The SAMMI Awards Foundation board of directors recently named Cynthia Baumert the new executive director of the organization. Baumert will succeed Kristina Williams, who served as the executive director the last two years.

Baumert comes to the SAMMI Awards after retiring as an events planning career at Microsoft followed by extensive community volunteer work in the Issaquah schools and eight PTA Boards; an art docent at Echo Glen juvenile detention facility and as a court appointed special advocate for the King County Superior Court. Baumert’s decade of community volunteerism was recognized with four Golden Acorns from the PTA and a Circle of Service SAMMI Award in 2013. .

“I applaud and appreciate the spirit in which the Foundation was created and have been fortunate to have known many of the wonderful individuals who have been nominated over the years,” Baumert said.

Baumert has a BA in Communications/Advertising from Washington State University. She lives in Sammamish with her husband Dave and her two children Sarah and Gus.

For more than a decade, the SAMMI Awards Foundation gathered the community and shared stories of inspiration through the hard work of volunteer committees and with the sponsorship of individuals, businesses and community partners.

The 2014 SAMMI Awards celebration will be held at Eastridge Church on March 2. Nominations are open. Visit www.sammiawards.org .

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