Public Policy Camp 2025

Adriene Miller (she/her) is a Seattle native with over 25 years of experience at Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHKSC). As Deputy Division Director, she provides leadership and oversight for a range of critical functions, including administration, operations, employee engagement, finance, and technology. Passionate about supporting her colleagues and making a positive impact, Adriene finds her work rewarding. Outside of work, she prioritizes wellbeing by spending time with family and friends, enjoying the tranquility of water views (from Lake Washington to the ocean), traveling, and listening to music. She is an active member of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), an organization dedicated to excellence in public administration and leadership development.

Alanka Wright is a Project Manager Professional with King County’s Business Resource Center (BRC). With over 15 years of experience as a senior IT project management consultant, she has worked with Fortune 100 companies. A Franklin High School graduate, she holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Phoenix. Deeply committed to her community, she is active in the NFBPA. Alanka enjoys cooking, travel, and spending time with her two children and three grandchildren. Originally from Louisiana, she grew up in Detroit and Seattle.

Dr. Chengxin Xu, Assistant Professor, Institute of Public Service, specializes in public administration and nonprofit management, focusing on sector stereotypes, inter-sectoral collaboration, and the hybridization of social mission and commercial modes in nonprofits. He earned his Ph.D. from the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University-Newark. His research draws on organizational behavior, social psychology, and behavioral science and is published in journals such as Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

Dr. Xu teaches Foundations of Public Administration and Research Design. His teaching philosophy emphasizes bridging research, knowledge, and practice to address social issues. He has also contributed to innovative pedagogy, such as “experiential philanthropy,” which fosters strategic thinking in future philanthropists.

Cole Harvey serves as an Associate Field Director at Grow America, a nationwide non-profit focused on community economic development. He brings practical insights from managing federal grant programs and working in the Washington State Legislature, specializing in making public finance and policy accessible to diverse stakeholders. A recent MPA graduate from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, Cole is passionate about helping students explore pathways into public service and understand how policy tools can address real-world challenges. Cole spends his leisure time watching basketball, swimming, biking, hiking, birding, and reading. His favorite policy book is “Nudge” by Sunstein and Thaler, which draws on behavioral science research and encourages the creation of simple, human-centered policy solutions that can stimulate shifts toward happier and healthier communities. 

Danita Carter, daughter of Phyllis Carter and Ronald Turner, and granddaughter of Nathaniel and Lue Etta Carter, is a mother of two. She was raised in Chicago and graduated from Roosevelt University with a BS in Business Administration (Accountancy). After working in legal, banking, and taxation, she transitioned to finance, supporting Fortune 100 companies. Since 2006, she has worked in Seattle local government, holding various leadership positions focused on budget management, financial practices, and racial equity initiatives. She was appointed Deputy Director of the Business Resource Center (BRC) in the Department of Executive Services. Active in her church and a National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) member, she has been the Seattle Chapter President for two years.

Destiny is from Eastern Washington, and she received her B.S. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on Research from Washington State University. She is currently pursuing an M.Ed. in Student Development Administration and work full-time as a Graduate Admissions Counselor at Seattle University. As a higher education practitioner, she is passionate about uplifting student voices and removing barriers to higher education. If you are interested in connecting professionally or personally, please feel free to connect on LinkedIn or direct email dledesma@seattleu.edu.

Esther Lucero is Diné and Latina and a third generation urban Indian from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Esther received a Master of Public Policy and a BA in Native American studies from Mills College. 

While living in California, Esther served as the Director of Policy and Programs at the Native American Heath Center where she gained a strong understanding of the importance of cultural- and evidence-based practices while working to prevent substance abuse. Soon after, she became the Director of Programs and Strategic Development for the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health and led Behavioral Health Advocacy for 10 Urban Indian Health programs throughout California. In addition to her work in urban Indian organizations, Esther has taught classes at San Francisco State University in American Indian Studies and San Francisco Art Institute in Urban Studies. She served on the board of directors for the Intertribal Friendship House and the Alliance for Girls. 

In 2015, Esther was recruited by Seattle Indian Health Board for the position of CEO. The organization’s dedication to its community and commitment to workforce development and epidemiology along with its national presence in the policy forum attracted Esther to lead the organization into a new era. In her first three years at the organization, she increased the operating budget by $11 million and completed a reorganization. She has built a team-based environment and established an Executive team to lead the charge toward the implementation of the first of its kind, Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care. In recent years, the organization has increased its prominence locally and nationally. 

Esther currently serves on HealthierHere’s governing board and serves on the Governor’s Behavioral Taskforce. She is a delegate to the American Indian Health Commission and serves on the Native Communities Committee under the leadership of City Councilmember Debora Juarez. Esther was recently appointed to the City of Seattle’s LGBTQ Commission and Community Police Commission by Mayor Jenny Durkan. Esther’s passion and advocacy for Native health, transformative approaches to indigenous research and evaluation, and Federal Indian Law and policy has made her a leader in health in Seattle and nationally. 

Dr. Felipe Murtinho is the Director for International Studies, Associate Professor for International Studies, Public Affairs, and Nonprofit Leadership, and Affiliated Faculty in Environmental Studies at Seattle University. He is an expert in human-environment relations with a focus on rural communities in the Global South, particularly in Latin America. He teaches Research Methods and Applied Data Analysis for International Studies, Environmental Studies, and the MPA program. His research examines how rural communities adapt to environmental changes and manage natural resources, especially water, paramo, and forests.

Originally from Ecuador, Dr. Murtinho earned a Ph.D. in Geography from UC Santa Barbara and has a Master’s in Environmental Economics. He enjoys mentoring students on research projects and offers opportunities for collaboration in Latin America. He has been teaching at Seattle University since 2010.

Francisco joined the staff of the Washington Legislature’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) in July 2023. Prior to JLARC, he completed his Ph.D. at the University of Washington, where he focused on nonprofit performance management and process formalization. He also taught policy analysis, implementation, and program evaluation. He conducted research on a variety of issues ranging from international development performance measurement to applications of machine learning for big data and social issues. Before beginning his graduate studies, he worked as a consultant supporting the federal Department of Transportation and in hospital software implementation. Francisco holds a B.A. in Religion from Emory University and an MPA from Syracuse University. 

Heather D. Hill is a Professor and Director of the PhD Program in Public Policy and Management at the Evans School. Her research examines how public and workplace policies influence family economic circumstances and child wellbeing in low-income families. She brings an inter-disciplinary lens to these topics, integrating theoretical and methodological insights from developmental psychology, economics, and sociology.

Isaiah Wright began his Ph.D. journey with Evans in 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) as well as a Masters in Public Policy from UCR as well. Prior to Evans he worked for Rady’s Children’s hospital in San Diego, CA as a contractor to the County of San Diego examining the effectiveness of substance use and mental health programs in the County. Isaiah completed a capstone project during his time at UCR entitled “Understanding Latina Entrepreneurship in the IE” using mixed methods. This project involved a survey design informed by interviews and utilizing ACS data in order to understand the needs of minority business owners in the Inland Empire region. Isaiah has an interest in research pertaining to Urban and social issues revolving around race and inequality, specifically examining spatial relationships. Advised by Dr. Scott Allard, Isaiah works on issues relating to social mobility and non-profits, as well as collaborates with the Evans Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) on Washington State Ballots.  

Jabari holds an M.B.A. in Business Administration from Saint Leo University and a B.S. in Public Administration from Purdue Global University, complemented by an A.A. from Seminole Community College. With a background centered in public service, he served as a firefighter and fire marshal from 2002 to 2010 before transitioning into the public transit field, where he has been contributing to expanding equitable access to mobility since 2010. This extensive experience in both emergency services and public administration has shaped his leadership and operational expertise in the public sector.  

Although Jabari’s professional title is assistant manager of bus operation for King County Metro, he has a sincere passion for equity and standing against anti-black racism. To underscore this pursuit, Jabari has volunteered as a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action committee of King County, the Tacoma Police Accountability Committee. He is the former chair of King County’s Black-African Affinity Group and more currently a member of NFBPA. Jabari resides in Tacoma with his wife, Dr. LaToya Hampton who is a clinical psychologist and their two sons aged 17 and 23. This lifelong 49er fan enjoys spending time with his family, working out, traveling, going to concerts, volunteering in his community, and dining at vegan restaurants. 

Jalia Jervis was born in Seattle Washington to immigrants-father from Trinidad and Tobago and mother from Canada with Trinidadian parents. She attended a majority white K-8 private Catholic school after graduating she moved to public education where she attended Juanita High School in Kirkland. Through public education she was exposed to people from different backgrounds (racially, culturally, and economically) something that she hardly saw in private education. This exposure prompted her to learn more about her heritage as a Trinidadian and identity as an African American, she began unlearning and reeducating herself in a way that was anti racist. After her time there she transitioned into college where she attended Western Washington University majority in sociology. she took many race based and social change classes that inspired her to apply to a policy school. She was previously interested in law but learning about social movements motivated her to switch career paths. She find policy work fulfilling albeit difficult, she wouldn’t want to work in any other field.

Jamoral has more than 11 years of experience working on outreach, supportive services and housing of vulnerable populations throughout King County. Jamoral has a MPA in Public Administration from Seattle University with an emphasis on homelessness and social justice. He also participated in a 2-year research cohort with the Murray Administration focused on reducing regional homelessness.  Contributing to cross-sector solutions and broadening system supports for housing and workforce models and partnerships, his work has thus far centered on students, veterans, families and youth. Jamoral’s most recent role was Senior Housing Program Manager with King County Housing Authority. Where he managed the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) and Family Unification (FUP) programs from June 2021 – April 2024. 

Jodi Sandfort joined the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance as dean in January 2021. She brings a background in human centered design that is helping the school to center community voice in policy and implementation. She has led the creation of the Evans Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) that provides a platform for engagement and innovation and is currently co-leading a University of Washington initiative that focuses on our public university’s critical role in strengthening democracy and civic health. Since she arrived in Seattle, she also has focused her attention on developing a range of new under-graduate initiatives and new professional educational programs at the School. She has authored books, many academic articles, chapters, and reports about design science and policy implementation, social welfare systems, organizational effectiveness, early childhood education, welfare reform, nonprofit management, and philanthropy.   

Josie Jackson (she/her) is a graduating second year MPA student at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance from Hartland, Michigan. Josie grew up in a rural conservative area, worked in her family horse racing business, and was one of five students of color in graduating class of 700 students. Josie graduated as her school’s class representative and was a paralegal for her final two years of high school. After high school she attended Grand Valley State University where she received a bachelor’s in legal studies and a bachelor’s in political science with a minor in African American Studies. During her undergraduate career Josie interned at a non-profit legal assistance center and continued there for two years where she still volunteers today during her time home, she also worked for “Rise” a nonprofit who works on voting and registration reform and led many efforts regarding the student debt relief bill and advocacy. After her undergraduate Josie choose to move to Seattle to attend the Evans school due to their commitment to Anti-Racist Policy and Social Advocacy. During her time at Evans Josie was elected to Student leadership and is currently the Evans School Organization Vice President of Students. While at Evans Josie has worked for King County Councilmember Sarah Perry, led legislative campaigns, including the campaign to elect now State Representative Victoria Hunt, and now work with the King County Democrats.  After Graduating in June 2025 Josie plans to remain active in local politics and hopes to continue her work in legal and social non-profits.

Julie is the Deputy City Manager of Operations and functions as the chief operating officer. Julie has over 25 years of local government management experience, serving previously as City Manager for the City of Mercer Island, Assistant City Manager of Daly City, California, City Manager and Assistant City Manager for the City of Shoreline, and Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Rockville, Maryland. Prior to becoming Deputy City Manager for the City of Kirkland, Julie served as Kirkland’s Director of Public Works. Julie holds a Master of Public Administration Degree from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government and Politics from George Mason University.  

Julie has had the privilege of being the first woman and person of color to serve in her two City Manager roles.  

Besides having a passion for public service, Julie is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Julie has spear-headed the Washington City/County Management Association’s Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy, designed to prepare, and promote more women into local government leadership roles. 

Karin D. Martin is Associate Professor at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington, where she is also Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Sociology. She is a crime policy specialist whose areas of expertise are monetary sanctions, racial disparities in the criminal legal system, and decision-making in the criminal legal context. 

Kate Sykes is a seasoned professional with over thirteen years of experience in student advising. She has developed a strong ability to cultivate meaningful relationships with students and campus partners, fostering an environment of growth and support. Kate’s expertise spans program management, evaluation, recruitment, and student retention, with a focus on working with diverse student populations. Her strengths include a blend of independent and collaborative work styles, coupled with a keen attention to detail, which allows her to excel in creating impactful student-focused initiatives. She also has a passion for working with transfer and non-traditional students.

Katherine Cheng has been a PhD student at the Evans School at the University of Washington since 2020. Her research focuses on co-governance, exploring management strategies that enable governments and communities to collaborate in advancing climate resilience and environmental justice. Katherine holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and international affairs from the University of Georgia, along with a master’s degree in agricultural and resource economics from UC Davis. Before joining Evans, she worked with nonprofits in California, Washington DC, and Georgia, and conducted Fulbright research in northeast Brazil. Outside of Evans, Katherine enjoys being active, spending time with animals, and learning new recipes from around the world. 

Dr. Kevin Ward is a professor and the director of the Public Affairs program at Seattle University. His research focuses on the intersection of public and nonprofit sectors, examining how organizations collaborate to create lasting social change. Dr. Ward has worked extensively with national service programs like AmeriCorps and conducted research on nonprofit lobbying, advocacy, and the motivations of public service employees.

Dr. Ward teaches courses in policy analysis, policy process, and public service, emphasizing problem-solving and solution development. He holds a Ph.D. and MPA from the University of Colorado, Denver, and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois.

Dr. Ward is passionate about integrating theory with practical application. He actively engages students in real-world projects, encouraging them to apply academic concepts to address pressing community challenges. His goal is to prepare students for leadership roles in the public and nonprofit sectors, where they can contribute to meaningful, systemic change.

Leander Yazzie, Ed.D. is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, born and raised in Fort Defiance, AZ, just north of Window Rock, the capital of the Navajo Nation. His academic journey has taken him through Arizona State University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Washington Tacoma. Dr. Yazzie served in the United States Army for a decade (2003–2013) as an Air Defense Artillery Non-Commissioned Officer (Staff Sergeant). A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he also completed a one-year deployment in northern South Korea. Currently, he serves as the Tribal Relations Liaison at the University of Washington Tacoma, leading the newly established Office of Indigenous Engagement. With over 10 years in higher education, Dr. Yazzie is a dedicated advocate for Native and Indigenous students. He is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment that promotes student success, cultural visibility, and a strong sense of belonging for all students and colleagues. 

Lorraine Patterson-Harris serves as King County, Washington’s County Administrative Officer (CAO) and Director of Executive Services. In this role, she manages administrative operations for a county of 2.3 million residents and over 16,000 employees. She also leads a 1,000-person department providing a wide array of services, from procurement and risk management to emergency management and airport operations. Lorraine brings over 20 years of public service experience, including leadership positions within King County and as Human Resources Director for a local city. Prior to public service, she practiced employment and labor law at Littler Mendelson. A Seattle native, Lorraine holds a BS (with honors) from Cornell University (Industrial & Labor Relations) and a JD from Stanford University. She is active in her community, serving on the NFBPA National Board, the UW Evans School Dean’s Council, and a local high school parent board.

Matoya Scott is the Portfolio Coordinator for the Portfolio, Planning and Analysis Unit at the King County Wastewater Treatment Division. She has dedicated 22 years to the public sector, leading critical infrastructure projects with a focus on wastewater management and project delivery. With a deep understanding of regulatory processes, stakeholder engagement, and operational efficiency, Matoya has played a key role in ensuring successful project outcomes that enhance community services. Her expertise spans planning, permitting, and execution of large-scale public works initiatives. Matoya earned an MBA from Washington State University, further strengthening her leadership and strategic management capabilities in the field.

Matthew Kenna is a leader in multimodal transportation planning, government relations, and policy analysis, with a passion for creating more accessible and sustainable communities. He holds a master’s in public administration from Eastern Washington University and a Sustainable Transportation Certificate from the University of Washington, as well as being certified (AICP) with the American Planning Association.

As a Senior Planning and Policy Analyst with the Washington State Department of Transportation, Matthew has played a key role in data analysis, statewide public transportation planning, and legislative coordination for the agency. Notably, he led the development and publication of the Statewide Human Services Transportation Plan (2022) — an effort to improve mobility for underserved and disadvantaged communities across Washington. He has worked for the State of Washington in various capacities for 15+ years.

Beyond his state-level work, Matthew serves as a newly appointed Councilmember for the City of Sumner in Pierce County, where he applies his transportation and policy expertise to local governance.

Maya Esquivido-Strom is an enrolled member of the Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation, and Hupa descendant. She has a Bachelor’s in American Indian Studies, a Master of Social Work Degree, and a Graduate Certificate in American Indian & Indigenous Studies (AIIS). Currently, Maya is a doctoral candidate in the Indigenous-Centered Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at the University of Washington Tacoma, Muckleshoot Cohort and was awarded the AIIS Pre-Doctoral Teaching Fellow.  

 Maya is the Interim Director of Tribal Government Affairs at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Her work focuses on supporting the success of Native students through designing intentional pathways and supporting the agencies relational accountability through building authentic relationships between Washington states 34 community and technical colleges and the 29 federally recognized Tribes.  

Associate Director Strategy & Partnerships for Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)

Rathi Sudhakara (she/her/hers) serves as an Associate Director on the Strategy & Partnerships team at the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). WSAC is part of the Governor’s cabinet and sets the strategy for the state to attain a 70% postsecondary credential goal. Rathi focuses on policies and strategies to increase postsecondary enrollment for students across Washington by collaborating and engaging with stakeholders including the K-12 sector, community-based organizations, higher education institutions and the state legislature. She is a past Henry M Jackson fellow and a Northwest Education Access board member. Prior to this, she has held a variety of roles in early childhood teaching, engineering, marketing, and advertising. She has a master’s in education policy from the University of Washington and an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from India.

Dr. Olha Krupa serves as the Director of the Master of Public Administration Program and Associate Professor at Seattle University’s Institute of Public Service. She specializes in state and local public finance, with a focus on property tax assessments and K-12 school finance. She earned her BA in international business from Ukraine, and both an MPA and Ph.D. in public finance from Indiana University.

Dr. Krupa teaches Financial Management, Budgeting in the Public Sector, and other MPA courses. She is passionate about helping students design research that informs public policy and promotes social justice. Her research has been published in Public Finance Review, State Tax Notes, and the International Journal of Property Tax Assessment and Administration.

Saleena Salango (she/her & they/them) is a final-year part-time MPA student at the UW Evans School of Public Policy. She works full-time as an Equity and Justice Lead at the Washington State Bar Association, where she designs anti-bias trainings for staff and volunteers involved in regulating legal professionals and leads program and policy initiatives geared towards improving professional diversity and inclusion. Prior to working in the legal profession, Saleena worked in housing justice advocacy and led civic engagement campaigns for people experiencing homelessness in King County, Washington. Saleena spent her early career working in patient services and administrative support before deciding to go back to school to study public health and global health, where she became passionate about transformative justice and systems change. Saleena is a first-generation college graduate and a proud Seattle Colleges alumnus with a nontraditional educational trajectory.

As a member of the NFBPA -Seattle chapter board, she lead the sponsorship and fundraising committee. She has worked for the government for over 29 years within IT, which includes data integrations, technical lead, application development, system support/development, project management, systems analysis, ESJ, management, employee/ leadership development, as well as creating, improving and assessing needs for practices, processes, procedures, and methodologies. Currently, she is working with the organizational leadership on AI governance, planning, and operationalization. Recently, she completed consulting to improve the onboarding and organizational socialization for government IT employees in partnership with her doctoral PAS. She volunteers on several nonprofit boards and is an active member of social, faith-based, professional, and community organizations.

Dr. Valerie F. Hunt (Dr Beloved) is a scholar practitioner with over 38 years’ experience in most stages of the policy making process including defining social/public problems, policy development, advocacy, implementation and evaluation.  Dr. Beloved earned her BA in international studies and Middle East affairs from Rhodes College, her MA in international political economy and defense studies from the University of Southern California, her MA  in political communication and her doctorate in political science and public policy from the University of Washington. For nearly four decades Dr. Beloved has taught and mentored hundreds of students at all levels of their academic and career journeys.  

As a policy analyst, her expertise and interests are the following issue areas:  public policy dynamics between federal and state levels; global immigrant, refugee, and asylee policy; immigrant incorporation and integration on state and municipal levels such as higher education, housing, refugee resettlement practices, legal and unauthorized/irregular immigrant policy dynamics in new immigrant receiving states in the U.S. Additionally, Dr. Beloved’s praxis focuses on social welfare policies regarding social determinants of health, housing policies, healthcare,  wealth and income inequality, higher education, and differential labor market barriers and access for immigrants and U.S. citizens. 

 Dr. Beloved is co-founder and President of the Center for Equitable Policy in a Changing World. She is one of the architects of the State Commission of Chief Diversity and Equity Officers  in the State of Washington. She has worked in community-based policymaking spaces including Planned Parenthood Board of Altadena/Pasadena, CA, the California National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), Pasadena Commission on the Status of Women, the Alliance for Lupus Research (now Lupus Research Alliance), and the Women’s Funding Alliance (Seattle).  

 Dr. Beloved is tenured faculty in the Applied Behavioral Science Program at Seattle Central College and holds faculty affiliate status at the University of Washington in the Communication Department and in the Department of Political Science. She has taught and researched at several institutions including Pacific Oaks College, UC San Diego, and Princeton, Southern Methodist, and Seattle Universities. 

Yvette is an educator and researcher from Eastern Washington with a deep commitment to advancing equity in education. Holding a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Seattle University, Yvette’s graduate research focused on bureaucratic representation, specifically within the Seattle Public Schools system. Currently, Yvette is pursuing a Doctorate in Education, researching the barriers to faculty representativeness in institutions that advocate for equity, with a focus on identifying systemic challenges and proposing solutions. 

In addition to academic pursuits, Yvette works at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, where she contributes to academic operations and strategy, helping to shape the future of public policy education. Yvette is particularly passionate about education policy, specifically in addressing systemic inequities that impact student outcomes and the workforce. 

Outside of work and studies, Yvette enjoys unwinding by playing video games and spending quality time with their niece and nephews.