Ashley Bolden – President
Ashley Bolden is an Everett resident, proud member of the Rotary Club of Everett, and a happy mom of two kids with a partner in crime who keeps life adventurous. As a real estate professional and community leader, she is passionate about fostering connection, compassion, and a legacy of service. Ashley believes in creating spaces where individuals feel supported, empowered, and she believes in the power of a connected community to transform lives. She is honored to serve on the Everett Recovery Café Board, where she helps nurture belonging, dignity, and hope within the recovery community.
Chandler Williamson – Vice President
Chandler Williamson was born in Los Angeles in 1963 and studied political science at the University of Utah before earning his MBA from Pepperdine University in 2004. Over the course of his career, he has been involved with several startup organizations and entrepreneurial ventures, navigating both growth and challenge. Sober and in recovery since 1999, Chandler feels a deep personal connection to the mission of the Everett Recovery Café. He has been involved with the Café since 2017 and has served as a board member since 2018. Chandler was instrumental in the renovation of the Café’s current facility, contributing hands-on leadership and support to help create a space that reflects the dignity and belonging at the heart of the Café model. Chandler lives in Stanwood, Washington with his wife, Daphne.
Mike Grove – Treasurer
Mike received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington and an MBA from Seattle University. He retired in 2017 after a 38-year aerospace career, where he participated in the design and development of aircraft avionics and mechanical systems and managed several product line business enterprises.
Mike played a foundational role in the Café’s finances, when he built and implemented the financial tracking systems for state grants, developed operating and grant budgets, and brought strategic oversight to the Café’s financial sustainability. The Café benefitted from Mike’s experience in human resources, and he was instrumental in the renovation of the current California Street facility, helping transform the space into a welcoming home for recovery. He lives in Mount Vernon with Wendy.
Laura Miller – Vice-Treasurer
Laura Miller has spent her life in the Pacific Northwest, growing up in the Seattle area. She earned her Finance degree from Eastern Washington University in 2015 and is currently Vice President, Profitability Manager at 1st Security Bank, where she plays a key role in financial strategy and profitability management. In 2025, she completed the Pacific Coast Banking School graduate program, further strengthening her expertise in financial leadership. Laura joined the Everett Recovery Café Board to use her financial skills in service of community impact. Having witnessed the challenges of addiction within her own family, she is deeply committed to supporting a financially sustainable environment for the Café’s mission. Laura lives in Edmonds with her husband and pets and enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Kendra Montgomery – Secretary
Kendra Montgomery is a 30-year Everett resident and proud mother of four daughters. A woman of many talents, she serves as a Spanish translator, entrepreneur, and community advocate dedicated to connection and empowerment. Kendra is actively involved in several local initiatives and committees, including Nubian Jam, StepUp, and BOBE, where she works to celebrate culture, elevate voices, and expand opportunities within the community. She is passionate about education, service, and creating spaces where individuals feel valued and supported, and she is honored to serve on the Everett Recovery Café Board.
Wendy Grove – Founder
Wendy founded the Everett Recovery Café in 2013 and brought the Café model to life with the help of a small founding board and the Café’s first Operations Manager, Sarah Brooks. The team relied upon the vision of the Café model, persistence, and deep relational leadership. She began her career in multi-age elementary education, earning her Master of Education from the University of Washington. Her work focused on creating a curriculum that was engaging, inclusive, and rooted in the power of community to support students on the margins.
After earning a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Wendy taught writing at the Seattle Recovery Café, where she discovered her passion for empowerment through the Café model. She later served as a floor manager in Seattle before courageously stepping out to bring the Café model to Everett. Wendy leads with loving accountability, deep compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the organization’s core values. She is steadfast in protecting the integrity of the Café model while remaining open to growth and innovation when change is needed. Through her leadership, countless individuals have felt seen, heard, and invited into something greater than themselves. She believes in the Café’s root philosophy that all people deserve to feel valued and loved, and it is in that space that people grow and flourish. She lives in Mount Vernon with her husband Mike and their two cats, Esther and Millie.
Ali Tapert – Board Member
A Pacific Northwest native, Ali serves as the Residential Division Manager for a local general contractor and brings her strengths of discernment and curiosity to her work with the Everett Recovery Café. The mission of recovery holds deep importance to her, and she is most fulfilled when her efforts help others feel seen, supported, and connected. A natural listener and connector, Ali values friendship and community and believes deeply in the power of relationships to foster healing, dignity, and growth. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active with her German Shepherd, Bruce, soaking up the summer months, and being a proud auntie.
Sharon Gunnerson – Advisory Board Member
Sharon has served on the Everett Recovery Café Board since April 2014 and was a member of the founding board that helped bring the Café to life. She was instrumental in helping open the doors in those early days, and alongside Wendy, she helped cook the very first pot of soup served at the Everett Recovery Café, setting the tone for hospitality, nourishment, and community from the very beginning.
Sharon is a retired Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor (CCDC) and also served as a Recovery Coach Trainer. Her professional career focused on strengthening families and supporting long-term wellness, including work with programs such as Safe Babies, Safe Moms. She brings decades of experience in recovery and behavioral health to her continued service on the board, grounding the Café’s mission in both compassion and clinical wisdom.
Porsha Brown – Advisory Board Member
Porsha is an escrow professional and dedicated community advocate with a deep passion for supporting others. With her own lived experience in long-term recovery, she brings compassion, insight, and authenticity to her role on the Everett Recovery Café Board. The Café’s mission holds deep personal meaning for her, and she combines her recovery journey with professional skills in leadership and collaboration to help give back the organization’s mission. Porsha values connection and believes in the transformative power of community to foster healing and belonging.
Kelley Boone – Advisory Board Member
Kelley is the creator of Quantum Transformationz, bringing her work to support the mission of recovery and healing. Her work centers on harmonizing external life circumstances with the inner world, helping individuals shift from survival patterns into holistic and sustainable thriving. Through a focus on structural biological safety and honoring the soul’s desire for growth, Kelley is dedicated to fostering resilience, healing, and sustainable thriving for individuals and communities on the path of recovery. She is honored to support the mission of the Everett Recovery Café through her board service.
