Leadership

Michael Bailey

Anne Lee

Dee Dhlamini

Dee is a seasoned public sector financial services leader with almost 20 years’ experience managing complex initiatives with multiple stakeholders. She is problem-solver, with high EQ and analytical capabilities. Dee has earned a reputation for breaking down silos, partnering with others to maximize impact in highly unionized and matrixed organizations.

In 2020 she was asked to step in as the lead financial strategist for Public Health’s $300M Covid response funding. She designed and implemented end-to-end fiscal and administrative processes and provided strategy, risk analysis, and mitigation for department-wide covid response tactical operations ramp up and demobilization. She was later promoted to Interim CFO.

A trusted advisor to department executive leadership and stakeholders, Dee has led strategic continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen Public Health’s financial management in a department with a complex $1.1B operating budget and a highly decentralized matrixed administrative structure. She has consistently demonstrated a focus on results through setting performance standards, strengthening financial reporting transparency, internal controls, and transactional efficiencies.

During her tenure with King County, she served as the deputy director in the Environmental Health Services division, and prior to joining King County she served as the strategic advisor to the Seattle Public Utilities, Customer Services division. She is an experienced strategist in mobilizing broad-based initiatives like the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice and King County’s Equity and Social Justice Initiatives to end institutionalized racism and race-based disparities in local government service delivery. She also has strong, established and trusting relationships with local grass-roots community-based organizations in the immigrant and refugee communities. 

Dee balances visionary strategic thinking with the reality of “those who are working in the trenches” to get the job done. She holds a Lean 6-Sigma Green belt, a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University of Washington and is a candidate in the Executive master’s in public administration at the UW Evans School of Public Policy.

Terry McLellan

Stasha Espinosa

Stasha, an accomplished policy executive and lobbyist, built her career upon a simple yet powerful conviction: government systems must adapt to the unique needs of the communities that they serve. Her career highlights include spearheading the passage of eight health and employment laws that touch the lives of every Washingtonian and securing over $900 million in investments for one in four Washington workers. She has also shattered glass ceilings as one of the few women of color to occupy executive leadership roles in both chambers of the United States Congress.

As the Director of Legislative & External Affairs, Stasha forges connections between politicians, the public, and the City’s six investment areas within Human Services. Before joining the City of Seattle, Stasha directed the government relations portfolio for Washington's Employment Security Department, serving over 7.5 million customers during the global COVID-19 unemployment crisis. In this role, she led state and federal COVID-19 policy proposals, secured over $1.2 billion in program appropriations, and revitalized the agency's relationships with key stakeholders. She holds two Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Workplace certificates and a Masters in Communications from the University of Washington. She is a proud wife and mother to two kiddos under four. 

Geri Beardsley

As the Business Operations Director, Geri oversees HSD emergency management; contract and funding policies and procedures; quality assurance; and data and performance. She has many years of experience in the public sector at the state and local level. Most recently she was the Director of Administration at Community Transit in Everett, overseeing many of the agency’s critical business functions, including administration; budget, finance, and accounting; procurement and contracts; human resources; risk management and safety; and training and staff development. Geri is slowly working on taking her “lite” green thumb to a deeper level of green. Homemade meals taste so much better with homegrown produce.

Mary Mitchell

Mary was born in Seattle, the daughter of a US Army Veteran, and graduated from Garfield High School. As a 30-year veteran working in the service of others, she started her career in civil service in the Seattle Police Department (SPD) as an Administrative Specialist on the auto records team. While serving in SPD, Mary also co-chaired the race and social justice change team and facilitated focus groups for the Citizen’s Academy and Race the Power of an Illusion.

Mary is an experienced professional in organizational development, conflict resolution, and racial and social justice. During her 11 years in Parking Enforcement, she served on SPD’s Change Team as co-lead, facilitator of Race the Power of an Illusion, Core 4-member, and certified mediator with the Inter-Local Conflict Resolution Group.

Mary then served as the Deputy Director of the Consumer Protection Division of Seattle’s Department of Finance and Administration Services, where she was instrumental in creating the Racial Equity Toolkit to explore the development of the Marijuana Equity Program to increase diversity in the newly regulated industry.

After 23 years with SPD, Mary brought leadership and stability to Aging and Disability Services as the Director of the largest Area Agency on Aging in Washington State, serving a quarter of our state’s population under Older Americans Act programs.

She is a natural advocate for older adults and adults with disabilities, particularly related to racial disparities in accessing services and resources. Mary eagerly participated in the 2022 USAging Policy Briefing and has already established important and meaningful relationships with local, state, and national policymakers and legislators. She is excited to continue her journey leading Aging and Disability Services and making a difference for our community.

Mary is a native daughter of Seattle, an alumnus of Garfield High School, and is honored to be able to use her kind-heartedness towards working for the City of Seattle. When she is not in the office, Mary enjoys spending time with her granddaughter, “Lady Bug”, or racing around town on her motorcycle, Big Blue!

Shukri Olow

Dr. Shukri Olow is honored to be supporting HSD's Youth and Family Empowerment Division, a division that is investing in upstream solutions and aimed at preventing the harm experienced by many in our community. She brings over 16 years of servant leadership and commitment to children and families across our region.

Previously, Shukri worked for King County with the Best Starts for Kids Initiative, a voter-approved initiative to support every baby born in King County. She also led the Youth Development Strategy, a strategy supporting 32 youth-serving organizations. Shukri has served on several boards and organizations including Kent Youth and Family Services, Kent Rotary, Kent YMCA, and the Steering Committee for the Kent Education Levy in 2022. Shukri holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Organizational Learning from Seattle University. 

When she is not serving our beloved community, she can be found loving on her two children and traveling near and far.

Kimberly Patterson

Kimberly is a dedicated administrative professional with almost a decade of experience in the public sector at the state and local levels. She enjoys reading and going on scenic walks with her pet Pomeranian named Franklin.