EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In 1995, Ann (she/her) bought a low-fare airline ticket and boarded a plane for Beijing, China to attend the United Nations Women’s Conference, and has had the privilege of doing girl’s empowerment ever since . Her social work experience spans the past twenty years, including work with schools and community organizations, and is rooted in a deep commitment to the next generation of girls. As a founder of Seattle-based Powerful Voices, Ann had the opportunity to see girls take hold of their potential and flourish, staff and volunteers create educationally exciting spaces for girls, and the community invest in girls' lives. Taking these discoveries and putting pen to paper, Ann published articles that capture what works to empower girls in academic, peer-reviewed journals including Social Work in Education, Crime & Delinquency and After School Matters. Ann continues to lead the call as the Executive Director for The Justice for Girls Coalition of Washington State.

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

CHIMAERA (they/them/she/her) is a Northwest-based multimedia artist, storyteller, curator, producer, community organizer and educator from Tacoma, WA working in solidarity with communities most impacted by systemic oppression and generational trauma. Since 2001, they have organized for healing justice at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality and ability, and consulted with youth-serving organizations in Washington and California on culturally affirming trauma informed program models with an emphasis on transformative justice, social-emotional wellness, and access to creative opportunities that increase academic and career fulfillment. They continue their work through their role as Artistic Director with Groundswell Arts Collective; founded in 2015 as a pop-up network of BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) creatives, community leaders, and social and technological innovators throughout the Pacific Northwest. The goal of this network is to develop into a groundswell of creative resistance to cultural appropriation and erasure through reclaiming narratives of origin, identity, and lineage.

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

Devon (she/her) was born into a matriarchal society as the fourth of five daughters. As a filmmaker, community facilitator and youth worker, Devon values the importance of intersectionality and honoring complexity within our stories and movements. After graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Cross Cultural Women’s Empowerment Devon found a home in the Seattle social justice and youth development community. For over a decade, Devon has been privileged to work alongside and build power with hundreds of phenomenal young people at Arts Corps: Youth Speaks Seattle, Powerful Voices, FEEST and Youth Outreach Mentors and many more organizations. www.devondelena.com

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Julia (she/her) graduated from Hofstra University with a dual degree in Psychology and Speech Communications & Rhetorical Studies. She served two years of AmeriCorps in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and never left. Julia has worked as a girls’ program specialist, community liaison, curriculum developer, and youth minister. Most recently, she worked as a Diversity Manager for Girl Scouts of Western Washington, where she honed her skills for listening, facilitation and training development. Julia left GSWW in June 2017 and has embarked on a new adventure as an anti-racist consultant and facilitator. As a Hilltop, Tacoma resident, Julia serves on the Board of Directors at Peace Community Center, where she is spearheading the Board’s anti-racist and racial equity strategic plan. She also serves on the People’s Community Center Equitable Access Sub-committee, which is dedicated to advocating for Hilltop residents, as well as for institutionalizing equity within MetroParks Tacoma.

PROGRAM & POLICY DIRECTOR

Tristan (she/her) became passionately committed to youth rights and advocacy work during three independent trips to Africa where she studied the sociological correlation between female empowerment and microlending. Inspired by the children she encountered during her travels, she returned to the states to pursue a career centered on helping young people overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of opportunity. More specifically, she is interested in how systems and policies affect the healthy development of girls*, especially at the intersections of race, gender identity and socioeconomic status. As Program Director, Tristan advances the Coalition’s mission by developing programs that give girls and gender-expansive youth in Washington state a platform to voice their experiences and influence policies that impact their lives. Tristan holds a B.A. in Comparative Sociology from the University of Puget Sound and an M.A. in International Studies from the University of San Francisco. Outside of work, she is a cardio kickboxing instructor, avid hiker and dog enthusiast.

PROGRAM & POLICY COORDINATOR

Hailey (she/her) is a passionate race and gender equity advocate born and raised in Seattle, WA and now based in the Bay Area. She has over eight years of experience in Washington State’s public policy and nonprofit sector, with a primary focus on youth advocacy, juvenile justice, and understanding the intersections of social systems and identities. She currently holds positions as a Program and Policy Coordinator at Justice for Girls and as a Washington State Coordinator for Abortion Access at Advocates for Youth.

Hailey graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Legal Studies and a minor in Ethnic Studies. At Berkeley, she was actively involved with various student organizations, including the Black Recruitment and Retention Center, which deepened her commitment to community organizing and social justice. Hailey brings her smile to every space she enters, and remains deeply committed to building a more just and equitable future for all!

YOUTH PROGRAM & ADVOCACY TRAINER

Natasha (she/her) lives in Yakima, WA and is a senior and GAIN chapter leader at West Valley High School. She is extremely passionate about advocacy and justice oriented issues and just finished a two year term as Vice Chair of the Washington State Legislative Youth Advisory Council (the official voice of youth in the state legislature). Natasha has been in GAIN/JFG since her freshman year and her role has shifted from a member to Social Media Intern to Youth Program and Advocacy Trainer.

In her free time she enjoys running cross country and track, reading, baking, and trying out new coffee shops with her friends!

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

Adanech (she/her) was born in Ethiopia, grew up in Seattle, and recently returned from college in California. Within her years as an undergrad, she earned her degree in Sociology of the Black Experience, combining two essential topics. Growing up in Seattle, she had the opportunity to be involved in organizations that supported all of the communities she identified with, such as YWE (You Woman Empower) and Y Scholars. While in college, she was a mental health RA, worked within the DEI (diversity equity and inclusion) department, and enjoyed her time on Afro-fusion. She is excited to continue growing her learning and work with the Justice for Girls Coalition in the GAIN program.

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

Hōkū (she/her) is from Maui, Hawaiʻi and is studying Political Science at Saint Martin's University. Her first taste of social justice and advocacy work was in 2018 when she interned for a women and children's shelter. Since then, she led her high school's version of a GSA club with activities focused on anti-bullying, mental health, and advocacy. In college, she has mentored incoming students of color through a campus program. She is excited to continue her advocacy work and hopes to work in the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion after she graduates.

YOUTH PROGRAM AND ADVOCACY TRAINER

Sara (she/her) is currently a freshman at the University of Washington. She is hoping to get her degree in Political Science and eventually have a career in family law. She has been a part of GAIN for 4 years now and has learned so much about legislation and policy making, which has definitely made her interest in law stronger. She is from Yakima, WA, but recently moved to Puyallup this summer!

Some fun facts about her are that she has 2 cats, Neo and Raja, and that she was born in Michigan.

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

Amarra (she/her) was born and raised in Seattle and is a student at Garfield High School. She has two sisters, one of which is 13 years younger. Her growing interest in fashion and art has helped her get though rough times in her life. At her school she holds leadership positions in various clubs and activities such as the student body government, Pilipinx Student Association, and CORE, a program in which she facilitates important discussions about topics like gender and sexuality, mental health, family dynamics, and more with student peers. Her passion of helping others manifested itself in the desire to dismantle systems that further oppress women of color, specifically those in poverty. Through her experiences and those she learns about, Amarra has been able to recognize how race intersects with all the issues in the lives of many and hopes to use this understanding to teach others the importance of social justice. She hopes to continue work within her community by networking, learning, listening, organizing, advocating, and acknowledging her own privileges in order to uplift other girls of color.

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

Lauren Chin (she/her) was born and raised in Seattle and graduated from Garfield High School. She is currently a student at Occidental College studying Diplomacy and World Affairs and Politics. During high school, she served on the King County Planned Parenthood Teen Council and Planned Parenthood Advisory Board which sparked her interest in gender equity and reproductive justice. She currently serves as the Co-President of Oxy’s Planned Parenthood Club, and has previously worked with the Democratic Governors Association and NARAL Pro-Choice America.

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

Alexis (she/her) is currently a resident at Echo Glen. She is a licensed cosmetologist and is pursuing a degree in cultural anthropology. Alexis is a survivor of abuse and intergenerational trauma. Since being incarcerated, Alexis has dedicated her time to working through her trauma and doing what is needed to heal from what she has been through. Because she has lived experience, she uses it to advocate for youth and individuals who have been silenced, suppressed and misunderstood. She not only intends to be a voice for them but strives to provide them the opportunities to regain their voice for themselves. Alexis believes that hurt people hurt people and in order to be a part of stopping the problems that we have in society we need to make sure we are not a part of them. She is most passionate about social issues such as preventing domestic violence and sexual abuse. While incarcerated, Alexis has testified on legislation and continues to work on advocacy that not only impacts incarcerated individuals but also focuses on restorative justice, personal accountability and equality for women in the legal system. Alexis is native to New Mexico and hopes to one day return. She enjoys playing softball and plans to travel later in life.

YOUTH PROGRAM & TRAINING SPECIALIST

Beth (she/her) is a November Sagittarius, she absolutely loves the color blue, and she loves to write poetry! She joined GAIN last school year, and she loves the program and what it does for the girls. She’s learned so much about self-advocacy, social problems, and, most importantly, she’s learned about a lot of different experiences that different people face.

Ever since joining, she has realized how important it is to learn from each other’s past experiences, how to better communities, and how to advocate when we see injustice, which are all very important skills to have, especially during these times. She is excited for this new chapter as a Youth Program & Training Specialist and she hopes to meet lots of new girls and make new friends [in GAIN]!

Aaron Davis (she/they) is a community health scientist, nationally certified health education specialist, and abolitionist who graduated with an MPH in epidemiology, with a focus on maternal child health from the University of Washington. Aaron was born and raised in the American Southwest, they come from an Afro-Indigenous family with a long-standing history of community involvement, and service to social justice causes. Aaron believes strongly in the power of community and has a passion for public health research, community-led initiatives, and activism to address health disparities. Currently, Aaron leverages their diverse lived experience to inform their work, and how they collaborate with and uplift communities. They work on many interdisciplinary projects as a community harm reductionist, full spectrum doula, BIPOC/QTLGBT+ youth mental health writer, unhoused youth support program facilitator, and racial health disparities researcher/ interventionist. They live by their Grandma Rosie’s motto of “if you can do good, you should do good”.

Jaya (she/her) is a Seattle native and currently holds a position as Client Advocate at the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office. She graduated with a degree in Diplomacy and World Affairs major at Occidental College. In school, she served on Occidental's Diversity and Equity Board, and she has previously led social justice retreats through Garfield High School's Congress of Racial Equity. Her work has centered around social justice, public service, and building equity in education and childcare. She is passionate about creating a more just and equitable future!

La Shonda Proby (she/her) is the Quality Assurance Program Specialist at the Juvenile Justice & Rehabilitation Administration, Central Office, Dept of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in Tacoma, WA. Previously, La Shonda has served as a Juvenile Rehabilitation Counselor Assistant at Echo Glenn Children’s Center in the Juvenile Justice & Rehabilitation Administration department. Before that she was a Program Manager and Adoption Support Administrative Files Program Manager at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Children’s Administration: Interstate Compact on Adoptions and Medical Assistance (ICAMA). She has also held positions as an Independent Living Supervisor at On Your Own Inc (a living facility for disabled individuals) and an Emergency Room Technician at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.

Samuel’s journey through advocacy has led him to working with government administrations, corporations,and non-profit organizations to develop legislation and policies that positively impact the lives of his community. An alumni of care, he has worked on legislative agenda setting and advocacy with organizations like Casey Family Programs, Foster Club, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), and Foster Care Alumni of America (FCAA). He is also an experienced lobbyist, trainer, and public speaker, having been featured as a speaker and facilitator for organizations like Treehouse, Community for Youth, and City Year.

With a combined 15 years of community engagement experience, Samuel is committed to tapping into the power of experience to elevate the voices of those impacted by policy and empower them to use their voice to advocate and lead. He engages a wide variety of audiences with positive intent and impact. Samuel has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Washington – Seattle Campus and a Master’s in Public Administration at Seattle University.

Sarah (she/her) is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Walker is interested in sustainable structures for the promotion of knowledge exchange between research and policy/practice, particularly for public systems working with adolescent disruptive and criminal behaviors. Her work examines methods of evidence-based policymaking, including defining, monitoring and promoting EBP at the state level; programmatic efforts to integrate behavioral health intervention principles in juvenile justice settings (with a specific focus on gender, family-based approaches, and quality assessment); and approaches to adapting tested interventions for local contexts. She directs work at two research-to-practice centers: Evidence Based Practice Institute and the Center for the Study and Advancement of Justice Effectiveness (SAJE, www.sajecenter.org; co-director).

Sarah (she/her) is the Research and Program Evaluation Administrator for the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and a clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington. She is a 2017 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Leaders fellow and a 2013 fellow of the Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Program at Georgetown University. Sarah’s research interests include juvenile justice reform, addressing racial and ethnic disparities, and university, community, and governmental collaboration. Sarah’s current research focuses on the risks and needs of some of Washington State's most vulnerable youth; children ages birth to five, children who are child welfare involved, and youth who have been committed to Washington State for treatment and rehabilitation. Sarah is passionate about serving her community and serves on local and state commissions.