Brandy Dukes (at left) takes a selfie with her daughters while enjoying a Seattle Storm basketball game.
Brandy Dukes (she/her/hers) is a people person at heart. In both her personal life and her work, she finds ways to lead with respect and kindness. Some of her favorite people are her two kids, who play a significant role in shaping her worldview and approach to equity. In large part because of them, she has become steeped in advocacy for women’s and children’s empowerment, volunteering at events and children’s hospitals throughout Washington.
“I’m a mom. At home, I have a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old,” said Brandy, who lives in Tacoma with her two children and husband. “I had a colleague once tell me that I have a way of talking about my kids in every part of my job. I do that because they’re why I do what I do.”
Brandy brings to Inatai nearly two decades of experience in project management and operations, all with her deep care for others at the center. She began her career in healthcare, helping organizations like SoundPath Health and Group Health Cooperative streamline and scale their operations to support customers. Over the last decade, Brandy was a leader at MultiCare Health System, where she most recently served as the Associate Vice President of Portfolio Management & Business Operations. She holds an MBA from Benedictine University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Illinois State University.
As a project manager, she thrives when leading and overseeing different areas of work, acting as a throughline for multiple components of projects that drive equity. She is intentional about her relationships with colleagues without losing sight of the importance of the work that she does.
“When leading complex projects, I listen first, and I listen to understand. I challenge my colleagues to reimagine their projects as a win-win-win: a win for our project team, a win for our organization, and a win for the community. Communication, collaboration, and transparency are the core of what I bring to the table as a project manager,” she said.
For Brandy, Inatai marks a new opportunity to “make the lives of many a little less difficult.” As Vice President of Operations & Administration, she will oversee the Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance, and Operations teams. In this role, she seeks to strengthen service-oriented leadership, increase transparency, and deepen the culture of trust at the foundation. Above all, she cares deeply about her co-workers at Inatai and the people and communities with whom they partner.
“What attracted me to Inatai is the impactful work we get to do alongside communities — led by people from all different walks of life,” shared Brandy. “Here in Tacoma, I experience the diversity of my local community every day, and I’m looking forward to supporting the work of my community here at Inatai. To me, that’s the draw and I’m so excited to embark on this journey.”
In addition to her job and volunteering, Brandy enjoys spending her time exploring Tacoma and Washington state. She enjoys finding new hiking trails and trying local Italian and seafood restaurants. As a former Chicagoan, Brandy enjoys cheering on Windy City sports teams with her family.
