AROUND THE ARC: NEW HIRES
Jenny Sommer — Parent to Parent & / Sibshop Coordinator

The Arc of Snohomish County welcomes Jenny Sommer to our team!

A Message about Jenny:

Jenny is a new Parent to Parent / Sibshop Coordinator for the Arc of Snohomish County! She enjoys volunteering for various organizations and is the Assistant Coordinator for the 2022 Seattle Rare Disease Fair. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors and immersing herself in nature, playing board games, watching movies and spending quality time with her loving husband and 3 wildly unique kids. Jenny has been involved with the Arc for several years, participating in trainings, workshops and support groups. She is so proud to be a part of such a meaningful organization!

Connect with Jenny by email, at jenny@arcsno.org, or by phone at 425-258-2459 x106

AROUND THE ARC: NEW HIRES
Jenna Meyers — Parent to Parent Coordinator

The Arc of Snohomish County welcomes Jenna Meyers to our team!

A Message from Jenna:

My name is Jenna Meyers and I am the new Parent to Parent Coordinator at The Arc of Snohomish County. I am originally from Northern CA, (Go Giants!) and just celebrated 8 years as a “Washingtonian.” I live in the beautiful town of Snohomish with my husband and our two children, Kaia and Casey. Kaia was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 5. I am passionate about advocacy, being an active and collaborative community member, supporting families and celebrating each person’s unique and amazing qualities and achievements. My professional background is diverse; spending time in Public Relations, Hospitality, Owner/Operator of several pour over coffee bars in San Diego, and then Retail Banking Management. Of all these things, however, I am most excited about this next chapter with The Arc and being a pillar of support to those in our community. I look forward to connecting with you!

Connect with Jenna by email, at jenna@arcsno.org, or by phone at 425-258-2459 x115

The Arc of Snohomish County

Advocacy Spotlight: Erica Knapp

Local artist, mother of three and a newly elected Arlington School Board member, Erica Knapp has taken the leap into more involved advocacy during the pandemic.

“When the pandemic hit, I reprioritized,” Erica shared. “I had been working on things, but keeping my head down. I really found a connection in advocacy, and during that time, I felt like I could really help.” In 2020, Knapp began leading a local parents group in Arlington.

“I wanted to be more involved in this community I’ve lived in for 15 years,” said Knapp. “I built up confidence [in myself] working for non-profits in the area. I got lots of personal support from friends to get more active in my advocacy.”

Knapp took the opportunity presented to her by the pandemic to participate in more local community zoom meetings, and began participating in political ones as well.

“The more connections I made, the more I learned I could be a stronger voice because I knew I wasn’t alone. I knew I wanted to get involved. I have three kids in the Arlington School District, so I have a strong vested interest there. As I went along this path, I realized I had lots of school connections, which made me more comfortable advocating in that realm. I knew it was important as a special needs parent to be in the room with that voice.”

Knapp won her election in the fall of 2021, and right away, realized how important it was to shine a light on special education and unmet needs.

“At the [Washington State School Director’s Association] meeting, a new director looked at me and asked ‘What’s an IEP?’ and I knew then how important it was to have a special education voice at the table.”

Knapp also works to build LGBTQ+ awareness in Arlington and co-founded Arlington WA Pride, a non-profit working with the school district and community to increase resources and education for and about the LGBTQ+ community.

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Originally published in The Arc of Snohomish County: Leadership Newsletter, 2022 - Issue I. Written by Jake Murray, Parent/Family Coalition Coordinator, and Rachel Kube, Communications & Advocacy.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The Arc of Snohomish County would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all of the fabulous moms, mom figures, grandmas and other maternal family members.

For your hard work, dedication and ability to juggle all of the many hats you wear for the benefit of your family and your community — we celebrate you and we honor the love you put out into the world. May this day, and every day, bring you peace, joy, self-love and confidence in who you are and the amazing person you show up as, for yourself and for your family.

Happy Mother’s Day