Category: Alumni Profile

Barb Wilson (MPA ’05) was recently featured in a Puget Sound Business Journal video interview for her long history of LGBTQ advocacy, and her current position as the director of governmental affairs at Vulcan Inc.

In her interview, Wilson recounts the campaign work she did in Oregon and Washington to defeat anti-gay ballot initiatives in those states. As the King County organizer for Hands Off Washington, she worked to defeat a measure that threatened the civil rights of state and local employees based on sexual orientation.

In addition to her work as a public advocate, Wilson works on a micro level to ensure that her son and his classmates can “come out as themselves and live their best lives.”

Wilson has this advice for businesses who seek to do more for the LGBTQ community: “I think it starts with people. Supporting employees and their families. Nurturing people at all levels of development. Putting people into leadership. Welcoming all families to employee events. And listening to employees. That naturally leads to things like stepping up to support policies, which is the perspective I tend to look at problems from.”

Abel Pacheco Jr. (MPA ’12) will serve as a Seattle City Council member for the next seven months, the council decided Monday, appointing him to fill the District 4 seat vacated by former Council member Rob Johnson.

According to The Seattle Times, there were 11 qualified applicants for the temporary post. Pacheco was nominated by Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who highlighted his work on racial equity in his job at the University of Washington, his involvement on volunteer boards, and his lived experiences as a person of color.

“I’m excited to bring a fresh perspective to the Seattle City Council and put to use the skillset instilled in me at the Evans School,” Abel said. “At a time of so much political division, it’s time to bring together a diverse coalition of stakeholders to find solutions to our most challenging problems.”

Abel is currently a candidate for office in District 4, but he said following his vote that he would no longer seek election. Abel will serve until Nov. 26, when the results of the Nov. 6 election are certified and the winning candidate in District 4 will take over. The district includes Eastlake, Wallingford, the University District and Northeast Seattle.

Read more about his appointment. Congratulations Abel!

Image (above): Abel Pacheco Jr., Seattle’s newest city council member, being sworn in Monday afternoon.

At the Evans School, we educate leaders who meet societal challenges with compassion, vision, humility, and authenticity. Eric Holzapfel (MPA ’17) embodies these traits in his work as the Immigration Manager of Entre Hermanos, a Latino LGBTQ nonprofit in Seattle. Read about what has sustained Eric throughout his career as a public servant, and hear his perspective on the necessity of integrating your own life experiences into the work we do for others.

Alumni Profile

Eric Holzapfel, MPA ‘17

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Tell me a little about yourself, and the work you do at Entre Hermanos.

I am a graduate of the MPA program at the Evans School, and I have a Bachelor’s in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Kentucky. I am a native of Ecuador, and I have more than a decade of experience working with Latino and minority communities in criminal justice reform, immigration, youth mentorship, medical access, language rights, civic engagement, and wage theft in the United States and Ecuador.

I have worked as a legislative aid in the Ecuadorean Congress, a medical interpreter-patient advocate, policy writer for a Congressional campaign, and now serve as the Immigration Manager of Entre Hermanos, a Latino LGBTQ nonprofit in Seattle.

In the past year, I’ve led a series of state campaigns including: opposition to “public charge” changes in immigration law, immigration detention/bond reform, and Census funding for community-based outreach.  I also oversee the expansion of our immigration representation of LGBTQ Latinos, particularly among asylum seekers from Central America.

What motivates you to do your work each day?

As a child my parents instilled in me an appreciation for life and the privileges I’ve had. I grew up in Ecuador at a time when child labor, especially on the streets, was common. This reality inspired me to dedicate my life to public service. I get up every morning excited to serve Entre Hermanos’ clients and the immigrant and refugee community of King County.

What’s a piece of advice you’d pass on to someone interested in pursuing a career in public service?

The first piece of advice I’d give is, “Check your ego at the door.” Confidence is important in any career, but I’ve learned that egos (especially in public service) only get in the way.

Second: your life experiences matter. Getting an MPA is a big accomplishment and it certainly provides you with a great skills to enter public service but your life experiences-both personal and professional- are what drive you and give you purpose in your work.

What’s a valuable lesson that you’ve learned from your time in the public service?

I think having a steady-hand is critical to public service. Working in advocacy and in the nonprofit world, you will have so many highs and lows from legislative, funding, and policy victories and losses. It’s important to keep a positive outlook and keep grinding.

Your efforts don’t always bear fruit right away, but when they do it’s so rewarding.

What’s something you’ll always remember about your time at the Evans School?

I’ll always remember my peers at Evans, especially the cohort that formed the Evans People of Color (E-POC) student organization. Our shared experiences in grad school and seeing the work that we’re all doing now is inspiring.

What’s on the horizon for you?

I’m currently helping my organization through a leadership transition and a time of immense growth. I want to continue working to expand legal and holistic services for the Latino LGBTQ community of Washington State. I am so thankful to my co-workers at Entre Hermanos for their endless dedication to promoting the health and well-being of the Latino LGBTQ community who are with me in that effort.

Executive Director of Awamaki and Evans School alum, Kennedy Leavens (MPA ’12), was awarded the 2019 World Travel & Tourism Council’s Tourism for Tomorrow Social Impact Award for her organization’s work creating economic opportunities for women in Peru’s remote Quechua communities.

Leavens founded Awamaki with the belief that income in the hands of women is the best way to lift communities out of poverty. Located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas of Peru, Awamaki works with Andean woman’s artisan cooperatives to develop their technical and administrative skills and connect them to an international marketplace.

The Awards, now in their 15th year, took place at a special ceremony during the WTTC Global Summit in Seville, Spain, to celebrate inspirational, world-changing tourism initiatives from around the globe. The 2019 WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Award Winners are highly commended and recognized for business practices of the highest standards that balance the needs of ‘people, planet and profits’ within the Travel & Tourism sector. Read the full news release here.

Congratulations Kennedy!

Former Commissioner and Evans School alum Reynaldo Pascua (MPA ’78) will be honored as the 2019 recipient of the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs’ (CAPAA) Vanguard Award. Reynaldo is the current president of the Filipino Community of Yakima Valley. He has been engaged with CAPAA since it was first established in 1974 and has remained a tireless champion for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders(AAPI) here in Washington State. As a proud Filipino American, Reynaldo has committed his life to raising awareness of the issues impacting Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and immigrants through community organizing and legislative advocacy. He is known to many as a historian, often telling the stories about the development of AAPI history and their contributions to the development of agriculture, economy and civil rights, and to the United States Armed Forces. Today, many in the community regard him as “Uncle”, as he continues to raise awareness of the intricate, diverse beauty of AAPI cultures, and issues impacting those communities on a local, state, and national level.

Congratulations, Reynaldo!

Highlighted in the Seattle Times, three years after scholarship pledges fell through for 10 south Seattle students, Anthony Shoecraft (MPA ’09) stepped in with a dozen other South Seattle community members to found the MoHundred Scholarship Fund and pledge to raise funds for the affected students and their families. Speaking to MoHundred’s goal being reached, Shoecraft and his colleagues had a simple response: “Promise kept.”

Read the full article here

Congratulations to Zach Kearl (MPA ’19) for being named a 2019-2020 Hatfield Fellow! Zach is one of an extraordinary class of Fellows from more than 25 graduate programs from around the United States, and a member of one of their most diverse cohorts to date. The Hatfield Resident Fellowship is awarded to postgraduate Master and Ph.D. students with a strong scholarship record and confirmed interest in public service and leadership. The Fellowship is a rigorous, project-oriented, professional and educational experience designed to provide each Fellow with an opportunity to acquire leadership skills with a public service agency in Oregon.

Congratulations Zach!

In continuation of our celebration of Women’s History Month, we connected with another of our notable female alums who has played an important part in shaping the policy landscape of communities around the state.

In the Q&A below, Ms. Reyneveld provides advice to other women in public policy and speaks to the skills that have helped her be the active and ambitious community leader she is today.

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Ms. Sarah Reyneveld (MPA ’08) is Assistant Attorney General at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, chair of the King County Women’s Advisory Board, and serves on the boards of the Washington Conservation Voters, Washington’s Paramount Duty, the UW Alumni Association, and the 36^th District Democrats. Ms. Reyneveld was also a founding member of Graduate Washington, an organization dedicated to maintaining and expanding access to higher education in Washington. Plus, she’s a wife and mom to two young children, Julia and Joel!

What inspired you to pursue your career in the public sector?

I was inspired to pursue a career in public service because I wanted to help people, create a better world, and protect our planet for future generations.  I first saw the power of public service when I worked in the Washington State Legislature and in the Governor’s office. I later served as the elected President and Vice President of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and successfully lobbied the Washington State Legislature for increased investment in child care and mental health services for graduate students. 

I still believe that the best way I can personally help to create equity and opportunity for all is to work in government. As a public-sector attorney, I take pride in helping to ensure access to justice for vulnerable and underrepresented populations that may not understand the system.  Changing the systems of government to help break down barriers, provider services for those that needs them most, and create opportunities for all is the best job and the highest honor. 

What skill has helped you be a more effective leader and advocate for others?

Listening, understanding and empowering people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to reach agreement on a policy solution. Progress takes building a big tent. You have to be committed, tenacious and work hard to bring people to the table. 

What other women inspire you?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg because she is courageous, indefatigable and has been a tireless champion for women’s equality. Elizabeth Warren for her progressive leadership and focus on working families and ending income inequality.

In Washington State the women that inspire me are women I’ve worked for or been represented by including, but not limited to: Senator Maria Cantwell, Governor Christine Gregoire, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Senator Pat Thibaudeau, and Representative Gael Tarleton. 

What’s the most important piece of advice you’ve ever received? 

Be prepared. We control almost nothing, but we can be as prepared as possible. And trust yourself. 

What advice would you give women in public policy and leadership today?

Be proud of the work you do each day and be your own advocate.  Don’t expect or wait for others to advocate on your behalf. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. Continue to believe in your dreams, work hard and don’t give up. 

What are you going to take on next?

I want to continue to combat climate change and create livable communities and access to opportunity for all. 

I would love to run for office in the future. We still need more women to step up and serve as elected leaders.

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Thanks, Ms. Reyneveld, for sharing your journey to public service and for your great advice!

On February 27th, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance alumna Renée Hopkins (’98) was chosen by King County Councilmember Joe McDermott as one of this year’s nine recipients of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service. Hopkins is the CEO for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, and previously served as Executive Director of the Seattle Police Foundation (SPF) for twelve years.

With a network of grassroots volunteers, Renèe spends her days behind the scenes honoring the voices of everyday people who want our communities safe from gun violence,” said McDermott. “Her work resulted in one of the most sweeping gun safety measures to be passed in the United States right here in Washington state, and her work continues to support our efforts at the County to enact common sense gun safety measures like the Gun Safety Action plan. I’m proud that today we can bring Renèe forward and honor her with this important award.”

The annual presentation of the MLK Medal of Distinguished Service is the Council’s way of thanking those who have made a particularly strong impact on the county and to encourage others to renew their dedication to serve their community. Councilmember McDermott also honors Hopkins in this video.

Congratulations Renée!