AAF Seattle Welcomes 2026–2027 Board of Directors
A new year. New voices. Growing momentum. And an even bigger vision for Seattle’s creative community.
AAF Seattle is proud to introduce its 2026–2027 Board of Directors, a group of leaders from across advertising, marketing, communications, design, media, production, technology and the broader creative industry who are volunteering their time and talent to help strengthen our community.
The past two years have been a period of rebuilding and renewed momentum for AAF Seattle. We’ve brought people back together, expanded programming, strengthened the American Advertising Awards, created new opportunities for connection and professional development, and continued building a chapter that reflects the breadth of Seattle’s creative economy.
This year, we’re building on that foundation.
Our focus remains rooted in four pillars: Connection, Recognition, Service and Growth. But as AAF Seattle grows, so does our ambition for what those pillars can mean: reaching more corners of our industry, creating more opportunities for people to connect and learn from one another, celebrating the extraordinary work being created here, supporting the next generation of talent, and advocating for the people and businesses that make up our creative community.
“The last two years have shown us what’s possible when people come together around a shared belief in this community. We’ve rebuilt a lot, but we’re not interested in simply maintaining what we’ve created. This next chapter is about growing our reach, strengthening the organization and making sure more people across Seattle’s creative economy see themselves in AAF Seattle and know there is a place for them here.”
— Valentina Gomez Bravo, President, AAF Seattle
Meet the 2026–2027 AAF Seattle Board of Directors
This year’s board brings together returning leaders and new voices with experience spanning agencies, brands, technology, higher education, production, business development, strategy, events and community building.
Valentina Gomez Bravo — President
Executive Creative Director, University of Washington | Author | Speaker | Educator
Valentina returns as President, continuing to lead AAF Seattle’s growth and evolution with a focus on building a more connected, visible and inclusive creative community in the region.
John Line — Advisory Board Chair
Managing Director, Copacino Fujikado
After serving as Membership Director, John moves into the role of Advisory Board Chair, bringing decades of agency leadership, operations and client experience to help support the board and the organization’s long-term direction.
Bri Badili — Membership Director
Sales Professional | Community and Relationship Builder
Bri joins the board with a passion for bringing people together and creating meaningful connections. She will lead AAF Seattle’s membership efforts with a focus on belonging, professional development and expanding the community we serve.
Andy Farnum — Treasurer
Marketing Project Manager via Inviso Marketing — Microsoft
A returning board member and longtime technology marketing leader, Andy steps into the Treasurer role, bringing experience across finance, agency operations, project management and digital strategy.
Heather Alabado — Brand & Marketing Director
Creative Director / Director, Heatshe.com
Heather returns to lead AAF Seattle’s brand and marketing efforts, bringing her multidisciplinary background across advertising, branding, animation, production and creative leadership.
Frances Champion — Sponsorship Director
Senior Account and Project Manager, Copacino Fujikado
Frances joins the board to lead sponsorship strategy and partnerships. With agency experience spanning account management, business development and major new-business wins, she will help build relationships that expand what AAF Seattle can offer the community.
Kate Zavitnevich — Events Co-Director
Head of Client Services & Growth, HRVIST
Kate returns to help create events designed not simply to fill a room, but to foster meaningful relationships across Seattle’s creative community.
Kelly Lanes — Events Co-Director
Co-Founder, Fuze the Agency | Entrepreneur | Author | Podcaster | Public Speaker
Kelly returns as Events Co-Director, bringing her entrepreneurial energy, marketing expertise and passion for creating experiences that bring people together.
Andrés Rodriguez — Communications Director
VP of Strategy, C+C
Andrés returns to guide AAF Seattle’s communications, bringing expertise in brand strategy, multicultural marketing, data-driven storytelling and purpose-led communications.
Ana Noval — Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Director
SVP of Marketing, Quinn Thomas
Ana joins the board with more than 17 years of marketing experience and a deep commitment to inclusive representation. She will help AAF Seattle continue creating space for diverse voices, meaningful dialogue and practical approaches to DEI+B across our industry.
Dan Vanderhei — Advertising Education Director
Creative Director, DVDH
Dan returns to lead advertising education, continuing AAF Seattle’s work to connect emerging talent with industry professionals, mentorship, learning and opportunities to grow.
Cindy Pennington — Executive Director
Owner, Bayview Support
Cindy continues as AAF Seattle’s Executive Director, a role she has held for more than 25 years. Her institutional knowledge and longstanding commitment remain an essential part of the organization and its continued growth.
Built by the Community, for the Community
AAF Seattle has served Western Washington’s advertising community since 1909, but what that community looks like continues to evolve.
Today, our creative economy stretches far beyond any single discipline or type of company. It includes advertising, marketing, communications, design, media, PR, photography, film and video production, digital, technology, brands, independent creatives, entrepreneurs, educators, students and many others whose work shapes how organizations and ideas connect with people.
We want AAF Seattle to be a place where those worlds intersect.
That means creating more opportunities for collaboration instead of competition. More ways for emerging professionals and established leaders to learn from one another. More recognition for the incredible work happening throughout our region. And more reasons for people across our industry to feel connected to the creative community around them.
And because AAF Seattle is a volunteer-led organization, none of that happens without people willing to get involved.
There’s a Place for You Here
Our Board of Directors may help steer the organization, but AAF Seattle belongs to the community.
Whether you want to attend an event, become a member, volunteer your skills, join a committee, support our programming, sponsor an initiative or eventually serve on the board yourself, there are many ways to be part of what we’re building.
We’ve built tremendous momentum together.
Now, we’re ready to see where we can take it next.
