Who We Are

Updated September 16, 2024

As Seattle's population changes, the City needs to continually revisit and expand its public engagement efforts to ensure growing demographic groups are represented in the City's decision-making processes and that barriers discouraging people from participating are eliminated.

In July 2016, Executive Order 2016-06 was signed reaffirming the City's commitment to advance effective implementation of equitable and inclusive engagement strategies across all City departments. In the 2017-2018 Budget, legislation was passed that addresses the Mayor's outreach and engagement principles, outlines a new citywide framework for community engagement, and creates a Community Involvement Commission. 

Rachelle Olden
Mayoral Appointee

Rachelle Olden is a seasoned professional with a rich and diverse background in marketing, tech, international development, and social advocacy. As a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Google, she leads the Tech Equity Collective, an initiative focused on advancing Black innovation in tech.

Her journey began as a first-generation college student, growing up as the oldest of four siblings in a single-parent home in both Brooklyn, New York, and Columbia, South Carolina. Rachelle has traveled to over 54 countries, gaining invaluable perspectives along the way. Her career started with the U.S. Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic and continued with impactful roles at the U.N. World Food Programme in Liberia and World Vision International in Latin America. She has also worked with the Clinton Foundation, the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where she focused on addressing social issues and promoting equity.

With an MBA from Duke University, Rachelle transitioned to Microsoft, where she managed global industry partnerships. In 2023, she was honored to be named one of Puget Sound's 40 under 40 and featured in ESSENCE magazine's inaugural Power 40 list. Outside of her professional life, Rachelle is a certified yoga instructor and enjoys teaching at shelters for homeless women. 

Heidi Morisset
Mayoral Appointee

Heidi was raised in Seattle where she learned to be grateful for the variety of life Seattle offers. While she took time away from the City for higher education, Seattle’s enticement has her currently residing in the serene Maple Leaf neighborhood. As a member of a local native Tribe, Heidi cherishes both her roots and the greater heritage of these lands. Heidi's educational background in psychology, sports management, and mental health counseling has aided her professional and personal growth by providing insight into human behavior and an insatiable thirst for curiosity.

Heidi has worked at several Seattle based companies and finds her passion through making connections in the communities and with the people around her. In her off time, you can find her frequenting Seattle's sporting events, at various parks with her puppy, and adventuring in the local waterways. As a young indigenous person, Heidi hopes to emphasize these perspectives within the City. Her goal as a member of the Community Involvement Commission is to make civic engagement exciting and easily attainable to all populations and people of Seattle.

Julio Perez
City Council Appointee

Julio Perez is a passionate advocate from Washington State who promotes community engagement and social equity. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Economics from Western Washington University. While at the university, he interned for six months at a local nonprofit organization that supports vulnerable populations. Julio has been a Seattle resident for three years and works as a transportation advocate at a nonprofit organization. In this role, he collaborates with local partners to address mobility challenges and ensure equitable access to transportation services.

Julio is not only dedicated to his professional responsibilities, but he is also actively involved in community service. He spends his time volunteering with organizations that support unhoused individuals in Seattle. Julio is passionate about supporting underserved populations and believes everyone deserves a voice and equal opportunities. He is committed to positively impacting our community through his selfless service.

Elise Herwig
Mayoral Appointee

Elise has lived in Seattle for the last 7 years and calls South Seattle home. She is passionate about the transformative power of community and believes that our local communities are where people have the greatest power to engage and create change. She has a Master's in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and a professional background in nonprofits and philanthropy. Her work has focused on stakeholder partnerships, collaborative solution design, capacity building, evaluation, and continuous improvement. She has additional training in community engagement and collaboration through the Tamarack Institute, as well as knowledge gained from trial, error, and learning in practice. In her free time, Elise loves to eat, cook, and try new restaurants (she firmly believes that all good community engagement events should include food).

Chelsea Affleck
City Council Appointee

Chelsea Affleck is a community advocate who believes that strong, connected neighborhoods are the foundation of a healthy, thriving city. She is curious about how communities define health and belonging, create spaces for well-being and shared power, and use inclusive engagement to shape neighborhoods, programs, and public spaces, strengthening both health and democracy.

In Seattle, Chelsea has collaborated with Community Health Centers, local nonprofits, and philanthropic networks to advance equity and civic participation. Whether mentoring emerging healthcare leaders, supporting community-driven grantmaking, or volunteering at large-scale public health events, Chelsea seeks out opportunities to listen deeply, build trust, and bring people together across differences. Outside of work, she can be found organizing neighborhood gatherings, volunteering with local nonprofits, and exploring Seattle’s green spaces with an eye toward how they can foster connection, healing, and joy. She views community involvement as both a practice and a shared responsibility, one that grows our collective resilience and ensures that all voices shape the future we share.

Nada Ramadan
Mayoral Appointee

Nada moved to Washington State in August of 2021. Her love for the outdoors and adventure made her fall in love with the region. Her favorite part is living in the middle of the city and feeling like being in a forest cabin the whole time. While Nada's background is in education, she has always been an advocate of community engagement. She is very passionate about creating inclusive cultural programs that bring people together from across the world. She's coordinated international festivals, managed community programs, and spoken at events attended by hundreds of people. Nada is excited to serve the city with the Community Involvement Commission.

Tim Turner
City Council Appointee

Timothy Turner has called Seattle's Queen Anne and Capitol Hill neighborhoods home for the past three years. Timothy is a proud alumnus of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and a minor in Sociology. He has cultivated a diverse career dedicated to community service, including roles as a mental health caseworker, English teacher, and children’s social services specialist serving the Deaf community of central Ohio. Timothy now serves as a Resource Coordinator working in Seattle’s low-income public housing communities, where he is passionate about connecting residents to vital community services. He is committed to actively networking with local social service organizations and entities to promote and amplify their work in the areas of social justice, mental & public health, disability advocacy, and other critical social services.

Gabriel de los Angeles
City Council Appointee

Gabriel de los Angeles is son of Chief Andy de los Angeles of the Snoqualmie Tribe. Chief Andy was recognized by the City of Seattle with Chief Andy day, Feb 15, for the immense history of Native community work and work with all levels of government. A Lake City resident, Gabriel is also the Board President of the Indian Parent Advisory Committee with Seattle Public Schools. He is also educated as a PhC in Education Psychology, specializing in Learning Science and Human Development, at the University of Washington's College of Education. He is mentored in that work by Dr. Megan Bang (Ojibwe). Gabriel is also a story telling teacher, mentored by Roger Fernandes (S'klallam). You can find him in Seattle working on increasing Native American Education for all as well as telling traditional Native stories in classrooms and other places.

Kamryn Yanchick
Get Engaged Appointee

Kamryn Yanchick (she/her) is a proud citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and a descendant of the Muscogee Nation originally from Oklahoma City and now living in the Interbay neighborhood in Seattle. Kamryn graduated from the University of Oklahoma with degrees in police science and Native American studies, and her research focused on identifying barriers and motivating factors that impact Native participation in both tribal and nontribal elections. She currently works as the Political Navigator with Native Action Network (NAN), where she manages leadership development and advocacy training programs for Native women. Kamryn joined the NAN team after completing the Wilma Mankiller Fellowship with the National Congress of American Indians, where she worked on advancing civic engagement across Indian Country. She is passionate about furthering community empowerment in the political process, especially amongst Native youth, and hopes to use her position on the Community Involvement Commission to help foster equitable and inclusive engagement across Seattle.