Sylvia joins Inatai Foundation as a summer analyst on the investment team under an internship program. She assists the investment team with ongoing due diligence, researching market trends, and supporting special assignments. Sylvia has a proven record of successful project management and has gained vital experience in global finance through previous internships. Sylvia was a David Projects for Peace Fellow and founded a program to provide training workshops on the dangers of child trafficking and offer peer counselling to survivors and their families.

Sylvia moved to the United States from Nairobi, Kenya, to attend Whitman College in Walla Walla. She recently graduated with a BA in economics and theater. As an engaged student leader, Sylvia served as president of the Whitman Drama Club and broke history as the first Black playwright to debut an original play at the school. She’s an avid movie fan who enjoys watching films with friends and family.

Nick Allen is Inatai Foundation’s policy and advocacy director and holds more than two decades of experience in law, government, and community-driven advocacy. In this role, Nick works with foundation colleagues, community leaders, and funding partners to develop and advance public policy priorities in Washington as he builds relationships and leverages Inatai’s status as 501(c)(4) grantmaking organization.

Most recently, Nick was deputy director of advocacy leading ending mass incarceration work for Columbia Legal Services. He formerly served in other roles at the organization, including providing legal representation for people in Washington’s correctional facilities through its Institutions Project. Born and raised in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, Nick was propelled to study law after serving his community as legislative aid to former King County Councilmember Larry Gossett.

Nick is a board member of Disability Rights Washington and board chair of Interaction Transition. He is also an at-large member of King County Community Advisory Committee for Law Enforcement Oversight. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Seattle University School of Law, Nick enjoys being on the open road and takes driving trips across the United States when he can.

Brenda is responsible for shaping and executing the foundation’s approach to community engagement, learning, research, and programmatic evaluation in support of our values and aspirations. She aims to ensure the experiences of communities most impacted by inequities are central to the foundation’s learning, guiding how we meaningfully support community-led efforts.

Previously, Brenda served as deputy director and policy manager at the Seattle Office for Civil Rights. She feels fortunate to have incredible mentors throughout her life, from her mother who raised four kids on a steady diet of liberation theology, service, and love, to community elders who lead with the value of “nothing for us, without us.”

Brenda earned her bachelor’s at Western Washington University and master’s at the London School of Economics. She lives with her partner and two kiddos in West Seattle.

Dion oversees recruitment and develops foundation-wide programs to support employee success and a positive team culture. Dion has spent the last 15 years as a human resources professional, partnering with other leaders to develop and execute successful recruiting strategies and employee engagement programs, as well as to establish new business functions. He has worked with Neighborcare Health, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Amazon, Group Health Cooperative, Starbucks Coffee Company, and Alaska Airlines. As a person of color, Dion recognizes the impacts of racial injustices, and is eager to be part of an organization looking to make extraordinary changes that advance equity and racial justice across the state.

Dion also serves on the clergy at Freedom Church of Seattle, where he’s involved with the Youth Violence Prevention Network, a daily love and peace campaign that engages young people in preventing violence of any form, as well as with the 100 Man Army, which brings together men of all ages for worship and community service. In addition, Dion enjoys spending time with his extended family, exploring new restaurants, and cooking (Food Network is his source of inspiration). He attended Warner Pacific College.

As a grants and data administrator, Sewheat Asfaha supports all aspects of grants processing, from applications to grant award disbursements. Her role in managing the grants database and collecting information plays a key part in the foundation’s ability to evaluate how its goals are being achieved. Most recently, Sewheat was a grants database manager for the Social Justice Fund NW, where she gained experience improving accessibility for grantees. Prior to that, she worked as an administrative assistant and volunteer coordinator at College Access Now.

Volunteering in her community has always been important to Sewheat, who has been involved at various nonprofit organizations, like YouthCare and the ACLU of Washington. In her free time, Sewheat loves making art, roller skating (particularly jam skating), and listening to podcasts. She also enjoys gardening, and hopes to become involved with community farming. Sewheat holds a bachelor’s degree in government and legal studies from Bowdoin College.

As an administrative associate, Camille provides executive-level administrative support to the executive vice president and helps manage projects and initiatives across the foundation. From her background as a paralegal, Camille brings strong project management skills in addition to a range of experiences advocating for equity and justice alongside others. In all of her work, Camille values building true connections and relationships and learned Spanish to remove barriers between her and Spanish-speaking community members and clients.

Camille is a newer arrival to Washington state and has gotten involved in the community by volunteering with Black Star Farmers and YouthCare. Previously, she has volunteered at the U.S.-Mexico border, handing out supplies and providing informational resources to those who had just completed their journey and were beginning a new one in the States. In her free time, you can likely find Camille roller skating with friends or hiking with her dog Paz. Camille received her bachelor’s degree in business management and law studies from the University of Colorado Denver.

Habtamu Bekele joins Inatai Foundation with a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

He’s worked previously at BlackRock as a vice president of investment operations and Carta Equity Management Solutions as a manager on the fund administration team. With 17 years of experience in traditional and alternative investment operations, Habtamu brings a wealth of knowledge to his role. Habtamu will lead and supervise key vendors and manage the execution of investments, investment accounting, investment administration, cash management/rebalancing and investment performance reporting.

Habtamu is an active member of the Ethiopian Community in Seattle, an organization committed to helping Ethiopian immigrants find jobs, housing, health care and legal support. He also loves to travel with his wife and son. He makes a point of visiting Ethiopia as often as he can and enjoys quick getaways to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. When he’s not working, serving his community, or booking his next travel adventure, Habtamu spends his leisure time running and hiking in the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest.

As a vice president on our programs team, Carmen Berkley works in creative partnership with foundation staff, allied funders, grant recipients, and community leaders throughout Washington. Her role includes developing and leading grantmaking portfolios and ensuring each program area advances the foundation’s aspirations as a systems-focused and equity-rooted grantmaker.

Carmen has more than 15 years of experience in advocacy, political strategy, grantmaking, movement building, organizational development, communications, and cultural expression. She previously held leadership positions with the AFL-CIO, United States Student Association, and NAACP. As managing director for Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Carmen oversaw a $50 million grants, sponsorships, and advocacy portfolio and led a 50-person team. Most recently, Carmen was chief strategy officer with Dancing Hearts Consulting, a nationally renowned Black-women-led social and political impact firm serving foundations explicitly focused on ending inequality in all of its forms.

A founder of BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100), Carmen has deep experience as an activist and an organizer. She sits on several boards, including the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Advocates for Youth, re:power, and the Sephora Equity Board. Carmen studied communications and rhetorical process, as well as political science and Africana studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Outside of work, she deejays under the moniker, CarmenSpindiego, and has played in a wide variety of venues, from basement clubs to U.S. presidential forums. She enjoys concerts and travel with her husband and family.

As events associate, Hayley Burgin supports internal and external events, including meetings, events, retreats, convenings, and conferences. She also ensures the foundation lives its values by contracting with businesses, contractors, and consultants who reflect Washington’s many communities.

Hayley holds extensive event planning experience, having previously worked in catering and sales for luxury hotel brands in the Seattle area and as a corporate meeting planner for one of the world’s leading meetings procurement companies. Hayley also founded her own event design company called HAYLO, where she’s planned hundreds of weddings and specials events from start to finish. Before joining the foundation, Hayley was a paraeducator for Spokane Public Schools while earning her master’s degree in Education.

Born in Seattle and raised in Spokane, Hayley studied political science at Seattle University. She is currently completing a master’s degree from Whitworth University. In addition to her passion for learning and building community through events, Hayley loves spending time with close friends she’s made over the years and reading a good book, preferably with a lakeside view and her children nearby.

As part of the human resources team, Mitchell implements the foundation’s talent strategy, including for current and future staffing needs, recruitment, retention, and succession planning. He also analyzes trends in compensation and benefits and helps put into place compensation policy and programs.

Mitchell was most recently an operations associate at the foundation supporting the executive vice president. Before coming to the foundation, he served as the advancement and communications officer for the University of Washington (UW) Department of Biology, where he managed policies and procedures for a portfolio of endowments, advancement projects, and donor stewardship events.

Mitchell has also worked with Solid Ground and with Asian Pacific Islander Americans for Civic Empowerment (APACE) to advance affordable housing and voter engagement initiatives. Mitchell earned an MPA from the UW Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, as well as a BS in microbiology and biochemistry from the UW. When he’s not at Inatai, Mitchell serves on the Pride Foundation board and enjoys exploring Seattle’s vibrant food scene with friends.

Kendall Clawson implements the foundation’s leadership cultivation and development strategies, which includes building an ecosystem of connected organizations working for equity and justice. She was most recently the president and chief executive officer of Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington and previously served as the executive director of the American Leadership Forum of Oregon.

As deputy chief of staff for community engagement under Oregon’s Office of the Governor, Kendall oversaw the recruitment of 3,000-plus members of state boards and commissions. Membership for people of color quadrupled to 25 percent and for women doubled to 53 percent by the end of her eight-year tenure.

Kendall holds more than 32 years of nonprofit management and public service experience and her work is rooted in cross-sector collaboration, organizational development, community building, equitable practices, and leadership development. She is deeply involved with several community organizations and boards and serves as an elder care advocate. Kendall loves tennis, travel, art, and is known to talk to every dog she meets.

As a communications associate, Alyssa supports various communications efforts across the foundation. They bring over a decade of experience in multimedia, marketing, and communications, spanning from filmmaking in the entertainment industry to marketing and communications in the nonprofit sector. As a passionate storyteller, Alyssa is dedicated to elevating the expertise and stories of Washington’s communities and honoring people’s truth through his work. Most recently, he worked with an arts organization that provides creative engagement to those who have experienced trauma.

Alyssa earned their bachelor’s degree in film from the Purchase Film Conservatory. In her free time, she loves cooking and trying new foods and restaurants and proudly identifies as a foodie. They enjoy scotch tastings, obscure Southeast Asian films, and catching World Cup games with friends.

As a vice president, Steven is responsible for the vision, development, and implementation of a range of grantmaking, leadership, and power-building strategies to advance racial justice and equity in Washington and beyond. Steven has been nationally recognized for moving philanthropy toward greater investment in people and communities. He is particularly committed to supporting community leaders in becoming increasingly influential advocates and changemakers. Most recently, he served as the executive director of The Partnership Funds, a collaborative dedicated to winning anti-racist independent political power in states across the country. Steven was also the founder of his own consulting firm, a senior leader at the Tides Foundation, and an early staff member at Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.

Steven serves on the board of the Funder’s Committee for Civic Participation, for whom he was previously co-chair. He is on the governing board of the Alliance for Youth Organizing, and was a founding board member of the Ohio Transformation Fund, among other grantmaking collaborations. Steven, his husband, and their dog are delighted to explore Washington state, following more than 15 years in the District of Columbia, where they were proud Washingtonians of a different type. Steven studied theology and philosophy at Creighton University.

Angie is an administrative associate supporting the investment team at the foundation. She’s responsible for providing overall administrative and database support while coordinating with external partners. Angie brings with her years of operations and administrative support at Seattle-area technology start-ups like Redfin. A big believer in the power of volunteering and being in the community, she’s served at organizations like Legal Voice since 2013. 

Angie loves to bake—particularly French desserts. And when she’s not taking her beloved dog Maddie on a hike, she’s likely playing the accordion. 

DeAna joined Inatai Foundation with more than 17 years of accounting experience. As accountant, she ensures the accuracy and timeliness of accounting entries and monitors compliance with the foundation’s policies, protocols, and workflows. Most recently, DeAna was an accounts payable specialist at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. She also worked for several companies, including Live Nation, International Paper, and Smith Fire Systems.

She is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in applied management at Tacoma Community College and holds an associate degree in accounting from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. DeAna and her family call Steilacoom in Pierce County home. In addition to “accountant,” DeAna also describes herself as an actor and singer. She shares a love for musical theater with her family and hopes to perform in a production with them one day.

As a program officer, Karen develops and nurtures relationships with community members and organizations across Washington state, connecting those doing important work in their communities to the foundation’s resources. She arrives to the organization by way of the Yakama Nation, of which she’s an enrolled member and previously served as economic development director. In her role, she helped reinstate transit services to the reservation and developed business opportunities that preserved history, reinforced cultural values, and improved overall quality of life.

An avid maker, Karen crochets, does beadwork, and sews. She’s grateful most of all for the continued support and love of her husband and two daughters.

In her role, Kayla ensures the quality, timeliness, transparency, and consistency of the programs team’s project management and grants management. Her responsibilities include fostering a culture that supports the team’s overall cohesiveness and building a team of program associates. Kayla was most recently a program associate for the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation and, before that, the youth program director for the Center for Community Impact at YMCA Pierce and Kitsap Counties.

Kayla is deeply connected to her community, serving on the Heal the Heart of Tacoma core coordinating team. She earned a BA in psychology from Central Washington University. In her free time, Kayla enjoys traveling across Washington, spending time with family, and listening to podcasts.

Shannon Duff is a grants manager who ensures that Inatai’s grantmaking operations align with and advance the foundation’s values. She champions a culture that centers grantees by designing grantmaking practices focused on the needs of communities most often overlooked in philanthropy. Before joining the foundation, Shannon was a grants administrator at Northwest Health Foundation, where she oversaw more than $16 million in grantmaking to nonprofit entities in her six-year tenure.

Born and raised in the Philippines, where she attended an international school, Shannon was inspired to earn a degree in international studies at the University of Oregon with a focus on comparative development in southeast Asia and minor in Asian studies. She previously served as a board member for the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon where she shared her expertise in grantmaking.

Shannon strikes a balance between work and life with activities such as traveling, rallying up a team for local trivia nights, and scuba diving. She also enjoys charcuterie boards, cheese, and giving her favorite recommendations for gamay wines.

Fautimah supports the grants team as they work to engage with and learn from communities across the state and deliver on the foundation’s grantmaking strategies. She also provides executive-level administrative and project support to the vice president of programs.

Fautimah earned a BA in sociology with a minor in diversity studies from the University of Washington, where she graduated in 2019. In addition to her studies, Fautimah’s experiences as a biracial woman have led her on a path to equity and social justice work. In her free time, Fautimah loves taking film pictures of her family and friends, listening to music and, most importantly, spending time with her cat Pierre.

As part of the three-year rotational analyst program, Bowei conducts manager screening and research, builds relationships with institutional investors, and analyzes portfolio-level data. Previously, Bowei served as a private asset analyst for LP Analyst, where he analyzed private markets and advised university endowments and foundations. Bowei has a master of finance from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in finance, with a minor in economics, from Georgetown University.

In his free time, Bowei enjoys exploring nature, playing basketball and golf, and trying out new restaurants.

Rosa is responsible for supporting the foundation’s commitment to engaging with communities across Washington. As a member of the community engagement and learning team, she works to center the foundation’s values to help ensure all our decisions are accountable and in service to communities most impacted by inequities.

Previously, Rosa was board relations manager in the President’s office, where she advanced the foundation’s work at the governance level. Before Inatai, Rosa worked at the REACH Project of Evergreen Treatment Services with people experiencing homelessness, substance use, and mental health conditions in the Seattle area. Rosa was raised in a biracial and multicultural family, who taught her the importance of not only listening to—but also believing in and honoring people’s stories.

Rosa is a regular volunteer with Onyx Fine Arts Collective. She earned an MPA from the Evans School at the University of Washington and a BA in anthropology from Linfield College. In her free time, Rosa enjoys getting outside as much as possible, quilting, and finding ways to satisfy her massive sweet tooth.

Brenda joins Inatai as a program associate on the grantmaking team. Her role includes a variety of administrative, relationship management, research, and team-wide coordination activities that ensure the team functions efficiently and effectively. Brenda’s previous experience has focused on direct services. She was a program director for Communities in School of Benton-Franklin, a wrap-around direct student support program, and worked at the Children’s Reading Foundation, where she coordinated reading programs to improve childhood literacy in the Tri-Cities region.

Brenda earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Washington State University. While there, she also founded the Alpha Nu Multicultural Sorority, the first of its kind at WSU. She went on to earn her master’s degree in social work from Eastern Washington University. In her free time, Brenda is a proud mom to her daughters, Soraya and Luna. She enjoys taking them to outdoor community festivals and spending time with her husband and parents.

Willa is our accounting manager, overseeing the day-to-day financial activities and working with the finance and administration director to design procedures that best serve the needs of staff and community partners. Willa has dedicated her professional career working with nonprofit organizations, previously working as accounting manager for Tides Center in San Francisco and for Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland.

Willa earned her BA in accounting from Portland State University, and is a licensed certified public accountant in Washington. Outside of work, Willa loves reading, playing board games, and hiking throughout the Pacific Northwest.

As a program officer, Jorge cultivates relationships with communities across Washington state to advance the foundation’s grantmaking and program strategies. Most recently, Jorge served as the executive director of the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council in Oregon, where he helped grow the organization from the ground up to become a state leader in the empowerment of the Latino community. While there, he established La Voz de la Comunidad (The Voice of the Community) to create a platform for community members to engage civically and influence policy. Previously, Jorge worked in the entertainment industry and as a paralegal, before he discovered his life passion for community power-building.

Jorge earned his BA in political science from Bowdoin College. Outside of work, Jorge and his partner like to travel, spend time with their Shiba Inu dog, and watch horror and classic movies. Jorge also enjoys reading history books, in part because understanding the past can help with understanding the present.

As part of the learning and community engagement team, Bárbara (Baar-bha-rah) brings expertise and knowledge of north central Washington communities to the foundation. She provides administrative and project support for the foundation’s learning, community engagement, and evaluation activities. Bárbara has more than a decade of experience serving immigrant and low-income students and families. She spent the last four years with the North Central Educational Service District, training school staff and parents as well as reviewing migrant education programs in multiple school districts. Prior to that, she helped build the Latino/a Education Achievement Project (LEAP), a program for academic achievement and leadership development for Latino students in Washington.

Bárbara earned a bachelor’s degree and an MPA from the University of Washington. She loves enjoying the beauty of her region, traveling, and eating delicious food—particularly her mom’s.

Diana leads the development and implementation of communications strategies at Inatai and works in service of communities building narrative power for change. She supports the communications team in their efforts to amplify the expertise of community leaders and organizations throughout the state and to tell the story of the foundation as it grows and evolves.  

Before Inatai, Diana was a director for the Community Center for Education Results, where she oversaw communications for the Road Map Project initiative in South King County. She collaborated with students and families, institutions, and government to advocate for racial equity in seven school districts. Starting her career as a journalist, Diana has 15 years of experience in nonprofit, policy, and research communications. Previous experiences include New York Public Radio, American Institutes for Research, and Asian Americans for Equality.  

Diana continues to believe in the potential of journalism to drive change. She is a board member of InvestigateWest, a nonprofit that seeks to engage Pacific Northwest communities on social issues through investigative reporting. She earned her MPA from New York University and a BA in journalism at Temple University and is proud to be part of the South Seattle community.  

As a program officer, Tony (naschio) builds relationships with communities and grantees across Washington state and helps shape grantmaking and program strategies to improve equity and racial justice. He has spent his career promoting cultural and community health, including serving as director of the Education and Heritage Department for the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, chair of the Northwest Indian Language Institute Advisory Board at the University of Oregon, and cultural education coordinator and language specialist with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Born and raised in Southwest Washington, Tony is a member of the Chinook Indian Nation and chairman of the Tribal Council, as well as chairman of the Cultural Committee. He brings deep, multi-generational connections with tribal and non-tribal communities throughout the state and a personal understanding of the socioeconomic injustices present in many rural communities.

Tony is also an artist, carver, and designer. His most recent project—a large-scale installation reflecting the arrival of a Chinookan canoe carrying cultural heroes from the Columbia River—is displayed on the entry plaza, greeting visitors to the Burke Museum. He and his family live above the Willapa River, where they feel inspired by the natural beauty around them and compelled by the lifeways of their ancestors. Tony studied silversmithing and American Indian Studies at the University of Washington and earned a BFA with a minor in anthropology at Central Washington University. He is also a licensed American Indian language teacher specific to the Chinuk Wawa language that he learned from his elders.

LiLi Liu joined Inatai in 2019 as a program officer and continues to work closely with organizations. As portfolio director, she develops and implements grantmaking portfolios that prioritize representative leadership, demonstrate our values, and support community-based initiatives.  

She has a deep background in community development, government, and philanthropy and draws on her past experiences working with nonprofits to ensure people who live, work, and lead in their communities are supported in designing solutions that address their needs. Before Inatai, LiLi worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where she spent 11 years developing funding strategies to address community priorities and ensure equitable outcomes for students across Washington. Prior to that, she led learning and evaluation efforts for the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Making Connections Initiative in the White Center & Boulevard Park neighborhoods of South King County, and supported family and youth programs through  the City of Seattle Human Services Department. 

Growing up in the Seattle area, LiLi witnessed her parents making themselves available to support other Chinese and Taiwanese immigrant families in accessing vital resources like health, education, and employment, which deeply shaped her desire to give back to the community. She earned her BS from the University of Washington and MPH from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Outside of work, LiLi serves on the board of OneAmerica Votes, and enjoys reading, gardening, and traveling with her family. 

Carmen serves as the finance and administration director, and is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the foundation’s systems, internal controls, and procedures. Early on in her career, Carmen was inspired by mission-driven organizations working with communities that had been marginalized. She strives to make the foundation’s grantmaking process streamlined and convenient so organizations can focus on programmatic efforts. Prior to the foundation, she worked at various nonprofits in Washington and California.

A first-generation college graduate, Carmen earned a BA in business management and economics from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She serves on the board of Southeast Seattle Education Coalition, which seeks to improve education for students furthest from opportunities. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in her community of Beacon Hill in Seattle and rediscovering life marvels with her seven-year-old son, Mateo.

Nichole June Maher became Inatai Foundation’s inaugural president and CEO in October 2018, after six years at Northwest Health Foundation (NWHF). In her first year, Nichole and Inatai Foundation staff visited all of Washington’s 39 counties multiple times. Under Nichole’s guidance, the foundation used the learnings from community visits to build our early-stage infrastructure—from articulating how we approach critical areas of work, to designing equity-centered grantmaking programs, and creating a values-driven investment office. The foundation also began significant grantmaking under Nichole’s leadership, committing $200 million in grants since 2019 with more than 80 percent of funding supporting people-of-color-led organizations.

Before joining Inatai Foundation, Nichole led NWHF to become a national forerunner in equity and a champion of supporting community vision for health in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Prior to that, Nichole served as the executive director of the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), an Oregon- and Southwest Washington-serving organization widely recognized as having one of the most effective and innovative wraparound family service models for Native Americans in the United States. During those eleven years at NAYA, Nichole’s most satisfying and impactful accomplishment was co-founding the Coalition of Communities of Color, a powerful advocacy group in the Northwest region.

Nichole has served on a number of governing boards, including Grantmakers in Health, Heritage University, Philanthropy Northwest, National Urban Indian Family Coalition, and Northwest Indian College Foundation. She holds an MPH from the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. She also completed a fellowship at Harvard Medical School and the Robert Wood Johnson Minority Medical Education program at Yale Medical School. Nichole is proud of her Alaskan Native heritage and all of the lessons she learned growing up in rural communities in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. She is the mother of three young children and is a resident of Kitsap County, living as a guest on the land of the Suquamish people.

As the senior executive assistant, Amanda Martinez manages and supports the Inatai Board of Directors. She acts as the primary liaison between Inatai team members and board members and facilitates board engagement, development, and long-term visioning and planning.

Most recently, she was chief of staff at the Washington State Charter School Commission, where she served as the primary advisor to the executive and board of commissioners and acted as the liaison between organization managers and employees. Her role was critical in aligning agency and commission work to strategic priorities. Amanda also previously held executive assistant roles at National Retail Solutions and Washington Rural Health Collaborative and was a fiscal technician for the Washington State Department of Early Learning.

She lives in Rainier with her fiancé, stepdaughter, and three chihuahuas.

Eddie manages the president and CEO’s daily workflow, cultivates relationships, and provides support for a range of initiatives on behalf of the president’s office. Most recently, Eddie served as a community engagement officer for Northwest Health Foundation in Portland, Oregon, where he co-designed and implemented community-driven and school-based strategies to improve health across the state. Previously, Eddie worked in nonprofit education supporting families and youth facing barriers to opportunity to grow their leadership and social skills and improve their academic achievement.

Eddie is a dedicated community volunteer, having served on the Nonprofit Association of Oregon board of directors, Stand for Children Oregon’s “Beat the Odds” scholarship committee, and other culturally specific and LGBTQ-focused organizations. Eddie is fluent in Spanish, and earned his BA in Spanish with an emphasis in communication studies from the University of Portland. Outside of work, Eddie enjoys taking weekend trips with his partner (and Floyd the dog) and exploring new corners of the great Northwest. He also appreciates spending time with family and friends.

As a program officer, Andrey develops and nurtures relationships with community members and organizations across Washington state, serving as a critical bridge between the foundation’s priorities and the priorities of the leaders, organizations, and communities we serve. Andrey brings with him over a decade of experience in nonprofits, having most recently served as United Way’s director of impact and equity. He currently serves on the board of Global Neighborhood Thrift, a thrift store that offers employment assistance to immigrants and refugees.

When not serving the community, Andrey finds joy in music—playing the piano, collecting vinyl records, and enjoying live music at jazz clubs. He is an avid soccer fan and supports Barcelona FC and the Argentina national team.

Ann manages the foundation’s technology platforms and programs and leads related projects in coordination with department leads, contractors, and consultants. Her role also includes providing staff trainings, resources and tools, and keeping abreast of cybersecurity policies, protocols and guidelines.

Growing up the daughter of refugees and in a multicultural immigrant community in Everett, Ann has witnessed firsthand how the health of individuals is deeply impacted by the community structures surrounding them. She has held on to these experiences as she pursued an undergraduate and graduate degree in public health. In her professional career, Ann has been compelled to work at nonprofit organizations that center communities in their work and service.

Most of Ann’s time outside of work is centered around her toddler daughter, Hannah, and making sure she is thoroughly entertained. This includes in-depth exploration of every single neighborhood park and playground within a 30-mile radius of her home in Shoreline. In the future, Ann hopes to write a guide to local parks and playgrounds for exhausted caregivers. 

Christina joins Inatai as an administrative associate with nearly twenty years of experience providing executive and administrative support in university, business, and nonprofit settings, including the Utah-Southern Idaho chapter of the MS Society, Camp Fire Samish, and LAW Advocates. At Inatai, Christina will serve as executive assistant to Vice President of Programs Carmen Berkley and help juggle the programs team’s many priorities, track internal and external correspondence, and lead project management for special initiatives.

Christina graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism and public relations. While she currently resides in Kennewick with her husband Brent and twin sons Henry and Harrison, Christina has also lived in Yakima, Bellingham, Redmond, and Seattle in addition to Texas and Utah. Her pastimes include cooking (She and her husband met in a professional kitchen!) and knitting.

Emma Noyes joins Inatai Foundation as a research director with more than a decade of experience specializing in participatory action research with underserved and oppressed communities. She leads the foundation’s research efforts and evaluation practices to align with our values and long-term vision and is part of a core team that supports continuous learning within the foundation.

In addition to her background in research, Emma also has deep knowledge of philanthropy and higher education. Emma graduated from the University of Washington with an undergraduate degree in public health and anthropology before earning her Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of New Mexico. Before her role at Inatai, she worked as a program officer at Empire Health Foundation.

Emma is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and grew up in the Omak District. Emma is also an accomplished artist and writer who enjoys deepening her connection to plants, land, and bodies of water alongside her husband, two kids, and dog.

Lilian joins Inatai as a communications associate, supporting various communications efforts across the foundation. Prior to working at Inatai, Lilian spent six years working as a communication professional at different nonprofit organizations in the Portland Metro Area. Her career in communications has connected her to many different communities, including working in education with first generation college students, work they are particularly passionate about.

A resident of Vancouver, Lilian earned their bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from University of Portland and recently completed their master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy from Portland State University. Outside of work, Lilian is an interdisciplinary artist and karaoke aficionado. She is also an enthusiastic food lover and enjoys spending time with her family.

Celeste Partida joins Inatai as an accountant with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Washington State University. Prior to joining Inatai, Celeste served as a staff accountant for Columbia Basin Health Association, a nonprofit with a mission to provide equal access to quality health care for all people in Central Washington.

In her role at the foundation, Celeste will support the accounting team by managing accounts payable, assisting with month-end closing, coordinating efforts between payroll and human resources, and overseeing a vendor database. In her time outside of work, Celeste most enjoys spending time with her family, including her mom, dad, sister, brother, and husband, in her hometown of Moses Lake. Celeste also loves to read and travel and has been to nine countries and counting. Her next goal is to visit more states in the U.S.A.

As a program officer, Rubén Peralta builds relationships with grantees and collaborates with foundation colleagues to develop, recommend, implement, and evaluate grants and programs. Most recently, he was the community and tribal engagement specialist for the Greater Columbia Accountable Community of Health, which serves nine counties in southern and southeast Washington. While there, he worked with communities to identify structural barriers to health and well-being to allocate grants. Rubén began his career with the Pasco School District, where he was also once a student. He was a bilingual educator and then later served as dean of students and a school board member.

Rubén lives in Pasco, where he is raising three children: Diego, an excellent saxophone player; Camila, a future kindergarten teacher; and Valentina, an aspiring immigration lawyer. He attended Columbia Basin College and earned a degree in social studies and a secondary teaching certificate from Washington State University. Rubén enjoys family gatherings, watching sports, and camping at nearby state parks. One of his favorite hobbies is tinkering with his car.

Gabriela Ramos joins Inatai as a program associate on the learning and community engagement team with experience managing a school-based health program and facilitating the Youth Empowerment Program for Planned Parenthood of Yakima. She’s a passionate advocate for all young people knowing their health rights and having access to healthcare services.

Gabriela also has experience working in journalism at the Daily Record in Ellensburg and El Sol de Yakima newspaper. She received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in journalism from Western Washington University in Bellingham. She currently lives in Selah with her partners, their dog Oso and cat Enzo. Her family is a big part of her life, and her parents, siblings, and extended family all call the Valley home as well. Gabriela sits on the board of the Justice for Girls Coalition of Washington State, an organization working to pave pathways for girls in adverse situations to have a better future.

As associate director of investments, Julia Reilly is helping build Inatai Foundation’s investment portfolio and operational infrastructure from the ground up. She is responsible for supporting the sourcing, due diligence, and monitoring of the foundation’s investments in both public and private markets. Most recently, Julia worked on the investment team at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., helping manage a $1.8 billion endowment for the world’s largest network of museums, education, and research institutions, which include 19 museums and the National Zoo.

After graduating from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, Julia worked as an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Julia grew up in Renton, went to high school in Covington, and is grateful to be back in Washington and closer to family. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, reading nonfiction, and travelling internationally.

As events manager, Grace oversees the production and implementation of the foundation’s events, coordinating in-person and virtual experiences ranging from meetings to conferences. She is part of the learning and community engagement team but supports efforts across all departments to plan events for grantees, community partners, staff, and board members. Grace brings a wealth of experience to the foundation, including running her own events consultancy, serving as VP of Events for Foreign Policy magazine, and helping to coordinate and run the 2013 U.S. Presidential Inauguration.

Grace earned her bachelor’s degree in history and journalism from Boston University and attended George Washington University’s Event Management Institute. She’s lived in Washington state since 2015 with two prior short-term stays to work on political campaigns in 2006 and 2010 for Darcy Burner and Senator Patty Murray, respectively. Outside of work, Grace volunteers as an ambassador for Westside Baby, a nonprofit that collects and distributes diapers and other baby supplies, and she serves on the Events and Sponsorships Committee for Community Roots Housing. She’s also renovating her 1910 home in Capitol Hill, is an avid figure skating fan, and cheers on the Cincinnati Bengals during football season with her spouse and two children.

Yuliya joins Inatai Foundation as a program associate on the grantmaking team. Her role includes a variety of administrative, relationship management, research, and team-wide coordination activities that ensure the team functions efficiently and effectively. Yuliya has years of experience in fundraising and donor development. She served as the development director for Whatcom Community College Foundation and as donor development manager for Community Action of Skagit County.

Yuliya earned her bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience and her master’s in business administration from Western Washington University. She is an avid volunteer and currently sits on the board of directors for Brigid Collins, a nonprofit committed to ending child abuse, and for SPARC, which serves Skagit County families with young children. When she isn’t working or volunteering, you’ll find Yuliya enjoying the outdoors with her husky Ponchik, perfecting recipes ranging from buttermilk chicken to Russian honey cakes, or curled up with a book by her favorite author Brandon Sanderson.

Cory has been with the foundation since its inception, serving as the acting president and CEO during the foundation’s inaugural two years. In that capacity, he led the establishment of the foundation’s core operations and infrastructure, and managed the formation and development of the board. Cory now serves as the executive vice president—overseeing finance, operations, human resources, communications, legal, real estate, and technology, while providing counsel and support on governance, strategy, and organizational development. Prior to his current role, Cory spent 16 years as a leadership and organizational change consultant for nonprofit organizations and coalitions in the Pacific Northwest. In that capacity, he served as interim CEO for nine organizations, provided counsel to more than 100 boards of directors, and guided dozens of organizations through complex organizational transitions. 

Cory is also passionate about cultivating and supporting nonprofit leaders. Through a partnership of the Nancy Bell Evans Center on Nonprofits & Philanthropy and Cascade Executive Programs at the University of Washington (UW), Cory co-created the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute—an intensive, six-day learning experience for senior-level nonprofit professionals in the Pacific Northwest. He served as the faculty lead for the program from its inception in 2007 through 2019. Cory also served for 12 years as the lead instructor for the Nonprofit Management Certificate Program offered through UW Professional & Continuing Education. In 2009, he received a UW Teaching Excellence Award. Cory is a graduate of the UW Evans School of Public Affairs, where he earned an MPA with a focus on leadership, organizational development, and financial management. 

Jenny Slagle is a member of the Yakama Nation and a descendant of the Northern Arapaho. She currently lives in Spokane.

She brings years of relationship-building experience, particularly in Native communities, to the foundation. Most recently, she was the director of tribal partnerships and community engagement for Upstream USA, a nationwide initiative to expand access to contraception and reproductive health resources. Previously, she was the director of tribal relations for Better Health Together, a nonprofit tackling health inequity throughout Eastern Washington, and communications manager for the NATIVE Project, a Spokane community health clinic serving Native and Non-Native residents.

Holding a degree in business – IT management from Western Governors University, Jenny is also an elected member of Spokane Public Schools’ Board of Directors and sits on the Washington 211 Board, and Washington State Budget & Policy Center . When she isn’t working or volunteering, Jenny helps run her family’s restaurant, Indigenous Eats, which specializes in contemporary Native American comfort food.

Adelina Solís joins Inatai Foundation’s growing team as a grants and data administrator, a role in which she assists with grants and data management, beginning with proposal submissions and continuing throughout the grantmaking process.

Most recently, Adelina worked first as a program associate then as the grantee network manager for the Washington New Americans program at OneAmerica, a Seattle-based nonprofit. She carried out the entirety of the grantmaking operations, including reviewing grant proposals, executing new contracts, and reporting.

Adelina attended Scripps College in California where she earned a degree in linguistics. After graduating, she lived and worked in Vietnam for a year as a Fulbright Scholar. She fills her personal time with a wide variety of hobbies, including cooking and baking, crochet and knitting, spending time outdoors, and reading.

Jay fosters and maintains relationships with communities and grantees across Washington state in order to advance Inatai Foundation’s grantmaking and advocacy strategies. A 25-year veteran of the Pierce County nonprofit ecosystem, he has worked every position from front-desk receptionist to board member. Most recently, Jay served as executive director of the Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation, building, supporting, and mobilizing the community to address issues like hunger, healthcare access, and student success. Prior to that, he served on the executive leadership teams for Peace Community Center, Associated Ministries, United Way of Pierce County, Bates Technical College, and the YMCA of Greater Seattle. Jay has earned a master’s in nonprofit leadership from Seattle University after earning a bachelor’s in social work from the University of Washington.

Jay is also a musician and has been playing the piano since age six. In addition to producing music for artists across a range of genres, Jay has produced two of his own instrumental jazz albums. He is a part-time financial coach and loves to travel, solve Sudoku puzzles, and watch sitcoms with his family. Jay lives with his wife of 26 years, and they’ve raised their two daughters in the town of Frederickson.

LaHoma Thomas joins Inatai Foundation as an administrative associate, a role in which she oversees the daily functioning of the foundation’s Seattle office and assists with project and vendor management. Most recently, LaHoma worked as a compliance and corporate insurance analyst for Milliman. During her tenure, she created the company’s Insider Trading Guidance document, implemented the HR anti-harassment and non-retaliation training, and set up a companywide whistleblower hotline. LaHoma’s goals for each system or process were to prioritize the people who would use it and make it accessible and valuable to them.

She received her degree in Paralegal from Louisiana State University, a certificate in advanced financial accounting from AIB College of Business and is a licensed financial advisor and insurance producer in Washington. In her personal time, LaHoma is the music department coordinator at her church, New Day Christ Church in Renton, where she also sits on the board of directors.

Robert is an administrative associate supporting the programs team. In this role, they will work closely with Vice President of Programs Steven Cole-Schwartz, including managing correspondence, scheduling, meetings, planning, writing, and supporting a strong team culture. They will lead special projects that support the programs team in building community and relationships with grantees and philanthropic partners.

Robert attended Arizona State University where she studied political science and minored in criminal justice. He was previously an office manager for Spokane Development Services Center, working in permitting and code enforcement for unhoused individuals. Robert is an active member of the Spokane local theater scene and hosts a queer kickball group in the summer. She lives with her husband and two dogs, River, and Ripley.

Peng is responsible for manager selection, asset allocation, portfolio construction, and risk management of the foundation’s assets. He previously was the head of portfolio research for TIAA Endowments, a risk manager at the $7.5 billion University of Virginia Investment Management Company, and an analyst at Georgetown University’s $1.2 billion investment office. Peng has extensive expertise in asset allocation and risk management with several publications in top-tier journals, including the Journal of Portfolio Management, Journal of Private Equity, Journal of Wealth Management, and Financial Analyst Journal, where he was awarded the Graham & Dodd Award of Excellence – Reader’s Choice for one of his publications. He was also listed as one of Chief Investment Officer’s “Forty Under Forty” in 2015 and “Top Institutional Rising Stars” by Trusted Insight in 2020.

Peng earned an MS in physics with a concentration in computer modeling and simulations from Georgetown University, and a BS in physics and economics from Peking University (Beijing University) in Beijing, China. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder. In his free time, Peng likes hiking, fishing, and hunting. He is an avid photographer, with his pictures published in Lonely Planet travel guides. Peng also enjoys spending time with his spouse and young daughter.

Dawn oversees a range of compliance, monitoring, analysis, and reporting functions for Inatai Foundation’s investment portfolio.  She holds extensive knowledge of investment operations and alternative investments.

Dawn spent two decades working for university endowments.  She was at the University of Virginia (UVA) as an accountant on the investment team and then later served as manager of investment operations and then director of investment operations. Dawn supervised all aspects of investment accounting, shareholder accounting, operations of investment pools, investment performance and compliance reporting, and safeguarding of assets. UVA formed a separate foundation, the University of Virginia Investment Management Company (UVIMCO), to manage the long-term assets of the university and university-related foundations.  Dawn was part of the team during the transition.  During her 17-year tenure at the university and UVIMCO, assets under management grew from $1.7 billion to more than $8 billion.

Most recently, Dawn was the senior director for investment administration at Emory University and worked as an independent consultant advising nonprofit institutions on investment operations. She lives in a multigenerational household with her parents, husband, and adult son. In addition to being among with loved ones, she enjoys spending time outside gardening and inside sewing.

As the director of investments, Charlotte oversees the selection of external investment managers, conducts portfolio research, and helps to institutionalize processes, tools, and resources. Experienced in impact investing, she previously served as a senior associate at ICONIQ Capital and, before that, Medley Partners. Investing on behalf of foundations affiliated with family offices, her investments supported a variety of nonprofit work, from early childhood education to autism research. Charlotte was a founding partner of Seed Consulting Group, a California-based nonprofit that provides pro bono strategy consulting to environmental and public health organizations, and currently serves on the Women’s Association of Venture and Equity’s west coast steering committee and as a Project Pinklight panelist for Private Equity Women Investor Network. She is also on the advisory boards of MoDa Partners, a family office whose mission is to advance the economic and educational equity of women and girls, and 8090 Partners, a multifamily office consisting of families and entrepreneurs across diverse industries that is currently deploying an impact investment fund.

Charlotte earned a BS with honors in business administration from the University of California, Berkley. When not working, you can find her globetrotting (18 countries and counting), writing a Yelp review about the best bite in town, or cuddling up with a book and her two adorable cats.