who we are
Executive Director & Co-Founder
Nick Hartrich
Nick has spent his 26 years in Bellingham, WA working to inspire and influence creative change in community. He has built communities and networks to influence global sustainability but his most impactful work is where his heart is, locally. He moves quick, takes risks and views "yes" as a currency. For those seeking an economically vibrant future that also includes a diversity of artists, storytellers and creatives - he is open to activating ideas into inspiring outcomes. Paper Whale is one such project, and he invites you to participate.
Creative Director & Co-Founder
Gretchen Leggitt
Gretchen Leggitt is a muralist, artist, educator, and business owner based in Bellingham, WA. Her passion for initiating Paper Whale is based on her desire to preserve, protect, and cultivate creative culture in areas where rapid economic growth has historically displaced artists. After 13 years of teaching visual art in academic settings, she has a passion for mentoring creatives and hosting safe spaces for learning, collaborating, and facilitating events that promote diversity, equity, and opportunity in the public art realm. This ethos has resulted in the powerful collaborations that shape Paper Whale projects.
Events & Production Manager
Grace Rogers
Grace is living her dream as a community builder and artist. With experience in civil engineering focusing on stormwater treatment and management, she brings a tuned attention to detail to event planning for Paper Whale. Grace aims to encourage people to connect deeply with their community and environment. One of her greatest satisfactions is collaborating with others towards a common goal. Grace has a passion for experiential art focusing on the beauty behind self inquiry and natural phenomena in the universe.
Documentarian
Mataio Gillis
FotoMataio Fotografia was established in 2018, a transition from the heat of the kitchen to the artistry of photography. Mataio once meticulously crafted dishes to delight palates, and now he trains his keen eye through the camera’s lens to distill the essence of life's details and beauty in a new medium. Through photography, he finds comfort in capturing moments that transcend time. By preserving fleeting scenes he creates enduring memories.
board of directors
Aaron Straight
Senior Creative Director + Principal, Soulcraft Allstars
Aaron Straight is a storyteller. For the last two decades across Africa, Haiti, Central America, and the USA, Aaron Straight has used the power of film and story to empower people and the planet. While Aaron has worked with heads of state and Fortune 500 companies, he’s far more likely to tell you about his work with rural farmers and indigenous communities from Alaska to Guatemala to Uganda. Aaron has helped raise well over $100 million using his storytelling skills for the likes of the Seattle Foundation, Heifer International, and Global Partnerships, and reached millions of viewers for such clients as Amazon Kindle, Adidas, and the Bill + Melinda Gates Foundation.
Ticker Ba-Aye
Board Chair
Local Business Owner
Growing up in Bellingham and having lived and traveled near and far, Ticker has had the opportunity to watch Bellingham grow and believes in its potential for even greater growth, especially in the realm of the arts.
As a local business owner, raising a family of her own now, she is committed, along with her partner, to working towards the enhancement of the local community in its shared experience of art, music, creativity and overall vibrancy!
Chelsea Jepson
Board Treasurer
Principal, Jepson & Associates
Chelsea operates a land surveying business;
a local company that her father founded 55 years ago.
She believes in Bellingham's potential for increased vivacity and sees Paper Whale as a force primed to motivate and deliver!
Her passion for travel and adventure inspire ideas of un-subduing her hometown for a more creative and connected lived experience.
Free Borsey (Tsux'vilum) a member of the Lhaq'temish (Lummi Nation) the survivors of the Great Flood. Born and raised in Bellingham WA in the Lummi Nation, Free started his practice in traditional artwork of the Lummi People early on in his childhood and he never stopped learning. "It was a hard process to learn because of the lack of resources, and my biggest barrier, deciphering what is actually Coast Salish Artwork and what artwork is appropriated from other places," says Free.
Free Borsey is an up and coming artist and is bringing his wisdom to the table with Paper Whale.
Vice-Chair
Paper Beats Rock
Bronson comes from a multi-disciplinary background beginning in narrative film production and photography, shifting to executing large-scale marketing strategies and brand partnerships, and was a Co-Founder of Whalebone Magazine.
He has now directed his energy towards helping our community thrive. He runs a one-man marketing company who's primary focus is in the maritime industry, as well as being on the team behind the Northwest Tune-Up Festival and other community-driven events. Whales have been a part of Bronson's life since birth as the symbol for his family's marina back in Florida, and it has come full circle in his commitment to helping the team execute the mission of Paper Whale Arts.
Jeffrey Bos
Consigliere
Foment Regeneration
Jeffrey Bos is a seasoned, values-based executive, facilitator, entrepreneur, and wilderness wanderer.
Trained as an ecologist, facilitator, coach, and wilderness guide, his work has spanned value-based sectors including finance, food, outdoor adventure, and culture. He has over 20 years of experience as a leader, facilitator, and executive with for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Jeff has a Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology from Queen’s University, an MBA in Sustainable Business from the Bainbridge Graduate Institute, and was a Mel King Community Fellow at MIT in 2015-2016.