The Lake Washington Schools Foundation (LWSF), established five years ago to support academic excellence and success for all students in the Lake Washington School District (LWSD), has announced the appointment of a new executive director, Doug Seto.

Seto has extensive leadership and fundraising experience, including more than 25 years in the private sector in marketing and sales, starting his own company and serving as a key manager and director in national companies.

Seto is known for his leadership and involvement on the boards of major academic, health care and youth organizations.

He has led several non-profit organizations, serving as president of the Northwest Kidney Centers Foundation and in other board positions for more than eight years, on the board of trustees of Puget Sound Blood Center for nine years and on the executive board of Boy Scouts of America.

Seto remarked, “I now have been given an opportunity to help make our community a better place by promoting academic excellence in the Lake Washington School District. I am excited by the many opportunities to help provide the students with enhanced learning opportunities, the staff with increase professional development — in sum, to provide the community with youth that are motivated and inspired to be successful in college and the global workplace.”

Dr. Chip Kimball, superintendent of the LWSD, said that the LWSF is “doing exciting, new work to support the district’s thinking to make sure that ‘Every Student Is Future Ready.’ Doug will be terrific at leading the district-wide programs funded through the foundation, helping the district ensure students are prepared for college, the global market place and the personal challenges they will face.”

Byron Shutz and Sherry Wartelle, 2009-10 LWSF board co-presidents stated, “We are delighted and eager to have Doug join us. As Executive Director, Doug will position the foundation to better serve our generous community’s direct and efficient investment in student learning and to better involve the broader community in the outstanding successes the district delivers back to us all.”

Since its inception, LWSF has raised more than $1 million and funded programs that have reached more than three-quarters of the LWSD’s 24,000 students.

For more information about the Lake Washington Schools Foundation, call (425) 702-3414 or visit www.lwsf.org.