Board of Directors
- President: Kristen Augusztiny Zink, Licensed Real Estate Appraiser
- Vice President: Mark Kettering, Retired Technology Industry Executive
- Treasurer: Robert McCrossin
- Secretary: Dan Whitmarsh, MDIV, MACP
- Director: Frank DiBiase, retired from Public Health, Small Business Owner
- Advisor: Anne Junod, PhD, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
The KPP Board…
Our board is critical to our work. Board directors guide our efforts, make strategic decisions, provide community level input, and provide valuable expertise. They are all community members who serve two-year terms and can sit for more than a single term if desired.
Want to join?
We would love to have more community members on our Board! Send us an email and let us know you’re interested!
Executive Team
Susan Paganelli
Co-Executive Director
Susan is a Pacific Northwest native and graduate of Washington State University (Education) and University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies (International Human Rights).
As Co-Executive Director, Susan’s work roles cover the important details of administration to the larger picture challenges of community organizing and creating pathways to help tackle big, systemic problems. Her background in education, international human rights, and leadership figure prominently in her work, giving her a rare expertise dealing with people, cultural differences, and complicated issues.
Outside of work, Susan is dedicated to her family and community. She has volunteered for numerous organizations over the years, from the American Red Cross (as a Disaster Aid Team leader) to co-president of an International Spouses group and she currently serves on the Conservation Futures Citizen Advisory Board for Pierce County, WA. She is an avid traveler and adventurer, which led to living overseas for many years, and now includes scuba diving in the Puget Sound.
Ben Paganelli
Co-Executive Director
Ben grew up in Upstate New York before finding his way to the United States Air Force Academy. Graduating with a degree in International Relations (followed eventually with a master’s degree in the same field from Troy University), Ben pursued a military career in operations, strategy, and teaching.
In his role as Co-Executive Director, Ben tackles tough strategic level issues, coordination and collaboration efforts, and networking. His experience lets him see other perspectives and systemic barriers that often hamper community development efforts, allowing for creative solutions and big-picture thinking.
Outside of work, Ben is involved in Rotary and Youth Lacrosse but mostly enjoys time with his family, cooking, Akido, and scuba diving.
Board of Directors
Kristen Zink
President
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Kristen grew up on San Juan Island. She resided in Snohomish County for 20 years before settling here on the Key Peninsula in 2015. Kristen is a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser and hobby farmer. On her small farm on the KP she keeps honeybees, horses, goats, and chickens as well as a large, fully organic garden and orchard.
With a long time, family history of volunteer work Kristen has always been engaged with some sort of community service, spanning the better part of the past 30 years. Her work includes service on Community Councils, School Boards, PTA/Booster Clubs, 4H Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, Committees for several Cities and Communities, etc. She enjoys engaging in the communities where she lives and believes that any community is only as good as the members willing to get involved in it.
Kristen has been on the board of the Key Peninsula Partnership for a Healthy Community for 6 years and loves seeing the organization grow and find deeper and more substantial ways to serve the community.
Robert McCrossin
Treasurer
Robert McCrossin owned and operated Bayside Animal Lodge on the Key Peninsula for 25 years before recently selling the business to young people he hired while they were still in high school. He has a degree in Business Administration and extensive experience within various industries including animal care, retail, storage and accounting to include management of Quality Control and Auditing departments. He started to follow his dream of working with animals when he was managing two veterinary practices in Seattle, before coming to the Key and running Bayside Animal Lodge.
Robert served as Vice President of the Board of the New York Self Service Storage Association for 2 years 1980-1981.
Robert joined the TMSP in 2016 as a volunteer on the Finance Committee, joined the Board of Directors later that year, and served as board vice president from 2017-2021. From 2021 to current Robert has been the Board Chair.
Robert also served as Treasurer on the board of directors for the Key Peninsula Community Council and the Key Peninsula Farm Tour.
Robert recently joined the board of the Key Peninsula Partnership for Healthy Communities.
Dan Whitmarsh
Secretary
Dan grew up in Shoreline, WA. and lived up and down the West Coast before making his home on the Key Peninsula in 2006. He is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice, serving clients across the Gig Harbor-KP community. Dan is a columnist for the Key Peninsula News and a musician who performs in several local bands and orchestras. His love for the outdoors leads to many hours spent hiking and fishing across Western Washington. His heart for people means he is often found out and about in the community connecting with others.
Dan has a B.A. in Music from Azusa Pacific University, a Master of Divinity from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, and a Masters in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. He is also an ordained minister with the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Dan is married to Sarah, and they have four young adult children who fill their life with joy, delight, and no small amount of chaos.
Frank Dibiase
Director
Frank has been a resident of the Key Peninsula for over 35 years. Prior to coming to the KP, Frank was an educator in rural Alaska. He holds degrees in Zoology and Education. He worked as a public health professional for 26 years serving areas of Tacoma and the Peninsula with a focus on community engagement, healthy equity, environmental health and administrative services. Frank has been a volunteer in the community since first moving to the Key Peninsula, currently serves on the board for Key Peninsula Community Services in addition to serving on the Key Peninsula Partnership Board. He loves the diversity of lifestyles on the Key Peninsula, its community spirit, beautiful surroundings and has a passion to help improve the quality of life for all residents of the Key Peninsula.
Anne Junod
Advisor
Anne N. Junod is an environmental social scientist and rural sociologist at the Urban Institute, where her research centers on the energy, climate, and environmental justice issues associated with climate change, disasters, and natural resource and energy development. She has extensive experience designing and managing large scale and national research studies with complex methodologies, leading team-based research and policy engagement activities, evaluating federal and state programs, and collaborating with research, government, and community partners. Her work elevates evidence-based solutions that leverage community assets, build capacity, and guide policymaking and investments to change inequities in environmental and climate outcomes and advance social, racial, and economic equity. Junod has an MS in Rural Sociology and PhD in Environment and Natural Resources from Ohio State University’s School of Environment and Natural Resources. Before joining Urban, Junod was a USDA-NIFA Fellow. She and her spouse love living on the Key Peninsula for the natural beauty and folks’ strong commitment to caring for neighbors and building community.
Mark Kettering
Vice-President
Mark Kettering is a lifelong Northwest native and resident, and has been a member of the Key Peninsula community since 1986. He and his wife, Wendy, raised their two children in a weekend cabin on Case Inlet.
Mark worked as a technology industry executive for 43 years and retired to the KP four years ago. “I am thrilled to join the dynamic and passionate team at the KP Partnership. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful environment and I believe the Partnership plays a vital role in developing and connecting programs and resources for those in need.”