Meet the SBI Management Services Team

Marlis Korber, President

Marlis has more than twenty years experience in the nonprofit sector. As a Seattle restaurateur for over a decade, Marlis became involved in community organizing and board work for several nonprofit organizations, for which she was honored with the City of Seattle Small Business of the Year and the Greater Seattle Business Association Businessperson of the Year awards.

Merging her passion for nonprofits and small business, Marlis acquired SBI Management Services in 2007. She spent two years modernizing the infrastructure and technology of the business as well as recruiting a group of top rate professionals to best support all clients. She serves as executive director of the Washington State Psychiatric Association and oversees all client accounts, providing high-level counsel to association members and transitioning clients. She was raised in Buffalo, N.Y. and enjoys spending time outdoors and cooking good meals for friends.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Personnel Communications Management, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
• Nonprofit Management Certification, Bellevue Community College, Bellevue, WA
• Project Management Certification, Bellevue Community College, Bellevue, WA
• Expertise includes fiscal management; strategic planning; membership retention and growth; finance and budgeting; marketing

Harriet Burger, Vice President

Before joining SBI, Harriet's background was in marketing and advertising. Trained as a commercial photographer, she specialized in annual reports and business-to-business communication. In addition to running her own business, Harriet taught at the Art Institute of Seattle and served as vice president of the American Society of Media Photographers.

Harriet enjoys the challenge of serving the diverse nonprofit organizations at SBI. Raised in Denver, CO, Harriet’s interests are in literature, art and music.

• Bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
• Studied at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA
• More than 20 years of business experience including four years in association management
• Expertise includes meeting management, convention management, office logistics, staff support

Louise S. Miller, MA, CAE, Director of Client Services

Louise serves as Executive Director of the Northwest Development Officers Association; Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries; Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists; and the Design-Build Institute of America Northwest Chapter.  She serves as Senior Association Executive for the Association of Donor Relations Professionals.  Her expertise includes strategic planning and governance, fiscal management and budgeting, educational program development, and association best practices.

Louise joined SBI in July 2008 from the Association Management Center (AMC) in Glenview, IL, where she served as executive director of the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses for more than six years and of the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing for eight years.  Previously at AMC, she served as director of education for the National Association for Healthcare Quality and the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses.   She began her association career with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as national coordinator of the Think First: National Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Program.   She also served as Administrator of Postdoctoral Training and Certification for the American Osteopathic Association, and as Manager of Certification and Instructional Services for the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association.

She and her husband, a pediatric neuropsychologist, enjoy gourmet cooking and entertaining, raising their enormous Black Russian Terrier, and traveling in the Northwest and France.

• Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2005, a certification held by only 5% of association professionals
• Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago
• Bachelor’s Degree from Pomona College, Claremont, CA
• Expertise includes strategic planning and governance, fiscal management and budgeting, program development

Sarah Luczyk, Association Executive

Sarah joined SBI in July 2008 after serving as association coordinator for SmithBucklin Corporation, the largest association management firm in the world. There she worked with several trade and health care associations including the Osteoarthritis Research Society International, American Spice Trade Association, Institute of Management Consultants USA and National Child Care Association. Sarah relocated to the Seattle area in 2005 and served as volunteer coordinator for the Arboretum Foundation managing hundreds of volunteers for various events and projects at Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum.  She serves as Association Executive for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Washington Chapter; Council of International Investigators; Commercial Real Estate Women Seattle & Sound; and the Marine Insurance Association of Seattle.  She also provides administration support for the Washington State Psychiatric Association.

In addition to her current role as association executive, Sarah is also the manager of information services at SBI, serving as project manager for client data integration into online content databases and updating client websites. She also trains SBI staff on IT systems and acts as point person for internal IT office issues.

She and her husband, an IT systems analyst, have twin boys and enjoy hiking, camping, biking, spending time with family and traveling.

• Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, with a major in political science and a minor in communications
• More than 10 years of experience in association management in the Seattle and Washington, D.C. areas
• Expertise includes database and website management, meeting and event management, board of directors liaison, education and certification program development, implementation and evaluation, and staff and volunteer recruitment and mentoring

Lindsay Jennings, Events Manager

Lindsay came to SBI in September 2010 from the Downtown Seattle Association, where she planned and executed membership events. As a Seattle native, she has been involved with local non-profit organizations for many years, previously volunteering as a member of the Powerful Schools Guild, a board member of Seattle’s Bicycle Advisory Board and as an AmeriCorps VISTA for Solid Ground.

In her current role, Lindsay serves as conference coordinator for national conferences, large-scale meetings and other special events for SBI clients. As the resident marketing and design whiz, she also manages company and client marketing campaigns and works with the IT team to maintain client websites.

She enjoys cooking and entertaining for friends and spending time outdoors whether it is urban adventures or hiking, biking and skiing in the Methow Valley with family.

• Bachelor's degree from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA with a major in Psychology
• Studied abroad with Semester at Sea, visiting ports of call in Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Seychelles, South Africa, Brazil, and Cuba
• More than 5 years of marketing and event planning experience
• Expertise includes meeting and event management, graphic design, database management, membership recruitment and retention, volunteer coordination

Alicia Flint, Event Services Administrator

Alicia joined SBI in August of 2012 after working as the Sponsorship and Advertising Manager for Crosscut Public Media.  She has worked in the non-profit world for a number of years in organizations ranging from the arts to online media.

In her role at SBI, Alicia assists in the coordination of national conferences, large-scale meetings and other events for SBI clients.  She creates event marketing communications and manages databases and websites for various clients.

Alicia loves any combination of food, sports, fitness and music.   She is an adrenaline junkie and plans to one day travel the country to ride all of the major roller coasters.

• Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington, Seattle WA with a double major in Communication and Spanish
  
• Studied abroad in Cádiz, Spain
  
• Expertise includes meeting and event preparation, marketing communications, customer relations, and database and website management
  

Rebecca Chan, Client Services Administrator

Rebecca joined SBI in April 2012 after working as a manager with the Hillstone Restaurant Group and as a Development Intern with FareStart. She has been volunteering with non-profit organizations since a young age and has been involved with multiple crisis lines, public schools, and hospitals.

Rebecca loves cooking and eating (though she is more adept at the latter), as well as traveling with her friends and family.

• Bachelor’s degree from University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Urban Studies
• Lived in Gaborone, Botswana as an intern for an HIV/AIDS hospice
• Expertise includes meeting and event preparation, database and website management, and customer relations

Ceri Farrow, Membership Services Administrator

Ceri came to SBI in 2007 with more than seven years of experience in customer service, including two years as an inventory prep/customer service assistant and five years as a customer service specialist.  At SBI, Ceri serves as an association administrator with responsibilities that include database and event management, working with members face-to-face at events and over the phone, event preparation and post-event management, receiving and processing events registrations, membership dues payments, and scholarship donations.

Ceri loves to travel, and is hoping to put her passions for photography and nature to good use. Currently Ceri is pursuing a certificate degree at North Seattle Community College to be an Administrative Assistant which she hopes will assist her in career growth.

• More than three years experience in association management with SBI Management Services
• Expertise includes database management, event preparation and management support, member relations and support

Alope Pardee, Director of Operations

Alope has been with SBI since 2000, and currently oversees office operations including client financial management, tax preparation, interface with outside accountants, and adherence to financial best practices (e.g., separation of banking, check writing and check signing functions). 

With more than a decade of experience at SBI, Alope has an extensive knowledge base regarding SBI and it's clients.  She manages the day-to-day operations of the business working closely with SBI's leadership team. 

In addition to her role as Director of Operations, she also serves as Association Executive for the Financial Executive International, Washington State Chapter.  She also provides support for the Nevada Psychiatric Association.  Prior to joining SBI, Alope served as an Accounting Assistant for Special Olympics Washington.

Named after Chief Geronimo's wife, Alope is a native of the Northwest.  She has three children and a husband who keep her very busy. She enjoys spending time with her growing family and friends.

• Is responsible for office-wide quality control measures
• Manages the SBI Finance Team and works closely with the SBI CPA Firm
• Expertise includes: meeting and event management, committee liaison and participation, board of directors support, bookkeeping and financial reporting, database and website management, new client transitions

Anita Gross, Director of Administration

Anita joined the SBI team in December 2012 bringing more than twenty years of progressively responsible management experience in the arts and non-profit arenas.  She is an enthusiastic and energetic leader with strong communication, interpersonal and customer service skills.
 
At SBI, Anita serves as part of the leadership team assisting with organizational development and overseeing human resources.  She provides marketing services and administrative oversight for client agreements, evaluations, compliance issues and other client services needs.   She looks forward to taking on executive account management responsibilities in the coming months.
 
Anita spends much of her non-working time singing with several local choral groups.  She regularly attends concerts and visits museums.  An avid reader, she is a member of a book club that reads contemporary fiction. You will often find an NBA game on at her house.  Cooking Paleo meals, traveling to national parks, hiking and driving a convertible also keep her out of trouble.

• Human Resources Management
  University of Washington Certificate Program
  
• Master of Arts, Art History
  University of California, Santa Barbara
  
• Bachelor of Arts, Vocal Music/Art History
  Occidental College, Los Angeles
  

Steven Burger, Operations Assistant

Steven Burger brings several areas of expertise to SBI. He spent three years as a legal assistant and the last seven years as a financial account executive, acting as a liaison between clients and financial institutions, managing accounts with values in the millions.

In his role at SBI, Steven provides direct communication and support to clients and association members. In addition, he works with SBI’s IT department updating databases and websites and maintaining office equipment, assists with client financial management, and helps to organize day-to-day operations of the business.

Steven enjoys attending and watching all sporting events. He has the capacity to retain and recall sports statistics and also loves to travel.

• Bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA

• Expertise includes financial management, client services, technical support, event management and strategic planning

Diana Vengrovski, Bookkeeper

Diana, who joined SBI in 2007 as a bookkeeper, worked for several years as office branch manager for an international technical equipment company in Lithuania. While there, she maintained customer relations, ensuring the growth of sales and efficient customer service. Diana also participated in financial planning, budgeting and helping customers to obtain financing for their projects.

Diana and her family moved from Lithuania in 2000. She likes hiking, gardening, walking, biking and traveling with her husband and two school-age sons. 

• Speaks Russian, Lithuanian and German languages
• Bachelor's degree in economics, State University, Lithuania
• Associate’s degree in accounting, Edmonds Community College, Edmonds, WA
• Expertise includes A/P and A/R, billing, client bank account reconciliation, credit card payment processing and reconciliation, financial statements, reports and miscellaneous accounting duties, international office branch management and customer service overseas