Board

Walter is a UC Berkeley graduate with a Master’s degree in Wildland Resource. He joined the Celtic Arts Foundation (CAF) Board in March of 2012. He and wife Linda (an accomplished violinist and aspiring Scottish fiddler) live in Olalla, Washington and have been longtime supporters and participants in CAF programs. Walter has spent considerable time cattle ranching in Nevada and the High Sierra, and served in the U.S. Army. From 1983 to 2013, he served as the U.S. Navy’s forester for the entire west coast, administering the Navy’s forest management program from Alaska to Arizona. Walter served as Board President in 2015.

Dave is a retired financial advisor, college administrator and college men's soccer coach. Currently he serves on the Skagit Valley College Foundation Board of Directors. Previously Dave has held board roles with other organizations including Chinook Enterprises and Brigid Collins. Dave is one of the original founders of the Celtic Arts Foundation's Robert Burns Dinner and the Skagit Valley Highland Games. He is a current member of the Mount Vernon and Skagit Rotary Club.

Marilyn is a co-founder of the Celtic Arts Foundation and has been an active member of the Board since 1997.  She has served in all executive capacities, including a number of terms as President. Marilyn retired from the practice of law a few years ago and enjoys having more time to learn about and support her Celtic heritage. Recently she joined one of our beginning bagpipe classes and she highly recommends that everyone give it a try!

Tyrone Heade has served on the CAF Board since 2008, and was President between 2013 and 2015. Tyrone earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communication with a minor in Engineering Physics from Oregon State University and specialized in niche marketing strategies for law, architecture, and graphic design firms in his former career. Since 1994, Tyrone has followed his heart as a full-time Highland Piper and instructor through his company, Bagpipe Entertainment, Inc. Tyrone continues to serve as Cathedral Piper in Residence for St. James Cathedral and St Mark’s Cathedral, starting in 1990. Tyrone was the founding piper of Seattle's Elliott Bay Pipe Band and has performed as their Pipe-Major since 2003. Tyrone was also one of three founding members of the Mastery of Scottish Arts School in 1996.

Jan is a retired Certified Public Accountant who served as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of First Sound Bank in Seattle until 2014. Along with fellow Board Member Tyrone Heade, she served on the Board of the Mastery of Scottish Arts Organization prior to the merger with the Celtic Arts Foundation. Jan became involved in Scottish cultural activities when her husband decided to become a bagpiper in his middle age. She very much enjoys Scottish music and arts, both as a spectator and assisting the organization in pursuit of its goals.

Originally from California, Patty enjoyed a career in land-use planning for several public agencies in California. She is now retired and living in Anacortes with her husband. Patty has played music for most of her life, starting with piano lessons in her youth. After retiring she took up the fiddle, first playing mostly “old time” before migrating to Celtic music. Around 2006 she was introduced to the Celtic Arts Foundation (CAF) and began attending CAF sessions at the invitation of Skye Richendrfer, the founder of CAF. In 2014 she accepted an invitation to join the CAF Board of Directors. In addition to her Board responsibilities, she continues to actively participate in CAF music and cultural events as the organization moves forward to fulfill its mission to sponsor, encourage and promote Celtic culture through events and educational activities.

Bill graduated from Seattle University and has retired to Camano Island after spending over thirty years in sales and consulting in the transportation industry in the Pacific Northwest. Bill’s Celtic roots originated from Scotland and Ireland, with ancestors settling in Nova Scotia and Maine. Bill has previously served on the Governor’s Advisory Council for Volunteer Services in Washington State and has served on the CAF Board of Directors since 2014, including Board President from 2017-2018 and 2023. Bill continues to volunteer and actively market and promote CAF to potential sponsors and advertisers.