Who We Are

Purpose and Goals

  • with community groups to plan for and create community infrastructure that sustainably supports healthy and vibrant neighborhoods.

  • community-led initiatives to address challenges and seize opportunities to further the health and vibrancy of neighborhoods. Initiatives include: (i) safety around public transportation stations and in communities; (ii) neighborhood clean-up and public health; (iii) meeting the needs of teenage youth for safe, welcoming gathering places for educational programming, recreation, skills and job training.

  • support and collaborate in generating resources for community-led initiatives.

  • the resources of the public, private, service and nonprofit sectors in the greater Puget Sound Region communities for positive social and economic impact and thriving neighborhoods.

Our Board of Directors

  • BOARD MEMBER
    —
    Lisa has 30 years of experience leading organizations and initiatives seeking to develop and implement strategies for positive social change. Having started and led four nonprofits, Lisa was most recently CEO of Seattle Social Venture Partners working with nearly 600 philanthropists to invest in social change in the Puget Sound region. At Nitze-Stagen, Lisa leads work on projects to source community input on how the firm’s multi-family projects with ground-floor retail can add value in the neighborhoods where the company is building quality, affordable housing along transit corridors. Past Chair of the Metropolitan Improvement District Advisory Board, Lisa serves on the Boards of the Downtown Seattle Association, The SODO BIA, SCIDpda, the Seattle Police Foundation, and WELD Seattle. Additionally, Lisa manages the Northern Rainier Valley Partnership; the Othello Central Square Stakeholder Group; and the Alliance for Safety, Affordability and Preservation (seeking mandatory seismic upgrades for unreinforced masonry buildings that pose a significant safety hazard for businesses and residents in Seattle). Lisa holds a BA degree from Harvard and an MBA from Stanford.

  • BOARD MEMBER
    —
    Patrick Taylor has a Master in Architecture and is a project manager at Neiman Taber Architects with over ten years of experience designing and entitling housing projects including single family houses, townhouses, micro-housing, and mid-rise mixed use buildings. He is committed to community service and is currently board president, occasional writer, and past programming director for a small non-profit focused on urbanism; he is co-chair of the Seattle AIA Housing Task force; a past member and co-chair of the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board as well as representing them on the Levy to Move Seattle Oversight Board; and prior to moving was involved in the Othello Station Community Action Team. In a previous career he worked in outdoor recreation, field biology, and ecological restoration through the Pacific Northwest. He currently lives with his wife and son in Seattle’s North Beacon Hill neighborhood. And while he grew up a ferry ride away, he is the fourth generation of his family to live in Seattle.

  • CONTACT: nicole@build4community.org
    —
    Nicole has lived in the Greater Seattle Area for almost 10 years and has had a keen interest in community since day one. With an extensive background in the hospitality industry, striving to meet the needs of others comes to her as second-nature. Nicole has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film/Video from the College Santa Fe, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Criminology from Arizona State University. She has been fortunate to ultimately work in an area that allows her to combine all of her education and experience for the greater-good, utilizing creativity, empathy and strong organizational skills to serve the needs of Build4Community. When she is not actively mid-project, Nicole enjoys discovering new restaurants, taking long road trips and otherwise relaxing with her 13-year-old cat, Taco.

  • BOARD MEMBER
    —
    Alex Cooley, a long-time Seattleite and community member. A pragmatic generalist at heart with a deep love for the city and region. Wearing many hats; teacher, activist, advocate, parent, spouse, entrepreneur, union member, community leader, and volunteer are all accurate characterizations. Alex’s early adult years were spent building Seattle and Washington’s first legal cannabis cultivation company, providing diverse experiences galore. Nearest to Alex’s heart being social justice reform, policy/legislation, and municipal government. Leveraging this learning; Alex has spent the last 5 years working to further serve the central area and Seattle as whole, helping to solve the problems facing our great city.

Our Team

  • BOARD MEMBER
    —
    As a Seattle native and committed community member, Torri Magee embodies a deep-rooted commitment to our vibrant city. With a commitment to connection and a dedication to community, Torri brings a wealth of experience and local insight to the board of Build4Community.

    With 16 years of multifamily industry knowledge and CAM/CAPS credentials, her strong background in building resident experience gives her a well-rounded, strategic mindset needed to tackle the complex challenges facing our community. Additionally, she possesses a strong track record of leveraging her expertise to make a positive difference in the lives of Seattle’s residents.

    In addition to the role of Vice President of Property Management and Client Services at Thrive Communities, Torri was also a founding member of Strive to Thrive, Thrive Communities internal volunteer committee. She has been a driving force behind numerous community-driven projects and campaigns.

    In her free time, you’ll find her with her husband, two kids, and their three dogs. She is active in coaching girl's soccer and has a passion for gardening.

    Torri Magee’s leadership qualities, combined with a love for Seattle, make her an invaluable addition to our board. Her vision for a stronger, more inclusive Seattle aligns with the Build4Community mission and she is excited to help us achieve our goals of creating a more vibrant and equitable city for all.

  • CONTACT: lisa@build4community.org
    —
    Lisa has 30 years of experience leading organizations and initiatives seeking to develop and implement strategies for positive social change. Having started and led four nonprofits, Lisa was most recently CEO of Seattle Social Venture Partners working with nearly 600 philanthropists to invest in social change in the Puget Sound region. At Nitze-Stagen, Lisa leads work on projects to source community input on how the firm’s multi-family projects with ground-floor retail can add value in the neighborhoods where the company is building quality, affordable housing along transit corridors. Past Chair of the Metropolitan Improvement District Advisory Board, Lisa serves on the Boards of the Downtown Seattle Association, The SODO BIA, SCIDpda, the Seattle Police Foundation, and WELD Seattle. Additionally, Lisa manages the Northern Rainier Valley Partnership; the Othello Central Square Stakeholder Group; and the Alliance for Safety, Affordability and Preservation (seeking mandatory seismic upgrades for unreinforced masonry buildings that pose a significant safety hazard for businesses and residents in Seattle). Lisa holds a BA degree from Harvard and an MBA from Stanford.

  • BOARD MEMBER
    —
    Daniel is a seasoned professional in integrated real estate investment and portfolio management activities, with a particular emphasis on deal sourcing, investment analysis and development oversight.

    In his former years, Daniel worked as an early stage technology investor at Voyager Capital and as a Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs. Today, he serves as President of the multi-generational, integrated real estate investment, development and management firm: Nitze-Stagen.

    In his free time, he enjoys spending time on the water with his wife and two young children. Daniel holds BA degrees from University of Washington in Finance and English and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

  • BOARD MEMBER
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    Lori is an expert in project management of redevelopment projects, as well as supporting all phases of the acquisition process.

    In her former years, Lori held the positions of Project Planner for Olson-Olson Architects and Project Manager for Bruce Olson Construction, with responsibilities for entitlement and site development oversight. She currently serves as Vice President of Development for local firm, Nitze-Stagen.

    In her free time, Lori enjoys hiking with her yellow lab and weekend travel adventures. Lori holds a BA degree from Muhlenberg College in Political Science and a Master of Science in Real Estate and Master of Urban Planning, both from the University of Washington.

  • BOARD MEMBER
    —
    Dr. Julie Pham is the founder and the CEO of CuriosityBased, an organizational development firm based in Seattle. She is a writer and her books include the #1 Amazon New Release and Bestseller 7 Forms of Respect: A Guide to Transforming Your Communication and Relationships at Work (2022) and Their War: The Perspectives of the South Vietnamese Military in the Words of Veteran-Émigrés (2019). She has contributed to Forbes.com, the Seattle Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Crosscut, and South Seattle Emerald.

    Dr. Pham was born in Saigon, Vietnam and came to the US with her parents as boat people in 1979. Her parents, Kim and Hằng Phạm, founded Người Việt Tây Bắc newspaper in 1986 and she managed it in 2008-2010 during the recession. She has worked as a journalist, historian, university lecturer, marketer, nonprofit executive, and management consultant.

    She has been recognized with numerous awards for her community leadership, including: Female Founders Alliance Champions Award (2019) in Advocate category, Harvard Business School's Young American Leaders Program (2018), German Marshall Memorial Fellow (2015), Gates Cambridge Scholar (2001), a Puget Sound Business Journal ’40 under 40’ honoree (2011), a Women's Center-University of Washington Woman of Courage honoree (2012) and winner of the Tatsua Nakada Youth Award (2012).

    She earned her PhD in history at Cambridge University as a Gates Cambridge Scholar in 2008 and she graduated magna cum laude from University of California, Berkeley as a Haas Scholar in 2011.