YPIN: Annual International Women’s Day Speed Mentoring Event
March 11th, 2023 10:00AM -1:00PM
We are finalizing the list of mentors so make sure to check back in the upcoming weeks to read all about them! Before the event, we will follow up with registered participants with a form to collect your mentor preferences. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Thank you for the support of our venue host, Expedia Group, and for the support of Expedia Well: Women at Expedia Group Learning and Leading.
This year’s event will feature a keynote panel of three accomplished women in the Pacific Northwest. We're holding time for live Q&A, so have your questions ready!
Julie Goldthwait – As Founder of The Goldthwait Group, Julie Goldthwait advises companies, start-ups and executives on their business and marketing strategies. She mentors women and young professionals as they navigate their careers.With over eleven years of experience at T-Mobile, Julie focused on disrupting the wireless industry. She led the team responsible for bringing innovation to consumers and generating new growth outside of T-Mobile’s core wireless business. Julie is career marketer who is known for delivering results and building out great teams in the process. Prior to T-Mobile, Julie spent time on both the agency and client side for big brands such as Gillette, AutoNation, Stride Rite/Tommy Hilfiger Footwear, and Monster.com. Julie holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and resides in Sammamish with her family.
Lindsay Hua (she/her) was born and raised in the Philippines as a third generation Chinese immigrant. She is also a first generation US immigrant after she moved to the US 13 years ago. She graduated as a Management Engineering major and worked in the IT industry across several countries such as the Philippines, Poland, Canada, and now in the USA. She now lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and two young kids. Lindsay has two decades of track record as a global technology leader. She has grown her career in various industries such as consumer packaged goods (Procter & Gamble), hardware and software services (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise), telecommunications (T-Mobile USA), and most recently she's working at a unicorn company that focuses on Artificial Intelligence (Afiniti). Lindsay holds board seats at Ignite Worldwide and the World Affairs Council - Seattle.
Cara Kadoshima V. has over 25 years experience in public policy, law, and philanthropy working in government, private sector and nonprofits. She has varied experience across sectors and fields, including fundraising and politics, with a continuing thread of advocacy, research, and enthusiastic curiosity, and her career is grounded in a commitment to social justice.
Mentor Bios
(Work in progress)
Malinda Bailey
Pronouns: She/Her
Job Title: Vice President, Product Operations
Company: Edmentum
Malinda Bailey is the Vice President of Product Operations for Edmentum, a leading provider of online learning programs dedicated to creating innovative, proven learning technology in partnership with educators to ignite student potential. Throughout her 6+ years in EdTech, she has provided strategic guidance to multi-function teams connected to all phases of the product development lifecycle, supplying operational structure and support, streamlining processes and practices, and performing critical roles in the vision and creation of award-winning digital K-12 curriculum and assessments. Prior to that, she spent many years working at Verizon in customer service operations in a wide range of leadership roles, including knowledge management, process design and engineering, quality assurance, program & project management, and employee communications. Throughout, Malinda has applied a human-centered approach to people leadership and drives organizational alignment around the understanding that the impact of a respected and empowered workforce is an investment in the market and financial success of the company as a whole. Malinda never expected she would become a corporate executive, having spent her early adult years as an actress in regional theatre. However, she’s living proof that curiosity, adaptability, risk tolerance, and an unabashed eagerness to add value will open unknown career opportunities. Outside of the office, it would be difficult to find Malinda, because she’s probably hunkered down reading a great book or binge-watching the latest streaming show.
Mallory BoulterI have had the opportunity to live in several places around the globe - Growing up in the U.K., moving to Seattle in junior high, living in Australia for a year in college, and then 10 years in Boston, before returning back home to Seattle. I am a leader, a woman, a runner, a skier, someone who is passionate about people, culture, and learning, and an avid traveler, exploring the globe to new places whenever I can.
I currently work in finance at Remitly, supporting new initiatives and external reporting, and co-leading our women’s affinity group in the US. Prior to this role, I led PwC’s Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services Deals team in the Pacific Northwest, supporting companies through transformative changes, such as acquisitions and public and private offerings. In the community, I am a club advisory board member for the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, and have spent the last 9 years supporting youth education for families in a small community in Tanzania, focused on advocacy and creating sustainable change together.
While my locations and roles have changed over the years - one thing has been a driving force for purpose: Showing up for others to inspire confidence and believe in themselves - and in particular, partnering together with other women and youth to support education, economic opportunity, and fostering community to support each other. A quote from Bob Goff has always stood out to me: “Pick something you aren’t just able to do; instead, pick something you feel like you were made to do and then do lots of that.” And while I haven’t yet gotten that “right” every day to day - it certainly keeps me centered on taking one step closer to that purpose, on my journey.
Lisa Chang
Pronouns: She/her
Job Title: Puget Sound Intergovernmental Coordinator
Company: United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
I had a bright childhood in beautiful New England as the child of immigrants and studied English in college with lots of environmental science on the side. After a number of years during and after college of struggling to transition to adult life, I eventually started building a path – first by earning a Master’s from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, followed by a two-year research fellowship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) looking at hydropower, water quality, and climate change. At Oak Ridge, I was surrounded by Ph.D.s at ORNL, including my wonderful boss, so I decided to pursue and earn my Ph.D. at University of Virginia studying watershed nutrient cycling. I then began my career at EPA in Washington, DC in 1997. At EPA, I’ve contributed to and led analyses, assessments, and rulemakings under both international and domestic environmental protection frameworks (e.g., Montreal Protocol to protect the stratospheric ozone layer), at international, national, and regional scales. For the past 15 years, I’ve been honored to be a core member of EPA’s Puget Sound Geographic Program here in Seattle, where I coordinate EPA’s Puget Sound tribal grant program, coordinate with Canadian agencies to protect Puget Sound and the broader Salish Sea, and help lead and advance monitoring capabilities for Puget Sound recovery. I also try to gain wider wisdom on the practice of ecosystem restoration by being active in the Large Ecosystem Restoration Section of the Society for Ecological Restoration. I also yearn and strive to grow in how I am ethically grounded in my daily life, and in how my son and I constructively engage in our family and community, such as through ongoing volunteer commitments.
Erin DuryOutside of work, you can find Erin with her family, pets, and friends - doing anything that keeps her outside. As an active community member, you will often see her at public school and youth driven advocacy events working to create an educational system in service of youth.
In everything she does, she believes that we must stay nimble and curious to see our values come to fruition.
Chelsie Frank Chan
Julia Freeland
Pronouns: She / Her
Job Title: Executive Coach / Author / Humergence Engineer
Company: Revolve You
Julia Freeland is the founder of Revolve You, the creator of the Humergence Model, and the author of the best-selling book "Take Your Shoes Off First: A story about a simple idea with the power to change everything." She is a nationally recognized expert in helping humans embrace change and a formally trained engineer and educator who has spent her life helping others unlock their ability to adapt and get through the hard parts of life easier.
After rising through a trifecta of trials over 10 years, Julia noticed a pattern to how she kept becoming a version of herself that was better equipped to thrive in changed conditions of her life. Four years of research and experimentation later, she discovered the process of Humergence and proved that adversity can be easier to get through when you have the capacity to harness your human nature, getting it to work for you rather than against you. Today, she coaches, writes, and speaks about her journey and work,empowering people to thrive in our changing world.
Riley Glandon
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Job Title: Director, Scalable Solutions
Company: Panorama Global
Riley Glandon is the Director, Scalable Solutions at Panorama Global. As a platform for social change, Riley’s team helps lift, incubate, and accelerate emerging ideas by partnering with social entrepreneurs and multi-sector partners to provide values-based infrastructure support. Riley’s team also leads Panorama’s sector learning and knowledge sharing that builds capacity for social entrepreneurs and draws out insights for the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
Riley is a problem solver with over a decade of experience in strategy development, portfolio management, strategic partnerships, and advocacy. Before joining Panorama, Riley worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on the Global Policy Advocacy team focusing on family planning, maternal newborn child health, and gender equality. She also worked with the Life Sciences Partnerships team focusing on strategic private-sector engagement in global health. Before the Gates Foundation, Riley lived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, teaching English and working at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions.
Riley received her Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Gender Studies from the University of Washington.
Ghaddra González Castillo
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Partnerships and Engagement Director
Company: Path with Art
Ghaddra González Castillo has more than twenty years of experience working with vulnerable populations worldwide following a successful career in marketing and advertising. She leverages her expertise in strategic communications and marketing, arts education, and philanthropy to passionately advocate for people in need. She is currently the Partnerships and Engagement Director at Path with Art, a Seattle-based non-profit organization providing free arts engagement opportunities to low-income adults in active recovery from trauma.
Ghaddra focuses on reaching underserved communities and has launched Latino and military-veteran cohorts at Path with Art. She led Path with Art’s conversion to online programming at the outset of the COVID pandemic. She has also volunteered with Mary’s Place, Casa Latina, and the Fair Work Centre. Ghaddra spent 16 years living in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, where she worked with vulnerable women and children to help them leverage art to move beyond the challenges they faced. She also worked at leading art museums in Budapest, Sharjah, and Singapore. Before that, she spent 15 years serving multinational corporations as an advertising executive with major agencies in the United States and Venezuela. Ghaddra has a BA in Communications from Universidad Central de Venezuela.
Vinita Gupta
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Chief Financial Officer
Company: Seattle Rep
Vinita is the CFO at Seattle Rep that puts theater at the heart of public life. She leads finance, data analytics and Information Technology teams. Her career spans varied industries and experience. Prior to joining Seattle Rep she was a Controller at FareStart, a non-profit focused on providing solutions to end poverty and hunger. Before that she held various accounting positions at Amazon, Savers (which operates over 300 thrift stores in North America), and PACCAR. She began her career at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, where she spent five years in the audit and assurance group and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. In her spare time, Vinita likes to travel and hike with her family.
Adi Hanein
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Physical Scientist (Communications & Outreach Specialist)
Company: NOAA
Adi Hanein is the communications, education and outreach specialist for NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. At PMEL, Adi works to communicate laboratory research results on a variety of topics such as ocean sound, tsunamis, ocean acidification, and climate. She also leads PMEL's education efforts by leading tours, running the summer intern program and leading outreach activities with K-12 students and the public. Adi loves engaging with the public about what NOAA does and how to build a more diverse and equitable workshop.
Prior to NOAA, she got her Masters in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs and was a WA Sea Grant Marine Policy Fellow working in the marine biotoxin program at the Washington Department of Health analyzing their data and supporting the recreational shellfish program. She has a bachelor's of science from the University of California - Davis in evolution, ecology and biodiversity where she began her love for all things invertebrates and shellfish!
Originally from Israel, Adi now lives in Seattle, WA and enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors (when the weather is nice), cooking/baking, and trying out new restaurants.
Tara Herrick
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Director of Market Analytics and Insights
Company: PATH
Tara Herrick is a Director of Market Analytics and Insights at PATH. To expand access to life-saving healthcare innovations, Tara takes a data-driven approach that uses market research, forecasting, cost analyses, stakeholder identification, geospatial mapping and needs assessments to deliver measurable results. Tara’s experience spans infectious disease, oncology and maternal and child health areas, and includes on-the-ground research and advocacy in low-resource settings in Africa and Asia. Prior to joining PATH, Tara was a Senior Consultant at Trinity Partners where she advised leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on new product development, marketing strategies, and licensing valuations. She also researched and published on cell migration in the Basic Science Division of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Tara holds an MPA with a health policy focus from Columbia University and a BS in Biology from the University of Washington.
Lisa Jahnke
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Job Title: Sr Director of Retail Media Strategic Program Management
Company: Albertsons
Lisa Jahnke Senior Director, Retail Media Strategic Priority Program Leader. Lisa brings a robust background in Enterprise Integration, Digital Transformation and Program Management working for Albertsons, Expedia and Microsoft She lives in Kirkland, Washington with her 2 dogs and a cat. She has two sons attending ASU and daughter in Santa Monica working for Tik Tok. She is an avid sports fan, played college basketball loves to golf and is passionate about giving back, serving on the Women’s Inspirational and Inclusion Network for the Albertsons Pleasanton chapter, Mentor and an active board member for the local high school football program.
Erica Jorgensen
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Job Title: Independent content strategist and designer and author of Strategic Content Design (Rosenfeld Media, 2023)
Company: Independent
Erica Jorgensen is the author of Strategic Content Design: Tools and Research Techniques for Better UX, to be published in April by Rosenfeld Media. She's a content designer, content strategist, and team leader determined to bring greater respect to the content field. To that end, Erica speaks frequently at events and conferences including UXDX USA, UX Lisbon, The Design and Content Conference, Microsoft Design Week, Web Directions Summit Sydney, and Button: The Content Design Conference. She has been featured on several podcasts, including The Content Strategy Podcast with Kristina Halvorson. She’s worked in various content roles for companies of all sizes, from startups (Amazon and Rover.com) to global companies (Expedia and Microsoft). She has taught for the University of Washington's graduate program in communication leadership and the School of Visual Concepts (svcseattle.com). Erica earned a graduate degree from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism and her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut.
Cara Kadoshima Vallier
Pronouns: She/her
Job Title: Legislative Analyst
Company: Seattle City Council
Also a keynote panelist!
Cara Kadoshima Vallier has over 25 years experience in public policy, law, and philanthropy working in government, private sector and nonprofits. She has varied experience across sectors and fields, including fundraising and politics, with a continuing thread of advocacy, research, and enthusiastic curiosity, and her career is grounded in a commitment to social justice.
Ms. Vallier is currently working for the Mayor’s Office as an Operations Manager for the Deputy Mayor of Housing and Homelessness for Mayor Bruce Harrell. She was previously a Legislative Aide for a Seattle City Councilmember. She utilizes her Masters in Public Policy to analyze systems and processes, perform research and analysis on local and state policy as well as governmental agency decisions across a range of municipal issues. She previously focused on environmental and land use matters for a variety of public, private, and governmental clients in every county along the coast in California and in the Pacific Northwest region.
As important to her as her professional career is her volunteer service. She has served on the boards of the Little Tokyo Service Center in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, the PAC for Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women, and recently served on the Diversity and Equity Committee of Northwest Girlchoir.
She treasures her time running, listening to podcasts, and as any good third generation Seattleite does, she enjoys rainy days and a good book.
Iga Kozlowska
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Program Manager, Responsible AI
Company: Meta
Iga Kozlowska is a responsible technology leader, working on sociotechnical challenges that impact society at scale. Currently, Iga is a Program Manager at Meta, where she has been working on Responsible AI (RAI) since 2022. She focuses on the areas of AI governance, transparency, robustness, and safety. Before that, she worked on Microsoft’s Ethics & Society team, designing governance and accountability solutions for product teams across Microsoft. She entered the RAI space from the field of privacy, having been a Privacy Manager for the Marketing and Consumer Business at Microsoft from 2017 to 2020. In this role she prepared the business for compliance with one of the most important privacy regulations in recent history, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Iga holds the CIPP/US and CIPP/E certifications in privacy as well as the CISSP certification in information security. Prior to making the switch into the tech industry, Iga completed her PhD in sociology at Northwestern University in 2017. Her Fulbright-funded dissertation research focused on social and cultural European integration in the 21st century. In Brussels for this research, Iga witnessed GDPR discussions firsthand and was hooked on tech, ethics, and privacy ever since.
Tawnya Lehitnen
Pronouns: She/Her
Job Title: Chief Operations Officer
Company: Chromatique LLC
Tawnya is an award-winning Business Operations Executive with 20+ years of experience in sales operations and customer success. She is known for driving strategic business development efforts that result in high-percentage efficiency increases and multi-million-dollar cost savings. At T-Mobile, she created the processes and programs that enabled third-party dealers to operate 2K+ retail locations. She was also recognized for pioneering a community support program to help people who are impacted by natural disasters with phones, water, and supplies.
An inspirational people leader who cultivates future leaders by nurturing growth and unleashing individual talents. She is passionate about employee development, she is a trusted mentor and advocate who regularly hosts DEI events, personal branding workshops, and coordinated volunteer events.
Sharon London
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Development Director- FSC Investments & Partnerships
Company: Forest Stewardship Council
Sharon London is an experienced nonprofit leader in the environment and global realms with expertise in fundraising, strategic planning, project management, board development, facilitation, and communication. She currently helps protect the world’s forests as the Development Director at the Forest Stewardship Council, Investments & Partnerships. She has worked at a number of nonprofits including the National Wildlife Federation, EarthCorps, and Seattle Urban Nature, with roles ranging from Executive Director, to DIrector of Strategic Partnerships, to Director of Development. Sharon spent 4.5 years in Southeast Asia, both as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in a Northern Thai National Park, and in Laos, where she worked for the World Wildlife Fund as a Protected Area Manager. Sharon has a B.A. in Geography from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in Geography from Oregon State University with a GIS/Forestry focus. She’s also a certified True Colors International personality assessment facilitator, a graduate of Leadership Tomorrow and the Global Leadership Forum, and currently the board President of Kavana in Seattle. Sharon loves to spend time with her family, two cats, and seven chickens. She also likes to travel, bike, hike, dance, garden and cook.
Madalina ManMadalina spent almost a decade working for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in various roles, ranging from legal research and analysis on international treaties and agreements to managing the IAEA nuclear security assistance portfolio for 25 member states. Madalina contributed to shaping and promoting the IAEA’s Nuclear Security Division’s program of legislative and regulatory assistance, by developing guidance, reference and training material, and designing diplomatic engagements and implementation strategies. She enjoys working collaboratively across diverse teams and engaging with a multitude of stakeholders to offer technical assistance in a tailored and strategic fashion. She has been fortunate enough to collaborate with a suite of international organizations, ministries and governmental agencies, and to build a network of contacts across many states. These interactions have refined her professional experience and led her to appreciate domestic challenges that governmental institutions face in their efforts to enhance CBRN materials’ security.
Nidhi Mehta
Pronouns: She/Her
Job Title: Sr. Manager, Program Management, Data Platform and Products
Company: Expedia Group
I am a Senior Technical Program Manager with a broad range of experience and skills in both public and private sectors. With more than 20 years of working in the IT field, I’ve worked on small bespoke development projects up to big SAP implementation projects in various roles. I am a determined, organized servant leader who can influence decisions. I help people grow and thrive with love and compassion. I bring my uniquely different self to offer facilitation, program and product management, mentoring, coaching and community building. I am also a certified life coach and an intuitive energy healer, focusing on overall wellness - mental, physical, emotional and help people take the next big step by achieving the confidence to pursue a lifestyle that embraces their unique strengths. A committed no excuse fitness enthusiast, mother, friend and colleague who loves to travel, explore the outdoors, hike, read, photograph nature, dance, sing, cook and spend time with family and friends.
I don’t miss any opportunity to share my learnings and give back to the community. I am always keen to fill in the gaps if needed to lead people and communities. The motto that I stand by is “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
I am a Believer of my own authenticity, my will power, my determination and live my life through courage and conviction and so should you.
Pam McClusky
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Curator of African and Oceanic Art
Company: Seattle Art Museum
Pamela has worked in art museums for decades with a focus on international exchanges and diplomacy. She promotes collaborative processes and has been involved in creating exhibitions that rely on alliances with African, African American and Oceanic artists and scholars, as well as Australian Aboriginal communities and museums. Many of these exhibitions have been circulated internationally, resulting in publications and digital resources. Often these projects rely on research that involves oral histories and performances, and challenge the reliance on written records alone. A few of the titles of exhibitions she’s curated include: Disguise: Masks and Global African Art, Gauguin and Polynesia: An Elusive Paradise, Ancestral Modern: Australian Aboriginal Art, and Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth.
Within the Seattle Art Museum, she has curated multiple galleries that often mix cultural perspectives and cross continental boundaries. On view currently is a selection of animals in art called Pacific Species, a collaboration with an Afro-Futurist artist on Lessons from the Institute of Empathy and an exhibition that is opening March 9th entitled IKAT: A World of Compelling Cloth. This exhibition of the ikat tradition has involved research about 8 regions of the world and a collection formulated after working with Threads of Life, an organization based in Ubud, Bali, where she traveled to in 2022.
How to best present the creativity of cultures outside America has been the challenge for her career and remains a constant point of inspiration.
Pamela Oakes
Pronouns: (she/her/Queen!)
Job Title: Owner/Principal Consultant
Company: The Profitable Nonprofit
First Job: Herfy’s Hamburgers
Owner of The Profitable Nonprofit, has remained at the forefront of driving racial equity solutions across the globe. She consulted with the top 100 corporations in South Africa during the post-apartheid Racial Reconciliation period, conducting training workshops for government, corporate, community, and faith-based organizations in the areas of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Gender Equity, Employment Equity, Affirmative Action, Organizational Transformation, and Change Management.
Pamela worked for nearly a decade with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As a grant maker managing a multi-million dollar portfolio, her team worked to create a more equitable system of promoting social mobility and economic development for low-income, underrepresented, student populations of color.
In 2020, she designed a participatory engagement strategy for the Race & Equity Advisory Committee of a Californian community foundation on their multi-year $4.5Billion initiative. The project goal was to implement inclusive economic initiatives targeting disparate outcomes in health and economic mobility for specific races and vulnerable populations.
In 2021, Pamela facilitated a mayoral-appointed community taskforce developing investment recommendations as part of a $100Million City of Seattle initiative. This initiative was an historic investment in BIPOC communities addressing the deep disparities caused by systemic racism and institutionalized oppression.
Currently a Fund Development and Capacity Building specialist, Pamela is a certified state trainer for the Washington Nonprofit Association, as well as the Nonprofit Association of Oregon.
Pamela attended the University of Washington where she majored in Political Science and remains a champion for empowering women and girls in developing nations.
Molly O'Connor
Pronouns: (she/her)
Job Title: Senior Program Manager, Strategy
Company: Remitly
I’m from Milwaukee, WI and I currently live in Seattle, WA. I studied Finance and Spanish in college, but I didn’t end up pursuing these areas! I have experience at large and start up financial service companies focused on strategic operations. I like spending my time at work solving complex and ambiguous problems by partnering with teammates around the world. In my personal life, I spend a lot of time cooking and eating great food and hanging out with my dog!
Ellie PageOutside of work, she enjoys playing tennis, running, reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Anne Smith
Job Title: Senior Director Program Management & Product Operations
Company: SimplePractice
I spent the first several years of my career in the Wireless industry. After taking several years off to raise my children I went back to work and spent 11+ years at Expedia in a variety of roles. I recently joined SimplePractice. The primary focus throughout my career has been Program Management, Operations, Analytics and Compliance. I have a huge passion for growing and developing women. I was a board member and the Global Board President of Women at Expedia Learning and Leading for 7+ years. As a leader I believe in a people first approach, keeping team members and customers at the heart of everything. As a coach, mentor, and leader my goal is to inspire and empower those around me to contribute at a new level, fostering a culture of growth, continuous improvement, high engagement and top performance. On the personal side I have lived in Washington my entire life. The mountains, lakes, rivers, beaches and 4 distinct seasons (none of which are too harsh) have made it an amazing to grow and raise a family. I am blessed with three amazing children. It is true what they say, if you raise your kids right they become your best friends as adults. I am also blessed with 4 amazing siblings and a large extended family. I am a huge pro and college football fan. For the past 4 years my son and I have been traveling around the country visiting stadiums watching Oregon football games. About 4 years ago I began kick boxing. It is a great workout and a fun stress reliever. My favorite way to relax is next to a pool or on a beach in (80+ degree) weather with a good book.
Nicky Smith
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Job Title: Executive Director
Company: International Rescue Committee
Nicky Smith is the Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee in Seattle, which provides opportunities for refugees, asylees, victims of human trafficking, survivors of torture, and other immigrants to thrive in America. She has more than 25 years of progressively responsible professional experience with non-governmental organizations in crisis affected countries; of which 12 years have been spent in a conflict and post conflict setting.
Prior to her role as Executive Director at The IRC in Seattle, Nicky was responsible for establishing and managing new country programs for The IRC. Her areas of expertise include emergency preparedness and response, country-program management, refugee policy and advocacy, and strategy and change planning. Before joining The IRC, Nicky worked for almost 10 years with Doctors Without Borders and Children’s Aid Direct in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan and Nepal, amongst other countries.
Nicky is a member of the Civic Council of the Masters of Arts in Applied International Studies Program at the Jackson School of Business, University of Washington. She is also a member of the City of Seattle’s Census Taskforce, and the Washington Advisory Committee for the US Global Leadership Coalition.
Jennifer Spatz
Pronouns: She/Her
Job Title: Cultural Anthropologist and CEO/Founder of Global Family Travels
Company: Global Family Travels
A cultural anthropologist at heart, Jennifer Spatz is Founder and CEO of Bellevue, WA basedGlobal Family Travels, whose mission is to “Learn, Serve and Immerse,” offering travelers the opportunity to authentically connect with the local people, cultures and natural environment of the destinations they visit.
Using tourism to help solve community challenges, Jennifer designs sustainable travel opportunities in partnership with local and global non-profit organizations. Whether it is a one-day community adventure in the Seattle area, or asmall group global adventure, each travel experience features a unique mix of cultural and educational activities, as well as authentic community engagement to help make a positive impact on the lives of people and natural habitat of the destination.
Jennifer is a thought leader in the travel industry and uses aregenerative approach to tourism and theUnited Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) to ensure that the travel experiences she designs benefit local communities and intentionally improve social and environmental systems, so that all beings can thrive. She has spoken about the topic at several travel conferences, and was featured in a recent Podcast on the topic featuring the recently launched Seattle Street Hues Urban Art project: Regenerative Tourism: When Sustainability isn't Enough
She is also aTransformational Travel Designer and Ally for theTransformational Travel Council and served as a Chapter Lead for the Greater Seattle Chapter ofImpact Travel Alliance.
Prior to founding Global Family Travels, Jennifer spent her career in international development, trade, and finance, and worked in Washington D.C. for the Foreign Agricultural Services of the USDA before moving to Seattle to work as an Export Credit Manager for Weyerhaeuser. She holds a double B.A. in International Political Science and Anthropology from Bates College, and a M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University.
Amy Stillion
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Job Title: Chief of Staff, Minecraft
Company: Microsoft
Amy has a passion for creating collaborative partnerships that positively impact people and communities. As the Chief of Staff at Mojang Studios, the creators of Minecraft, Amy focuses on the operational rhythm of the franchise, builds diversity and inclusion and team health initiatives, and develops leadership communications and company narratives. She is both personally and professionally committed to improving the human experience and creating inclusive and nurturing environments where everyone can feel safe and secure and supported in doing their best work.
Before joining Microsoft and Mojang Studios, Amy worked across the non-profit space building programs and partnerships aimed at improving human experiences and health outcomes. She has advised corporate partners on their strategic planning processes related to social responsibility and worked with individual philanthropists to focus their giving in ways that achieve the highest impact outcomes. In 2019, she co-chaired The Walt Disney Company’s Hospital and Wishes Advisory Committee to establish the focus of Disney’s five-year, $100M commitment to improving the pediatric experience and she served as an advisor to the CHARIOT program at Stanford Children’s Health. Currently, Amy is a member of the Board of Directors for the Seattle Universal Math Museum, a local organization focused on making math accessible and fun for all.
Christine Stoffels
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Founder
Company: Christine Stoffels Consulting
Christine is a Washingtonian and is based in Seattle. She is the owner of a leadership and team development consultancy, is an International Coaching Federation certified leadership coach, former executive director for a national non-profit, former Peace Corps volunteer, is a Mama of teens and a furry baby, and se habla Español.
Christine is passionate about building her antiracist practice. Her 50-year goal is to catalyze the Black Lives Matter movement at the C-Suite level.
She is learning how to sail, play jazz piano, and Christine says that her greatest achievement has been to learn how to love herself so that she can do better for others.
Christine is a woman for others. It is evident in each strategic career move she has made. Professionally, Christine is equal parts adaptive and servant leader, and the passion and commitment to serving others is steadfast. Christine has executive presence and excellent cross-cultural facilitation skills and is particularly adept at creating spaces for listening, empathy, collaboration, and compassion - helping turn her clients’ visions into actionable realities. She provides strategic insights from a coaching perspective and supports leaders and teams to build more equitable and inclusive organizational environments tied to their mission and core values.
Her client and colleague references share that you’ll enjoy working with her because she brings joy, a passion and commitment to equity and inclusion, and rigor to her work.
Sarah Studer
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Director of Platform
Company: Techstars Seattle
Sarah Studer is the Director of Platform for Techstars Seattle and the Filecoin Techstars Accelerator program. Techstars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed by investing in startup founders and connecting them to investors, corporations and cities to help build thriving startup communities. In her role at Techstars, Sarah is responsible for the operations of both accelerator programs, supporting the 130+ companies in the portfolio and driving community engagement throughout Seattle as well as the larger Techstars ecosystem.
Prior to joining Techstars, Sarah was the Assistant Director at the University of Washington’s Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, held various positions including Managing Director at Impact Hub Seattle, and has served on the boards of the Pioneer Square Business Improvement Area, Seattle CityClub, and Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy.
Sarah is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound, where she majored in politics and government. She took an internship with a small non-profit during her last semester of college, which kickstarted her career in nonprofits and philanthropy.
Sarah’s personal motto is “always take the meeting!” because you never know where it may lead!
Gael Tarleton
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Director
Company: Office of Intergovernmental Relations, City of Seattle
Gael has spent her life working - as a federal government employee, in a 40,000-employee science and technology company, as a manager of international subsidiaries with Russian and Ukrainian employees, as research advisor and development director at the University of Washington…and then she ran for public office. She served 5 years as an elected Port of Seattle Commissioner and 8 years in the Washington State House of Representatives serving the people of the 36th District. Today she leads the City of Seattle’s Intergovernmental Relations office. Whether in public service or the private sector, Gael has created jobs and new opportunities for colleagues who want to solve the toughest challenges. She’s a graduate of Georgetown University, with an MA in Government and National Security and a BS from the School of Foreign Service. Gael and her husband have lived in Ballard more than 30 years.
Cornelia Treptow
Pronouns: She/Her
Job title: Research and Insights Strategist
Company: Formerly Microsoft
Cornelia is a seasoned research and insights strategist with over 10 years of experience advising product teams, delivering brand insights, and guiding campaigns decisions.
She began her career in Washington, DC at Lake Research Partners, where she conducted research on behalf of political campaigns across the country from local politics and congressional races to statewide initiatives. She then left for the other Washington to join Strategies 360 in Seattle where she continued to advise campaigns and work on other strategic communications efforts. Cornelia has worked for a range of clients, including Amazon, Disney, Boeing, the Gates Foundation, tribes, and school districts across Washington.
Most recently, Cornelia was a Senior Research Designer for Microsoft Mixed Reality where she conducted research for new product incubation and improvements, as well as developing XR experiences, including Microsoft Mesh.
Cornelia grew up in London but has called Seattle home since 2015. She holds a BA in Economics and Government from Smith College and a Five College Certificate in International Relations. In her spare time, she loves to read, try new recipes, and go on a good road trip. She is an active member of Women in Research and currently a board member at Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum, where she leads the Strategic Planning Committee.
Elsa Watland
Pronouns: She/Her
Job Title: Senior Program Manager
Company: Remitly
Elsa is a Senior Program Manager at Remitly, a digital remittance company headquartered in Seattle. In her 5+ years at the company, she has held roles across Marketing, Localization and Product. She now drives send country expansion, requiring her to partner with almost every team at the company to launch Remity’s money transfer service in new outbound markets. Elsa led the recent launch of Remitly in the UAE, which represents a $43B remittance market.
While Seattle was her home until the age of 8, Elsa spent formative years in the UK and Switzerland as her parents wanted to raise her closer to their Norwegian family. Elsa attended Scripps College where she majored in Politics & International Relations with a focus on agricultural development. At Scripps, she studied abroad and interned in Kenya. Elsa’s post-college career took on an unconventional trajectory: with money saved up from working in the Alaskan fishing industry, she volunteered on organic farms in Ecuador and Chile, worked as an Administrative Coordinator at StolenYouth, taught English in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as a Fulbright scholar, and served as a Carter Center Election Observer in the 2017 General Elections in Kenya.
Elsa returned to Seattle knowing she wanted to continue working in the international sector. After a brief foray into the restaurant industry, she served as the Community Events Coordinator at the World Affairs Council where she drove the Council’s events programming and hosted diplomats, policy makers, and business leaders to speak on international policy.
Elsa transitioned to the private sector when she joined Remitly in 2017, where she is able to draw from her international experience and contribute to a mission driven organization that
seeks to provide immigrants with the most trusted financial services in the world.
Susan Wickwire
Pronouns: She/her
Job Title: Middle School Teacher
Company: Seattle Public Schools
Susan Wickwire is a Seattle public middle school teacher. She came to education as a way to leverage her years of professional experience to support the intellectual and social development of young people in our community. It’s her third career after leadership positions with the Federal government and a local nonprofit. Susan spent over 20 years with the U.S. EPA and the State Department in Washington, DC where she worked on climate change. At State, she served on U.S. delegations to the UN climate negotiations, including in Kyoto, Japan. She moved to EPA to manage an international cooperation unit before becoming head of the voluntary clean energy programs unit with a focus on renewable and efficient energy. She was also temporarily promoted to oversee the ENERGY STAR program. She returned to her hometown to run the Seattle 2030 District, an innovative private-public partnership that aims to dramatically reduce environmental impacts of building construction and operations through education and collaboration. She received her BA in Political Science from Whitman College, her MPA from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, and her Masters in Teaching from the University of Washington.
Rebecca Wilson
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Independent Education Consultant
Company: Self-employed
Rebecca Wilson’s professional and community work focus on her passion for furthering education, volunteerism and healthy communities. Professionally, Rebecca is an education placement consultant, assisting families with the school search process. A Washington State native, Rebecca holds a B.A. in Psychology and Communication from Western Washington University, a Master's Certificate in Organizational Change and Leadership from Hawaii Pacific University and a Master's of Education Degree in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is also a 2010 graduate of the Leadership Tomorrow Seattle program.
Rebecca's civic involvement mirrors her professional work. She currently serves as a member and Past President of the Burke Museum Association Board of Directors, Founder and Past President of the Seattle Children's Color Me Happy Guild, sustaining member and Past President of the Junior League of Seattle, member of the Seattle Repertory Theater board of trustees and a member of the advisory board of the National Museum and Center for Service. Rebecca has also held volunteer leadership roles with the Sanctuary Art Center, YMCA of Greater Seattle, The Ruby Room, YMCA of the USA, Seattle Works, Girls on the Run and the Seattle Center Advisory Commission.
In her free time, Rebecca enjoys running, golf, tennis and cheering on the Seahawks and Mariners.
Leslie Womack
Pronouns: She/her
Job Title: Director of Sales
Company: Mayflower Park Hotel
Leslie Womack is Director of Sales at the historic Mayflower Park Hotel in downtown Seattle. A 30-year veteran of the tourism and hospitality industry, Leslie has held management and business development roles for various tourism entities. Prior to the Mayflower Park Hotel, Leslie developed the group sales program at Experience Music Project (now MoPop). As Regional Director with Aramark Park & Resorts, she led the sales efforts for Lake Quinault and Kalaloch Lodges and Lodges in Denali National Park in Alaska. Leslie earned her B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Fisk University and a master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
Leslie has always been passionate about learning about different cultures and exploring new places. “Travel has been an integral part of my life, helping me to gain perspective on the world, its people, and how we live our lives. I believe that travel is vital to understanding our interconnectedness, as well as appreciating the beauty of our own culture.” Throughout her career, Leslie has traveled to over 10 countries.
Leslie is currently serving on the State of Washington Tourism Board and the Sleeping Lady Resort board operated by the Icicle Fund.
In her free time, Leslie enjoys playing with her goldendoodle, Pepper, hosting international visitors in her home, listening to jazz and watching her granddaughter play soccer.
Nancy Woodland
Pronouns: she/her
Job Title: Partner and Executive Director
Company: Ampersand Community and Learning Communities Foundation
After 13 years as Executive Director of WestSide Baby, Nancy stepped away in 2019. She joined in the launch of Ampersand Community, a consulting firm fueling nonprofit transformation and excellence through trusting relationships and anti-racist diligence.
There, she partners with nonprofits working towards a definition of excellence that connects traditional focus areas such as board governance and recruitment and retention strategies to mission impact in accountability to those affected.
Nancy now spends the greater part of her work week as Executive Director for the Learning Communities Foundation for Educare and PSESD. As the fund-development partner of Educare’s early learning program and the Puget Sound Educational Service District, LCF’s work supports early learning and racially just and humanizing school systems overall.
Nancy is a mom to two almost-adults, wife, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a learner, lawyer and collaborator.
Nancy has a BA from Michigan State University and a JD from Loyola University in Chicago. She litigated child abuse, neglect and foster/childcare licensing cases for four years as an Assistant Attorney General. She proudly serves as a board member for the National Diaper Bank Network, and as Chair of the Verity Credit Union Board. Most of what she has learned in life is from the times she simply showed up… willing.