Mark Kruse
President
As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Mark manages a Bainbridge Island-based investment management & financial planning firm…
Mark Kruse, President
Advice for my teenage self: Don’t be distracted by the social setting around you.
Favorite Quote: Being honest may not get you a lot of friends, but it’ll always get you the right ones. ~ John Lennon
What makes me happy to be alive: Family, friends, and community.
As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Mark manages a Bainbridge Island-based investment management & financial planning firm. He joined the BYS board in 2018 as Treasurer, and assumed the role of board President in August 2022. His mission is to foster greater community awareness and support of BYS’ mission through effective board leadership. Mark enjoys hiking in the Olympics with his wife and dog.
I joined the board because I saw an opportunity to serve our community’s youth alongside other caring, intelligent, and creative people. Helping teens makes such a powerful impact for the rest of their adult lives- this is important to me.
Bob Tull PhD
Vice President
Bob is a retired psychologist who has worked with at risk youth and young adults throughout his career…
Bob Tull PhD, Vice President
Advice for my teenage self: Put one foot in front of the other…Often baby steps are the way forward.
Favorite quote: “I can’t change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water and create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa
What makes you happy to be alive:My extended family, my dear friends, my passion for helping others and to be surrounded by all that nature has gifted us.
Bob is a retired psychologist who has worked with at risk youth and young adults throughout his career. He has also worked with healthcare professionals and healthcare leaders to enhance their communication skills.
Getting through adolescence is a significant challenge for most people. BYS provides the support to increase the opportunities for teens to self-reflect, gain personal direction, and better understand how they fit into the world around them. I joined the BYS team because I wanted to continue my involvement with adolescents and help support them and the BYS organization.
Scott Stanton
Secretary
Scott joined the BYS board in 2018 and is the organization’s technical guru…
Scott Stanton, Secretary
Advice for my teenage self: Be more confident in your abilities and what you have to offer for other people.
Favorite quote: If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants. ~ Newton
What makes me happy to be alive: My wife. My kids. Snow. Rain. Music.
Scott joined the BYS board in 2018 and is the organization’s technical guru. Scott likes to spend time with his wife and children when they are around. He also enjoys hiking, riding his motorcycle, and snowboarding.
I chose to serve on the board because The future is our children and to improve the future we need to make sure that the youth in our community are growing up to be healthy (emotionally as well as physically), resilient adults. BYS provides youth who are traveling through a difficult time in their lives a place to learn how to be emotionally healthy and resilient.
Steve Bass
Treasurer
Steve is a retired CPA who has served non-profit organizations as both an audit and tax partner…
Steve Bass
Advice for my teenage self: Love your neighbor.
Favorite Quote: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
What makes you happy to be alive: My friends and family.
Steve is a retired CPA who has served nonprofit organizations as both an audit and tax partner. He currently volunteers for a number of nonprofit organizations.
I joined the board to leverage my not-for-profit knowledge and experience for the benefit of Bainbridge Island’s young people.
Karen Klein
Karen is a Bainbridge Island attorney and joined the BYS board in 2018…
Karen Klein
Advice for my teenage self: Celebrate your successes!
Favorite quote: I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. ~ Maya Angelou
What makes me happy to be alive: Family & friends, my dog Oscar.
Karen is a Bainbridge Island attorney and joined the BYS board in 2018. She has more than 30 years of legal experience and focuses on business and employment law. She lives her life based on the principles of honesty, integrity, and loyalty, always striving to make a difference in the lives of others. In her spare time, Karen mentors women attorneys and volunteers with WISER, helping young women in Kenya receive a secondary education. Karen enjoys traveling and likes to exercise daily.
I am privileged to serve on this Board to make a difference to our community. I am passionate about empowering and inspiring our youth, and volunteer globally to advance opportunities for young women in education.
Dr. Mike Tomberg
Mike is a family medicine specialist at Virginia Mason and has been practicing medicine for 23 years…
Dr. Mike Tomberg
Advice for my teenage self: Always be true to yourself, follow your passion, don’t sweat the small stuff and it is ok to stand out in a crowd.
Favorite quote: The things that make me different are the things that make me, me. ~ Piglet from “Winnie-the-Pooh” by A.A. Milne
What makes me happy to be alive: Being surrounded by the love of my family and friends, the sounds of the wind in the trees mingled with the conversations of the birds and the bees, the stillness of a mountain lake at sunrise, sharing smiles and hugs and the ability to bear witness to the courage, compassion, and generosity of my patients and our community.
Mike is a family medicine specialist at Virginia Mason and has been practicing medicine for 23 years. He rejoined the BYS board in 2019 and had previously served on the board in 2014.
I joined BYS because as a physician I recognize that the cornerstone for our overall health is our mental health and that adolescents and young adults are at a unique time in their lives to develop lifelong tools for stress management and lay the groundwork for healthy, resilient and hopeful living.
Lee Moniz
Lee is a retired Registered Nurse after working for 20 years in the Emergency
Department in local area hospitals….
Lee Moniz
Advice for my teenage self: Talk to strangers. Ask for help. Spend more time around the people you love and respect. There are many roads in life, don’t sweat it- enjoy the journey.
Favorite Quote: It doesn’t have to take over your live, it doesn’t have to define you as a person, it’s just important that you ask for help. It’s not a sign of weakness. – Demi Lovato
What makes you happy to be alive: Helping others towards being happy and being around the people and pets I love.
Lee is a retired Registered Nurse after working for 20 years in the Emergency Department in local area hospitals. She now owns a small embroidery business on the island and volunteers with several non-profits that promote mental well-being.
I am honored to serve on this board so that I may continue to help encourage and promote mental wellness in our community. Mental Health, especially with our
youth, is just as important as physical health and it deserves the same focus and quality of support.
Kristina Rodgers
Kristina has served as the Principal at Bainbridge High School since 2021….
Kristina Rodgers
Advice for my teenage self:A lot of the big stuff might feel small later so collect some takeaways and move on.
Favorite Quote: “There is no use in trying,” said Alice; ‘one can’t believe impossible things.” “I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things a day.” – Lewis Carrol from Alice in Wonderland
What makes you happy to be alive: What makes me happy to be alive: my kids coming in on a Saturday morning to cuddle, standup paddle boarding on Puget Sound, nature walks, enjoying time with my family.
Kristina has served as the Principal at Bainbridge High School since 2021. She joined the BYS Board in May of 2022.
I joined BYS because as an educator I recognize the critical partnership between social and emotional health supports for youth in helping them to achieve their potential and become lifelong learners. As well, there is a desperate need to thread the needle for educators around our collective responsibility to support our students socially, emotionally, AND academically. If the first two aren’t in place, it is hard for the third to actualize.
Youth Advisory Board
Emma
Lily
Max
Maxwell
Serena
