Seattle Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson Announces Transition Team Members

Photo: Jordan Somers

Seattle Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson has announced the formation of a 60-member transition team to assist with her move into office. The team, composed of experts across various sectors including housing, business, labor, arts, and community safety, will focus on delivering on the Mayor-Elect's vision for an affordable, accessible, and innovative city.

Over the coming weeks, the transition team is tasked with reaching out to numerous community advisors to gather a broad range of input, identify key priorities, and prepare Mayor-Elect Wilson to execute her platform successfully.

"I’m a coalition-builder — that’s how I ran my campaign, and that’s how I’ll govern,” said Mayor-Elect Wilson. "My transition team brings people together from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise to help me deliver on the vision that guided my campaign: a vision of a city that is more affordable, more accessible, and more innovative, where economic growth is paired with equity, government functions effectively, and communities feel supported and heard by their city government.”

Wilson also emphasized the team's diversity of viewpoints. "I don't expect everyone on the transition team to agree with me on every issue, and it doesn’t matter who they supported in the election,” she noted.Transition Team Membership

The team is structured around a leadership group, seven core policy areas, and a group of student and youth advisors.

Transition Team Leadership

• Andrés Mantilla: Transition Director, Uncommon Bridges

• Karen Estevenin: Transition Co-Chair, Executive Director, Protec17

• Tiffani McCoy: Transition Co-Chair, Co-Executive Director, House Our Neighbors

• Quynh Pham: Transition Co-Chair, Executive Director, Friends of Little Saigon

• Brian Surratt: Transition Co-Chair, President and CEO, Greater Seattle Partners

Housing Affordability & Community Needs

• Co-Leads: Colleen Echohawk (CEO, Community Roots Housing), Jon Scholes (President & CEO, Downtown Seattle Association)

• Members: Cate Bridenstine (Executive Director, Imagine Institute), Alvertis Brooks Jr. (Executive Director, Rainier Valley Community Development Fund), Gregory Davis (Managing Strategist, Rainier Beach Action Coalition), Alison Eisinger (Executive Director, Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness), Nakita Venus (Executive Director, Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center)

Economic Development & Workers Rights

• Co-Leads: Richard de Sam Lazaro (Senior Director, Government Affairs, Expedia), Corina Yballa (Political Director, MLK Labor)

• Members: Jeanie Chunn (Founder, Seattle Restaurants United), Arif Gursel (Founder and Executive Director, The Union), Toshiko Hasegawa (Commissioner, Port of Seattle), Joe Mizrahi (UFCW 3000, Seattle School Board), Terrance Stevenson (Director, SeaCiti Initiative, WTIA)

Transportation & Environment

• Co-Leads: Shemona Moreno (Executive Director, 350 Seattle), Anna Zivarts (Program Director, Disability Mobility Initiative)

• Members: Lowell Bander (9Zero Climate Innovation Hub), Lindsay Goes Behind (Chief Impact Officer, Seattle Foundation), Lee Lambert (Executive Director, Cascade Bicycle Club), Paulina Lopez (Executive Director, Duwamish River Community Coalition), Gordon Padelford (Executive Director, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways)

Arts, Culture & Creative Economy

• Co-Leads: Randy Engstrom (Co-Founder & Principal, Third Way Creative), Ben Hunter (Artistic Director, Northwest Folklife)

• Members: Michael Greer (President and CEO, ArtsFund), Jesse Hagopian (Educator, Author, and Blues Musician), Edwin Lindo (Co-Founder, Estelita's Library), Amy Nguyen (Executive Director, Watershed Community Development), Elisheba Wokoma (Co-Executive Director, Wa Na Wari)

Civic Narrative & Major Initiatives

• Co-Leads: Alex Hudson (Executive Director, Commute Seattle), Joy Shigaki (President & CEO, Friends of the Waterfront)

• Members: Lilliane Ballesteros (Executive Director, Latino Community Fund), Dr. Ana Mari Cauce (President Emeritus, University of Washington), Andrea Caupain Sanderson (Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Ile Kimoyo), Leo Flor (Chief Legacy Officer, Seattle FIFA World Cup 26), Mari Horita (SVP, Seattle Kraken)

Standing Up for Our Values

• Co-Leads: Roxana Norouzi (Executive Director, OneAmerica), Jaelynn Scott (Executive Director, Lavender Rights Project)

• Members: Caedman Cahill (Civil Rights Attorney), Deaunte Damper (Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention, King County), Mubarak Elamin (American Muslim Advancement Council), Faduma Fido (Collaborative Governance Lab Leader, People’s Economy Lab), Abdi Jama (Community Legal Advocate)

Public Safety, Parks, & Wellbeing

• Co-Leads: Lisa Daugaard (Co-Executive Director, Purpose.Dignity.Action), Dominique Davis (CEO, Community Passageways)

• Members: Asia Adam (Executive Director, OurHope), Erin Goodman (Executive Director, SODO Business Improvement Association), Rev. Dr. Robert Jeffrey, Sr. (New Hope Missionary Baptist Church), Gregory Joseph (Communications Director, Alliance for Gun Responsibility), Lonnisha Landry (CEO, Just/Us Love Ones)

Student & Youth Advisors

• Leo Falit-Baiamonte (President, Seattle Student Union)

• Russell McQuarrie-Means (Student, South Seattle College)

• Bailey Medilo (Staff Organizer, Washington Bus)

• Simon Kreft (Student, Seattle Central College)

• Rayne Thompson (Student, University of Washington)

• Sonal Virk (ASUW Vice President, University of Washington)

The transition process is set to define the initial agenda and priorities for the incoming administration.