Seattle, WA – May 1, 2025
Elizabeth Campbell, a former member and employee of the Swedish Club Cultural Center, proudly announces a significant milestone in her lawsuit, Campbell v. Matthiesen, et al., Case No. 23-2-25128-8 SEA, filed in King County Superior Court. Over the past week, Campbell and her legal team completed exhaustive discovery mappings for 16 defendants, including former board members and employees of the Swedish Club. These mappings reveal a pattern of coordinated misconduct, strengthening her robust case alleging defamation, discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, and wrongful termination, and reinforcing her determination to hold the Swedish Club accountable.
“My case is built on solid, undeniable evidence,” said Campbell. “The discovery mappings expose a web of discriminatory practices, retaliatory actions, and hostile conduct by the Swedish Club and its former leaders. I’m committed to pursuing justice and ensuring accountability for the harm I endured.”
A Robust Case Built on Evidence
Campbell’s lawsuit asserts 56 causes of action against the Swedish Club and defendants, including former board members Molly Olson Smith, Shama Albright, Langdon Miller, Mary Emerson, and others, as well as former employees like Sarah Alaimo, Kristine Leander, and Toene Hayes, and members Sharon Lucas, and Lars Matthiesen. The claims include national origin, disability, age, and gender-based discrimination under the Washington Law Against Discrimination (RCW 49.60), retaliation, defamation, assault, battery, and breaches of contract related to her membership and employment. The completed discovery mappings align over 400 interrogatories and Requests for Production (RFPs) with the Second Amended Complaint, pinpointing evidence of coordinated efforts to defame, discriminate against, and wrongfully terminate Campbell.
What the Discovery Mappings Reveal
The discovery mappings provide a powerful roadmap for Campbell’s case, uncovering a consistent pattern of misconduct across defendants. They highlight communications, board decisions, and actions that allegedly targeted Campbell for her non-Swedish heritage, advocacy for fair treatment, and complaints to regulatory bodies like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Key findings include evidence of defamatory statements, exclusionary membership policies, and retaliatory employment decisions, all orchestrated to silence Campbell’s voice within the Swedish Club community. This comprehensive evidence strengthens Campbell’s position as she prepares to compel production of critical documents and testimony.
Defendants’ Roles in Alleged Misconduct
The mappings detail the specific roles of key defendants:
- Molly Olson Smith, a former board member, is implicated in oversight failures during the April 2022 board election, where Campbell alleges discriminatory practices and election interference occurred, as evidenced by board meeting records and communications.
- Sarah Alaimo, former HR Director, is accused of aiding and abetting wrongful actions, including Campbell’s March 2023 termination, with mappings revealing her involvement in coordinated efforts to undermine Campbell’s employment and membership.
- Shama Albright, another former board member, is linked to board-level decisions that excluded Campbell from membership and terminated her employment, with mappings uncovering communications that suggest retaliatory intent.
- Kristine Leander, former Executive Director, is central to allegations of defamation and discrimination, with mappings exposing her alleged defamatory statements in April 2022 and leadership in a hostile work environment.
- Sharon Lucas, a former strategic advisor, faces claims of assault and battery, with mappings highlighting her alleged aggressive conduct during a March 1, 2023 incident that contributed to Campbell’s emotional distress.
- Lars Matthiesen, a club member, is accused of defamation and tortious interference, with mappings detailing his alleged false statements in 2021 and other wrongdoings that harmed Campbell’s reputation and membership status.
- Langdon Miller, current board member, is implicated in discriminatory board decisions, with mappings revealing his role in policies that allegedly targeted Campbell based on her national origin and advocacy, the latter bringing to the board’s attention incidents of financial mismanagement and club operational failures.
- Toene Hayes, former staff accountant, faces defamation claims, with mappings uncovering her alleged false statements in 2022 and 2023 that led to Campbell’s administrative leave and termination.
- Mary Emerson, a former board member, is linked to oversight failures that enabled a hostile work environment, with mappings showing her involvement in board actions that restricted Campbell’s membership rights.
Procedural Steps to Vindication
Campbell is pursuing a strategic legal approach to secure a favorable outcome:
- Motion to Compel Discovery: With the discovery mappings complete, Campbell’s legal team is preparing for a possible motion to compel by the middle of May, to ensure that defendants produce all requested documents and responses. This step will unlock critical evidence of communications, board minutes, and internal actions.
- Depositions and Witness Testimony: Campbell plans to depose defendants like Kristine Leander and Sharon Lucas to gather sworn statements about key events, Leander’s handling of employment and member relations and Lucas’ involvement in the March 1, 2023 incident, when she physically assaulted Campbell.
- Pretrial Motions: Campbell’s team will file motions as necessary to establish evidence admissibility and challenge defenses that minimize defendants’ liability, leveraging the mappings to counter claims of limited involvement.
- Trial Preparation: Armed with robust evidence, Campbell is preparing for trial to present her case to a jury, exposing the Swedish Club’s systemic issues and the defendants’ coordinated misconduct.
A Fight for Justice and Accountability
Campbell’s lawsuit is a stand for justice, aiming to reform the Swedish Club into a truly inclusive community. “The Swedish Club should celebrate cultural heritage, not foster discrimination and retaliation,” Campbell stated. “I’m fighting to ensure no one else endures the betrayal and harm I faced.”
Her case alleges a hostile work environment, discriminatory practices targeting her non-Swedish origin, age, gender, and disability, and retaliation for her complaints to authorities. The discovery mappings reveal a pattern of actions by former board members and employees, including defamatory statements, exclusionary policies, and wrongful termination, all aimed at silencing her advocacy.
Looking Ahead
With discovery mappings finalized, Campbell is moving forward with unwavering confidence. The detailed alignment of interrogatories and RFPs with the SAC positions her case for success, as she prepares to compel production of critical evidence. Her legal team is dedicated to pursuing every procedural avenue to reveal the truth and deliver justice.
About Elizabeth Campbell
Elizabeth Campbell is a former member and employee of the Swedish Club Cultural Center in Seattle, Washington. A passionate advocate for fairness and inclusion, she is committed to ensuring accountability, transparency, and equity in organizations and government.
About the Case
Campbell v. Matthiesen, et al., Case No. 23-2-25128-8 SEA, is a civil lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court, alleging defamation, discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, and wrongful termination against the Swedish Club Cultural Center and 16 former board members, employees, and members.