Board and Staff
The mission of the Downtown Issaquah Association is to cultivate a thriving olde town that builds community and celebrates our charm. Our vision is a downtown district that is alive, inviting and vibrant.
The DIA Board is comprised of Issaquah small business owners and individuals who are committed to accomplishing this mission.
Christina Bruning,
Board President
Christina, a long time Olde Town resident, is well versed in all things Issaquah. She brings leadership, technology, and project management experience from Weyerhaeuser, Nordstrom, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Christina is the Founder and Managing Director of a business and cultural exchange program, and has diverse regional and national nonprofit board experience.
Corby Casler,
Executive Director
In addition to serving as Interim Executive Director of the Downtown Issaquah Association, Corby is a member of the Board of Directors of Communities in Schools of Washington State, a nonprofit advocating for social justice and helping kids succeed in schools and in life.
Corby is energized by DIA’s mission of “cultivating a thriving Olde Town that builds community and celebrates its charm,” and brings a depth and breadth of corporate marketing and branding experience to bring it to life.
She grew up in Michigan, moved to Oregon, and set her roots in Issaquah with no intention of leaving.
Corby has led marketing and communications for 30 years as an executive at the best brands in the world. Her Fortune 100 experience made way for her immense zeal to help her Downtown thrive.
Her communications and marketing leadership was honed as an executive at General Motors, Nike, J.P. Morgan Chase, T-Mobile, Coca-Cola, Dragonchain, a Disney tech start-up, and tech company Denali Advanced Integration.
Family molded Corby into a professional whose core principles are Kindness, Integrity, and Inclusion. Her philosophy is simple. Choose gratitude and put others first. The rewards are far greater than personal achievements.
Marv Nielsen,
VP & Treasurer
Marvin Nielsen, an Issaquah resident since 1977, is often seen around town in his ’57 Chevy. Marv is a Viet-Nam Era Disabled Veteran and for 26 years has served as the Car Show Coordinator at Triple XXX. He has been part of the Fenders on Front Street leadership team since its inception. Marv is a member of several Car Clubs and was inducted into the State of Washington Hot Rod Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2008 he was appointed President and Co-chair for the Hall of Fame.
Barb Mayfield,
Secretary
Ekta Gupta,
Board Member
Born in India, Ekta has been living in the U.S. for more than three decades, including one in the Issaquah/Sammamish area. A pharmacist by education, she ventured out into the world of art in 2010. Since then, her work has been featured in various national and international magazines. As an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor, she enjoys helping people to bring balance back into their lives. She has presented papers on art, education, and health, at national and international seminars. She enjoys serving her community, and has been involved with various nonprofit organizations for the past 30 years in various roles from volunteer to board presidents.Â
Eliza Rodriguez,
Board Member
Eliza Rodriguez began her professional music career in the San Francisco Bay Area and has extensive experience teaching private lessons to students K-12, as well as adult students. She has taught hundreds of students privately and in classroom settings. In her private teaching, Eliza draws from many pedagogical resources, including some of her own material, to find a method that works for each individual student. As a performer, Eliza has performed with the Lake Washington Symphony, the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, the Greece Symphony Orchestra, and the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. Eliza has also performed in concert with members of the San Francisco Symphony and the Seattle Symphony. Eliza has degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Eastman School of Music, studying with professors Bonita Boyd and Timothy Day. Eliza was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and began learning the flute there at age nine.
Judy Ecklund,
Board Member
Originally from Wisconsin, Judy is an avid volunteer and self-starter. She earned her Washington State cosmetology license after moving to the state in 1973 and later managed a 12-chair salon. In 2009, she moved to Issaquah and then started her own business operating a salon downtown. Judy loves to volunteer and made a community-minded commitment to her downtown, sitting on the DIA design committee and taking on beautification projects per her passion for the outdoors and gardening. Her roles have grown to enlist a team of like-minded individuals into a core design group. During the Keep Issaquah Beautiful Day city-wide clean up, she enlists help from all ages, including families with young children and groups like the Girl Scouts. Judy has offered her time for a variety of opportunities, including event set-up at the weekly Gas Station Blues concerts, Issaquah Goes Apples, Wine & Art Walks, and Down-Home 4th of July.
Judy says, “I like volunteering with DIA because small businesses are the soul of our country. Issaquah businesses provide entry level-jobs and services unique to our community. Volunteering is a great way to stay connected and make new friends. Also, I like the variety of tasks available throughout the year. I really enjoyed building scarecrows with the children in October. It is very satisfying to me to see local businesses succeeding and people having fun because of community support.”
Krysten Carrera,
Board Member
Krysten Carrera lives, works, and plays in Downtown Issaquah. A resident since January 2020, she immediately fell in love with her community’s welcoming, exciting, and artistic personality. In addition to her role as DIA board member, she chairs the Outreach committee and writes the monthly column for the Historically Hip Happenings newsletter.
When Krysten is not volunteering with the DIA, she enjoys exploring all downtown has to offer with her husband, Alvaro. She currently serves in a senior strategic communications role at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Her career has spanned nearly 20 years with a range of public relations, foreign affairs, and nonprofit functions. She hails from Dallas, Texas.
Krysten says, “I’ve been a volunteer with DIA since 2020 when I started working logistics for the Streatery. Since then, I’ve continued volunteering by singing at various events, writing for the newsletter, serving on the Promotion committee, and other roles as needed. When I moved to Issaquah, I became enchanted by this special little community. I’d like to give back as much as I can.”
Juliana da Cruz,
Ex-Officio
Juliana da Cruz is excited to join the DIA Board as an Ex-Officio member. As a resident, she cares deeply about our community and its enduring vibrancy. Juliana works for the City of Issaquah as Economic Development Coordinator where she focuses on Issaquah’s downtown, creative industries, outdoor recreation, and shop-local efforts. She joins DIA to support its mission to promote a sustainable and vibrant downtown. In a past life, Juliana worked on political campaigns with an emphasis on finance and compliance. This experience also lent a passion for community building and marketing. Juliana holds a master’s degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University and brings a business and organizational perspective to her work at the City and on the Board. Juliana loves all things dogs, outdoors, and supporting our local artists and eateries.
Anna Lvova,
Advisor
Anna fell in love with Issaquah when she moved here because of unique combination of a small American town beauty and vibrant culture. Anna is a local accountant who is a straight shooter who values personal and business relationships. Honesty and hard work make Anna a huge contributor to the Issaquah community. Â
Aubrey Aramaki,
Advisor
Aubrey is a proud Historically Hip Downtown Property Owner who landmarked Coutts Garage located at 35 W. Sunset Way home to Big Picture.
https://www.issaquahreporter.com/news/aubrey-aramaki-reflects-on-success-of-beloved-clock-gallery/
Brenda Audino,
Advisor
Brenda, originally from the Pacific Northwest, has lived all over the country. Yearning to return, she found the opportunity in purchasing Capri Cellars and moved to Issaquah. She is a wine industry veteran as well as certified wine and spirit educator. She holds the Diploma in Wine & Spirits, the highest certification from the London based Wine & Spirit Education Trust, is a Certified Wine Educator from the Society of Wine Educators and holds the Sommelier Diploma from the International Sommelier Guild. Prior to the wine industry, Brenda was an IT professional and project manager. Brenda has served in a number of non-profit organizations from volunteer, committee chair to board president. Brenda currently lives in Issaquah with her husband, Anthony Audino. When I’m not at Capri Cellars you may find me hiking and enjoying nature or traveling to wineries around the world.
Joan Probala,
Advisor
Joan is a long term Issaquah resident and a long term community volunteer, activist and business owner. She has participated in many Boards and Commissions on the community, state and national level culminating in being recognized as the Issaquah Chamber’s Business Person of the Year. Joan has watched Issaquah grow from a sleepy community to a vibrant city and firmly believes that the Historic Downtown area is not only what makes the city unique but what binds the city together. This is an exciting opportunity to share what she has leaned through her business experiences, to participate in increasing the vitality of the city and bringing the community together.
Steve Barrett,
Advisor
Steve has been an Issaquah resident since 1999. He is a strong supporter of local businesses and enjoys attending as many community events as possible, along with spending free time with his two children and time on the trails.
Steve has served as on the DIA Promotions Committee since 2016 and volunteers at local events. He’s a bit of a history geek and enjoys the stories Olde Town holds in its past. He believes Issaquah is a special place and maintaining it’s unique charm is important. He hope his love and service in Issaquah will leave a positive impact on shaping the future of Downtown Issaquah’s vitality and the experiences our diverse community.