Member Since 2004
2023 - Treasurer
2019 - 2022 Secretary
2012 - 2017 Treasurer
Renee Aase
1800 Front St
Lynden, WA 98248
Business: 360-318-8780
Fax: 360-318-8391
Cell: 360-303-5654
www.thebankofpacific.com
raase@bankofthepacific.com
Member Since 2019
President 2023
Grace Peschek
Sr. Business Relationship Manager
Bellingham Neighborhood Financial Center
Business #: 206-702-9531
Business #: 360-255-2806
Cell #: 360-931-9337
grace.peschek@becu.org
Grace has worked in the financial industry for over 30 years, acquiring a wide variety of experience in finance, including Retail, Escrow, Mortgage, Commercial Business and Commercial Real Estate. She has spent the most recent 20 years in Commercial Banking, with a focus on Commercial Real Estate. She recently led a commercial real estate team as the Division Manager of the Northern Washington region.
Grace has a love for mentoring and educating clients and has built strong relationships, becoming a trusted advisor to many. With extensive experience working on complex Commercial Real Estate transactions and Commercial construction projects, Grace provides invaluable attention to her clients.
Living and working in Bellingham for over 30 years, Grace is respected and trusted in the community as an expert in Commercial Real Estate and Business services, contributing to building and maintaining excellent advocacy in the Bellingham and greater Whatcom County marketplace.
Grace is a graduate of the Farr Group Executive Leadership Academy and holds a BA from Western Washington University. In her free time Grace enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest and all things outdoors.
Member Since 2020
2022 - 2023 Scholarship Chair
Heidi Ypma
Vice President of Instruction
Business #: (360) 752-8433 hypmawwib@gmail.com
Bellingham Technical College’s mission is to provide student-centered, high-quality professional technical education for today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities. BTC is the only technical college in northwest Washington, and we pride ourselves in being a supportive, student-first environment that has been providing skills-focused education to thousands of local and regional students since 1957.
Heidi has been a member of the administrative team since 2018 and enjoys supporting faculty in providing students the education and training needed to join the workforce in our community. Prior to joining the BTC team, she taught mathematics at the high school, community college, and university levels. Heidi completed her doctorate in Higher Education Administration through Northeastern University. Her dissertation examined gender inequity in computer science.
Member Since 2015
Charity Chair 2023
2014 Professional Woman of the
2017-2019 PWOTY Chair
Carolyn Saletto
President
5519 Hovander Rd Ste 109
Ferndale, WA 98248
Business #: (360) 384-3861
csaletto@icloud.com
Carolyn Saletto’s career spanned nearly 30 years of business serving both Whatcom and Skagit counties in the field of youth fitness. Her first business was the Gym Bus, a mobile gymnastics program that served preschools and daycares. By converting a school bus into a mobile gymnastics center, children were able to add the joy of movement and gymnastics to their day while at school or daycare. Gym Bus also could be seen at communities festivals, company picnics and birthday parties!
Carolyn opened Gym Star Sports Center in 2005. Shooting Stars Preschool was added in 2006. After growing out of her first location, a 12,000 sq ft facility was built in 2014 which is located at 5519 Hovander Rd Ste 109 in Ferndale, WA.
Stellar Dance Studio rounded out the business in 2015, adding Ballet, Jazz, Adult fitness and Hip Hop to the offerings of classes for students of all ages. Starting with just 30 students, Gym Star Sports Center had an enrollment of 500 students when the business was sold in the summer of 2022.
Happily retired now, Carolyn spends her time pursuing her passion of writing, enjoying her grandchildren, family and traveling with her husband.”
Member Since 2014
Christine Coder
Owner
310 Palm Street #1
Bellingham, WA 98225
Business #: 360-927-4662
www.myccoder.com
myccoder@gmail.com
Interior Design & Decorating. Project Management
HOMES FOR MY CLIENTS are spaces created within a conversation. When I first meet with potential clients something magical starts to happen. I get a glimpse into their world, into what they think is beautiful. Together we build a vision, an image. We RE-IMAGINE their home.
Member Since 2017
Vice President 2023
2020 - 2022 PWOTY Chair
Connie Bentley
Blaine, WA
Business #: (360)-335-9116
Cell #: (415)-265-3999
cmbconsulting@conniebentley.com
Connie Bentley is currently the founding principal of CMB Consulting, LLC. She works with CEOS and Owners as their trusted business advisor and thinking partner. Together they address mission-critical business issues that often lead to them experiencing true business and professional breakthroughs. In addition to her consulting clients, Connie works with executives who are making a transition as their Executive Career Strategist through her affiliation with Executive.
Connie is an executive with rich and deep experience in the leadership development space both as a practitioner and leader. Most recently, Connie served as General Manager, for the USA for Scotland based Insights Learning and Development. When Connie arrived at Insights, there were two jointly owned distributors and one wholly owned office in place in the US. The strategic decision to buy out the managers and blend the three offices into one integrated Insights business in the US became Connie's mission.
Member Since 2023
Jennifer Crane
Owner, Evergreen Gardens
698 W Pole Rd, Ferndale, WA 98248
Phone: 360.203.5509
Email: info@eventsateg.com
Website: www.EventsatEG.com
Jen and fellow WWIB member Katie Slottje are the co-owners and hosts of Evergreen Gardens. They have been good friends since college and in 2021, they joined forces to acquire this immaculate property.
From Biology majors at Westmont College, to excelling in the professional worlds of finance and nursing, they are thrilled to be working together on our own new venture.
Member Since 2023
Katie Slottje
Owner, Evergreen Gardens
698 W Pole Rd, Ferndale, WA 98248
Phone: 360.203.6176
Email: info@eventsateg.com
Website: www.EventsatEG.com
Katie Slottje is owner of Evergreen Gardens event venue in Ferndale, WA. After working in corporate Finance for many years, she ventured into owning & running a small business at the end of 2021 so she could spend more time being creative and getting involved in her community. And she was finally able to leave corporate in August of 2023!
When Katie is not working on booking and hosting events, she volunteers at the Ferndale Food Bank and for the Sustainable Connections Food Recovery Program. She also supports and volunteers at Mountain Meets Farm, a local non-profit large animal rescue, and is slowly building her own hobby farm on the side. She is a lover of the outdoors, hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and DIY projects.