
Our Mission
Provide and advocate for quality affordable child care that enriches and nurtures all children, supporting their success in school and in life.
About
At Kids Co. we create safe spaces that inspire wonder, curiosity, and play. We've been serving families since 1989 so we must be doing something really right! Starting with one center in Ballard, we now have 15 throughout Seattle and Mercer Island. And why do our families love us?
- 15 Convenient Locations
- Great Staff
- High Quality, Licensed Programs
- Lots of Scheduling Options
- All Families Are Welcome
- Worry Free Work Days
- Peace of Mind
- Fun for the Kids
Administrative Staff


Susan Brown
Like many other working women I wear lots of hats…I’m mom to two incredible kids (now young adults), Kelby and Midori, I’m wife to the love of my life, Jim, and I have the incredible honor of being Kids Co.’s founder and CEO. And, I’m a Husky. Beyond the hats that I wear, what I believe is most important that you know about me is that I am blessed beyond comprehension that I get to do the work that I love. Child care is my passion and Kids Co. is the result of decades of hard work, tenacity, and love. Close Bio

Eric Borud
Drawn by lure and beauty of the great Pacific Northwest, I relocated to Seattle in 1998 and absolutely fell in love with living here. As someone who enjoys cycling, soccer, a strong community, the great outdoors, and a quality cup of coffee, what could be better? I was originally born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota. I earned my undergraduate degree in business from the University of Colorado, Boulder and have gone on to work in the field of human resources for more than 20 years. That time has included 5 years in the outdoors industry, 5 years working with kids in a non-profit, and 10 years in senior care. I am blessed to share my life with my wonderful wife, our young son, and our goofy dog. When I’m not at work you might find me coaching boys’ soccer, leading the Cub Scout troop, at a Sounders game, or camping somewhere near a river.
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Jessica Schwartz
After growing up in New Jersey, I moved to Seattle in 2016 to complete my Masters of Public of Administration at the Evans School at UW. The daughter of a teacher, I am a strong advocate for quality education for all children. Literacy is one of my passions, and I have been involved with the International Dyslexia Association since 2008 as a volunteer, intern, employee, and board member. I am honored to work at Kids Co. with a wonderful team of dedicated, passionate, and caring individuals. I also enjoy board games, puzzles, escape rooms, and exploring Seattle and the beauty that surrounds us with my dog, Eska.
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Cathy Crowe
Before joining the Kids Co. team in 2007, I worked for 17 years’ in the child care field. That experience set the stage for my career at Kids Co. My responsibilities here lie within the finance team where I manage Billing and Center Accounts, along with other duties as they surface. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I love all sports, but football is my favorite. I’ve been a diehard Seahawks from the beginning.
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Vanessa Kitchner
In 2013 I started at Kids Co. as a full time Regional Sub. This provided a unique insight to the company and was a great experience for me to become familiar with all of the Kids Co. centers. I have worked in child care since 2009 and have become very passionate about enriching the lives of youth and creating a strong educational community for children and families to be a part of. After spending over 5 years in Portland, I decided to move to Seattle after graduating from Portland State University. Although Portland was very hard to leave, I quickly fell in love with Seattle, especially since I have been a long time Seahawks fan!
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Marjean McCraw
My first day with the Kids Co. team was on my birthday. I consider myself lucky to share what we call my Kids-Co-Birth-Aversary with what I care deeply about; the success of all kids and my community. I am grateful to be a part of an organization that truly cares about, and provides access to quality care for kids and their families. After graduating from Western Washington University (Go Vikings!), I made a goal to commit myself to work that gives me purpose. I have been lucky to have found that working for kids and families for over 25 years. Times flies when you love your work!
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Michael Scheinine
I was born and raised next to the University of Maryland campus in College Park, Maryland. I started doing accounting when I was 14 years old for a friend’s company. I spend 10 year living and playing in Ketchum / Sun Valley, Idaho before moving to Los Angeles for 18 years where I started working for 2 different CPA firms as a business manager to people in the entertainment industry. In 2005 I decided to move to Seattle and have been working for non-profits ever since. I spend my free time doing a lot of photography and traveling.
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Katia Watson
I was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, and received my undergraduate degree in International Business and Economics from Cedarville University in Ohio. My husband and I love the outdoors, so we happily relocated from the Midwest to Seattle in 2008. I have spent most of my career in non-profit healthcare finance, and now I am honored to work for Kids Co. We have two little girls, and as a working mom and a graduate student, I have firsthand understanding of how meaningful and precious quality childcare is. I am grateful that Kids Co. strives to fill that need in the Seattle area.
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Adam Foote
Since graduating from Lewis & Clark College with a Major in Psychology and a Minor in Art, I have been working my way up the West Coast creating impactful youth development programs in my communities. I started my youth development career as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Humboldt County California, where I was born and raised, by creating a before and after school program in an alternative high school while assisting teachers in their class room. This year is my third school year managing Kids Co. at West Mercer Elementary and my first at our newest location, Kids Co. at Northwood Elementary. I cherish calling the Pacific Northwest my home. When I have free time you can usually find me playing soccer, board games, and disc golf, hiking, taking pictures, and spending time with family and friends. I also grapple with the cognitive dissidence of supporting both the Sounders and the Timbers during soccer season.
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Linda Lampley
I’m from Seattle, WA I grew up not too far from this Kids Co. Graham Hill location. I started working in child care during the summers at the age of 14. That’s when I found the love to work with children. At a young age I knew I wanted to teach children by helping them learn and grow. I’ve worked with many ages from 1 year olds to middle school.
What I love most about working with children is watching how each child have their own unique ways of learning. I like working with families and the community to create a positive, quality learning environment.
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Denise Williams
My name is Denise Williams and I’m the program Director for Kids Co. at Magnolia. I started working with kids since I was just 15 years olds! I grew up going to after school programs, so I know how important that can be for students and families. Having worked in several childcare programs, I am excited to finally be able to run my own program! I graduated from Northwest College of Art & Design majoring in Illustration and Video Game Design. If you ask my program kiddos what Ms. Denise’s favorite things are, they will tell you, cats, makeup, and art! Working with kids has always been a passion of mine, and I am looking forward to what Kids Co. has to bring for me!
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LaFawnda Williams
I’m an Alaska native who migrated South in order to attend Seattle Pacific University. I fell in love with Seattle and never left! My home-away-from-home is Kids Co. at McDonald where I get to spend quality time with all of your great kids and get to know the community as a whole. In my spare time I enjoy basketball, travel, and my family and friends.
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Sara Metcalfe
I was born and raised in Seattle. My grandma ran a licensed childcare out of my childhood home here on Queen Anne. It was because of her that I developed a passion for working with youth. In high school, I worked as a tutor and began seeking out ways to volunteer with children. I attended Western Washington University and graduated with a degree in the Psychology of Human Development with an endorsement in Elementary Education. After graduating, I found a place here at Queen Anne Elementary. Since 2013, I have worked in the K-1 classes as a tutor as well as working here at Kids Co.
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Chris Martin
After earning my Ph.D. in English from the University of Washington, I took two years off to be a dad before returning to teaching. My professional focus is medieval literature, primarily 9th century Welsh-Latin texts. You may ask me about the Vita Alfredi at your peril! I’ve taught literature—from medieval to Shakespeare—and a variety of writing genres—creative, argumentative, and technical—at University of Washington, Seattle University, and Highline College. During my tenure as a part-time lecturer, I dove head-first into the world of school-age care to develop and run after-school enrichment in and around Seattle. Now, I have the awesome job of working with kids full-time and I couldn’t be more excited to show my passion and commitment to school-age care. While I’m not spending time with my family, skating, biking, and hiking, you can find me at the kitchen table, playing board games with friends.
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Gerleza Chancie
Born and raised in Seattle, I was a child who struggled early on with reading. It took the love and time of a teacher that encouraged and instilled confidence in me. This sparked a light that made me to want to help kids learn to read, and have fun in school. My hope is that no child is left behind and that all children will love to learn, have fun and be inspired to follow their dreams.
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Spencer JohnDrew
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, I moved up to Washington State ten years ago to attend the University of Puget Sound where I studied Psychology and World Religion. After graduating, I began working in Seattle Public Schools, where I have run a number of after school programs around the city. While I am relatively new to the Kids Co. team, I come with almost a decade of experience working with elementary school and middle school aged youth, and am excited to share my experience with a new community. Outside of my work with youth, I co-own and run an independent record label with my best friend, as well as play in a number of bands that regularly perform around the city.
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Gabrielle Redwine
I have a passion for helping youth and assisting in academic achievement and developmental milestones. I love helping families and believe in empowerment through education. As an educational professional, I have taught infants through high school learners in child care and early learning sites for more than ten years. My experience has given me great insight into proper child care, guidance, and education. I hold a Master’s of Business Administration, with a specialization in leadership and project management, and two certificates in Early Learning Childhood Education. I base my program philosophy on team work, collaboration, encouragement, and supporting the optimal development of each child. I believe that children flourish academically, socially, and emotionally when learning is hands on, creative, and produces an environment that promotes growth mindset. My vision for South Shore is to be seen as a leader in providing the best of quality care for all children.
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Executive Committee


Katrina Johnson
Katrina Johnson, a local native to Seattle, joined the Kids Co. board in January of 2018. Katrina has been an active member in the Seattle community by volunteering her time with non-profits such as the Anunnaki Project (2008-2013) as an aerialist, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Cycle for Life Board (2014-2016), and The University of Washington Cheer Squad (2002-2006). Professionally, Katrina has been in the insurance industry since 2007. She is an Employee Benefits Producer and her responsibilities include: new sales; leading client relationships; providing creative, all‐encompassing solutions; managing and evaluating vendor relationships; creating pricing and funding strategies; evaluating plan data; and supporting legal compliance and governance strategies. Katrina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Washington. Katrina loves her family, travel and her community.
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Shawn Larsen-Bright
I am a business litigation attorney and a partner with the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP in Seattle. My law practice focuses on complex corporate and commercial disputes. I have been a member of the Kids Co. board since 2008 and served as board chair from 2012-2015.
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Jonathan Siegel
I am currently the CFO of LabConnect, LLC, a life science services company. Previous to that, I was a CFO, an Economic and Strategy Consultant, and an Economic Researcher. I hold a BA in Economics and an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the University of Chicago. I live in Seattle with my wife and two daughters.
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Jenna Bevilacqua
I’ve invested my entire career in healthcare finance, working at Overlake, Providence, MultiCare and UW Medicine in accounting, reimbursement and planning roles. Beginning in 2018, I took on the role as the Director of Finance for Overlake Medical Center and Clinics. During the course of my career, I’ve won two awards: (1) the first ever Finance Partnership award and (2) the quarterly Certificate of Recognition for Collaboration in Finance.
Born and raised in Renton and Issaquah, I graduated from Seattle University with her BA in Accounting and received her MBA from Western Governors University. I’m married to a wonderful man, Mike, who is from New York, which we consider our second home. Mike and I recently welcomed a beautiful golden retriever puppy, named Gracie, into our lives.
My favorite place to visit is Birch Bay where my extended family has several cabins where we spend time riding bikes or mopeds, building large sandcastles, taking long walks, reading books and visiting the C Shop. In the times before COVID, we enjoy traveling and having large UW football parties at our home.
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John Hoverson
Kids Co. is an organization with a mission that is important for Seattle. Kids Co. is a secure, mentoring, safe environment for all children regardless of ability to pay tuition.
I was born and raised in Seattle, a graduate of Seattle Public Schools. My undergraduate degree in Economics is from the University of Kansas and my graduate degree in Business Administration is from the University of Washington. I am a Veteran having served five years as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy. As a financial officer I have advised a number of Seattle based companies.
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Joe Jornadal
I’m a commercial lender with over 12 years of experience building relationships with business owners and chief executives, helping them profitably grow their companies. The advice and insights I provide come from years of experience in credit analysis, entrepreneurship, and financial modeling. I earned my BS in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Among my community service activities, I serve as a board member of Kids Co. and as President and Co-founder of the Wharton Club of Seattle. I reside on the Eastside and enjoy running, hiking, and exploring with my middle school daughter.
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Katy McNaughton
I am the Co-Founder and Co-President of Village Life, which is a family owned home builder and land development company, creating thoughtfully designed communities in the North Puget Sound and Central Washington since 2010. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a BS in Business, I worked for Coast Real Estate Services in Everett, WA. I have been passionate about child education since working as a private tutor during college, and have volunteered with Catholic Community Services Youth Tutoring program, where I tutored for several years. Village Life donates a percentage of its profits each year to The McNaughton Foundation, our family’s foundation which focuses on at risk youth. My husband, daughter and I live in Shoreline, where we both grew up.
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