Duana Ricks-Johnson (she/her)

Duana is a Colville/Lakes Tribal Member, proud Disabled US Navy Veteran, and single parent of four children. She is a twin that grew up in foster care in Washington and aged out at the age of eighteen. She and her children are survivors of domestic violence, resulting in related moves which led them to experience homelessness numerous times.

It has been Duana’s passion to speak to the housing disparities that BIPOC and other marginalized individuals face in Washington State. Doing this work with a housing justice lens has been incredibly healing in her journey from Victim to Survivor. She knows all too well that without this critical most basic need met, those who are fleeing from domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking will continue to be targeted, victimized, and exploited by those who would seek to do us harm.

It is paramount to Duana that she actively works to bridge the gap for those who need aid in Vancouver, WA, and SW Washington communities. She is a member of five local boards and participate in BIPOC Leadership/advocacy groups in Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR areas giving her the skills and opportunity to raise her voice and make connections that will help make our communities safer and a more equitable place for all the underserved.

“I will help our community go full circle through connecting the vital parts needed to build a strong community- focusing on safe and affordable housing for all.”

Heather Sheppard (she/her)

Heather is a multiracial, cis woman in recovery, social worker from Vancouver Washington. She is currently employed as the Equity and Collaborative Impact Project Manager at SWACH in Vancouver, Washington. She is a Portland State University MSW Alum and a graduate of the first cohort of the Vancouver Community Leadership Institute. 

Heather has come into the field with varied lenses of lived experience and social identities, which drives her passion for change and empathy for those navigating their own struggles and barriers. Heather is excited to learn more from PLC and how she can develop her political skills and campaigning education on a higher level. In her day job, she manages the policy/advocacy program and is passionate about perusing policy reform and increasing systemic access for those communities that are most impacted and underinvested in. She centers community voice at the core of her work and is committed to amplifying community voices to advocate for equitable policy change. 

Outside of Heather’s passion for social justice, she enjoys being outside, in community, traveling, eating delicious food, and fitness. She has 3 children, one anxiously energetic Pit Bull, two twin kitties, and one fully Maine Coone. 

Kady Titus (she/her)

Kady is Koyukon Athabascan, a citizen of the Native Village of Ruby, Alaska. She grew up in Fairbanks. Prior to working with Native Vote Washington, she worked with Tribes on a national level to identify, develop, and implement solar power projects that meet community needs. This included education, hands-on training, and reducing energy costs for Tribal members. She has also worked in Tribal health organizations and workforce development. Kady studied at Haskell Indian Nation University and later Native Studies Leadership at Northwest Indian College.

She is also a 2023 Alumni of Native Action Network’s Legacy of Leadership cohort, a 10-month leadership journey addressing issues and topics relevant to Native communities. In 2013, Kady relocated from Alaska to rural Eastern Washington to be closer to her paternal family. In her free time, she loves to travel, spend time with family and friends, and love on her fur babies Lily (dog) and Charlie (cat). Kady is an artist, expressing her creativity and love for color in her Indigenous beadwork. 

Karina Solorio (she/her)

Karina is a dedicated organizer serving the Yakima community through her role at Washington Conservation Action. Born in Bellingham, the ancestral homelands of the Lummi, Karina spent her formative years in Northern California before returning to Washington state. She is a first-generation American and child of Immigrants who became the first in her family to graduate from college.  

Karina's journey into organizing began during her time at Central Washington University, where she earned her BA in Political Science and a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Throughout her academic career, she actively engaged with various organizations such as Planned Parenthood Generation Action, Young Democrats of Washington, and Environment Washington.  

Since 2021, Karina has resided in Yakima County, situated on Yakama land, where she continues to advocate for progressive values and representation. She is deeply passionate about amplifying voices in Central Washington, striving to empower marginalized communities and effect positive change. Her dedication to Feminism, Environmental justice, and Anti-Racism fuels her work as she strives to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all. 

Merivet Lombera (she/her)

Merivet is a first generation college graduate, with a degree in Psychology and Communication from Central WA University and currently pursuing a graduate degree in Communication and Leadership studies at Gonzaga University. Her studies exposed her to the history and struggles of  Latinos and Chicanos in the United States, empowering her to get more involved in her community.

Merivet started her work in non-profit organizations in 2015 as a youth fellow in environmental justice. With more than 6 years of community work, Merivet has worked to educate young and adult voters to bring about the change they want to see in their community through their vote and advocacy power. Additionally, Merivet has worked as a youth leadership program manager at the Latino Community Fund where she led a civic engagement and advocacy (CE&A) program to empower high school students with leadership skills.

In her current role as Community Organizer at Poder Latinx, Merivet is working to ensure that the latino vote increases not only during presidential elections but also during local elections. In 2023 Merivet led a group of canvassers with the goal to increase latino voter participation in the local elections in the Lower Yakima Valley, where 4 Latinos got elected to city council and school board. In the future Merivet would like to continue her education to obtain a PhD in Leadership to empower community members to become servant leaders and change Central Washington one leader at a time. 

Siobhana R. McEwen (she/her, They/Them)

Siobhana is the daughter of an East Indian immigrant from Guyana and a poet/bodybuilder from South Chicago. They are a disrupter who cracks dad-jokes in meetings, fully-belly laughs, hoots and hollers indoors with her four-year-old son, and provides critical, functional feedback to systems keepers and maintainers whether they ask for it or not. A clinically trained social worker turned policy and advocacy nerd, she wholeheartedly holds herself and those around her in power to an expectation of anti-racism, fierce love and compassion, and accountability. She loves good coffee, great beer, and all kinds of music.  

She is a spouse, daughter, sister, veteran, and Bibi to a beautiful, bi-racial four-year-old. She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her family and their fur baby, Moxxie. She currently works as the Executive Director of the Southwest Washington Equity Coalition and serves on numerous boards and commissions devoted to promoting equity and community throughout SW Washington and beyond.  

Tara Newton (she/her)

As a Black woman, Tara is proud to be a first generation graduate, holding a degree from The Evergreen State College, Tacoma Campus. She has served many terms as a Board Member and Chairperson for the Services and Activities Fee Allocation Board of The Evergreen State College, and member at large for City of Tacoma Citizen Police Advisory Committee. Tara currently sits on the Continuum of Care Committee for Pierce County and is a Tacoma Pierce County Health Department Family Support Partnership member. In 2019 she received her international accreditation for facilitation of The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program as well as trained as a Restorative Health Circle Keeper.

Tara has spent numerous years strongly cultivating her passion for community; organizing, activism, leadership and development. Tara is dedicated to advocating for her community around anti-blackness, social justice, socio-economic racism, LGBTQIA+ rights, and Police brutality. Passionate about community empowerment, volunteering, and social action, Tara is known for her innovative bridge-building approach. Tara recently became the Executive Director of Hilltop Action Coalition and was previously Deputy Director of the Rainbow Center.

In her free time, Tara hosts gatherings where she imparts creative techniques to enhance individual well-being. She also enjoys short road trips, exploring the breathtaking scenic spots in the Pacific Northwest. With a perpetual smile and a love for great humor, Tara has never met a stranger.