I am truly honored and deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me by electing me as Board Chair. To be chosen by this remarkable community is something I do not take lightly. Thank you for your confidence, your encouragement, and your belief in me.
What makes our organization special is not just our mission or our achievements — it is the people. It is the dedication you bring, the ideas you share, the time you volunteer, and the care you show for one another. Our strength has always come from our sense of community and our commitment to working together toward something greater than ourselves.
Leadership, to me, is about listening first. My goal is to foster an environment where thoughtful dialogue, strategic thinking, and decisive action move us forward. With your continued engagement and support, we will build on our 70-year legacy and shape the future of our organization together.
Thank you again for your confidence and your trust. I look forward to serving you and working alongside each of you in the months and years ahead.
With appreciation and determination,
Patti Steen Board Chair
Getting to Know Your Chair
Why Recruiting? I fell into recruiting by accident. I took a temporary position with Kelly Services and ended up being hired full time and led the largest Kelly Services office in the Seattle market for several years. I decided to take a year off to see if recruiting was really what I wanted to do. I quickly learned I needed the fast-paced crazy world we live in and quickly returned. I joined The Pace Staffing Network, a regional firm in Seattle, and eventually became the Vice President of Client Programs. Loved that role! It fed my need to think outside the box, collaborate and create programs that supported my customers' business needs. Eventually, I decided it was time to start my own firm and within a month of opening The Pelsten Group I joined NPAworldwide on 9/30/2009. In the middle of October, a regional meeting was being held within 30 minutes of my home. I signed up quickly and got really lucky - the first person I met was Laura Schmeider!
My Volunteer Journey. Since 2010, I have served nonstop in various volunteer roles including Hardware/Software/Electronics Trading Group Leader, Information Technology Trading Group Leader, Healthcare Practice Group Leader, 6 years on the Board and have now been on the Executive Committee for the past 3 years. Volunteering has fed my need to be creative, build processes and help our members succeed.
A Few Personal Facts. I was born and raised in Washington State. I have been very happily married for almost 34 years to my husband Dave. We have a blended family of 8 amazing children and their spouses. I am the Nama to 15 grandchildren which makes me very happy. I am an avid gardener, a sometimes great (and many times not great) golfer and avid traveler.