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Since visiting Chichen Itza, Stefani plans on traveling to all the other New 7 Wonders of the World.Stefani Sanchez
Stefani Sanchez
Since visiting Chichen Itza, Stefani plans on traveling to all the other New 7 Wonders of the World.
Stefani graduated from the University of Washington with Bachelor's degrees in Informatics and Speech and Hearing Sciences. During her time at UW, she discovered a passion for integrating inclusive design into web development. Through this work she wants to help create a fully accessible society which shares a universal recognition that all structures, objects, and activities must be organized in ways that address the widest practical range of human abilities. In addition to web development, she brings experience in web design, graphic design, and user experience design. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, sketching, and hiking.
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Amy Garay
Amy’s favorite pastimes are interacting with virtual animals in video games, struggling with crafts, and hanging out at her local library.
Amy has lived her entire life along Oregon’s I-5 corridor: she grew up in Salem, is a graduate of the University of Oregon in Eugene and moved to Portland to pursue public involvement and outreach with EnviroIssues. She holds a degree in journalism and has experience with communications, outreach and community engagement, including various roles with college organizations and an internship at the Library of Congress. She has produced a number of zines that showcase art and words from people in her communities, and plans to create more in the future. Amy is especially passionate about supporting social justice initiatives that serve and give voice to underserved communities. Her next goal in life is to learn to do tricks on her roller skates.
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Aslyn
Aslyn currently has 13 pairs of eyeglasses in her ever-evolving collection.
A prolific baker with an M.A. in graphic design and a background in fine arts, Aslyn lives her best life by listening and dancing to an endless playlist. On Halloween of 2017, she exchanged the stunning beaches and sunny weather of Puerto Rico for the rainy gloom of Seattle. Since then, she has been struggling with Seattle's spicy food (so often on menus without any warning) and excessive use of heaters inside buildings. Aslyn can be found around the office “spring cleaning” in the winter, organizing supplies by size and color, or doing puppy therapy with adult dogs that aren’t hers. Some of her favorite activities are writing adventure stories about inanimate objects and assembling, by herself, furniture that requires two people to put together.
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Ziqi Wang
While kayaking in New Zealand, Ziqi discovered that happy laughter is the secret to attracting dolphins.
Originally from China, Ziqi has lived and studied in both the U.S. and New Zealand. She has worked with culturally diverse communities and is passionate about supporting community engagement through effective communication. Holding a master’s degree in public administration from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington, Ziqi is passionate about environmental policy and management, public transportation, energy sustainability and housing. At EnviroIssues, Ziqi applies her knowledge to a variety of projects, enhancing the connection between agency programs and the public. During her free time, Ziqi enjoys playing her cello and hanging out with her friends at various coffee shops around Seattle.
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Candice Plendl
Candice once balanced on the floating logs on Spirit Lake at Mount St. Helens, then swam in a nearby lake teeming with thousands of tadpoles. She still has not decided whether the latter was fun or not.
Candice is passionate about connecting our natural and built worlds. As a graduate of the University of Washington’s earth system science program, she brings an appreciation of planning, design, and environmental education for the betterment of a community. She has experience conducting outreach to promote green stormwater infrastructure, and supports various multimodal transportation efforts. As a Filipino-American, Candice approaches environmental issues from an equity lens, working to incorporate ecological issues into outreach messages that resonate with diverse audiences. On the weekends, you can find her out on a “Thadventure” with her husband and their corgi, Thaddeus.
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Rachel Hynes
Highly energetic as a child, Rachel once won a mall cartwheel-a-thon by doing 356 cartwheels in 10 minutes.
Rachel has a passion for creative business models and building organizations where everyone can thrive. Her career has been dedicated to supporting innovative projects and the people who drive them in the government, for profit and nonprofit sectors. She earned her MBA at Presidio Graduate School, where she focused on the quadruple bottom line: people, planet, profit and purpose, and firmly believes that with a good team anything is possible. In her free time, Rachel enjoys cooking, biking, word games and tending to her P-Patch garden. She also loves to laugh and credits her Irish heritage and ancestors for her ability to find humor, humanity and joy—even in difficult situations.
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Sidney Orr
Sidney spent her 21st birthday trekking through the Khumbu region of Nepal on her way to Mount Everest Base Camp.
Sidney is happiest when working at the crossroads of environmental, social, economic and cultural sustainability. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in environmental science and terrestrial resource management, and brings her love of people, process and the environment to her projects at EnviroIssues. Sidney has spent her career working in public affairs and communications at Seattle Public Utilities, the University of Washington and in outreach consulting roles. She enjoys working on projects that make people’s lives better and strives to facilitate top-notch communications pathways that improve decision-making and policy outcomes. When she’s off the clock, you can find her cycling, eating food from her favorite restaurants in Wallingford and going on adventures with her partner, Mik, and her dog, Korra (the Avatar).
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Annie Pfeifer
Someday Annie hopes to follow in the footsteps of her favorite author, Brendan Leonard, and sell or pack all her things and depart on a great road trip.
Annie joined EnviroIssues after graduating from University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in community, environment, and planning, with a minor in diversity. She was born and raised in Seattle and can often be described as having a healthy obsession with community building, finding equitable solutions to challenging problems and dogs. Previously she worked with UW’s Department of Urban Planning, the City of Auburn, and the Seattle Department of Transportation to assist a range of projects that created goals and strategies to enact change in several underserved communities. On her projects at EnviroIssues she knows how to utilize her skills as a strong community leader and support her teams with maximum enthusiasm. Outside of the office she can be found looking for new adventures and quoting her favorite TV character, Leslie Knope.
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Years ago, Isaiah began a quest to find the best sandwich in Seattle. He’s still searching…Isaiah Honick
Isaiah Honick
Years ago, Isaiah began a quest to find the best sandwich in Seattle. He’s still searching…
Isaiah is excited about opportunities to empower communities and individuals through public engagement and involvement. In 2019, Isaiah graduated from the Evans School of Public Policy at the University of Washington, where he specialized in environmental policy and economics. Prior to graduate school, Isaiah taught middle school in Seattle and worked as a wilderness and climbing guide, leading adventures across the Pacific Northwest. Before he returned his native West Coast in 2013, Isaiah also worked in professional baseball for five years. Outside of the office, you might find him mountain biking up and down Tiger Mountain, attempting to climb the peaks of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, and desperately trying not to pull a hamstring on the basketball court.
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A left-handed designer, Anh sometimes feels weird that she has one hand that knows how to do everything while the other can’t even hold a pencil.Anh Mai
Anh Mai
A left-handed designer, Anh sometimes feels weird that she has one hand that knows how to do everything while the other can’t even hold a pencil.
Anh is passionate designer who is able to quickly develop graphics to solve project challenges. She earned degrees in business management and communication from the Art Institute of Seattle and has a range of experience in user experience and interface design, web design, iconography and advertising. Anh’s work has taught her that design is not just what something looks and feels like – it is how it works and how helpful is it to the community. In addition to designing, Anh has her own clothing brand in Vietnam and finds joy in cooking up her signature Asian dishes!
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Bridger Wineman
Sometimes Bridger carries bear spray, but not to public meetings.
Originally from the railroad town turned fly fishing capital of Livingston, Montana, Bridger offers a perspective grounded in community development. His master’s degree is in urban and regional planning from Portland State University where he coordinated a grant program for community-based projects to improve watershed health. He now supports planning, permitting and public involvement for energy infrastructure, coordinates a campaign to protect rivers and streams and supports a public process to update how signs are regulated. Bridger lives with his lovely wife and daughter in SE Portland—the perfect staging ground for any adventure.
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Justin Haight
Justin likes to row, hike, eat, and keep it simple.
Justin is a web developer specializing in Content Management Systems. Before he came to EnviroIssues, he served the non-profit profit sector as a freelance designer and web developer. He is always thinking about how emerging technologies serve public need now and in the future. Justin spends his free time rockclimbing, camping, and generally enjoying the Pacific Northwest.
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Aileen Dinh
Aileen loves to learn new songs on the piano and guitar, and will perform for (and jam with) anyone who asks.
Having graduated from Claremont McKenna College with an interdisciplinary degree combining the hard sciences, economics and public health, Aileen is passionate about exploring strategies for equitable development and community involvement. She firmly believes that improving urban resilience begins with active community participation, a belief that guides both her daily life and her work. Her past work has involved helping students design an experiment testing the health impacts of traffic-related air pollution, and she continues to work on projects that allow impacted communities to understand and help find solutions to urban development challenges. In her spare time, you can find Aileen at a neighborhood coffee shop, running around Green Lake or jamming out on her piano and guitar.
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Allan once made a seven-hour detour on a road trip to visit a famous bakery. It was worth it.Allan Vann
Allan Vann
Allan once made a seven-hour detour on a road trip to visit a famous bakery. It was worth it.
Allan is a graduate of the community, environment and planning program at the University of Washington. During his time at UW, he discovered a passion for community outreach and engagement in regards to large urban projects. He fell in love with the Pacific Northwest after exploring the various contrasting natural (and built) environments the region has to offer, especially after spending the majority of his life in a small rural farming town. He hopes that his work in outreach and engagement at EnviroIssues will help inspire the same passion for projects in others, so they can become civically engaged with the changes surrounding them. Outside of work, you can find him planning his future meals and daydreaming about making a good sourdough starter.
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Kerry loves to travel – one of her favorite memories abroad was her trip to Japan and Vietnam where she joined in a celebration of her boyfriend’s great grandmother’s 100th birthday.Kerry Hammond
Kerry Hammond
Kerry loves to travel – one of her favorite memories abroad was her trip to Japan and Vietnam where she joined in a celebration of her boyfriend’s great grandmother’s 100th birthday.
Kerry supports EnviroIssues’ Creative Studio as a graphic designer. She works on a variety of efforts, including large-scale megaprojects as well as internal marketing materials. A graduate of Western Washington University, Kerry brings a background in marketing and design. She leverages her ability to see things from a business perspective to find ways to bridge the gap between agencies and people. Kerry specializes in illustration, motion and information design, and loves to find ways to communicate to all people through her work.
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Marilee Jolin
Marilee has a certain luck with wildlife—the first time she ever went out in a sea kayak, she found herself in the midst of a super-pod of over 30 Southern Resident Orcas!
Marilee believes our capacity to engage in tough conversations is the foundation of a thriving public sector that works for all of us. Her years of community organizing in South Seattle taught her the importance of strategic, accessible and relationship-based communications. Marilee’s work is informed by her degree in political science and conflict resolution, as well as anti-racism training. A highly-mobile Pacific Northwest resident, Marilee has had the privilege of living in its many different climates: the dry, hot summers of the Okanogan highlands, the long snowy winters in Anchorage, Alaska, and the gorgeous gray joy of Seattle and Portland. When not at the office, Marilee can be found refining her massive collection of Spotify playlists, vainly striving to make her daughters appreciate the great outdoors, and strengthening her friendships with the neighborhood crows.
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Chelsey Funis
Growing up, Chelsey spent more than 12 years as a competitive gymnast. She still has a few fun party tricks left to show for it.
Chelsey has a degree in environmental studies from the University of Washington, and her professional career has spanned a variety of industries, including professional sports, international travel, and community engagement. The thread that ties her work together is her passion and energy for building relationships and fostering an environment of trust, support, and mutual understanding. At EnviroIssues, Chelsey draws on her past experience to help clients communicate with communities to find sustainable, equitable solutions to today’s urban development challenges. In her free time, Chelsey can be found baking, hiking, or adventuring around on anything with two wheels.
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Byamba loves the classroom and hopes to become a lifelong learner both in and out of it. Next step: taking a beginner’s French class!Byamba Enkhee
Byamba Enkhee
Byamba loves the classroom and hopes to become a lifelong learner both in and out of it. Next step: taking a beginner’s French class!
Byamba spent most of her childhood summers travelling the vast Mongolian countryside with her family – staying in yurts, helping herd sheep, fermenting airag, tagging along on hunting trips and being immersed in the nomadic traditions of Mongolia. This gave her an appreciation for the natural world, which she combined with her interest in language to pursue degrees in environmental studies and English literature at the University of Washington. She’s helped organize and interpret official visits from Mongolian provinces to the U.S. with trips to local dairies, farms, local governments, hospitals and classrooms. She has experience and interests in regenerative agriculture, carbon offsets purchasing and community outreach. Byamba is excited about using her unique combination of skills to help EnviroIssues communicate about a diverse range of projects.
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Jordan Sanabria
Despite growing up in bike-friendly Seattle, Jordan has yet to learn how to ride a bike.
Jordan recently graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in sociology and a minor in gender, women’s and sexuality studies. During that time, she worked two jobs that relied heavily on communication with the public, which helped shift her interest from natural sciences to social sciences and public outreach. At EnviroIssues, Jordan supports public outreach for large-scale projects such as the Alaskan Way Viaduct Program. In her free time, Jordan is a moderator for the YouTube channel Dead Meat, where she found a love for the horror film genre. She is also an avid podcast listener, theater lover, Game of Thrones nerd and Corgi mom.
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Bryan Green
Bryan has read his favorite book, Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis, 16 times since he discovered it in high school.
Bryan moved from the Old Pine State (North Carolina) to Seattle and then half of his biological family followed him to the Pacific Northwest. He holds degrees in Communication Studies from Appalachian State University and a Master of Arts from Western Seminary in Portland, OR. For the past 5 years, he’s worked in multiple different industries from retail coffee to non-profits. His past work focused on urban youth, community outreach, project management, and supporting volunteers who work with low-income children, youth, and families. He’s passionate about creating a space for other queer folx to thrive in the world and informing and engaging people with public projects. At EnviroIssues, he uses his experience with community outreach/engagement to ensure that every voice is heard and that each project remains human-centered. When he’s not working, you can find Bryan reading the latest sci-fi/fantasy novel, hiking in the beautiful PNW, hanging out with family and friends, or playing with his new Goldendoodle puppy, Pax.
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Eric Stratton
Eric may not be a professional pilot, but he has landed a plane before.
Eric is a web developer who is passionate about building beautiful, user-oriented, and responsive webpages. He has experience in front-end and back-end technologies, but he is most rewarded by seeing the product he is creating come to life. Before coming to EnviroIssues, he split his time between working in a small local café, collecting water samples, and looking for point-source pollution in the greater Bellingham area waterways. Eric is based out of the Portland office, and when he is not working on coding challenges, he likes to push himself on boulder problems or pop into record shops looking for the best and most obscure records to add to his collection.
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Rochelle Stowe
Rochelle works to improve relationships with stakeholders, from elected officials to neighboring restaurant owners. She understands the value of visual communication, telling a complex story that everyone can understand, while capturing the right “voice” for each client. Her projects are diverse, and range from building wastewater infrastructure to major roadway redevelopment. She thrives on finding creative solutions to any public involvement challenge – online or on-the-ground. Every weekend, she joins fellow Seattleites in pools around the city for some good old-fashioned water polo (one of the oldest sports in the Olympics).
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Regent Brown
Regent has spent the last 45+ years in a quest to become a prized karaoke backup singer.
After studying human resources, organizational psychology and social psychology in college, Regent broadened her career as a human resources professional with over 15 years of experience creating equitable workplaces within nonprofit, government and private sector organizations. Using developmental strategies, restorative practices and trauma-informed principles, Regent strives to build a culture of belonging, accountability and collective leadership that can foster opportunities of change. Regent primarily focuses on racial and disability equity, partnering with those who wish to collaborate to create equitable and thriving communities. To unwind, Regent loves being outdoors in her garden and walking her corgi pup, Perklesnertz.
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Sulley Schuster
Sulley was born and raised in Kona, Hawaii, and learned how to swim before she could walk.
Sulley has a background in communications, education and community outreach and is passionate about finding ways to connect people to the natural world. She is particularly interested in exploring ways to involve youth and underserved communities in the public engagement process. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, she served as an AmeriCorps member at West Seattle High School helping low-income, first-generation, minority high school students apply to college. In her free time, you can find her planning her next backpacking trip, running with her pup or checking out Seattle’s newest craft brewery.
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Diana Gil-Vargas
Diana enjoys watching comedy, thriller and crime drama TV shows.
Growing up in Yakima, Washington, Diana’s interest in the intersection between social justice and the natural and built environment was fostered by her diverse community. Diana is skilled at developing culturally relevant communication materials and outreach methods to reach a range of stakeholders. She has experience engaging multicultural and immigrant audiences, as well as communities of color, in Seattle and Yakima. Diana received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in community, environment and planning, where her work focused on applying a racial and environmental justice lens to community planning and community-based research. In her spare time, she enjoys reading books on social justice, walking Washington’s trails and drinking iced chai lattes.
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Mik Roque
Mik has read fewer books than fingers on one hand, but he has consumed over 10,000 chapters of graphic novels, 1,000 hours of audio books, and countless instructional videos on YouTube.
Mik has lived many lives in 30 years: as an artist, a combat veteran, an American growing up in post-colonial Metro Manila, and as a minority living in America. Because of Mik’s background, he has a deep personal dedication to lifting up underrepresented narratives. During his time as an art curator, Mik solicited art from BIPOC artists in order to showcase more diverse experiences. During his tour in the Navy, Mik supported several new programs, trainings, and initiatives to ensure that BIPOC sailors voices and experiences of discrimination were addressed by leadership. At EnviroIssues, Mik is driven to create opportunities for underrepresented communities to be an integral part of the conversation every step of the way. After 5 pm, Mik spends quality time with his partner Sid and their lovely pup, Korra. He also explores his vast and unending daydreams - putting them into pen and paper as his someday magnum opus that is a manga.
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Frankie Burton
Frankie has been singing on stages for as long as they can remember, from their childhood bed, to a women’s prison, to stages in NYC, to the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco!
Growing up in California, Frankie’s family was never engaged in the decisions that impacted their lives associated with nearby gasoline refineries, despite related health issues. This created Frankie’s passion for redressing barriers to information access, transparency, and working toward community partnership in decision making. Drawing on environmental justice and CEQA/NEPA experience, Frankie builds relationships and trust with communities, and communicates complicated topics to them. They also serve as the Co-Chair of the Badass Brava Theater Board of Directors and Co-Vice President of the San Francisco-Oakland chapter of the International Association of Public Participation. In their free time they also love to tend to their plants, pet their cat, dance, swim, bike, and laugh with chosen family!
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Wren McNally
Wren loves spending time in the great outdoors and connecting with people through language and cuisine.
With a passion for uniting diverse interests to solve complex problems, Wren brings a decade of cross-sectoral experience in sustainable global business and urban development. She has led program development, strategic planning, and community engagement initiatives focused on equitable urban development, health impacts of the built environment, and responsible business. Wren holds graduate degrees from the University of Washington in urban planning and the George Washington University in international affairs. Her interests center around the nexus between sustainable urban planning, health, and the impacts of space on wellbeing.
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Shoshana Wineburg
Shoshana’s (not so) secret dream is to win The Voice…even though the only place she sings is in the shower.
Shoshana comes to EnivroIssues with over a decade of experience in education and public policy and a strong passion for impactful storytelling and inclusive public engagement. Prior to joining EI, Shoshana directed public policy and communications at a nonprofit working with young people experiencing homelessness, advocating at all levels of government for affordable housing and services. A Seattle native, Shoshana spent the first part of her career working in educational settings across the world before returning home for a Master of Social Work at the University of Washington. In her spare time, she enjoys jogging, reading, mastering two-letter Scrabble words, and chasing sunsets to take a million pictures of the same shot.
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Samantha’s passion for the outdoors has cultivated in the newest addition to her bucket list: setting foot in every U.S. National Park.Samantha Herman
Samantha Herman
Samantha’s passion for the outdoors has cultivated in the newest addition to her bucket list: setting foot in every U.S. National Park.
Samantha is a recent graduate from the University of Washington, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, coupled with a minor in environmental science resource management. Her passion and enthusiasm for facilitating stakeholder engagement on environmental issues stems from her strong interest in public policy and communications. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, Samantha aligned herself with organizations in both the public and non-profit sectors, including working in the Environmental Affairs Division at Seattle City Light where she honed her data management and technical writing skills. Growing up in the Cascade foothills of Washington State, Samantha seeks solitude by way of hiking in the mountains where she aims to climb 100,000 feet in elevation every year. When not exploring new terrain, she enjoys a nice Sunday ritual of eating brunch and shopping at a local farmers market.
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Kyle Jensen
Kyle once spent six months in Southeast and East Asia with only a backpack and seven pairs of essential clothes.
A public engagement and communications professional with a background rooted in journalism, Kyle is passionate about fostering an informed public. He is adept at creating community-facing materials and communications strategies and strives to put clear and compelling information into the public’s hands. Kyle loves working directly with communities and believes thorough and equitable engagement throughout the public process builds trust and mutual understanding. When away from his desk, he loves to spend time in the mountains, on the soccer field and in mosh pits at Seattle’s many music venues.
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Marielle Larson
Marielle is currently learning woodturning and pyrography (wood burning). An avid Harry Potter fan, one of her first projects on the lathe was, of course, a wand.
Marielle is a proactive change management strategist dedicated to environmental justice. Building on her natural curiosity, Marielle enjoys engaging diverse stakeholders to identify chronic barriers, co-create innovation solutions, develop experiential trainings, and build buy-in for sustained change. She's successfully managed complex federal projects, incentivized new technology solutions at XPRIZE, and catalyzed innovative water technologies, projects and partnerships in the Pacific Northwest. Bringing her multidisciplinary background to EnviroIssues, Marielle meaningfully informs and engages stakeholders about the projects shaping their communities. A Northwest local, if it's sunny outside, you'll likely find Marielle on the pickleball court.
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David Hancock
David's favorite bumper sticker (because it applies to him and inflates his ego) reads, "I speak Basque. What's your superpower?"
David came to EnviroIssues in 2018 with a background that includes a Spanish degree from Whitman College, culinary school, farming, cooking, professional tree-climbing, four years of teaching in Spain and a little professional bus driving. He’s thrilled to be a member of the business development and marketing team, helping to share EI’s story with the world and find opportunities for our staff to effect change through mindful community engagement. He is passionate about housing and the intersection of land use and transportation policy and works to build connections with local community-based organizations. On the weekend you can find David woodworking, riding his bike or crafting leather artwork.
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Jodi and her husband spent their honeymoon bike-touring through Europe for two months. Shockingly, they are still happily married a decade later.Jodi Jacobson-Swartfager
Jodi Jacobson-Swartfager
Jodi and her husband spent their honeymoon bike-touring through Europe for two months. Shockingly, they are still happily married a decade later.
Growing up, Jodi did not have access to many transportation options in her hometown of Spokane, Washington. When she moved to Portland, Oregon in 2000, her eyes were opened to the freedom and accessibility that a multimodal city can offer. She took this newfound appreciation for transportation and turned it into a career path, studying community development and urban planning to gain an understanding of the many ways in which transportation can impact land use, economic prosperity, public health and the quality of our natural environment. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, she worked in the nonprofit, private and public sectors on a wide variety of projects related to transportation, sustainability and economic development. While her professional journey has taken many turns, the goal has always been the same: to empower people with the information and resources they need to make healthy and sustainable decisions that will improve their communities and quality of life.
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Arpana Nautiyal
Arpana looks forward to cold, cloudy weather and prefers spending time in the rain more than the sun!
Arpana is passionate about centering community voices to develop accessible, equitable, and innovative built environments that address the needs of all people. She holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Washington, where she has worked on a wide range of land-use, transportation, and housing-related projects. Arpana’s research experience includes evaluating democratic spatial practices, improving the quality of public space in historically marginalized communities, and designing multimodal transportation infrastructure with a focus on non-motorized and public transit. In her free time, Arpana enjoys taking urban walks with her partner, reading a good book, and spending time in the kitchen, where she is engaged in the pursuit of discovering the next best stew.
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Kerri Franklin
Kerri loves to travel, whether it’s a road trip to Idaho for work, a trip to Costa Rica to do research on a coffee farm, or a trip to Germany to see the World Cup.
Graduating from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs, Kerri is a passionate public engagement and outreach professional with 14 years of customer service and community engagement expertise. Kerri enjoys engaging communities and individuals in the decision-making process to help clients make informed, community-driven decisions. Kerri is adept at coordinating logistics for small group meetings or large scale events that draw more than 300 people. Her attention-to-detail and behind the scenes coordination and preparation translates into a smooth-flowing and efficient day-of event. When Kerri is not at work you can find her making chili in her crockpot and watching college football or being entertained at a play, musical or the symphony.
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Cecelia Gunn
You can find Cecelia researching historic buildings for fun, reading books about public works in the early 1900s, and almost coming in first at MOHAI’s monthly pub trivia.
Cecelia has four years of experience in public outreach, community development and event planning in both the public and nonprofit sectors. She also has several years of experience working in the environmental and land use department at a Seattle law firm, providing her with an understanding of local environmental issues. With a master’s in urban planning, Cecelia’s combination of education and experience makes her well-versed in local transportation, land use, and other public policy issues.
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Sean Long
Sean has lived in four different cities on two different continents. He considers Seattle his favorite because it is the first American city he’s lived in where the trees actually change color in the fall.
Sean is a University of Washington graduate who double majored in Political Science and Community, Environment, and Planning with a strong interest in sustainable transportation. His experiences have given him a strong sense of equity and community building, from organizing events with the UW Chinese Student Association to fostering civic engagement among students through voter registration drives. Having spent his life traversing between East and West, Sean is experienced in navigating multicultural settings and working to understand and incorporate diverse perspectives into decision-making processes. In his free time, Sean enjoys exploring Seattle by public transit or on his trusty green electric bike.
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Nicolas Kadir-Jensen
Nicolas grew up a thespian, acting and singing on stage in over 30 community productions around Western Washington and Southern Virginia.
Nicolas was raised throughout the North Puget Sound region to a family who taught them the importance of serving and leading community. Nicolas is a passionate public policy and strategic communications professional with 6+ years of experience in crafting campaign messaging, generating and executing community and stakeholder engagement plans, and developing social service oriented programming. They hold a Master of Public Policy & Global Affairs degree from the University of British Columbia and a degree in political science from Western Washington University. Nicolas’ erstwhile positions include running a regional enrollment program under the Affordable Care Act, managing a research project for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and fundraising for a nonprofit organization that teaches children who are deaf and/or hard of hearing. In their spare time, you can find Nicolas travelling with their partner, playing games with friends late into the night, and going on walks with their rescued dog, Barnaby.
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As a youngster Joe once won first prize at the Dauphin County fair for having the “Most Interesting Fun Fact”.Joe Basile
Joe Basile
As a youngster Joe once won first prize at the Dauphin County fair for having the “Most Interesting Fun Fact”.
Hailing originally from the Keystone State, Joe moved to the Pacific Northwest nearly eight years ago and instantly fell in love with the majestic peaks, clean air, and towering trees of Cascadia. Joe has moved from the small town of Roseburg OR to Seattle to Portland and now back to the Emerald City to join the EnviroIssues crew. In that time he has gained experience in community outreach and policy analysis on diverse issues including farmland preservation, wetland mitigation, and transportation. Joe’s passion for public policy also inspired him to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at UW. Joe is excited to bring his knowledge and experience in public engagement to the SR 520 communications team. When Joe is not at work he enjoys coaxing his elderly and reticent canine life-partner, Yip, to go on short walks through the park next to his house.
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Ellen loves rainy Portland days spent working on a new crochet project. Her favorite project to date was making a life-size Baby Yoda.Ellen Bakira
Ellen Bakira
Ellen loves rainy Portland days spent working on a new crochet project. Her favorite project to date was making a life-size Baby Yoda.
Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Ellen and her family immigrated to the United States in 2003, and Ellen has resided in Portland ever since. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Business Administration. Ellen is passionate about working with others and finding ways to foster community engagement. She is highly committed to finding creative and sustainable ways to solve the most pressing issues. In her downtime, Ellen loves trying the latest brunch spots in town. She is on a mission to find the best French toast in Portland.
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Ryan Orth
Ryan is an ordained Minister of Love, having performed marriage rites on a Portland eco-roof and a Waikiki beach.
Ryan is a skilled facilitator and public participation practitioner working on a range of projects addressing water, cleanup, natural resources, energy, and transportation. He has worked in communities across the Northwest and served in our Portland office before returning home to Puget Sound. Ryan brings over 10 years of experience helping clients communicate more effectively, engage stakeholders in critical dialogue, and reach agreement. He’s enthusiastic about tackling complex community issues, working with diverse perspectives and exploring creative and collaborative solutions. In his spare time, Ryan is formulating his next homebrew recipe.
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Cindy Chou
Cindy has solo traveled to over 18 countries. Some of her favorite memories are freezing in a tent under the New Zealand stars, almost losing a shoe in an abandoned Czech quarry, and spending summer evenings along Singapore’s waterfront.
Cindy is an experienced engagement practitioner with a focus on equitable development for underserved communities. She brings experience in event planning, GIS analysis and stakeholder outreach on topics related to urban policy and transportation planning. Having ridden mass rapid transit systems while living in Asia and Europe, Cindy brings a special interest in our region’s expanding light rail and bus systems. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, she studied at universities and worked at think tanks, consultancies and government agencies in Washington D.C., Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore, Amsterdam and Portland, Oregon. Outside of the office, Cindy can be found hiking up a mountain, playing pickup frisbee or baking a cake.
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Tay Stone
Tay was awarded second place in a youth spoken word poetry competition even though they had lost their voice the day before.
Tay loves interacting with people who have stories to tell. Tay has experience participating in community engagement projects on topics ranging from climate justice to queer rights, combatting community displacement, and furthering immigrant and refugee leadership opportunities. With their knack for collaboration, relationship-building, and creative problem solving, Tay has built their career around centering community voices in land use planning, policy, and programming initiatives. Tay is a self-proclaimed tech aficionado, and with that, they bring experience in GIS mapping, data analysis, and graphic design. In their spare time, Tay participates in grassroots organizing efforts, plays video games, watches TV with their dog, and partakes in outdoor activities like dirt biking and paddleboarding.
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Nicholas Mirra
Nicholas spent two years writing headlines for The Onion. He's not allowed to say which headlines, so let's assume they were your favorites.
Nicholas believes there is no issue too boring, thorny, or technical that it cannot be conveyed with clarity and a sense of humor. A Tacoma native, Nicholas spent his twenties in Philadelphia, including three years managing communications for a bicycle advocacy nonprofit. A skilled writer, he enjoys finding creative ways to bridge the gap between the public and the process, and knows that engaged stakeholders can be a project's greatest asset. Nicholas spends his free time playing ultimate frisbee and second-guessing Seattle Mariners' roster decisions.
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John Chaney
John enjoys spending time with his family and hanging out in the Methow Valley.
John has developed, implemented and delivered a broad range of projects out of our Seattle office since joining EnviroIssues in 2008. John helps clients successfully manage contentious projects through his ability to predict issues before they arise, connect with stakeholders and provide transparent, useful information that is easy to understand. With a background in environmental policy, John has extensive experience with interdisciplinary teams that can be used on any project, large or small, public or private. When he's not responding to clients and stakeholders, John is likely on the basketball court or hanging out in the Methow Valley.
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Obsessed with her Vitamix, Erin will tell you it makes the best smoothies, it warms the soup as it makes it, and it literally cleans itself.Erin U’ilani Tam
Erin U’ilani Tam
Obsessed with her Vitamix, Erin will tell you it makes the best smoothies, it warms the soup as it makes it, and it literally cleans itself.
From planning small neighborhood parks to developing design guidelines for interstate corridors, Erin is experienced in public involvement and communications for all types of projects. An excellent communicator with a keen understanding of public perspective and the issues facing communities today, Erin finds creative ways to engage people in the issues that affect them - whether brainstorming the future of transit with local students or working with local television and film makers to bring public meetings right to your living room. Erin is a recent inductee to the cult of stand up paddle boarding. Look for her on a lake near you.
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A couple of things that bring Allison joy are musical theater and jewelry on sale.Allison Matsumoto
Allison Matsumoto
A couple of things that bring Allison joy are musical theater and jewelry on sale.
Allison takes complex social issues and works to distill their many layers into messages and stories to shift mindsets. She believes progress cannot happen without effective communications, and to be effective, we must understand people in their full humanity. She has worked on public, private, and nonprofit initiatives focused on various issues including early learning, education, native advocacy, and poverty. She is passionate about helping to create a more equitable society by deconstructing oppressive systems in order to deepen connections between people and reach shared goals. Born and raised on O'ahu, Allison has lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of her adult life, but Hawai`i will always be home. Yoga and running help to bring balance to her days, which are also filled with family activities and lots of coffee.
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Colin Groark
Prior to settling in Seattle, Colin and his wife backpacked across Africa and spent a year tracking down the best izakaya in Tokyo.
Colin returned to EnviroIssues in 2018 as a web developer on the Creative Studio team. He was previously a member of the firm’s Corporate Communications team and brings experience working at consulting firms and nonprofits to manage programs, teams, budgets and business development processes. In the software world, he’s applied his experience with front end and back end technologies to build responsive websites that provide seamless interactions for users. When he’s not making sure your website looks good on your desktop, your phone, your tablet, your sister’s phone, and your mom’s tablet, you’ll find him with his wife and pup hiking in the Cascades or in the garden hoping the tomatoes ripen before the rain returns.
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Alayna Linde
Alayna firmly believes Ultimate Frisbee is better in costume.
Alayna has experience in outreach and education and an interdisciplinary background that bridges chemistry, social sciences, and sustainability. At EnviroIssues, she provides project support on a broad range of topics including environmental cleanup, community construction, and energy infrastructure. Alayna likes active outdoor activities—bike commuting, hiking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and playing Ultimate Frisbee are some of her favorites. She enjoys documenting her travels abroad through a collection of foreign beer labels.
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Angie once spent six weeks on an Antarctic icebreaker in the middle of winter—the sun didn't break the horizon once.Angie Thomson
Angie Thomson
Angie once spent six weeks on an Antarctic icebreaker in the middle of winter—the sun didn't break the horizon once.
Angie has over 17 years of experience in facilitation, communications and outreach, and project management. With a master’s in oceanography, she is grounded in natural resource issues and brings a technical perspective to challenging and controversial projects. Angie's a practical, no-nonsense communicator who loves to find creative solutions to complicated problems. Based part-time in Tacoma, Angie leads EnviroIssues' growing south Sound portfolio. And after surviving the toddler years with her triplets, it's tough to find a challenge that Angie can't handle!
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Marisol Díaz
Marisol has appeared on TV twice! But if you ask her about it, she won’t give any details.
A graduate of the University of Washington's Community, Environment, and Planning program, Marisol has a passion for community development and environmental conservation. She studied sustainable transportation in a study abroad program that took her to the U.K., Denmark and the Netherlands. Since then, she has been hooked on traveling, visiting over 20 countries and hoping to visit 10 more! Marisol has years of experience engaging with communities on a variety of topics, including land use planning and being zero waste. She loves using social marketing to engage communities and is resourceful, with a passion for relationship building. During her free time, you can find Marisol exploring coffee shops, hiking, camping, taking her dog to new places, and of course, traveling!
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Laura Treadway
Laura has lived and studied abroad in Japan, Kenya, and Nicaragua, but is happiest calling the fjords and forests of Puget Sound home.
Laura brings extensive nonprofit management, public policy, and program management experience to her work at EnviroIssues. A master’s degree in environment and community from Antioch University, Seattle prepared her well to explore the intersections between people and natural systems, as well as how we build and develop our cities. Laura is skilled at developing in-depth knowledge about complex issues and explaining these issues to diverse audiences. She enjoys coalition-building and knows that bringing as many perspectives as possible to the table results in better decisions. In her spare time, Laura enjoys nature photography, spins wool into yarn, and knits somewhat obsessively.
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Ben Lennon
Ben once spent two and a half months backpacking through New Zealand, and while there fulfilled his lifelong dream of visiting the Shire.
A Seattle local, Ben grew up in Ballard before attending the University of Washington and graduating with a degree in political science. Ben has worked with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management and the Washington State Legislature, engaging various communities in public policy conversations. At EnviroIssues, he uses his experience with public correspondence and outreach to pursue his passion of ensuring diverse communities feel a sense of involvement and ownership when it comes to public projects. When not in the office, Ben enjoys hiking, visiting Seattle’s beautiful parks and relentlessly believing that this will be the year the Mariners finally reach the playoffs.
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José “Joey” Posada
While Joey is constantly exploring new activities, playing the violin has been one of his longest lasting joys.
Joey is a creative, energetic communicator with experience developing and managing outreach strategies that center racial equity. His strong interpersonal skills and work with diverse groups of people have given him the opportunity to connect with vibrant communities throughout the Portland area. Joey grew up in Las Vegas, where he explored the unique desert ecosystems with his family and developed his passion for the natural environment and wildlife. He majored in environmental studies with minors in renewable energy and sociology, and completed his master’s degree in urban and regional planning in 2019. Joey is almost always on the go, but you might be able to catch him during one of his meditative sessions of violin practice.
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Kristin Sandstrom
Kristin aspires to attend a baseball game at every Major League ballpark in the U.S.!
Kristin has been implementing successful public involvement strategies on the SR 520 team for almost six years. She navigates a complicated mega-project and interdisciplinary teams to build partnerships and a common understanding among multiple stakeholders. With an interest in healthy and livable communities, and an education in environmental studies and public policy, Kristin helps the SR 520 team deliver key project elements that improve how people live, work and play in Seattle. When she’s not geeking out on transportation blogs, Kristin enjoys yoga, hiking, and Seattle sunsets.
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Alex Cole
While living in Galway, Ireland, Alex became a proficient Irish Set dancer (a type of traditional folk dancing) at her favorite pub.
Alex is from the South Puget Sound and proud of it! She studied sustainable urban development and restoration ecology at the University of Washington Tacoma, and works to help communities recognize and appreciate their integral place within the natural world. With experience ranging from community engagement and project management to legislative outreach and habitat restoration, Alex seeks to ensure people have both the space to be heard as well as agency over the communities in which they live. She holds that the best approach to any situation is to meet people where they are with humility and an open heart. While outside the office, you will likely find Alex working on DIY projects around the house, restoring her vintage camper, or filling orders for her sticker shop!
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Even though Nyles has spent his whole life in the Pacific Northwest, he still finds it necessary to use an umbrella.Nyles Green
Nyles Green
Even though Nyles has spent his whole life in the Pacific Northwest, he still finds it necessary to use an umbrella.
For Nyles, the key to effective communication lies in breaking down complex subjects into smaller, more digestible pieces of a puzzle. A graduate of the University of Washington’s Community, Environment and Planning program, he thrives in unpacking the intersections of built and natural environments. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, Nyles interned with the Seattle Department of Transportation, where he built a foundation of community outreach skills and techniques in communities around the city. He uses this local knowledge of transportation modes, key stakeholders and community assets to support a variety of public projects. In his downtime, Nyles unwinds by learning to draw, playing the trombone and listening to podcasts.
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Jaybee Ragudo
Jaybee can attest that his parents make the best Filipino food.
Jaybee, along with much of his family, is a proud immigrant from the Philippines. He attended Seattle University and holds a degree in environmental studies with a specification in urban sustainability. Jaybee comes to EnviroIssues with a passion for creating public spaces that engage with the community through both body and soul. He has supported marketing and event planning for a number of causes including Seattle University’s Dance Marathon, which raised money for Children’s Hospital’s Uncompensated Care Fund and their Strong Against Cancer research. He has a deep passion for Asian American history and continues to explore different avenues where it can be expressed. In his downtime, Jaybee loves to sing, play music, watch combat sports and save the world on his PlayStation.
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Sara Stiehl
Sara is a tap and contemporary dance teacher and has endless appreciation for all choreography, especially breakdancing.
After years of working closely with communities facing human rights violations in Thailand, Sara brought her experience of facilitation and community engagement to Washington state. Her work as a cultural anthropologist allowed her to foster a passion for social and environmental justice with indigenous groups around the world. With her M.A in Anthropology, Sara seeks to create equitable participation for communities impacted by projects. She enjoys raising awareness and educating communities about projects that involve their neighborhoods. When she isn’t at the office, you can find Sara digging in her garden, searching for authentic Isaan food or carving the mountain on her skis.
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Brittany Quale
Brittany has walked the entire length of Manhattan from top to bottom – twice!
Brittany brings a background in community organizing, design and urban planning to EnviroIssues. She understands the importance of public involvement and uses her listening and creative problem-solving skills to connect community values and ideas to decision-makers. She spent her formative professional years in New York City supporting public sector planning and design for open spaces, all the way from small scale community gardens to large scale landfill-to-park conversion projects. Before joining EnviroIssues, Brittany aided university campus planning efforts and led community outreach and education around stormwater management topics in Portland. When not in the office, Brittany enjoys spending time in boats (of all kinds), building up her documentary and video projection skills, and taking walks around the neighborhood.
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Katie DeLeuw
One of Katie's many souvenirs from her archaeology adventures in Turkey was a German Shepherd puppy.
Katie is a talented community engagement project manager who has implemented public involvement strategies through all project phases – from conceptual planning, to environmental review, to design and construction. She has worked across many sectors including water, transportation, planning and environmental review; and has supported public agencies at the state, county and local levels. A native Californian with roots in the Bay Area, Katie manages EnviroIssues’ Oakland office. She has proudly mastered the art of multimodal commuting through her three-part train/bike/BART commute.
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Wayne Flowers
Wayne loves coffee. And Star Wars, sports and the outdoors. But coffee comes first—and being from Costa Rica, he’s used to some of the best in the world.
Wayne feels that the first step in generating positive impact is to listen. Holding a degree in journalism from the University of Costa Rica, he spent a few years in the newsroom before entering the field of strategic communications. For the past 20 years, Wayne has worked with organizations and multinational companies throughout Central and South America. His background includes supporting Latino nonprofits and small businesses in Kansas City, as well as heading the communications department at an international, nonprofit university in Costa Rica with a focus on agricultural sciences and sustainability. This, and other past experiences, prepared him for work in community involvement and public policy, crafting messages to reach a variety of audiences. Having relocated to Seattle, you can catch Wayne exploring neighborhoods and parks alongside his rescued pup, Lupe, always searching for the best coffee in town.
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Daniel Brody
Daniel can be spotted heading to yoga on Foxy, their silver Vespa, multiple days a week.
Daniel is experienced in engaging and empowering communities to improve environmental decision-making. Combining a technical background in environmental science with policy, planning, and communication experience, Daniel effectively engages a variety of audiences by making technical project aspects understandable and clear. Their experience ranges from engaging with community members one-on-one, to planning and documenting public meetings, synthesizing and analyzing community input, providing outreach in a variety of media, and assisting in decision making processes.
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Chris Johnstone
Chris has an extensive knowledge of all the secret public stairways in West Seattle.
Chris first joined EnviroIssues as an intern shortly after graduating from Seattle University with a degree in environmental studies: urban sustainability. In addition to his early work supporting transportation projects, Chris has since gained experience developing strategic plans with nonprofits, their stakeholders and the general public. Originally from California, he has also spent time in Michigan, working with Challenge Detroit and PM Environmental to consult on small business marketing plans, parent engagement in Detroit Public Schools and green space implementation on formerly blighted properties. Chris approaches his work at EnviroIssues with passions for equitable and sustainable development in urban areas as well as for engaging diverse populations on projects that affect their communities.
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Jon Doyle
On a hot summer’s day, Jon’s favorite flavor of ice cream is ube.
Jon has a passion for community engagement and sustainability, with the ultimate belief that the two are deeply interconnected. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in political science and environmental studies, and a minor in resource management. Originally from the Midwest, Jon has yet to encounter the infamous “Seattle Freeze” and has cherished his stay in the Emerald City. In his free time, you may find Jon on a walk with his dog, gardening, or hanging out with friends.
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Carina’s favorite activities include bachata dancing, oil painting and visiting her family in rural Eastern Oregon.Carina Garcia
Carina Garcia
Carina’s favorite activities include bachata dancing, oil painting and visiting her family in rural Eastern Oregon.
Carina is passionate about making public engagement accessible to all communities. She brings a variety of skills and experiences from working with diverse communities through grassroots organizing, coalition building and legal advocacy in the immigrant community. Carina is a graduate of the University of Oregon with a double major in international studies and sociology. She is especially interested in projects in the housing sector and exploring how the public can shape inclusive neighborhoods.
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Ara Swanson
Ara was once an extra in a movie starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas, called Random Hearts.
With nearly a decade of experience in public involvement, outreach and communications, Ara's worked on a wide variety of projects, from major transportation corridors and new energy infrastructure to brownfields assessments and community planning efforts. She is passionate about public involvement, and in fostering relationships between projects and the public they serve. When she's not busy traversing the western United States for her projects, she spends her free time traveling, hiking, skiing, experimenting with new recipes, and hanging out with her family and adorable pug, Sophie.
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Ellen Smith
Ellen bakes her own bread almost every week with a sourdough starter she’s been maintaining for more than three years.
An experienced HR professional, Ellen is passionate about creating equitable and inclusive workplaces where all employees can thrive and do their best work. Prior to working in HR, she worked for NGOs promoting human and environmental rights in Chiang Mai, Thailand. A native Michigander, Ellen graduated from Kalamazoo College and is an enthusiastic Detroit sports fan. When she’s not in the office, Ellen can be found on the ultimate frisbee field, running through Seattle’s parks or exploring the North Cascades.
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Matt West
Matt is a native of Seattle and cut his tech support teeth at the inimitable WRQ, Inc. When he breaks from managing EnviroIssues’ information systems, he enjoys trips to desert climates.
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Roger is no athlete, but he did haul in a pass some years ago from NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton.Roger Thompson
Roger Thompson
Roger is no athlete, but he did haul in a pass some years ago from NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton.
With three decades of experience in journalism, public relations and public affairs, Roger brings solid communications savvy and writing skill to bear for EnviroIssues clients. Above all, he helps advance their goals through smart, strategically honed messaging. Roger started his career as a newspaper scribe before changing horses to pitch news for state lawmakers. From the statehouse he moved into the consulting world, managing the development and execution of strategic communication programs for a wide range of public- and private-sector organizations here in the Pacific Northwest. These days, Roger spends most of his time thinking, talking and writing about the reconstruction of the world’s longest floating bridge.
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Romário García
Romário has a Google Drive filled with detailed itineraries for trips he has already taken and plans to take. His longest trip itinerary is 13 pages long. He also loves Pokémon.
Romário has a passion for community engagement and project management. Before EI, Romário worked in various industries such as tech, health care, and nonprofits where he learned how to intersect all his experiences and apply them to his current role. Aside from work, Romário enjoys telling stories through different mediums to equitably represent marginalized communities.
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Nasra Mohamed
Despite being allergic to grass, Nasra worked in a grasslands ecology lab for a year.
Studying the intersection of environmental science and anthropology, Nasra is passionate about understanding how humans interact with the world around them. Nasra graduated from Carleton College in 2020 with a degree in Environmental Studies. Having spent most of her life in Minnesota, she loves being on farms and one day hopes to have a vegetable garden. Nasra’s research experience spans a variety of subjects, including prairie restoration ecology and health access in Tanzania. In her free time, Nasra enjoys hiking, watching movies, and spending time with her two younger brothers.
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Mill Nguyen
Mill is committed to having exactly 5 chickens and 2 goats (no more, no less).
Mill is a proud Vietnamese immigrant. She is a double major graduate in Economics and Marketing from the University of Washington. Coming to EI, Mill brings her analytical background, creative passion, and a commitment to building meaningful relationships. She sees these as the pillars to understand and develop projects that support equitable economic development. Her professional journey from marketing to hospitality to healthcare has given her a deep appreciation for the capacity of human connections and the ability to communicate cross culturally. When Mill is off the clock, she is a yoga instructor and an avid rock climber. Almost every weekend, you can find her outside scaling some rock walls (literally and metaphorically) or hosting dinner parties.
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Kaila enjoys playing volleyball, hanging out with family and friends at Alki, and watching football.Kaila Yoshitomi
Kaila Yoshitomi
Kaila enjoys playing volleyball, hanging out with family and friends at Alki, and watching football.
Kaila joined the EnviroIssues team in 2007 as an administrative team member working on a variety of projects in office management and human resources. She is responsible for accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll. She is a graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in american ethnic studies and a minor in diversity.
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Cara Stoddard
Cara spent three summers leading 26-day backpacking trips for teenagers in the Weminuche Wilderness in Southwest Colorado.
As proposal manager, Cara works to internally apply EnviroIssues’ consensus building and equitable engagement approaches to the business development process. Cara’s focus is on bringing in new work that aligns with their colleagues’ passions and interests as well as supporting colleagues in building reciprocal relationships with community leaders within their networks. With a background in teaching, creative writing, and nonprofit grant management, Cara is well-versed in how storytelling builds trust and common ground between people. Outside of work, Cara enjoys writing poetry, backcountry skiing, and spending time in the Cascade mountains with their partner and daughter.
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Iris Picat
Between sky diving, spelunking and scuba diving, there are few adventures that Iris will turn down
With a background in journalism and natural resource management, Iris has a broad range of experience in both personal and non-personal communications. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, Iris briefly wrote for a science magazine in Sydney, Australia, and for American Archaeology magazine in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She then spent four years with the Bureau of Land Management in southwest Utah expanding their community outreach and education program through environmental education field trips, social media forums, and wayside exhibits. She is especially apt at generating information and ideas that connect with the target audience, bridging gaps between sectors and developing and fostering community partnerships. Growing up as a dual citizen in Paris, France, Iris has an innate appreciation for cultural diversity. Iris also has experience in graphic design, video editing and photography.
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Willow Russell
Willow learned to row before she could ride a bike – a consequence of spending the first six years of her life on a sailing cargo ship.
Since 2004, Willow has been helping organizations develop effective communications that inspire their audiences to act. A skilled strategist, Willow zeroes in on the true nature of a challenge and builds collaborative solutions. She has facilitated shared campaigns to restore the Mississippi River and Great Lakes ecosystems and brought the sometimes-wonky work of nonprofits to life through multimedia storytelling. Willow is deeply committed to ensuring all voices are heard so we can foster thriving communities and vibrant natural spaces that everyone can enjoy. When not at the office, Willow is volunteering at PAWS Cat City, sailing, going to a show, playing tabletop games, or taking dance classes with great enthusiasm and questionable style.
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Cecilia Garza
Cecilia’s self-care involves painting her nails a different color every week.
After getting her start as a journalist, Cecilia spent the better part of her career in the social sector. There, she honed her skills leveraging marketing and communications as a tool to unite us and to cultivate community-wide participation in building a more equitable society. Passionate about meeting people where they are, she has found herself fully immersed in a range of communities across the Puget Sound region, challenged and entrusted to open the lines of communication so that residents and the institutions intending to serve them can create solutions together. When not working, Cecilia is either scoping out new birding spots, biking or skateboarding around town, or enjoying Washington waterways by sailboat, fishing boat or waders.
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Jeanette Ordoñez
Jeanette once worked as a “roadie” for a social justice organization, which meant traveling through four states while living out of a van with a team of three others.
Jeanette believes public engagement and outreach is exciting and essential, particularly within the quickly growing and changing local communities in Washington. As a social marketing enthusiast, she recognizes the importance of building relationships with the communities she works with in order to foster genuine, collaborative engagement that is welcoming and accessible to all. A former Californian, Jeanette feels fortunate to call Seattle home—especially on days when the mountain is out—but will never turn her back on the LA Dodgers.
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Laura Peña
Ask Laura about befriending a wild baboon named Deborah on the plains of Northern Kenya.
After graduating with a degree in organismic and evolutionary biology from Harvard University, Laura spent time honing her observational and tire-changing skills as a research biologist studying primate behavior. In the time since, she has applied her analytical and easy-going nature working in customer service and organizational culture consulting. As comfortable as Laura is behind a spreadsheet, she also enjoys being on the frontlines engaging directly with her communities. She brings experience in data management and equitable engagement, as well as a straightforward communication style, to her projects. Having called California, Massachusetts, Mexico and Kenya home, she is enjoying settling into Portland and is a regular at her local wine and jazz bar.
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Layne Ahlstrom
Layne has spent approximately 11 percent of her life living in Europe.
Layne graduated from Seattle University with a degree in environmental studies: communication and education, and a minor in French language. She brings experience supporting social justice initiatives and is passionate about using the power of communication to connect projects and people to each other. At EI, Layne focuses her work on the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions where she helps develop unique and effective strategies to communicate key project messages to various Seattle communities. Having both British and Californian roots, Layne finds Seattle’s weather to be a happy medium, and she loves spending time outside, traveling, running and exploring the city.
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Faiza Hassan
Faiza studied abroad in Australia for six months at one of their highest-ranked universities. But more importantly, she got to feed kangaroos and hold a koala.
Faiza graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in law, societies and justice. At UW, her studies focused on political theory, political philosophy and the American Civil Rights Movement. Outside of the classroom, Faiza found her passion for community building, youth outreach and facilitation as an officer for the university’s Somali Student Association. She approaches her work at EnviroIssues with an interest in engaging with the public about the projects that affect their day-to-day lives. On the weekends, Faiza enjoys going on excursions around the city with her film camera and developing the results in the darkroom.
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Uroosa Fatima
Uroosa’s happy place is an isolated, sandy beach under a full moon, but she sleeps best to obnoxious road noise.
Uroosa moved to the United States from Pakistan in 2015, settling in Seattle a year later. While she first lived in New York while completing her master’s degree in environmental policy, she moved to the Pacific Northwest after falling in love with the soul-piercing green forests and cold, dewy mornings. Uroosa has research and professional experience in stakeholder engagement, and has always been interested in questions of power, race and access. She enjoys robust discussions on the experience of being human, and continues to grow as an analyst as she takes on difficult questions with an open heart and dozens of her own. During her down time, she loves to escape into nature loaded with sci-fi novels, a bag of oranges and a hammock.
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Lien Pham
Lien has lived in four different countries and traveled to 18 countries. She cannot wait to add more to the list. She was also a member of the Seattle Global Shapers, an initiative of the World Economic Forum.
Lien moved to the United States from Vietnam 7 years ago with her husband, who she met at KFC. Lien is full of energy and love for everything she does, including raising her 10-month-old and a Golden Retriever. She brings several years of experience in the non-profit and public sectors with her to EI, along with a passion for centering community voices, equality, and equity. As a UW Husky alum with a double major in Communications and Global Health, Lien loves to contribute her passion and knowledge to the world. When Lien is not at work, you can find her walking with her family, doing some yoga, or remodeling her house.
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Lauren Stensland
Lauren spends her winter weekends on skis at Crystal Mountain and she has fallen down steep slopes in Utah, Italy, and France.
Lauren has a passion for communications that build trust and move projects forward. She provides clear and compelling information that connects with the right audience, whether it’s a personal visit to a local business or a website viewed by thousands of people. Lauren is skilled at building relationships with stakeholders, anticipating and problem-solving community issues, and providing outreach techniques and strategies for everything from roadway construction to rain garden design. On the weekends, she continues her search for Seattle’s best breakfast.
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Alexandra Streamer
Alexandra estimates she’s spent a cumulative two weeks of her life underwater since becoming scuba certified at age 10.
Alexandra is passionate about the intersection of economic markets and environmental sustainability. She’s a true Seattlite who thrives on finding innovative ways to use community engagement and qualitative feedback to pursue quantifiable, equitable solutions. Alexandra has a diverse consulting background in market research, economic development, growth management planning and stakeholder outreach in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. At EI, she provides support to a variety of projects including transit, infrastructure management and natural resource preservation initiatives. When she’s not in the office, you can find her at one of the city’s live music venues, sipping wine, chasing fresh powder in the mountains or justifying the purchase of yet another pair of shoes.
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Alecia has been to Walt Disney World at least 50 times, and one of those times was to get married.Alecia Duane
Alecia Duane
Alecia has been to Walt Disney World at least 50 times, and one of those times was to get married.
Alecia moved to Seattle from Jacksonville, Florida and will never get over the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. As someone used to only two seasons - hot and hotter, Alecia appreciates every day in the cool, Seattle climate.She is a graduate of the University of North Florida with a degree in accounting and has utilized her skills in multiple accounting and administrative positions. At EnviroIssues, Alecia works on invoicing and the hiring and onboarding process. On weekends, you’ll find her searching for treasures at the nearest Goodwill and exploring the city with her husband.
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Skip Johnson
An avid Mariners fan, Skip is always looking for the opportunity to talk someone’s ear off about how “No, THIS YEAR will finally be the year they make the playoffs again.”
Originally from Puyallup, Washington, Skip is a graduate of the Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University. They moved to Seattle in 2016 to start working at EnviroIssues’ Seattle office, where they gained experience working with utilities and natural resource agencies to develop public participation plans and facilitate meetings. They are passionate about renewable energy and building good public processes where communities can be engaged in the issues that affect them. Now a resident of Portland, Oregon, Skip can be found trying new restaurants and breweries in their foodie city, playing video games, and exploring parks with their dog/best friend Harvey.
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Kaiwen Lee
Kaiwen loves finding treasure, whether it’s foraging for wild mushrooms, digging up potatoes or even just opening up a package in the mail.
Kaiwen is passionate about environmental justice and is committed to conducting equitable community outreach. Having worked in field ecology, habitat restoration, urban agriculture and outdoor recreation, they bring a knack for synthesizing complex ideas and fostering collaborative learning environments. In addition to holding degrees in urban environmental education and global environmental studies, Kaiwen’s background includes designing and managing environmental leadership programs for youth of color for nonprofits and the City of Seattle. Nearly every weekend, you can find Kaiwen outside hiking, rock climbing or mountaineering — or helping others do so as one of the founding members of Outdoor Asian.
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Liz Faulkner
Elizabeth takes her love of food and grammar too far—she has a bad habit of editing restaurant menus!
Elizabeth has spent the last decade helping clients deliver infrastructure projects—small and very large—throughout the Pacific Northwest. From concept planning to construction cones, Elizabeth has experience leading public outreach and communications programs during all stages of project development. She specializes in strategy development, the creation of clear and concise graphics and messages, and supporting clients with project emergencies. As the president of the local chapter of the Women's Transportation Seminar, she loves to geek out about transportation at any time in any place. When she's not busy at work, you can find Elizabeth in her kitchen, on the Zumba dancefloor, or enjoying the world's most beautiful places (preferably by boat!).
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Sarah Omlor
Sarah’s dream job (other than EnviroIssues) is to be a NASA botanist, growing plants in space in order to produce oxygen.
Sarah discovered public involvement through her degree in urban planning and a lifelong love of working with people. With years of experience working with local government offices in her home state of Pennsylvania, she comes to EnviroIssues with strong customer service and public engagement skills – especially when it comes to public sector projects. Sarah has a passion for all things sustainability and is a graduate of Portland’s Master Recycling Program. In fact, when she isn’t organizing community events, you can often find her informing the public (and her coworkers) on proper recycling practices. Sarah also enjoys gardening and travel, but perhaps her coolest hobby is long exposure star photography.
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The day after her family’s dairy farm was hit by a tornado, Kristine performed in the elementary school’s staging of ‘The Wizard of Oz’.Kristine Danzinger
Kristine Danzinger
The day after her family’s dairy farm was hit by a tornado, Kristine performed in the elementary school’s staging of ‘The Wizard of Oz’.
Kristine brings over 20 years of experience in project management, professional coaching, and community engagement. She is skilled in facilitating focus groups, team-building discussions, trainings, brainstorm sessions, and stakeholder meetings. Her strategic planning experience includes neighborhood events, team retreats, all-staff meetings and early-stage design sessions. Using a collaborative approach to project management and group facilitation, Kristine fosters effective community engagement by building trust and drawing out individual motivations and strengths. She loves almost anything to do with music (singing, dancing, playing piano) and exploring / discovering new perspectives through travel (23 countries and counting!), biking, kayaking or by reading a good book.
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Mai Nguyen
Mai played the cello for 8 years, and cannot listen to classical music when they work because they get immersed too easily when it plays, especially Tchaikovsky.
As a graduate from the University of Washington’s Public-Global Health and Psychology program with a minor in Comparative History of Ideas, Mai is extremely interested in the intersection of community wellness and mental health disparities as a result of oppressive systems. To them, this involves combining equitable development and uplifting cultural wealth from different communities. Mai has experience conducting research on the UW COVID-19 Response Study and empowering others through volunteering with API Chaya. As a Vietnamese-American, they are firmly rooted in the power of community, equitable engagement, and communication that focuses on the richness of marginalized communities. In their free time, Mai finds nourishment through cooking food with and for others, as it is the most intimate way they’ve learned to show love.
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Jenny Katz
No pun intended, but Jenny really loves cats.
Jenny has worked in visual communication design and video production for local agencies at the city, county, and state level. She has created outreach materials covering a range of topics including public utility improvement, economic development, transportation, and long range planning. Her degree is in fine art and she focused her studies on the intersection between art, communications, television, film, and social media. She always hoped to reconcile her art background with her passion for public service and enjoys doing so at EnviroIssues. On a lighter note, Jenny loves brunch and her go-to karaoke song is "Dreamlover" by Mariah Carey.
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Leah Litwak
Leah is a hardcore fruit enthusiast. You can be sure to find her bulk buying her favorite peach variety, the Diamond Princess, when it is in season.
Leah is passionate about creating and maintaining spaces where humans and the environment can co-exist in a sustainable manner. An East Coast transplant, Leah moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, where she graduated with a degree in environmental studies and nutritional sciences. Prior to joining the EnviroIssues team, Leah worked in the nonprofit sector supporting Washington state family farmers and small business owners. She is skilled in widespread community outreach, inclusive stakeholder engagement and large-scale event management. In her spare time, you can catch Leah cooking up the latest Bon Appétit recipe, listening to showtunes, reading a library book or shopping at her local farmers market.
