ILEA Seattle was formed in 2001, with our Charter Year in 2002 under President Heather Smith Teegarden in the Emerald City. In 2005, we held our first annual Emerald City Applause Awards, where we celebrated the best events in Seattle. Over 20 years later, many of our founding members are still involved in the chapter, serving on committees, speaking at our events, and serving on the national board.