Northwest Hoop Academy
"Home of Northwest Drip"
Executive Board Of Directors
Terry White - Board Chair
Born and raised in Seattle and residing in Renton, Terry retired after serving as the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer at the nation's seventh-largest Mobility Agency, King County Metro Transit. White brings experience in strategy, planning, and administration.
Terry grew up playing whatever sport was in season. He enjoys spending time with family, golfing, and watching youth compete in sporting events.
White holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Central Washington University.
Terry has always loved being a part of teams that provide physical, emotional, and socio-economic mobility and is excited to aid in bringing in the next generation of community servants.
Sharon Gartrell-Henderson Vice Chair
Born and raised in Seattle and resides in Sammamish, Washington. She is a Human Resources Manager for King County's Department of Executive Services.
Sharon brings practical organizational development, change management, and project management skills to the team. Sharon was a fierce competitor in organized sports from early childhood through high school, including volleyball, basketball, and track and field. She strongly supports youth sports, and you will often find her enjoying golf and watching friends and family participate in various sporting events.
Sharon is a proud graduate of Garfield High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Political Science and English Literature from Washington State University.
Lisa Brown - Chief Financial Officer
While Lisa was born on a US Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan, she has mainly lived throughout the West, from California to Washington and spent most of her youth in Seattle. Lisa moved to the Portland area 21 years ago but still has strong ties to the Puget Sound Region. She, Ewan, and their two daughters live in Milwaukie, Oregon.
Lisa and Ewan Brown are small business owners of Plus1 Business Services. She has over 27 years of accounting experience, where they specialize in providing bookkeeping services.
They are joining the BDH team because of a passion for impacting young people's lives. Already a long-term supporter of BDH, she sees Big Drip Hoops impact and feels blessed to be a part of the journey.
Sondra McCaw - Executive Administrator
Sondra McCaw (she/her) is excited to join the Big Drip Hoops board as our Executive Administrator. Sondra is a local Seattle native with roots in South Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood. She is a Cleveland High School alumnus and attended the University of Washington.
Sondra's professional background is in accounting, and she currently serves as an Executive Assistant at King County Metro Transit. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, cooking, and organizing events.
Sondra is excited to be a part of NWHA and looks forward to helping our talented youth gain exposure for higher education opportunities and successful futures.
Thomas Getachew - Board Member
Thomas hails from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and has called Seattle home since 1989. Thomas is a proud alum of Ballard High School and has set roots in Seattle's Rainier Beach neighborhood. Encouraged and supported by a shop owner, Thomas enrolled at South Seattle College to pursue his love for automotive sciences. He occasionally serves as an instructor at South Seattle College.
Thomas is the Deputy Director of King County Metro's Facilities Division. Thomas is experienced at investing and developing people, building sustainable programs with a view to the future, and continually growing his understanding of servant leadership principles.
Thomas believes deeply that through racial justice, we can collectively create a future where we see each of us, especially our youth, thrive regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or identification.
Tim Flanagan - Board Member
Tim's roots trace back to South Seattle, growing up in the Rainier Valley, and he still resides there. He shares his home with longtime partner Kim and is a proud father of three adult daughters. Having always been passionate about all sports, Tim spent his youth and early adulthood playing football, basketball, and baseball. Tim also traveled the country playing competitive softball. He has remained close to the game through coaching and training individuals and fast-pitch teams.
Tim currently serves as a senior leader at King County Metro and recently was Director of Bus Operations, overseeing over 3200 employees. Tim brings an empathetic, understanding ear and voice and his straightforward and decisive communication style to our team.
He is eager to continue his lifelong commitment to serving the community.
Rayvaughn Bolton - Board Member
Rayvaughn "Boo" Bolton is a BDH alumnus that grew up in South King County and began serving his community as a volunteer at the Tukwila Community Center. He went on to attend Kentwood High School in Covington, WA, where he had a successful basketball career that ended with him helping lead the Conquerors to a 2017 4A state championship his senior year. After attending Eastern Arizona Junior College and Northwest University in Kirkland, WA., Boo has been serving as an In School Suspension Teacher at Millcreek Middle School in Kent, WA, where he is also the girls’ and boys’ basketball coach.
Boo has regularly contributed to our youth's mentorship, coaching, and training from the beginning of NWHA. RayVaughn is also an extremely popular barber who dreams of opening his own shop in the future.
Taylor Tibbs - Board Member
Taylor (She/Her/They/Them) currently serves as the Co-Leader of the BIPOC Women and Femmes Healing Circle. They are also a mentor, racial justice advocate, and auntie born and raised in Seattle, Washington. Taylor is deeply committed to practicing accountability, compassion for all living beings, and Restorative Justice as a pathway to systems change.
Taylor believes that their liberation as a Black and Queer Person is connected to the liberation of all people. They hold degrees in Creative Writing and French Language/Literature from Seattle University and dream of opening a bookstore with friends and creating a social hub for folx of color to gather, rest, and practice mutual aid.
They view the journey with NWHA as a part of the process of creating pathways for those who have been historically marginalized.
Ray Sarr - Board Member
Ray was born and raised in Kent, WA. After graduating from Covington’s Kentwood High School, Ray enlisted in the United States Army and is a Combat Veteran having served a tour in Afghanistan. Ray currently is an Army Master Fitness Trainer.
Over the past 10 years Ray has worked with various mentorship groups and programs including Kent Choices and the YMCA of Lakewood, CA where he currently resides. Ray is excited to continue his commitment to community advocacy and service.
Jaylen Harris - Board Member
Jaylen has spent his life in South King County and began serving his community at the young age of 12 as a volunteer at the Tukwila Community Center. He then served as a Youth Program Leader/Director. He later began working with youth of special needs in the Tukwila and Renton areas before becoming a baseball travel team coach and elementary teacher in the Federal Way Public Schools.
Jaylen is the Building and Program support team coordinator at the Family First Community Center in Renton, WA. When it comes to community and youth, he brings a strong desire to serve and build relationships.
Jeff White - Board Member
Jeff is a longtime resident of Washington State. He works as an IT Technical Coordinator for the Office/Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). He has coached Club and Select soccer at different levels for over twenty-five years.
Jeff has also worked, volunteered, and served within the non-profit world, having most recently served on Etta Projects and NorTac Soccer Club boards. Jeff has consistently served with organizations that focus on the improvement of the lives of people, most importantly youth.