We're ready to join your journey.


ABOUT

Red Barn Communications, a woman-owned team, partners with parks, recreation, and conservation organizations—from local to national levels—to help them achieve their missions.

Our approach is thoughtful, genuine and timely. Carefully matched to your organization's culture.

Red Barn is ready to join your journey

Schedule your 20 minute introductory call to learn more.

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Executive Leadership

Warm, Responsive & Smart
People are our highest priority. We lead to achieve potential. Our team of attentive and responsive professionals are committed to member growth and development. We are especially tuned into the organizational climate and enthusiastically support governance providing comprehensive financial reporting, documentation, meeting and event preparation. We will seek every opportunity to leverage meaning and value in the advancement of your organization's goals and objectives.

Events Matter

Connect, Engage & Accellerate
From conferences to retreats and hikes, our team structures successful educational, fun and enriching programs. Our planning includes site selection, financial management, registration, marketing, speaker management and more. We collaborate with you at every planning stage focusing on your objectives and measures of success.

Red Barn CORE VALUES & Guiding Principles

Integrity
We meet challenges without excuses.
We choose what is right over what is convenient.

People
We build great teams.  

Potential
We believe life is a journey, that we are always improving, and find joy, inspiration and creativity everywhere.
We have a high tolerance for change, knowing that growth and success require adaptability and perseverance.
We thrive knowing we are in the pursuit of greatness - influencing yours and while practicing ours.

Fun
This is when we're at our best. We enjoy and savor the journey.

 

COMPLIMENTS

The Red Barn Communications team brings expertise and experience to help any organization achieve its goals and objectives. At WSAE, we have appreciated their ability to help us create a focused strategy, adapt in change and challenge, and exceed our goals and objectives. Red Barn Communications has helped us increase membership, upgrade our communications and technology resources, elevate our educational programming, engage more members, and exceed our goals and objectives.

 

Brenda Orffer, CAEWashington Society
for Association Excellence

Redbarn Communications has been more than just an administrator – they’ve been a partner in our vision, helping us shape the future of outdoor equity and recreation with integrity and passion.

 

Reco Bembry
Founding President Outdoor Equity Coalition

A few years ago, our organization was challenged with moving out from under a parent entity to become our own separate 501 c 3 organization. Red Barn worked with us step by step from establishing our legal paperwork, bylaws and our web presence. A few years later we are more focused on our mission of accreditation as Red Barn provides positive oversight for our management, administration and customer service

 

Chris Nunes, PhD, CPRE,
Council MemberCouncil on Accreditation for
Parks, Recreation, Tourism,
and Related Professions

Thank you SO much to you and your team for coordinating our Centennial Gala and making such a seamless and memorable event! We are so incredibly happy with how the event turned out. It was so nice to be able to enjoy the event with our guests and count on your team to handle the day of coordination. The space looked amazing and the decorations were perfect! The dancers were such a great addition to the event and our guests really enjoyed that special touch.

 

Emily Madsen
Marketing & Outreach Coordinator Port of Olympia

Red Barn Communications makes a practice of going the extra mile for each and every event we work with them on. While technically they are a contract partner of ours, they truly feel like part of our team. That's not by accident…it’s Brit Kramer’s leadership!

 

Todd CuttsOlympia Downtown Alliance

I appreciate all the support Red Barn has given the organization over the years. It's been a cornerstone of our success.

 

Will ForesterFriendly Water for the World

Red Barn helped our 250 member fly fishing club expand our online presence by adding Facebook and YouTube pages to our ongoing Web page presence. She integrated the three online features, helped trouble shoot the startup and responded quickly to our needs.

 

Steve JonesClark-Skamania Fly Fishers

Working with Red Barn Communications has been a game-changer for the National Recreation and Park Ethnic Minority Society. Their professionalism and attention to detail have driven real results for our organization, helping us expand our reach and streamline operations. We trust their expertise implicitly, knowing they always have our best interests in mind. Their dedication to service and understanding of our unique needs make them an invaluable partner."

 

Chris BassNational Recreation and Park Ethnic Minority Society



MEET THE TEAM

hover and click on photos to learn more..

Speaker Speaker

Brit
Kramer

Principal

Speaker

Brit Kramer, CAE

Executive Leadership

Brit is a certified association executive since 2006 with over a decade of experience providing CEO leadership for the Washington Recreation & Park Association. She has taken leadership roles in state and national organizations and is a long-time member and former board member of the Washington Society of Association Executives, receiving the famous Rhinoceros Award in 2013 for distinguished service. Brit's passion is for helping nonprofits raise their profile, and in 2014 founded Red Barn Communications to offer executive expertise, marketing, event and communications serving nonprofits, associations and community groups. People are her highest priority, and she builds a culture of teamwork and collaboration. She works from a home office in their log home on a wooded five acre "hobby farm" in Thurston County. The company name is inspired by the four-year epic journey of building their big red barn.

Speaker Speaker

Shelley
Dahle

Association Executive

Speaker

Shelley Dahle

Association Executive

Shelley discovered association management in 2007 in her transition away from a dental assistant career. The three-month temporary position evolved into six years as the "goto" person for special projects, exhibitor relations and on-site event support for the Washington Recreation & Park Association. In 2015 Shelley earned the certified medical assistant (CMA) and so our clients also benefit from her ability to respond to health situations. Shelley now provides support and leadership for organizations as Red Barn client bases expands. A fun fact is that Shelley is a founding member of the Grape Nuts, specializing in home-made desserts; she is a runner, a wife, and mom to two very smart girls.

Speaker Speaker

Patty Anderson

Association Executive

Speaker

Patty Anderson, CAE

Association Executive

With more than 35 years in association management, Patty worked the bulk of her career for and became a business partner ofHaving dedicated her entire professional career to the association management field, Patty spent the majority of her career with, and eventually became a business partner of, the Pacific Northwest's premier and first accredited association management company - Melby, Cameron & Anderson (MCA). In addition to helping ensure the growth, stability, and direction of MCA, Patty provided leadership, counsel, and direction to association board members, volunteers, and staff for a portfolio of professional societies and trade associations - including WSAE. Over the past four years, Patty has been thrilled to return to WSAE, working closely with current staff members across diverse projects. Patty is a Certified Association Executive, the 2013 recipient of the Washington Society of Association Executives' "Executive of the Year" award, and has earned the Institute of Organization Management certificate from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. When not working, Patty loves spending time with her husband at their lake house or out on the water fishing. Her true passion, however, is as the proud owner and handler of her nationally acclaimed Borzoi (Russian Wolfhounds), where she highlights the beauty and elegance of the majestic breed in the show ring.



Speaker Speaker

Jen
Dixon

Member Services

Speaker

Jen Dixon

Member Services

Jen has been a membership manager for over 15 years and puts her expertise into website management, serving members, and staying updated on the latest tech to better support clients. She is a proud wife to a Navy veteran and an excited mom to a 7-year-old daughter. Jen is also a dedicated dog and chicken mom, with a passion for baking, cooking, boating and hiking in her free time.

Speaker Speaker

Chivan
Lim

Marketing & Events

Speaker

Chivan Lim

Marketing & Events

Chivan Lim is a graduate of South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC), earning his Associate’s Degree in Arts in 2018. At SPSCC he discovered his passion for building communities and making his visions come alive. He has also demonstrated these skills with his band WINEHOUSE. Often booking gigs, networking, and communicating with groups, he is dedicated to enhancing the events he hosts. Being an active member of many local communities has given him a great sense of variety and an understanding of what people want to see.


Speaker Speaker

Sowmya Chetlapalli

Administrative Assistant

Speaker

Sowmya Chetlapalli

Administrative Assistant

Originally from Hyderabad, India, Sowmya now calls Lacey, Washington, her home. Sowmya (pronounced SOUW-MYA) easily picks up new technology, enjoys the diversity of projects, and allows Red Barn to scale when needed to meet client needs. Living next to a park with the view of Mount Rainier is ideal for raising a young family. The Grand Canyon however is among their most epic travel experiences.

Speaker Speaker

Kate
Rappe

Design

Speaker

Kate Rappe

Design

Trained formally as a print designer, Kate admits that print is where her heart is. But today most of Kate's projects have digital elements or are designed for the web. She is all Apple and generally does most design work in Adobe CS5 and completes many projects using MS Office. (Creative Suite – In Design, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, Microsoft Office – Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Knowledge of WordPress, Drupal & HTML.) Each job is different and requires an effective balance of creative talent and technical skill. For some, it might be capturing a unique look and feel for a new company. For others, it may be finding the most creative way to express an already strong brand. She prides herself on loyalty, honesty, and having fun. Whatever the project, Kate's goal is to complete it within budget, on time, and to put a smile on your face. She works out of her Ballard home studio in Seattle with her loyal studio dog, Ellie.

Speaker Speaker

Ted
Clark

Technology

Speaker

Ted Clark

Technology

Luckily Ted found programming in high school in the 80s. Modifying a formula that output triangles to create Christmas tree branches led to the realization that computer programs were just little chunks you created and put together to solve bigger problems. Since then he has worked with dozens of computer languages, database and application platforms to help organizations find solutions cost effectively. Ted has worked with and for non-profits, organizations and enterprises of all sizes. These include Boeing, Microsoft, multiple Washington State agencies, and Community Youth Services among many others. For Cayzen in Lacey, Ted has worked at Labor and Industries on contract for 14 years. The other passion Ted found in the 80s was a love of drums. Besides being with his current bandmates for 30 years, he regularly performs at church and enjoys a good challenge, such as joining the high school for Little Shop of Horrors or hand-drumming for Olympia’s Procession of the Species.


 



Red Barn's Impact In
PARKS, RECREATION & CONSERVATION

Partners for Parks
Capital campaign to raise $3.5 million to restore the H-Barn.

American Parks & Recreation Foundation
Fundraising & Investments

National Recreation & Park Ethnic Minority Society
Representing the park, recreation and related leisure service interest and rights of minoirities.

Northwest Hydroelectric Association
Providing a regional forum for the hydropower industry.

Tumwater Artesian Brewfest
Bringing Brewing Back

Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition
Promotes sustainable, diverse, equitable, and inclusive outdoor experiences in Washington state through advocacy and education. 

Outdoor Equity Coalition
Creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive outdoor recreation community. 

Red Barn is ready to join your journey

Schedule your 20 minute introductory call to learn more.

Calendar

PAST & PRESENT
CLIENTS

Administration
& Governance

American Academy for Park & Recreation Adminisration
American Park and Recreation Foundation
Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition
Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions
Flooring Association Northwest
National Recreation & Park Ethnic Minority Society
Northwest Hydro Electric Association
Outdoor Equity Coalition
Partners for Parks
Washington Acupunture and Eastern Medicine Association
Washington Society of Association Executives

Charity

HOC Rose Blind Horse Sanctuary Rescue

Events

2017 Eclipse VIP Campout at the Imperial Stock Ranch – (Red Barn Event)
Experience Olympia & Beyond
Meeting Professionals International, Washington State Chapter
Olympia Downtown Alliance – Event Partner
Port of Olympia
Tumwater (Parks & Recreation) Artesian Brewfest
West Olympia Business Association

Projects

Arbutus Folk School
Child Care Action Council
Clark-Skamania FlyFishers
Friendly Water for the World
King County Medical Society
Leadership Outfitters
Recreation & Conservation Office
Tumwater Area Chamber of Commerce
Washington Nonprofits
West Olympia Community Visioning Group

 

Preferred PARTNERS

Red Barn is ready to join your journey

Schedule your 20 minute introductory call to learn more.

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