And the winners are… Meet the 2026 BRAG Award Winners

Sam Jones  |  June 10, 2026

Our Annual Gala last week was a hit, and we are thrilled to announce the winners of the first annual “BRAG” Awards! Nominated by the public then whittled down by our Board of Directors, you can check out the full list of nominees in the printed program from the event here, and meet our winners below.

Drum roll, please!

Nonprofit of the Year: KidsQuest Children’s Museum

KidsQuest Children’s Museum has been a staple in our community for decades, and now with the recent purchase of the old Bellevue Arts Museum space, is ushering in an exciting new era. Read as: Putter and her crew are over-the-moon for the fresh space, can’t wait to move in, and have tons of educational programming (& play) in the works before then.

Public Official of the Year: King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci

A lot of people try to take credit for bringing the light rail to Bellevue, but Councilmember Claudia Balducci actually can! A transit fiend, professional reacher-across-the-aisle, and transpo policy wonk — all of which we say lovingly — we would be remiss to not harp on her years as a COB Councilmember & Mayor, as she helped craft many key growth documents for the City before she left us for the big leagues.

Signature Experience of the Year: Snowflake Lane

If we were to play a Washington word association game, our dear old Bellevue would, more likely than not, populate a whole lot of “Snowflake Lane” responses. While our growth in recent years does indicate that we are MORE than just that, we aren’t ashamed of our fauxsnow month-long celebration. And while we want to avoid being crass, let’s just say the economic impact it has on our downtown businesses isn’t half bad either.

People’s Choice Business: Bellden Cafe

To put it lightly, it’s been a tough year for Bellden Cafe. Equipment failures earlier this year hit the community cafe hard, forcing the business to shutter its doors for weeks, but in the months since, Claire (who was featured a record 3 times as a nominee across our different award categories this year) and her crew have remained dedicated to being the go-to “den in Bellevue” for patrons.

Chamber Member of the Year: Kevin Wallace, Wallace Properties

We try to refrain from calling him “Mr. Bellevue,” but whether he likes it or not, Kevin Wallace is an enigma in his own right. Having him in our corner isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity, and he is detail-oriented to the point that involving him almost feels like a threat. Jokes aside, Kevin is invaluable to our team as a resource, mentor, and friend, & navigating the greater Bellevue ecosystem is far more enjoyable (and effective) with him by our side.

Photos of our award winners can be accessed here, and should be attributed to Bonnie Leung Photography. Congratulations to all of our winners!