Welcome to HAPPEN's Mentorship Program! Interested in joining? Become a Mentor and/or Become a Mentee
Mentorship Resources
If you have questions, please let us know at happen@ofm.wa.gov.
Meet our Mentors
Amber Coleman - OFM (she/her)
Expertise: Leadership, prep for job opportunities, equity work
No bio available
Chelsea Batavia - ECY (she/her)
Expertise: Community engagement and outreach; facilitation; diversity; equity, and inclusion; communication; writing
Hi! My name is Chelsea Batavia and I’m the Environmental Justice Engagement Coordinator at the Department of Ecology. In my current role I provide coordination and guidance to center equity in our agency’s community engagement. I also support our agency’s Office of Tribal Relations. Previously I worked for the state of California as an environmental social scientist. My background is in interdisciplinary human dimensions of biodiversity conservation, which is a mouthful…basically, I focused on how and why humans seek to protect the diversity of life on Earth. I’ve only been in Washington for a year and a half, but I lived in Corvallis, Oregon for about 10 years, so I’m at home in the Pacific Northwest and love the grey weather. I live in Olympia with my senior dog, Maestro, who is the light and joy of my life.
Grace Yoo - Women's Commission
Expertise: Preparing for job opportunities, cross-cultural communication, navigating federal government, advocacy, strategic planning
Hi there! My name is Grace Yoo and I am serving as the Executive Director of the Washington State Women's Commission (WSWC). Before joining the Governor's cabinet in 2023, I worked in a sustainability role at Starbucks Coffee Company. My previous government experience was as a diplomat at the U.S. Department of State, serving in overseas assignments in China, Korea, and Germany, as well as several domestic assignments in Washington, D.C. I grew up in Edmonds, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and now call Seattle home. I'm happy to share learnings from transitioning between the public and private sectors, as well as federal and state government as we navigate public service careers together. Looking forward to learning, growing, and finding power together as a mentor-mentee community!
Hannah Aoyagi - ECY (she/her)
Expertise: Leadership, facilitation, change leadership, equity, DEI, environmental justice, environmental policy, community engagement
Hannah is the Organizational Equity Manager at the Washington State Department of Ecology—the state’s environmental protection agency. She leads work on civil rights compliance, language access, accessibility, and workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has her Ph.D. in Environmental Health, Science, & Policy from U.C. Irvine, with a focus on environmental justice. Hannah is also a facilitator and coach with The Leadership Challenge®, believing that organizational change requires courageous and thoughtful leaders.
Jenny Sai - ECY (she/her)
Expertise: Applying and interviewing for agency jobs, finance, Excel, environmental justice
I am a budget equity senior analyst in the Office of Equity and Environmental Justice at the Washington State Department of Ecology where I help ensure the agency is investing 40% of its expenditures in vulnerable populations and overburdened communities. Previously, I was a finance analyst and program manager at Amazon in various programs. I decided to obtain my Master of Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Policy in 2022 to change my career trajectory towards one that aligned with my personal values and passion for environmental justice. My undergraduate studies were in finance and economics at Washington University in St. Louis. I immigrated to the United States from China when I was four years old, and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. As a first-generation immigrant, I learned how to adapt to many situations and how to embrace my culture in a new place.
Jessica James - WaTech
Expertise: Resume refining/preparation; confidence coaching; servant leadership (formal and informal); web development; user experience (UX); digital accessibility; enterprise architecture (focuses on business, information, and data architecture); law and policy research, analysis and development; being a woman navigating an industry/career dominated by men; being neurodivergent navigating a working world dominated by neurotypicals.
Jessica is currently an Enterprise Senior Solutions Architect in the Architecture & Innovation Division at Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech). She went to school to study law with plans to become a lawyer but found her passion was actually in IT and that she wanted to grow up and be an information data architect like her dad. So, she went about trying to find an IT job in the land of Microsoft, Amazon and concentrated IT expertise with her history and philosophy degree. It was the Washington State Patrol who saw her potential and with whom she started her public service career in 2007. She's been in a public service role ever since and has also served with the Department of Corrections and the City of Tacoma. Per the Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment, her highest strengths are analysis, context and maximizing. Don't be surprised if she asks a lot of questions to get to know you and all your layers of context so she can figure out how best to help and support you in maximizing your own unique strengths and abilities.
Kennly Asato - COM (she/they)
Expertise: Interview prep, leadership, skill development, career guidance, networking, personal growth, career advancement, problem solving
My name is Kennly Asato and I am the Deputy Assistant Director for the Housing Division at the Washington State Department of Commerce. I was born and raised in Hawaii. As the daughter of a school teacher, I learned the importance of helping others and giving them your very best. I have been in state government for the last 12 years and am passionate about helping people find meaningful employment and growing personally and professionally. I currently serve as the chair for the South Puget Sound Community College Office Technology and Administration advisory committee. I also lead the Mentorship Committee for HAPPEN. I would love to help you navigate the state hiring process including reviewing cover letters, resume building, and interview preparation. I also can help provide career guidance and serve as a sounding board for your ideas on where and how you’d like to grow!
Kimi Matsushima - ECY (she/her/hers)
Expertise: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect; environmental justice planning, interview panel preparation and bias checking, meaningful outreach/engagement, historic preservation
Hello! My name is Kimi Matsushima, and I am a Chemical Action Plan (CAP) Implementation Planner within Ecology’s Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program. I was born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii, and am a relative newcomer to WA state. So far, I'm enjoying my time living in the sunny Yakima area with my husband and our menagerie of animals! My favorite times are spring, fall, and the fruit season! I am passionate about careers in public service and elevating equity and DEIR work. I formerly did archaeology and cultural resource protection work in Hawaii for several years. In my almost 6 years with Ecology, I've done various work for the agency in the Air Quality and Water Quality programs, including managing grants to regulatory compliance and enforcement. However, my greatest joy comes from work that allows me to focus on implementing innovative and equity-focused projects, and pushing for improvements in Ecology's efforts related to environmental justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
Leslie Chao - SPSCC (she/they)
Expertise: Education, research, and resume building
No bio available
M. Hayley Callahan - UTC (she/her/hers)
Expertise: Legal field
M. Hayley Callahan recently joined the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission as an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Hayley previously worked for the Department of Revenue as an ALJ for 16 years and left the agency to work for the Department of Financial Institutions’ Securities Division as a Financial Legal Examiner. Hayley moved to Washington state in 2007 from the state of Hawaii. Hayley worked for the Department of Taxation and Legal Aid Society of Hawaii when she lived in Hawaii.
Hayley holds a Master of Laws in Taxation (LL.M.) degree from Georgetown University Law Center, a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. Hayley also holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, as well as a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from Hawaii Pacific University.
Marissa Meyer - ESD
Expertise: Leadership, talent development, general to advanced business skills, design for Six Sigma, customer experience, business strategy and planning
No bio available
Michele Lefebvre - COM (she/her)
Expertise: Communication, leadership
No bio available
Nick Vann - EQUITY (he/him)
Expertise: Leadership, growth and development, architecture, history
Nicholas Vann currently serves as the Director of Equity and Belonging within the Washington State Office of Equity, and is the first Executive Sponsor for Washington State Business Resource Group HAPPEN (Hawaiians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders Promoting an Empowerment Network). He is Chinese American, and is the son, grandson, and great grandson of immigrants. Nicholas is dedicated to public service, and prioritizes putting people first to ensure systems are serving Washingtonians equitably. He began serving the public in Washington state government in 2011 with the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, where he served as the State Historical Architect and Deputy Director. He believes that every Washingtonian deserves the dignity of feeling a sense of belonging regardless of their identity, and that the future of state government models relational partnership by empowering the voice and lived experience of people.
Sarah Saavedra - DOR (she/her)
Expertise: Hiring, performance evaluations, finance, cybersecurity, IT general controls, IT audits, compliance audits, GAAP, GASB, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Audit Executive, Accounting, Finance, Compliance, CPA, CIA, MBA
Aloha! My name is Sarah Saavedra, MBA, CPA, CIA. I currently work at the Department of Revenue as the Chief Audit Executive (Internal Audit Manager). Previous roles have included Executive Leadership as the VP of Finance & Chief Financial Officer at Saint Martin's University, and the Audit Manager for the State's ACFR Financial Statement audit, state audits, and Higher Education Program Manager. I have hired tons of individuals and worked with students as they prepare for internships throughout the last 20 years of my career as a CPA. I have been mentored by the CEO of Providence Hospital, and have also mentored as part of HAPPEN's program last year. I believe we each need a mentor to believe in us, to help us see our best selves, to bring out our best-selves and to help us self-advocate and see things, when we cannot always see them in ourselves. As a manager for different State Agencies over 15+ years, I've hired many individuals and seen many cover letters, resumes, and sat in on hundreds of interviews. I would love to be someone you can trust to talk to about career situations. Some of my favorite quotes from past mentors who have helped me grow professionally are: if you aren't earning or learning, then you aren't getting anything out of the job and may need to move on AND "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou.
Steve Lee - DOR (he/him)
Expertise: Taxation, law
Hi, I’m Steve Lee, a lawyer, musician, and parent to a pitbull mix and a feisty tuxedo cat. I currently work with the Department of Revenue as a tax policy specialist in ARHD, short for Administrative Review and Hearings Division. I review taxpayer appeals and write determinations that represent the department’s final decision in the case. Mentorship is so important to building our community and making success accessible to all. Mentorship goes both ways, and it takes two to tango. I look forward to learning more about you!
Thanh V. Tran - DSHS (he/him)
Expertise: Public speaking, facilitation, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Professional, leadership, lived experience, interview skills, networking
Thanh (he/him) started his state service career in 2016 and currently serves as the Community Engagement & Belonging Administrator at the Dept. of Social and Health Services (DSHS). As an Equity, Diversity, Access & Inclusion professional, he is also a DSHS Pro-Equity, Anti-Racist (PEAR) Consultant for the agency and committed to the training, facilitation and development of EDAIB related programmatic structures that align with the State Office of Equity’s vision of implementing the PEAR Playbook authorized by the governor’s executive order for all state agencies. As a first-generation Vietnamese refugee, Thanh knows the pains of experienced by othering, prejudice, and bias and has a passion to empower others to find their voices when advocating for fair, equitable treatment and authentic representation. He is an ally for all marginalized communities that intersect as a bridge builder in our shared common interests. As an Asian American, he realizes his own privilege & disenfranchisement in our social construct and envision members speaking truth to power regarding the marginalization and bias that we as ANHPI experience WITHIN and outside of our communities to truly unify & heal. Thanh is an inclusive servant leader with core strengths in public speaking, logistical analysis, group communication and facilitation that has helped other groups arrive authentically when engaging in conversations with diverse perspectives and lived experiences. As he has stated, “Our ANHPI communities are no different with over 80+ diverse ethnicities, languages, cultures as none of our lived experiences are monolithic. I’m hopeful this BRG will be the space to celebrate our diverse thought and truths as we organize and mobilize towards equality for all.”