Design Review Board

Amy Tarce, Chair,  Kingsgate Neighborhood

Amy Tarce brings over 25 years of experience in Urban Design and Planning to the Design Review Board through her various professional roles in the past as a planner and urban designer in Chicago, Washington, DC and the eastside cities of Seattle. As a planner, she has staffed multi-agency coordinating committees for federal, regional and local entities in the Washington Metropolitan Region, a neighborhood advisory committee for the City of Alexandria, and the Design Review Board for the City of Redmond. She has decades of experience presenting neighborhood plans and development projects to neighborhood groups, design review boards, development and planning commissions, and city councils.

Ms. Tarce hopes to contribute in guiding the future growth of Kirkland using her diverse professional planning experience. As a planning consultant in Chicago, Ms. Tarce developed transit-oriented development plans for two Chicago neighborhoods served by the Green Line elevated train stations, and master plans for two mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhoods in New Orleans and Chicago. As a Principal Planner for the City of Alexandria, she managed the development review of a 100-acre redevelopment plan for a former railyard into a vibrant, walkable, mixed-use New Urbanist neighborhood with a town center, an award-winning fire station with affordable housing and a new Metro Station. As a planner for the federal government, she managed the Climate Adaptation and Floodplain Management program for federal lands in Washington, DC and contributed to the update of the Parks and Open Space Plan of the National Capital. In the Seattle area, she has managed the Development Review of Redmond’s City Hall, the Macy’s Department Store and the full-service Marriott Hotel in Redmond Town Center, the Redmond River Park Development Agreement Design Standards, and discretionary approval of two Issaquah School District schools, as well as one of the first large-scale residential developments to implement the Central Issaquah Plan.

Ms. Tarce first moved to Kirkland in 2002, and through the years, has watched the growth and transformation of the city into a more dynamic and urbanized suburb of Seattle. Ms. Tarce believes livable and sustainable communities are achievable with a clear vision and a partnership of dedicated citizens and inspired city leaders, and hopes to contribute in implementing the City of Kirkland’s vision for a safe, walkable, vibrant and environmentally-sustainable city. Her passion for building great communities has always extended beyond her day job. She has conducted Design Review training for her fellow planners in several Snohomish County jurisdictions and for the City of Redmond. She loves to travel and has visited over 50 cities around the world.  She uses her vacations to visit walkable and sustainable cities and turns them into personal case studies of successful public realm designs. With her new role as a Design Review Board member for the City of Kirkland, she hopes to continue to share her passion and love for great urban design.

Tyler Smith, Vice Chair, Upper West Ridge Neighborhood, Woodinville

Tyler is a Bellevue born, east side of the bridge native who was raised split between Juanita, Kirkland and Issaquah WA.

Tyler is a graduate from the Bellevue College and the University of Washington Majoring in Business Management and Economics. 

Although Tyler’s primary background is Talent Acquisition for Technology his passion and love for Architecture and Design has given him the opportunity to partner on projects for the city of Seattle, Bellevue & Kirkland. Tyler had the pleasure to work with top architecture firms in the greater Seattle area to help grow and restore major attractions and Washington staples such as the remodel of Seattle Space Needle.

Tyler & his spouse still resides on the cuff of Kirkland & Woodinville. He has spent his time growing up in Juanita and has a deep passion and love for his community and his hometown.

Tyler will continue to support the community and strive to continue to bring growth to our infrastructure and our city as well as keep the roots and the foundation that has made Kirkland the great attraction and community as it is today.

By combining historic landmarks with future growth and expansion, Tyler’s goal is to offer a sense of inclusivity and diversity to the city of Kirkland and allow for our great city to grow its special village.

Carlos Castaneda, Norkirk Neighborhood

Carlos is an active member of Kirkland’s Design Review Board where he reviews projects for consistency with applicable business district design guidelines.  

He moved to Kirkland from Mexico City in 2016 and has been drawn by the nature, outdoor activities (multiple trails) and the tranquility that the City of Kirkland offers. Carlos holds a B.A. in Architecture, he is a registered architect in Mexico, a LEED Green Associate and is currently seeking licensure in the United States. Prior to his relocation, he collaborated with multiple architecture firms working on residential and commercial projects in Mexico and the United States. 

Beyond his current professional experience with Architecture leading commercial roll-out programs, he focuses on building strong relationships with clients, colleagues and teams. Carlos is an avid salsa dancer, runner and enjoys painting and riding anything that has two wheels on it. 

Shannon Merkel, Finn Hill Neighborhood 

Shannon Merkel joins the Design Review Board as a Kirkland resident and with a professional design and business background. 

Shannon earned a BA (CIDER accredited) and MA in Interior Design, through Washington State University's Interdisciplinary Design Institute. She spent the first decade of her career working for international architecture firms practicing commercial interior design in Seattle and London. 

Shannon then oversaw the launch, growth, and operation of the US arm of a UK-based design studio whose public and private commissions are positioned in the Brand & Identity realm. Inspired within this role, she earned her MBA at University of Washington's Foster School of Business. 

Shannon moved to Kirkland in 2017 and is raising a young family on Finn Hill. She's an executive board member of the Juanita Elementary PTA.   

Randal Brand, Norkirk Neighborhood

I have been extremely fortunate to have lived in Kirkland for the better part of 42 years. I arrived in Kirkland following my graduation from the University of Nebraska with degrees in Architecture and Construction Management, and later obtaining my MBA from Seattle University.

My wife, Juanita, and I have raised our two children here in Kirkland. As they grew up, we remained active at Kirkland Junior High and Lake Washington High School, Little League, Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, church, and other community events and activities across the eastside. We have enjoyed our many years raising our children and living in Kirkland.  

I am a Registered Architect and have worked in the design, construction, and real estate development industries throughout the western United States. I have had the opportunities to present to many Design Review Boards, Planning Commissions, and City Councils up and down the West Coast. This expertise, education, and my many years of living in Kirkland are what I have sought to bring to the City of Kirkland Design Review Board to serve Kirkland residents for a better and bright future for our community. 

Supriya Kelkar, Juanita Neighborhood

Supriya Kelkar is an experienced leader in all phases of Project Planning, Design and Project Management. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (Pune, India) and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design (Syracuse University and State University of New York). She is a licensed Architect with over 22 years of experience in designing and managing projects in Transportation, Urban and Community Design, Civic and Federal Buildings.

Supriya’s strong leadership skills in managing and motivating teams including internal staff, consultants and construction teams have led to the delivery of many successful projects. She has led presentations with many Design Review Boards, City Councils and other Permitting Agencies. Her areas of expertise include Sustainable Design (LEED) and Alternate Project Delivery methods (Design Build).

Supriya is a longtime resident of the City and has enjoyed raising her family in Kirkland for the past 20+ years. Besides her architectural pursuits and spending time with family and friends, she is an avid gardener and enjoys cooking and hiking.

Amanda Bredlow, Finn Hill Neighborhood 

Amanda is an active Real Estate Agent in the Kirkland area and Greater Eastside. She was born and raised in the area, and her parents still live in her childhood home in Juanita and have for 40+ years.

She is a graduate of Lake Washington School District Schools (Helen Keller Elementary, Kamiakin Middle School and Juanita High School), as well as the University of Washington. She also holds an MBA from Florida International University in Miami and studied abroad in Ecuador and Brazil. She has visited 34 countries and world travel is important to her, to understand diverse perspectives.

A lifelong Eastside resident, she is also a 5^th generation Washingtonian. (Her great-great grandparents settled in the area in the 1800s, and are buried in the Bothell Pioneer Cemetery, along with David Bothell, city founder! Her great grandparents met on Bothell’s main street in the 1900s and the downtown Bothell fire station is built on land once owned by her family.)

She is committed to improving our community, as demonstrated by over 300 hours of community service the City of Kirkland, through organizations such as the Juanita Neighborhoods Association (JNA), at Evergreen Hospital, as a City of Kirkland Volunteer Soccer Coach for her daughter’s team, and Membership Director of the PTSA (Parent Teacher Students Association).   She is the 2024 Vice President for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and is active with the Seattle King County Realtors Association and is committed to equity in home ownership. She speaks Spanish and Portuguese fluently as a result of having lived and worked in South America and loves to welcome people from all origins and backgrounds into the city of Kirkland. She has participated in the “Welcome to Juanita” event regularly for the past decade.

Before obtaining her real estate license in 2018, she worked in tech as a Marketing Project Manager for Microsoft for 11 years.

She lives on Finn Hill with her husband, their daughter and their pet pug. She enjoys hiking, soccer, traveling, and organizing events in the community.