WE WORK HARD SO ALL KIDS CAN PLAY
Kids Together, Inc., is an all-volunteer, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization formed in 1995. The group raises funds and provides support to benefit Kids Together Playground at Marla Dorrel Park in Cary, North Carolina.
The Playground is owned and maintained by the Town of Cary (follow this link to learn more).
Today, Kids Together, Inc. works to:
The Board works in close partnership with the Town of Cary. This partnership helps us preserve the playground as an acclaimed example of accessible outdoor play.
The Playground is owned and maintained by the Town of Cary (follow this link to learn more).
Today, Kids Together, Inc. works to:
- Promote use of the playground
- Host special activities and events at the playground
- Raise funds to support the playground’s continued expansion and improvement
The Board works in close partnership with the Town of Cary. This partnership helps us preserve the playground as an acclaimed example of accessible outdoor play.
THE KIDS TOGETHER BOARD
Meet the volunteers who make Kids Together a fun, inclusive place to play.
Marla Dorrel Board President, Member since 1995 Marla Dorrel is a community leader, volunteer and the founder of Kids Together. Nothing makes her happier than seeing children of all abilities engaging with nature at the playground. |
Pat Fish Treasurer, Member since 1999 Pat is a retired accountant who has served on the Kids Together Board for over 20 years. She is currently serving as the Board Treasurer. |
Karen Gray Secretary, Member since 2016 Karen is a Legal Assistant with the Town of Cary, and in her spare time she loves to bake. Her first exposure to the park was when she took her goddaughter there many years ago, and she has been referring people to the park ever since. |
Amanda Rhode Vice President, Member since 2024 Amanda Rhode is a product experience manager excited about translating her user experience and design knowledge to support clever, inclusive initiatives at Kids Together Playground. Amanda is passionate about the importance of play in growth and development. She currently channels her passion into creating supports for autonomous connection and self-advocacy for people of all communication abilities. In her free time, she enjoys playing games, puzzles, and learning about her latest interest du jour. |
Willa Brigham Member since 2016 Willa is an Inspirational Storyteller/Speaker and host of the TV show Smart Start Kids. She enjoys blowing bubbles and telling stories at Kids Together Playground. |
Liz Brignac Member since 2019 Liz Brignac is a freelance writer who has lived in Cary since 2004. Some of her favorite article topics: parks, hikes, and outdoor spaces. She is mom to two kids who have loved the Kids Together Playground, and she has been on the Kids Together Playground board since 2019. |
Danelle Gambrell Member since 2019 Danelle is Construction Project Manager by trade. She loves working with kids at church in youth and fine arts ministry. She spends her free time outdoors running or riding bikes with her family to Kids Together Park. Or as her daughter calls it “the park with the Dragon”. |
Janice Sitzes Member since 2022 Janice Sitzes oversees the marketing for continuing and professional education at NC State University. She enjoys spending her free time being outdoors and staying active, and is an advocate and ally for others to do so--including providing children of all abilities access to resources and activities to help instill joy and personal enrichment. |
Scott Lassiter Member since 2019 Scott is a program chief with the NC Division of Services for the Blind. He is a native of Wake County and enjoys giving back to his community through various civic/governmental agencies. When he’s not at work he enjoys spending time outside with his wife, Hannah. |
Marla Dansky Board Member since 2024 A long-time KT supporter, Marla Dansky is “the other Marla” on our team. When her family moved to North Carolina in 2005 with two-year-old Jacob, the proximity of their house to Kids Together was a major consideration. Every fall they participated in the Walk, Run, & Roll. Her daughter was only a few months old at her first Walk, Run, & Roll and attended in her stroller. As she grew up, she would do the Walk, Run, & Roll in running shoes, roller skates and on her bicycle that she decorated at the official decorating booth before the race. Her children are now 16 and 21. Her daughter takes her younger cousins and children she babysits to the park. Whenever they are asked where they live, they proudly say "right behind Kids Together." Upon joining the board, Marla stepped up to be the keeper of the Little Free Library at KTP. |
Karine Wills Member since 2024 Karine Wills is a program manager thrilled about working with Kids Together Playground, a place her four boys affectionately renamed ‘meatball park’ after a heavy season of reading Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and noticing the giant ‘meatballs’ out front. She’s excited to help make this great park even better. |
Phil Cottros Board Member since 2025 Phil Cottros and his wife are longtime residents of Cary. They came here in 1996 and then returned “home” again to Cary in 2017 after spending five years away in Northern Virginia. A recently retired marketing leader for a local Fortune 200 company, Phil has a passion for the Town of Cary and its outdoor and recreational spaces. He was looking for ways to give back to his family’s home when KT recruited him. He believes that every person of every background and ability should have local opportunities to live, work, and play. Phil now spends his time volunteering with various Town of Cary organizations, while also working as the managing partner for his wife’s Etsy shop. |
Courtney Sutton Board Member since 2025 Courtney Sutton owns Luminai Marketing, a strategic marketing and communications consultancy. A seasoned storyteller and brand strategist, she brings over a decade of experience elevating companies, causes, and communities. Outside of work, Courtney can be found chasing her two "dragon playground"-loving kids around Kids Together, working in her garden, or exploring the best kid-friendly activities around the Triangle. |
Domonique Carter Board Member since 2026 Domonique, a mental health and higher education professional, is dedicated to fostering inclusive environments where every person feels they belong. As a business owner and a parent, she understands firsthand the vital role that community spaces like Kids Together Playground play in childhood development and family connection. Domonique is honored to serve on the board, where she combines her background in mental health and wellbeing with a deep commitment to ensuring that play remains accessible, imaginative, and safe for all children in our community. In her free time Domonique enjoys traveling, reading, playing sports and spending time with her family. |
Jaimie Richman Board Member since 2026 Jaime Richman is the Outreach Specialist with TLC Family Connect, with a background in education, fundraising, and event planning. A passionate advocate for inclusion as a sibling, self-, and parent advocate, she loves creating spaces where kids and families of all abilities can connect and play. Jaime’s favorite role is “Mommy” to her son, Asher, who inspires her to help make Kids Together a place where everyone belongs and the fun never stops. |
Logan Saponaro Board Member since 2026 Logan has lived in the Cary area for over ten years and previously worked as a Special Education teacher. Now a stay-at-home mom, she stays active in her community and church, and enjoys regular walks to the park with her family. She loves spending time with her son, husband, and friends, and is passionate about inclusion and making everyday life accessible for all. |
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Interested in Joining the Board?
Kids Together Board Directors serve three-year, staggered terms and are elected at the Kids Together Annual Meeting. This meeting is held each year on the third Tuesday in April. If you are interested in joining the Kids Together Board, we would love to hear from you!
Click the button below to learn more about the board and how to join!
Click the button below to learn more about the board and how to join!
