Meet the Board
PRESIDENT
Tony Pisa
Tony’s journey has been one of dynamic growth and impactful leadership across various industries, including his pivotal leadership roles at notable companies like Kinko’s/FedEx, Kizuki Ramen, and Starbucks. With a strong foundation in strategic thinking and team collaboration, Tony has consistently driven business success and innovation. His ability to identify growth opportunities and forge lasting partnerships has set him apart as a leader in business development.
Beyond his professional achievements, Tony enjoys staying active both physically and mentally. He found pickleball last year and his love for the game isn’t just about the thrill of competition; it’s about community building and promoting inclusivity. As an active competitor and community advocate, Tony is deeply committed to expanding the reach of pickleball in greater Seattle and beyond, aligning perfectly with the mission of the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association.
As a previously experienced board member, he aims to be a great partner to his fellow board members, SMPA members, and all pickleball enthusiasts. While some may prefer traditional methods for expanding the sport’s reach, Tony is excited to blend innovative ideas with proven strategies to maximize impact.
Vice President
Kate Van Gent
Kate Van Gent served as pickleball liaison to Senator John Lovick in the successful effort to make pickleball the official sport of Washington. She is intrigued with the idea of creating a pickleball think tank and is focused on expanding pickleball facilities throughout the Puget Sound area.
She coordinates the fun at Mariners Pickleball Night, an annual pickleball party which has celebrated Washingtonian-born pickleball athletes including Riley and Lindsey Newman, Tyson McGuffin and Connor Garnett.
Kate was a certified real estate appraiser for 30 years with a focus on analyzing properties throughout the U.S. for financial service companies and investment banks. After retirement, she pivoted to all things pickleball. She explored Washington State through the pickleball tournament circuit in 2022. She has dual U.S. and Swiss citizenship but doesn’t yodel.
treasurer
josephine wong
Josephine started playing pickleball in 2019, took a break during the pandemic, and picked it back up in 2023—with even more enthusiasm and love for the sport than before. Being part of the local pickleball scene has become a joyful and energizing part of her life.
Professionally, she’s the Chief Operating Officer at PolicyLink, a national research and action institute working to build a future where all people in the United States of America can participate in a flourishing multiracial democracy, prosper in an equitable economy, and live in thriving communities.
She brings deep experience in public service, having previously spent over eight years as Deputy Director at King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS).
In addition to her work with SMPA, she also serves on the board of TownHall Seattle. She lives in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood and, when not working or volunteering, can often be found on a pickleball court, at the golf course, in the pool, or spending time with family and friends.
Secretary
John Rankin
John recently retired after a 23-year IT career at the Boeing Company, and previously served 22 years as a member of the Royal Air Force. Like many others, he discovered pickleball during an SMPA-sponsored pickleball clinic and quickly fell in love with the game we are all so passionate about.
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, he enjoys following soccer (aka football). An occasional hiker, past marathon and recreational runner, he is now a dedicated pickleball player and student of the game.
John is working to grow SMPA membership and increase engagement with local government to advance play opportunities. He has a vision to develop SMPA’s relationships with pickleball clubs and groups across the Metro area, and beyond, to create a true sense of pickleball community in Washington, the birthplace of our sport.
dIRECTOR
Michael Connell
Michael is an accomplished interdisciplinary creative executive with a deep background in leading global brand organizations through high-level strategy, ideation, and design. With decades of experience in developing holistic brand strategies, product systems, communication design, and digital content, Michael has demonstrated a unique ability to drive business results through strong strategic and creative foundations, engaged leadership, and collaborative relationships.
Throughout his career, Michael has had the privilege to work with brands such as 3M, ABC, Adidas, Barbie, Cranium, KitchenAid, Lexus, Mammut, Toyota, and Xbox. He has led creative teams, driven brand strategies, and delivered innovative content campaigns across various media and platforms. His work has been recognized with numerous awards and publications, underscoring his commitment to strategy, excellence and most importantly, people.
With a passion for innovation and creativity, Michael brings his strategic vision and collaborative spirit to the board of Seattle Metro Pickleball Association. His expertise in strategic development, brand experience, and storytelling will be instrumental in enhancing pickleball’s visibility, member experience and community building. Michael is excited to contribute to the growth and success of SMPA, driving awareness, participation, and enthusiasm for pickleball in and around the Seattle Metro area.
director
don goulet
Don spent 31 years selling Natural and Engineered Stone for a couple local suppliers , until he opened up his own company two years ago, selling to a few of his old clients and friends made over three decades. Having been sidelined for a number of years due to medical reasons (two hip replacements and an Achilles tendon rupture), he stumbled onto pickleball while vacationing in Palm Springs and was instantly hooked. The sport was a godsend. It checked all the boxes athletically, but it was the fun, welcoming community that’s been the cherry on top.
Don would play every day if his repaired body would allow it. For now, he plays four to five days a week at Walt Hundley in West Seattle, especially on Saturday and Sunday mornings with his fellow “Breakfast Club” players. Like Don, his wife Kathleen was instantly hooked. They have welcomed their two adult children into the sport, as well as other friends and family. The love of the game drew him to the SMPA board. His mission as director is to continue in the footsteps of community leaders who have developed and expanded pickleball for all.
Director
amy greger
Not long after retiring from her career as a software consultant, Amy picked up a pickleball paddle and was instantly hooked after her first game. Through regular open play in her community, she recognized and responded to a need for league play. Amy cofounded Westside Pickleball while serving on the SMPA Board in 2022.
Westside Pickleball is sponsored by SMPA and is run as an ongoing fundraiser for Chief Sealth High School Athletics. The league provides weekly play and biannual tournaments to hundreds of players while giving back to the local community.
Amy is committed to bringing people together through pickleball and showing the greatness and positivity that passion ignites. She is the driving force behind Washington’s Pickleball State Sport license plate and won’t stop until every pickleball player in Washington purchases one.
director
ALyse rome
Alyse is a passionate “people person” and a celebrated dedicated advocate for children and youth. As the founder of Amazing Kids! and creator of the “Amazing Kids! of the Month” stories, she loves inspiring and celebrating others who use their innate gifts to help improve their communities.
Why Pickleball? As a former champion college athlete (who led her team to 1st place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Fencing Conference where she was also ranked 2nd individually), Alyse understands firsthand the power of sports to not only enhance our mental and physical health, but to bring people together.
Alyse’s passion for Pickleball is not simply limited to the joy found in playing the sport, but for its amazing potential to build bridges and help foster positive, healthy connections, whether they be within our own communities or beyond.
Alyse deeply values excellence and is excited to join the Seattle Metro Pickleball Board so she can help uplift and support the SMPA mission, not only growing, but enhancing the experience of playing Pickleball in the greater Seattle region and beyond!
Alyse’s favorite sound: children’s laughter.
Her second favorite sound: a pickleball bouncing off a paddle, naturally! 😉
Her favorite challenge: a dual! On the courts, of course.
That fellow on the left is Frank Pritchard, who appeared at the annual Fred Hutch Charity Tennis and Pickleball event in Bellevue in 2024. SMPA provides the nets, runs the pickleball tournament and donates to this great cause every year.
Director
Gordon Sata
As a Seattle resident, Gordon has played pickleball for over eight years and continues to make impactful contributions to the sport, fostering inclusivity and community engagement across the city. In 2022, Gordon achieved a historic milestone by receiving a Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) Get Moving grant — the first pickleball grant ever awarded in Seattle. With this grant, Gordon launched the Beacon Hill Pickleball program, which sought to introduce pickleball to demographics that are often underrepresented in sports. Gordon’s initiative also extended to SPR’s Big Day of Play, further showcasing pickleball to a wider audience.
In the same year, Gordon joined the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association (SMPA) board as a director empowering play. This role allowed him to channel his passion for pickleball into actionable projects that benefited the community at large. His efforts were particularly visible in 2023, when he wrote and secured a substantial National Challenge Grant from AARP. This grant enabled the procurement of semi-permanent nets which were installed at SPR pickleball facilities including Bitter Lake and Rainier Beach.
During Gordon’s first year on SMPA’s Diversity and Inclusion in Pickleball (DIIP) program, he served on the advisory council, where he contributed valuable insights and strategies to create an equitable and welcoming pickleball community. His work with DIIP highlighted his dedication to fostering a culture of respect and unity within the sport, ensuring that pickleball remains accessible to all.
Gordon oversees SMPA’s net and squeegee program, ensuring that outdoor players have the tools needed to clear wet courts and play in all seasons. To date, Gordon has organized numerous volunteer crews who have transported and installed over 35 semi-permanent pickleball nets on courts throughout the Seattle Metro area. His work exemplifies the spirit of community service and the importance of ensuring accessible and well-maintained facilities for all players.
Gordon can often be found teaching and promoting the community values that are deeply embedded in pickleball. As a sport that emphasizes collaboration, teamwork, and mutual respect, pickleball provides a unique platform for Gordon to foster camaraderie and connection among players. His teaching approach goes beyond the technical aspects of the game, focusing on the values that make pickleball a unifying and enriching activity for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Treasurer
Bob koenig
Bob Koenig’s journey with pickleball began 45 years ago, when a neighbor first introduced the sport to his community. Armed with a wooden paddle, Bob quickly became part of a group of enthusiastic kids and adults who embraced the game, fostering a lively neighborhood tradition.
Despite decades of avid play, Bob humorously admits that he should be a better pickleball player by now. “I know, I know; I hear that a lot,” he often jokes, reflecting on his enduring passion for the game.
Over the years, Bob has shared his love for pickleball with countless friends in the various cities he has called home, including Seattle, Boulder, Denver, Scottsdale, and even London. His influence has been so lasting that former British colleagues continue to play pickleball today. Bob’s enthusiasm for the sport is evident in the driveway courts he has installed at two of his homes, where tournament parties are a highlight, drawing friends together for fun and spirited competition.
As the treasurer of SMPA, Bob brings three decades of experience as a Chief Financial Officer for major cellular phone corporations. His background also includes promoting physical activities—such as running, cycling, and hiking—within non-profit organizations. Bob’s ambition for SMPA is to build on the success of his predecessors by growing the organization, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and ensuring exceptional staffing.
Beyond his professional and pickleball pursuits, Bob enjoys sailing, traveling, and spending time with his four grandchildren, who have inherited his competitive spirit and love for pickleball.
Meet The Founders
Founder
Sandra Goldade
Sandra retired from Boeing to spend more time playing pickleball and volleyball. She has one son, Max.
Sandra has been playing pickleball (and volleyball) for 15 years, first starting as a way to spend more time with her 94-year old dad. There is some humor in hearing a 60-something woman yelling “Dad!” in a group of people over 55.
An SMPA founder and part of the membership committee, Sandra plays several times a week at 3 gyms in West Seattle. She continues to contribute her energy to SMPA as a volunteer for the Seattle Metro Pickleball Classic in July.
Vice President | Secretary
Theresa Haynie
Handed her own pickleball paddle after a summer of being net hauler and line-painter for the pickleball courts on Orcas Island, Theresa got hooked on playing, too. She accompanies her avid pickleball-player wife, Kathy, to the occasional tournament, and makes certain the paddles are packed for any and all travels.
As one of the SMPA founders, she believes strongly in giving back to the sport by working to increase playing opportunities throughout the Seattle metro area. Theresa organizes pickleball play groups in Seattle, is on the courts as much as she can manage, dreams in pickleball drills, and in 2019 took home a gold medal in Women’s Doubles from the USA National Pickleball Championships. She serves as USA Pickleball Ambassador for Seattle.
Founder
Stan Jonasson
Stan is a retired Seattle small businesses owner. He moved to Seattle in 1980 from his native state of Idaho, and has been here ever since, except for one year living in New Zealand.
Stan and his wife, Linda, previously lived in Ballard. He has two adult daughters and a step-son. Three years ago, Linda took Stan to a pickleball class and he was smitten. He is a founding member of SMPA and sits on the membership committee. Stan left the Board late in 2018 when he and wife Linda relocated to Port Townsend, where Stan is a regular on the local pickleball courts.
President
Jerry Kindinger
Jerry took up pickleball in the Summer of 2016 after retiring from the long-time practice of law in the Seattle area. Pickleball is his new passion. Jerry stepped down from the SMPA Board and his role as President at the end of his term in 2021.
Jerry is married to Marcia, and they have a grown married daughter, Kerry. He and Marcia play pickleball several times a week at various venues in Central and South Seattle.
He is one of the founders of the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association along with several other enthusiasts who are interested in expanding available pickleball facilities and events and introducing this fantastic game to others.
Treasurer
Drew Thoresen
Drew retired in 2007 and currently lives in West Seattle.
He is one of the founders of Seattle Metro Pickleball Association and first played pickleball in the early 1980’s, took it up again 3 years ago and now plays mostly in West Seattle.
He previously worked as a CPA, Controller, CFO and a founder/co-owner of two small businesses.
Director
Jimi Vernie
Jimi is a retired teacher who left small-town eastern Washington life and moved to Seattle with her husband in 2000. They started playing pickleball to get acquainted with the community. They were quickly hooked and now play 4 to 5 times a week.
Jimi enjoys helping people make connections to other people and to our pickleball community. A founding member of the SMPA, she played a key role in the SPR Pickleball Pilot Project. Jimi left the Board in early 2018 for more time with family.
Director | Founder
Miguel De Campos
Miguel must have been a dog in one of his previous lives because when he sees a moving ball he has to go fetch it and return it to wherever it came from.
When he is not coaxing pickleballs with a paddle, you might find him kicking them with his foot or trying to trap them with his chest, both old reflexes from his soccer playing days
When no balls are around, Miguel enjoys programming computers, keeping timeforpickleball.com up to date, listening to music and visualizing achieving world peace through pickleball, a key reason he helped found the SMPA.
Miguel’s wife, who does not share his canine ancestry, prefers yoga, tai chi, and qigong to pickleball.
