The Seattle Floating Homes Association relies on volunteers to stay afloat. The FHA Board of Directors is a group of volunteers responsible for making sure the Floating Homes Association remains true to its mission, safeguards its assets and operates in the public interest. The Board constantly asks the question: Does the FHA mission continue to serve the intended constituents? If not, the board works to refine the mission. The following FHA members make up the volunteer Board of Directors from the four regions around Lake Union and Portage Bay. If you are interested on serving the board, please email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org
- President: Peter Erickson– Eastlake
- Vice President: Stafford Green – Eastlake
- Treasurer: Megan Sutherland- Eastlake
- Secretary: John Giaever – Westlake
Members at Large:
- Director of Corporation: Melissa Ahlers
- Director of Corporation: Heidi Eagleton
- Director of Corporation: Sarah Morlidge
- Director of Corporation: Sheri Greaves
Email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org
2023-24 Board Member Bios
President – Peter Erickson has lived in Eastlake on a houseboat since 1972. Married to Brigitte Bertschi (Bertschi School on Capitol Hill) he has raised two kids on a floating home as part of the Log Foundation Co-op at 2025 Fairview Ave East. He’s a water person who swims daily in a wetsuit that turns Lake Union into his private year-round pool! While attending the UW Masters Program in architecture in the 70’s Peter built, re-built and sold 9 floating homes. An architect by training (attending UW Masters Program) but a real estate developer by trade, from 1981 to 2005 he developed properties in Pioneer Square and Belltown, but has recently returned to Lake Union and Portage Bay to do infill development that tries to meet the objectives of the community council and hopefully enriches the neighborhood. It’s his interest to work with the FHA for governmental ordinances and land use regulations that respect the history, character and needs of the floating home community.
Vice President – Stafford Green, his wife Kristin, and their dog Watson have recently moved from the east coast to join the Seattle floating home community in Eastlake. Stafford spent over 25 years leading international marketing and IT teams for The Coca-Cola Company in the US and Europe. Post corporate life, he runs capeLABS, a non-profit organization he founded. Their mission is to combat child abuse, including sexual abuse, by creating and distributing positive, innovative content. Stafford’s passion and dedication drive his efforts to make a lasting impact and create a safer environment for children. www.capelabs.com
Treasurer – Megan Sutherland has lived on a floating home in Eastlake for almost 10 years, and loves the community and life on the water. She is a community volunteer, currently serving as the board chair of Safe Crossings Foundation, a leader in funding grief services for children in the Puget Sound region. She attended University of Washington for both undergraduate and graduate school, where she earned a BA in English literature and then an MBA in finance.
Secretary – John Giaever from Westlake is a retired engineer who specialized in designing medical devices. Originally from Norway, he was raised in New York and has been a resident of Washington since 1977. After spending two years on the Olympic Peninsula, he attended the University of Washington. Having lived on two houseboats, including his current residence on Westlake, John has firsthand experience of the floating homes lifestyle. In his leisure time, he enjoys outdoor activities and floating on all types of water crafts. He is committed to ensuring the thriving of the Floating Homes Community and the equitable sharing of the Lake’s resources for all.
Board Members at Large:
Communications – Sarah Morlidge who downsized from a large, suburban Sammamish house to a floating home on Roanoke Reef a few years ago, hails from England and works as Technology & Communications Director at a private school on the Eastside. Sarah loves Washington’s scenery and sense of space and has no plans to leave. Living on Lake Union means her spare time is spent on the water, with or without dog, husband, and children. Sarah looks after the website and sends out the e-alerts.
Legal – Heidi Eagleton – Heidi’s interest is in Seattle’s permitting process, including code and compliance requirements and how that process impacts floating homes’ culture, history, and sense of place. Heidi’s background is in law, architecture, construction, development, and real estate. After retiring, she moved with her husband, Kevin, and their Italian Spinone, Maddie, to a floating home in Seattle in 2021. As an owner of a floating home and part-time resident, she has worked for the past few years with the City of Seattle to obtain a Land Use and a Construction Permit for a planned 100 square foot addition and roof deck. She is writing a biography of her dog’s life in her own words and from her point of view. “So, You Think I Should Be a What? Maddie’s Tails,” was published in 2021. Book 2, “Roadtrip with Tia, Maddie’s Tails Cont.,” is scheduled to launch by Peanut Butter, August 2023. Heidi splits her time between Seattle and Little Tuscany, a quaint mid century neighborhood in Palm Springs.
Fundraising – Melissa Ahlers –
Lobbying – Sheri Greaves – Sheri, who lives in Houseboat Harbor, Inc., on Portage Bay grew up in a small town in Southeast Missouri, affectionately referred to as the “Bootheel”. After attending college at Arkansas State University, she met Steve who bought the houseboat in Seattle in the late 1970’s (having looked at them longingly while he was going to the UW in the 60’s). Sheri worked for the Seattle Community College District for many years, then quit to go back and finish up her B.A. degree in Business at the UW, followed by a Masters in Public Administration from the Evans School at the UW, during which time she worked as the Office Manager at the Floating Homes Association office part-time. Sheri previously served on the FHA Board beginning in 1992 for around 20 years. Her main interests are in legislative and urban affairs, so she was very involved in the effort to get a new DNR lease and went on to become Chair of the FHA Legislative Committee, later serving as President for several terms. Her real job since 1992 has been working in various positions at the Hutch, starting out in Development and Community Relations, doing a 5-year stint during the implementation of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and returning to the Hutch in the Public Health Sciences Division doing grant administration where she still is. Says Sheri, “I think the Floating Homes Association continues to make a difference in the lives of everyone in our community, and I look forward to possibly working with you on the Board.”