Celia Marquis, Executive Director
Celia Marquis has served as the Executive Director of the Lopez Island Family Resource Center for eleven years. She oversees a staff of nine employees and coordinates the Readiness to Learn Program for San Juan County. Prior to directing the LIFRC, she directed the Lopez Kids Summer Workshops program. Celia holds a degree in special education from the University of Puget Sound. She has been involved in many aspects of the Lopez community for thirty-three years and raised her three children here. Trevor Snapp is now a photojournalist in Africa, Colin Snapp is a video artist in New York City, and Elisabeth Snapp works on Lopez. Celia now divides her time between Lopez and Port Townsend. One of her favorite aspects of working in a community this small is that it allows her to clearly see the successes of many of our clients. Celia says she views the LIFRC as a safety net for the Lopez community.
Patty Bean, Financial Director
Patty Bean has served as Financial Director for the LIFRC since 2002 and thoroughly enjoys working with the staff and members of the Lopez community. She grew up in Massachusetts and made the Northwest her permanent home in the 1980s after graduating from Western Washington University with a BS in Geology. Patty spent 14 years working as a naturalist at North Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks, where she met her husband. They have two teenage boys and the whole family enjoys the outdoors, traveling, and exploring the world. The Beans built a house on Lopez in 1990 and moved to the mainland in 2006. Patty feels fortunate to still be a part of the Lopez community and the LIFRC by keeping the books, writing grants, creating publications, helping with events and assisting the staff, board and director in any way she can. Patty believes in the truth of Sir Winston Churchill’s statement, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Patsy Haber, Program Coordinator
Soon after moving to Lopez with her husband and three kids in 2000, Patsy Haber recalls thinking that she would love to work at the Family Resource Center. At the beginning of 2006, she got her opportunity. As Program Coordinator, Patsy oversees after-school programs, summer workshops, financial & life skills classes, and the annual Spirit of Giving program. One of her favorite aspects of her job is the privilege of offering healthy activities and learning opportunities to Lopez residents. Although her work keeps her quite busy, Patsy also volunteers her time at the school, where two of her kids attend. Patsy holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Washington, and before moving to Lopez, she worked as a CPA and CFO for a wholesale electronics distribution company. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, yoga, and spending time with friends and family, which most recently involved a competitive game of round-robin ping-pong.
Rachel MacSlarrow, AmeriCorps Intern
Rachel MacSlarrow is the new AmeriCorps member working at the Lopez Island Family Resource Center. She was born on Orcas Island and grew up in Ferndale, Washington. She went to college in Victoria, B.C., where she took courses in Women’s Studies and Psychology. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys writing, reading, swimming, and being outside.
Susie Teague, Primary Intervention Program Consultant
Susie Teague works primarily in Lopez Island Elementary School, coordinating the Primary Intervention Program and the Mentor Program. In both roles, she enjoys knowing and working with the island’s youth and families and empowering them to be themselves. Susie believes that connecting youth with mentors provides both the adults and youth opportunities to share, build relationships, and learn together. She holds a BS degree in Psychology and a BA in Therapeutic Recreation. Before moving to Lopez, Susie worked with children, adolescents, and families in a mental health setting and also worked with special needs individuals in a community recreation program. Prior to joining the LIFRC, she was the director of the Lopez Children’s Center. Susie and her husband Nick enjoy working in their labyrinth garden, homesteading on their property, and adventuring in the outdoors. Susie is also pursuing her interest in writing.
Mikah Smith, Family Support Specialist and Mentor Coordinator
Mikah Smith is really excited to be back on Lopez, and working for the LIFRC! Having grown up on the island, he knows what a caring community it is, and he is grateful to work for an organization that helps the community in so many different ways. Before moving back to the island he was in Tacoma. He received his BA from PLU, and his M.Ed in School Counseling from UPS. He worked a few different jobs in Tacoma, in retail and also for the non-profit organization Big Brothers Big Sisters. For the past 2 years he was in the Tacoma schools as an intern, and also a one-on-one Para-educator in an elementary school. When he saw the posting for the job at the LIFRC he thought a change would be nice, and this was a great way to get back on the island. So here he is!
Contessa Downey, Office Assistant
Contessa Downey has been an office assistant for the LIFRC since 2007. Tessa grew up in Oregon mountain country, but moved to Portland to pursue college. She worked as a Human Resources Manager in the city until relocating to Lopez. She is responsible for many essential tasks in the office, including management of the Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Baby, Toddlers, & Me. Contessa spends her time away from the LIFRC caring for her two small children, playing on the beach, and visiting the Lopez Library story hour.
Stephanie Froning
Stephanie Froning’s position as an Office Assistant keeps her happily busy working one-on-one with clients to answer their questions and connect them to vital resources. Her primary role is to stay current with community services available on the county, state, and federal levels, and to ensure that clients are connected with these resources as needed. Stephanie holds an associate’s degree in culinary arts and also has experience working in early childhood education.
Stephanie has lived on Lopez for 12 years. She and her husband Tom, along with their nine-year-old son, find great satisfaction working around their farm, Sweet Acres. They’re self-proclaimed 21st-century homesteaders, raising chickens and pigs and tending an orchard and an ever-expanding garden. Stephanie is proud to raise her son eating something they harvested almost every day. As a family, the Fronings enjoy traveling, kayaking, skiing, and camping. Stephanie’s hobbies are cooking, gardening, and volunteering at her son’s school. In addition, she is learning to knit, and her enthusiasm keeps her tangled up in new projects.
