Leilani Lozier Salinas, Mark Hollander, and Jason Vander Kooy serve on the board of Kidstown International and are responsible for overseeing the organization's governance, leadership, and accountability.
The decisions documented throughout this website occurred under the oversight of the board and raise important questions about leadership, transparency, and organizational direction.
Picture of Mark Hollander of Kidstown International Bellingham
Mark Hollander
Mark Hollander serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for Kidstown International, where he has oversight of financial matters. He is also one of the organization’s largest donors and the son of Mike Hollander, who founded Kidstown. He is currently the President and CEO of Hollander Hospitality, with public information reporting an estimated worth of $480 million. Publicly available information indicates the Hollander family has connections to the Polinder family.
Picture of Leilani Lozier Salinas of Kidstown International Bellingham
Leilani Salinas
Leilani Lozier Salinas is the current Board Chair of Kidstown International. She is also one of the largest donors to the organization and serves as a director of the David & Elaine Lozier Foundation, a family foundation with reported assets exceeding $27 million. She has ties to the Lynden, Washington, community and is a graduate of Lynden Christian School. She appears to have a longstanding personal relationship with Rusty Polinder.
Picture of Jason Vander Kooy of Kidstown International Bellingham
Jason Vander Kooy
Jason Vander Kooy is the current Vice Chair of Kidstown International and a dairy farmer based in Mount Vernon, Washington. He is also a Dike District 1 Commissioner. He is a co-owner of Harmony Dairy and has been involved with the organization’s board during recent leadership changes, including communications regarding Rustin Polinder’s status. In those communications, Vander Kooy described himself as a “friend” of Polinder.
What are the Duties of a Board Member?
Duty to Share Relevant Information: Directors must inform the board of any information they have that is material to the board's decision-making or oversight. This includes reporting known or suspected violations of law or "material breaches" of duty within the organization
Duty of Loyalty: This requires a director to act in the "best interest of the organization" above their own self-interest or the interests of a business or friend.
Duty of Care: Directors must act as an "ordinarily prudent person" would in a similar situation, using independent judgment and "due diligence" when making decisions.
Duty of Obedience: The board must ensure the organization stays true to its mission and complies with all state, federal, and local laws, as well as its own bylaws.
What is Board Independence?
Board independence is a widely recognized nonprofit governance principle intended to help ensure that directors can exercise objective judgment when overseeing an organization.
An independent board is generally expected to act in the best interests of the organization rather than the interests of founders, major donors, family members, business partners, or other affiliated parties. While nonprofits often benefit from close relationships with supporters and community leaders, governance experts emphasize the importance of maintaining sufficient independence to provide meaningful oversight and accountability.
Questions commonly considered when evaluating board independence include:
Are board members free from financial relationships that could influence their decisions? Do board members have the ability to challenge leadership without fear of retaliation or undue pressure? Are conflicts of interest disclosed and appropriately managed? Are related-party transactions reviewed independently? Does the board maintain oversight that is separate from major donors, founders, family relationships, or affiliated businesses?
Board independence does not require the absence of relationships. Rather, it focuses on whether adequate safeguards exist to ensure that organizational decisions are made objectively and in the best interests of the nonprofit and those it serves.
Questions for Readers
The relationships described above do not establish wrongdoing, influence, or coordination between organizations. However, they may raise questions that readers wish to consider:
How interconnected are the leadership, funding, and professional networks within the local nonprofit community? To what extent do longstanding relationships influence organizational decision-making? What safeguards exist to ensure organizational independence when the same individuals, donors, or institutions maintain relationships across multiple organizations? How should nonprofits balance close community partnerships with the need for independent governance and accountability?
These questions are presented for consideration only.
Readers are encouraged to review the available records and draw their own conclusions.
