For Mill Creek mom Kate Nyormoi, the effort to bring GiGi’s Playhouse to Everett is incredibly personal. Kate and her husband, Akim, are raising their sons Parker and Lukas in Mill Creek. Lukas, 7, has Down syndrome, and his journey has given Kate a firsthand understanding of just how important community, connection, and inclusion can be for individuals with disabilities and their families.

When the Nyormoi family was featured in Greet last year, Kate shared their hopes for Lukas: that he will grow up as an active member of his community, have a job, and experience as much independence as possible. Just as importantly, she and Akim want others to see Lukas as a child first, not simply through the lens of his disability. “We often have to help people see Lukas ‘the child’ and not ‘the disability,’” Kate shared at the time.

That philosophy has shaped much of the family’s journey, from advocating for Lukas to attend Mill Creek Elementary alongside his brother and neighborhood friends to becoming involved in the broader Down syndrome community. Now, Kate is helping take that advocacy one step further as a member of the start-up board working to bring the first GiGi’s Playhouse in Washington state to Everett.

GiGi’s Playhouse is a network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers providing free educational, therapeutic, and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome of all ages. Its mission aligns closely with something Kate has come to value deeply through raising Lukas: creating communities where people are accepted, supported, and given opportunities to reach their potential. For families in Snohomish County, those resources can be difficult to access locally. 

The Everett effort began with seven parents of children with Down syndrome who recognized a shared need. While the area has an active Down syndrome community and social opportunities, consistent, centralized resources remain limited, and traveling to Seattle for services can be challenging for families. The group hopes GiGi’s Playhouse Everett can change that by creating a local place where individuals with Down syndrome and their families can connect, learn and grow. The group is already building momentum. On March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day, the organization hosted a community race that reached its participant cap and drew strong support for the Everett initiative.

Kate brings both personal passion and professional experience to the effort. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, she has built and led teams within startups and global organizations. Today, she is putting those leadership skills to work alongside other local families and community members to help turn the vision for an Everett Playhouse into reality. 

For Kate, it is also an extension of what she hopes for Lukas and for other individuals with Down syndrome. “Our expectation and vision for Lukas is to be a contributing member of his community,” Kate previously shared. “We hope to continue living our lives here in a way that supports Lukas’ connection and inclusion in this community and continues to help him and other individuals like him thrive.”

The community will have an opportunity to help make that vision possible this fall. On October 24th, 2026, at 6 p.m., GiGi’s Playhouse Everett will host its First Annual I Have a Voice Gala & Fundraiser at the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center in Everett. The inaugural gala will bring together families, advocates, business and community leaders, and supporters for an evening of dining, inspiring stories, fundraising, and connection. Proceeds will directly support efforts to establish GiGi’s Playhouse Everett and ultimately provide free educational, therapeutic, career development, and wellness programs for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

More than a fundraiser, the evening will celebrate the achievements and voices of individuals with Down syndrome while helping build a resource intended to serve Snohomish County families for years to come. Tickets are now on sale through October 19th, with sponsorship opportunities also available. Learn more at gigisplayhouse.org/everett/.

For Kate, helping bring GiGi’s Playhouse to Everett is another step toward the kind of community she has long envisioned for Lukas: one where differences are understood, opportunities are available, and every person has a place to belong.