Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson announces transition team

SEATTLE - Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson on Wednesday announced her full, 60-member transition team, which features public policy buffs and community leaders.

Wilson's office announced the initial team on Nov. 19, with plans to "convene a larger transition team" down the road to "gather feedback, identify priorities" and prepare for the changing of the guard come January 2026.

Her office announced the full team just a week later.

"I ran for mayor on the vision that we can tackle big challenges, address our affordability crisis, and make our city a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Now it’s time to get to work," said Wilson. "I’m so grateful to the Transition Director and Co-Chairs who have stepped up to lend their deep expertise in government, business, labor, housing, and community development, and help me put that vision into action."

Who is leading Katie Wilson's transition team?

Local perspective:

The transition committee currently consists of a director and four co-chairs.

The transition director is Andrés Mantilla, who is a partner at Uncommon Bridges, a Seattle-based policy consulting firm. The firm specializes in economic development, public policy and community engagement with local organizations and elected officials.

Before that, Mantilla worked with the administrations of previous mayors Greg Nickels and Jenny Durkan, and previously served as director of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.

"Successful leadership is about building consensus and working across diverse groups to turn a bold vision into concrete outcomes," said Mantilla. "I look forward to helping shape a transition that supports the Mayor-Elect in achieving her vision of an affordable, accessible, and innovative city."

The transition co-chairs are Karen Estevenin, Tiffani McCoy, Quynh Pham and Brian Surratt.

Karen Estevenin is the executive director of PROTEC17, a labor union that represents more than 10,000 public-sector workers in Washington and Oregon, where she has served since 2019. Before that, Estevenin worked with other unions including CWA/WashTech, UFCW 3000 and Teamsters 117, and is also a trustee for King County's MLK Labor union.

Tiffani McCoy is the co-executive director of social housing nonprofit House Our Neighbors. She previously served as campaign manager for the group's "Yes on I-135" and "Yes on Prop 1A" campaigns, which established and funded the first social housing developer in the country.

"Seattle’s residents deserve access to stable, affordable homes. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help guide a transition that takes a more coordinated approach to addressing the city’s housing needs by prioritizing affordability, housing production, concrete progress on homelessness, and a commitment to social housing," said McCoy.

Quynh Pham is the executive director of Friends of Little Saigon, a community development organization based in Seattle's Chinatown-International District.

"Our neighborhood business districts are the backbone of Seattle’s local economy and community identity," said Pham. "I’m excited to support a transition that uplifts small businesses, strengthens local communities, and ensures every part of the city benefits when our economy grows."

Brian Surratt is the president and CEO of Greater Seattle Partners, an organization focused on business, international trade and local industries. Before that, Surratt directed Seattle's Office of Economic Development. In that time, he helped negotiate the city's $1.2 billion agreement to build Climate Pledge Arena. He also served in the Mayor's Office of Policy and Innovation, where he was the policy lead to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

What they're saying:

"I’m a coalition-builder — that’s how I ran my campaign, and that’s how I’ll govern," said Mayor-Elect Katie 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's office says they are organizing the transition team into seven policy areas:

• Housing Affordability & Community Needs
• Economic Development & Workers Rights
• Transportation & Environment
• Arts, Culture & Creative Economy
• Civic Narrative & Major Initiatives
• Standing Up for Our Values
• Public Safety, Parks & Wellbeing

"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," said Wilson. "I have sought out their input and invited them to join my transition team because being a successful mayor means being a mayor for everyone."

Who is on Katie Wilson's transition team?

Co-leading the Housing Affordability & Community Needs team are Colleen Echohawk, CEO of Community Roots Housing, and Jon Scholes, President & CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association. Other policy area members include:

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

Co-leads for the Economic Development & Workers Rights team is Richard de Sam Lazaro, senior director for Expedia Group Government Affairs, and Corina Yballa, MLK Labor's political director. Other policy area members are:

• Jeanie Chunn, founder of Seattle Restaurants United 
• Arif Gursel, founder and Executive Director of The Union
• Toshiko Hasegawa, Commissioner for the Port of Seattle
• Joe Mizrahi with UFCW 3000 and the Seattle School Board
• Terrance Stevenson, Director of SeaCiti Initiative, WTIA

The Transportation & Environment team will be co-lead by Shemona Moreno, executive director at 350 Seattle, and Anna Zivarts, program director for the Disability Mobility Initiative. Other policy area members are:

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

The Arts, Culture & Creative Economy team will be co-lead by Randy Engstrom, co-founder and principal of Third Way Creative, and Ben Hunter, artistic director of Northwest Folklife. Other policy area members are:

• Michael Greer, President and CEO of ArtsFund
• Jesse Hagopian, educator, author, and musician 
• Edwin Lindo, co-founder of Estelita's Library
• Amy Nguyen, Executive Director of Watershed Community Development
• Elisheba Wokoma, Co-Executive Director of Wa Na Wari

Co-leading Civic Narrative & Major Initiatives is Alex Hudson, executive director of Commute Seattle, andJoy Shigaki, President & CEO of Friends of the Waterfront. Other policy area members include:

• Lilliane Ballesteros, executive director of the Latino Community Fund
• Dr. Ana Mari Cauce, President Emeritus of University of Washington
• Andrea Caupain Sanderson, co-founder and co-executive director of Ile Kimoyo
• Leo Flor, Chief Legacy Officer of Seattle FIFA World Cup 26
• Mari Horita, SVP of the Seattle Kraken

Co-leading the Standing Up for Our Values team is Roxana Norouzi, executive director of OneAmerica, and Jaelynn Scott, executive director of the Lavender Rights Project. Other members are:

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

Co-leading Public Safety, Parks, & Wellbeing is Lisa Daugaard, co-executive director of Purpose.Dignity.Action, and Dominique Davis, CEO of Community Passageways. Other policy area members are:

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

Finally, the team of student and youth advisors includes:

• Leo Falit-Baiamonte, President of the Seattle Student Union
• Russell McQuarrie-Means of South Seattle College
• Bailey Medilo, Staff Organizer with Washington Bus 
• Simon Kreft of Seattle Central College
• Rayne Thompson of the University of Washington 
• Sonal Virk, ASUW Vice President at University of Washington

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