Administrative Manager
[email protected]

Jon Rose joined MRSC in November 2017 and leads the finance and administration team. Jon worked for several years as a financial analyst and project manager, serving in both the Medical and Banking sectors. He graduated with a BBA degree in 2004 as well as an MBA in 2010 from Pacific Lutheran University.

Finance and Administrative Manager
[email protected]

Aimy Enriquez

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HR and Administration Analyst
[email protected]

Aimy Enriquez joined MRSC in spring 2017. As the human resources and administration Analyst, she is responsible for a variety of executive administrative, human resources duties, and fundraising initiatives for MRSC. Her background in nonprofits includes serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA, and then Volunteer Engagement Coordinator with 501 Commons. Aimy has a B.A. in English from Western Washington University.

HR and Administration Analyst
[email protected]

Brynn Linville

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Program Support Coordinator
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Brynn joined MRSC in June 2022 as program support coordinator. With a professional background of seven years in nonprofit and construction administrative support and an educational background in the performing arts, she brings a unique blend of creativity and practical knowledge to her role. Brynn is a West Coast native and enjoys exploring all the beauty it has to offer: hiking, kayaking, finding the best coffee spots and restaurants, and spending time in her garden with her dogs.

Program Support Coordinator
[email protected]

Lisa Lagerstrom

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Rosters Program Lead
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Lisa joined MRSC in July 2024 as the Rosters program lead. Lisa worked as a counselor and training development specialist with APEX Accelerators (formerly Procurement Technical Assistance Centers). Lisa is thrilled to support businesses and public agencies with procurement efforts. Customer service is in her DNA. She graduated from Western Washington University with a BA degree - Industrial Organizational Psychology.    

Rosters Program Lead
[email protected]

Theresa Gonzales

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Rosters Coordinator
[email protected]

Theresa joined MRSC in summer 2022. She oversees the Rosters service, which is the only directory that connects businesses with over 600 public agencies in Washington State. She has been passionate of her non-profit work with organizations like Refugee Women’s Alliance ReWA, Tacoma Community House TCH, American Red Cross, Emergency Food Network EFN, and Tacoma Rescue Mission. In addition to this, she served two terms with AmeriCorps State and National. Theresa has a B.A Degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Religion and Culture from Western Washington University.  

Rosters Coordinator
[email protected]

'Ula Kamaka

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Partnership and Event Coordinator
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‘Ula Kamaka joined MRSC as the new partnership and events coordinator in May of 2023. ‘Ula is responsible for managing logistics for WSAMA, WPTA and WCMA conferences and coordinating training in partnership with the Communications and Policy teams here at MRSC. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Saint Martin’s University and being born and raised in Hawaii, ‘Ula brings a unique perspective with a background in marketing, project management and corporate events.

Partnership and Event Coordinator
[email protected]

Ingrid de la Jara

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Communications Manager
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Ingrid de la Jara joined MRSC in May 2010 and manages the communications team since 2017. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Art from the University of California at Berkeley and worked at various academic libraries in California before moving to Seattle and joining MRSC’s staff. She is passionate about MRSC's mission of supporting and helping local governments better serve their communities.

Communications Manager
[email protected]

Alicia Bones

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Research Analyst and Writer
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Alicia Bones started at MRSC as a research analyst and writer in fall of 2023. Before joining the communications team, she worked as a composition and research methods instructor at several Seattle-area community colleges, as well as a freelance research writer for business and education clients. She holds graduate degrees in English, creative writing, and higher education administration.

Research Analyst and Writer
[email protected]

Steve Hawley

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Research and Communications Analyst
[email protected]

Steve joined MRSC in July 2014 and is responsible for writing, editing, and conducting research for many of MRSC’s website resources, with a particular focus on local government finance, budgeting, ballot measures, and procurement. He has a broad communications and public policy background with over a decade of local government and nonprofit experience.

Research and Communications Analyst
[email protected]

Gabrielle Nicas

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Information Specialist / Librarian
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Gaby Nicas joined MRSC as the information specialist / librarian in August 2016. After many years of teaching English to students in the Health Sciences at a university in Barcelona, Spain she went back to graduate school for a Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Washington. Prior to joining MRSC she worked as a metadata specialist at Dow Jones where she worked on taxonomy maintenance and development and other metadata and indexing support activities for Factiva.

Information Specialist / Librarian
[email protected]

Leah LaCivita

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Communications Coordinator
[email protected]

Leah LaCivita joined MRSC as a communications coordinator in the fall of 2016 and manages MRSC’s blog and webinar training program, in addition to developing website content. She has worked with various nonprofits, membership associations, and research organizations in a variety of positions, from raising funds to editing academic manuscripts. She has a Masters in Nonprofit Organizations from Case Western Reserve University and a Certificate in Editing from the University of Washington. She was born and raised in Ohio and moved to Seattle in 1999. Leah values the wonderful cultural and civic opportunities the city offers, as well as the breathtaking Puget Sound landscape.

Communications Coordinator
[email protected]

Angela Mack

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Brand and User Experience Designer
[email protected]

Angela Mack joined MRSC in August of 2019. Her background includes working with a broad range of local and national organizations ­– from brand identity and development to designing high-end consumer packaging to creating outreach campaigns for nonprofit agencies. Angela earned a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and a Master of Fine Art degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
 

Brand and User Experience Designer
[email protected]

Jacob Rice

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Training and Outreach Coordinator
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Jacob Rice joined MRSC as a training and outreach coordinator in September of 2021. He is responsible for the coordination, production, and promotion of MRSC’s online and in-person trainings. Prior to joining MRSC, Jacob worked as a virtual training producer and graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in Psychology.
 

Training and Outreach Coordinator
[email protected]