Board

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.

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.

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.

In addition to being the newest member of the Board of Directors, David Lofgren balances dual careers as a digital marketing & media strategist and in-demand percussionist specializing in folk and Celtic music. As a marketing professional, David specializes in digital storytelling formats including podcasting, social video, photography, and omnichannel marketing campaign design. In 2018, David founded The BellPod Network, a marketing and media consulting firm focused on amplifying the stories of businesses and entrepreneurs in our region. As a musician, David is one of the Pacific Northwest’s foremost practitioners of the bodhrán, the traditional Irish frame drum. David plays bodhrán with Gallowglass, Hanz Araki’s Steeplechase, Jocelyn Petit, Elias Alexander, Adam Hendey, and more.

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.

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!

Diane brings strengths to the organization with her background in accounting and her passion for the mission. Diane is passionate about promoting and supporting culture, community, and learning opportunities at the Celtic Arts Foundation. She is a tireless volunteer for the Celtic Arts Foundation lending library program and Skagit Valley Highland Games, and you may have seen Diane playing the bagpipes at a recent CAF event.

Rob Ashby is a veteran digital and marketing executive with leadership roles at Microsoft, Expedia, and GoDaddy, where he built high‑performing teams and delivered large‑scale product, marketing, and platform transformations. His background spans product development, analytics, AI and machine learning development, marketing, content strategy, and customer experience, with oversight of multimillion‑dollar budgets and global programs. He is known for data‑driven decision‑making, cross‑sector collaboration, and launching impactful technology and community platforms. Now focused on philanthropy and regional service, he brings strategic clarity, operational discipline, and a mission‑aligned mindset to board governance.