Leadership Staff

Mary Ellen Stone, Executive Director

Mary Ellen Stone, Executive Director, oversees the entire organization of 35 staff and works closely with the 23-member Board of Trustees to meet KCSARC's vision and mission. For the last 30 years, she has been a visionary leader in changing the landscape of sexual assault prevention, education, and victim advocacy. She has built partnerships with key businesses, companies, local governments and organizations so that that victims and their families have a voice.

Mary Ellen received a Masters in Counseling from the University of Minnesota. She is a program graduate of Leadership Tomorrow and the Alki Foundation. She presently serves on several boards and task forces including the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the Sex Offender Policy Board, and the South King Council of Human Services. Past board responsibilities include Co-chair of the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs Board, the Women's Funding Alliance, as well as a past board member of the Children's Campaign Fund and the Seattle-King County Municipal League.

In her spare time, Mary Ellen likes to ski.

DeAnn Yamamoto, Deputy Executive Director

DeAnn Yamamoto, Deputy Executive Director, oversees the Client Services Team which is comprised of 25 clinical therapists, legal advocates and crisis counselors. She is also responsible for overall staff development and organizational design. Since 1979, Yamamoto has created and implemented effective services for physical and sexual assault victims. She has been with KCSARC since 1984 and has written a series of publications for parents and sexual assault victims, including: Especially for Parents, Especially for Parents of Adolescents and A Healing Celebration: A Group Treatment Manual for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault. Prior to joining KCSARC, Yamamoto worked as a Program Director for C.A.R.E. Services of Lewis County and Alternatives to Violence in Eastern Washington. With both organizations, she coordinated a range of services addressing domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault.

DeAnn received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Washington State University, a Masters in Counseling from Liberty University and a certificate in Human Resources Management from the University of Washington. In her spare time, DeAnn likes to spend time with her daughters, make jewelry, and is a theater pit musician.

Lindsay Palmer, Education and Prevention Director

Lindsay Palmer, Education Director¸ is responsible for developing and, with KCSARC prevention education specialists, implementing a full range of education and prevention programs for the community. For the last nine years, she has been responsible for professional training, community development programs aimed at preventing sexual assault, and system change work at the local, county and state level.

Lindsay received a B.A. in Speech Education from the University of Illinois. Ms. Palmer was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Municipal League of King County for her outstanding work in our community. She was also nominated as an individual of inspiration by the Thomas Wales Foundation. She serves on numerous boards and commissions, including the Washington State Prevention Planning Advisory Board and the SSB 6400 Oversight Committee.

In her spare time, Lindsay likes to write and take long walks on flat ground.

Jenny Nelson, Development Director

Jenny Nelson, Development Director, oversees the Development Team and works closely with the Fund Development Leadership committee of the Board of Trustees to meet KCSARC's fundraising goals. She brings nine years of fund development experience from United Way of King County and Community Voice Mail National as well as in her volunteer roles with the University of Washington Alumnae Board, Puget Sound Grantwriters Association, and the Association of Prospect Researchers for Advancement. She has secured foundation, corporate and individual gifts for a variety of programs including homelessness, early learning and higher education.

Jenny received a B.A. in Geography and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington. She is a member of Junior League, has served in leadership roles on various boards and founded a scholarship fund.

In her spare time, Jenny plays tennis and sails in the summer, fences in the winter and spends time with her friends and cat all year long.

Catherine Lanham, Finance Director

Catherine Lanham was delighted to take on the position of Finance Director at King County Sexual Assault Resource Center after serving as Interim Finance Director for four months.  As Finance Director at KCSARC, Catherine is responsible for the day to day financial management of the organization working with a staff of two accountants.

Catherine Lanham is experienced in not-for-profit management, finance, accounting, human resources and operations.For over 20 years, Catherine has worked in the not-for-profit sector as a board member, volunteer, on staff and as an independent consultant. In 1997, she completed her MBA with a concentration in Finance from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. In 2000, Catherine founded her company Support for a Better World (formerly Island Financial Consulting) and began independent consulting work providing interim coverage as a accountant, finance director and CFO for non-profit and government organizations as well as providing regular bookkeeping services and financial consulting to small, medium and large non-profits throughout Greater Seattle and surrounding areas.  

Catherine is also a foster parent and a legislative appointee representing foster parents on the Washington State Child Welfare Transformation Design Committee. This Committee is responsible for selecting two demonstration sites in which DSHS must contract out for all child welfare services, and developing a transition plan for implementing the performance-based contracts. In her free time, Catherine likes to ski, hike, sail, travel, garden, read and spend time with her three girls.