Board of Directors

President

Latima Charbonneau was born and raised in the heart of New York City and couldn’t imagine her life outside of the concrete jungle. She moved to Seattle seven years ago and fell in love with the wonders of the PNW. After obtaining her BA from Virginia Tech in English, Latima received her MA from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. Her professional background is in marketing and communications, and she has worked at a youth development nonprofit throughout her career. Latima is passionate about social justice, youth empowerment, and LGBTQ rights, among many other things. Currently, Latima volunteers at Kandelia and loves making solid connections with the community. After leaving her last organization, she took on a personal project to renovate her house, which was built in 1906. Latima spends time with her beautiful preschooler, husband, and two pets outside of remodeling. She enjoys reading and relaxing when she gets the time.

Vice-President

A native New Yorker - who has lived in California, Tennessee, and Connecticut - Payton has truly enjoyed his relocation to Washington, full of breathtaking views, fresh air and abundant greenery. Before coming to the West Coast, Payton lived in Nashville where he received his Master of Public Policy degree from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education. Payton is an educational policy professional with expertise in analyzing quantitative and qualitative K-12 data, Federal and State accountability structures, charter school efficacy, state data systems, and performance frameworks. He is a fierce advocate for educational justice, currently serving as the Data, Research and Policy Director at Eastside Pathways – a collective impact organization in Bellevue focusing on racial equity and improving social and academic outcomes for children and communities ages 0-26. Outside of work, Payton enjoys spending time with his wife and running after and laughing alongside his two daughters. His family enjoys travelling, cooking, eating, and embracing its multicultural and multiracial identities. Payton also enjoys solving crosswords, running, listening to podcasts and playing Legos with his daughters, or by himself.

Secretary

KD was born and raised in Vietnam to a family of science educators. She completed her degrees in Bioinformatics at Towson University and Human Genetics at Johns Hopkins, both in Maryland prior to entering the Boston pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in 2013. Her work span includes cardio-metabolic disorder, neurodegeneration and ophthalmology. She moved to Seattle in the summer of 2021 with her family for a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity to lead molecular trait mapping and translating genetic and multi-omic findings into novel drug targets at Variant Bio, a biotech startup with an ethical-first and benefit sharing approach. She studies the genetics of underrepresented populations. In addition to her passion for science, KD enjoys doing her part to build a future where her child and other children thrive in a world that is racially, and economically just.

Treasurer

Paige is a certified public accountant and works for BDO USA, LLP. She received her Masters in Professional Accounting and Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Accounting and Finance from the University of Washington. Paige has participated in community programs such as the Greater Seattle Japanese Community Queen Scholarship Pageant, which allowed her to represent her community and learn more about her heritage. FOCS has provided her an opportunity to further contribute to the local community and advocate for women and families of color. Paige comes from a large Japanese-American family, where great food and laughter are always abundant. She enjoys backpacking with her husband, traveling to new countries, and supporting the UW Huskies during football and basketball games.

Past President

Kendra is a descendant of California Indian Mission slave system and Indian boarding school survivors, and Indigenous Mexican and European settler ancestors. She was born and raised in and around Seattle, where her family has built strong relationships with the first peoples and lands we all occupy. She is adjunct faculty for the Native Pathways Program at the Evergreen State College, where she also received her bachelor's degree and Master's in Public Administration with a concentration in Tribal Governance. She is currently working towards her Doctorate in Indigenous Development and Advancement from Te Whare Wananga O' Awanuiarangi, an Indigenous Maori university in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Her areas of focus have been Tribal food sovereignty, digital equity, and educational trauma. Previously Kendra has worked for the groundbreaking Native-owned business Eighth Generation, the National Urban Indian Family Coalition, held leadership roles in several local nonprofits, worked in childhood and higher education, and served in the Army as a watercraft engineer. Kendra and her spouse are proud foster parents and enjoy being outside, supporting the arts, and celebrating their family's blended African, Native, and other Indigenous and European cultures with their communities throughout the region. Kendra is excited and honored to be able to give back to FOCS by helping to support the brilliant and caring community that has meant so much to her and her family.

Alexia is a Black, queer, and two spirit neuro-divergent human. She hails from a long line of female activists who left legacies of causing “good trouble” down in Mississippi, a place where the fields tell a story, organizing is built into culture, and the music speaks to your soul. Like her ancestors, Alexia is passionate about doing her part to strategically support the liberation of BIPOC people from that which dehumanizes us. Humanity is a right we are all afforded, and in her own words,” I’m proud to join the FOCS Board and to help further mobilize our communities towards liberation. Alexia is a Memphis native that has also called WA state home since childhood. She holds a Juris Doctor degree and has over 15 years of experience helping to transform organizations and cultures, currently spearheading this work at Microsoft. Alexia is partnered and mom to 9-year-old Eleanor, a beautiful autistic girl who is non-verbal and half French. Alexia credits Eleanor with teaching her many lessons about life, love, and inclusion. In her free time, Alexia enjoys spreading black joy, advocating for educational policy change, and doing things which serve her soul, like the calm of the water. #WithGratitude #StrongerTogether

am currently an MBA student at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business and work as a systems engineer at Boeing. In my professional role, I have been able to provide solutions to a wide range of questions and opportunities by assessing systems in various industries, including student/academic affairs, pharmaceuticals, custodial services, and airlines. I find the most fulfillment in roles that have a positive societal impact, which may be attributed to my upbringing. I grew up in the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya, and moved to Michigan for college, where I began my career with local industries. Most recently, in 2020, I moved to Washington for both career and academic pursuits. I am an enthusiastic learner with recurring interests in social impact, astronomy, philosophy, calisthenics, and automobiles. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, hosting friends, and participating in various community outreach events.

Angelica is a Washington native, born and raised in the Greater Seattle area. She earned her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of San Diego and currently works on technical strategy and programs at Atlassian. Before attending college, Angelica spent a year in AmeriCorps working in schools in San Jose. Shortly after, she moved to San Diego. The early years of Angelica's professional career were spent in retail and non-profit, where she worked at the YMCA. She also spent her summers as a camper, camp counselor, and eventually as a camp director at Camp Orkila in the San Juan Islands. In 2010, Angelica moved back to Seattle to work at Seattle Community Care, a mental health firm focused on reintegrating youth back into schools and their communities. She joined Atlassian in 2022 after spending six years at Amazon, working in recruiting, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), and talent management, and two years at Zulily, where she led talent strategy. Outside of work, Angelica loves to sing, explore the outdoors, cook, travel, and spend time with her family. She resides in South Federal Way with her mother, husband, their 7-month-old son, the family dog, and an impressive number of house plants.

A native Mississippian, Demetria was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, in a devout Christian household. She earned her undergraduate degree in Nursing from Mississippi College in 2005. In 2009, she received a Master of Science in Nursing from The University of Alabama, "Roll Tide." She continued her pursuit of education and received a Master of Business Administration from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, in 2021. Demetria was a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area for many years and relocated to Seattle in 2021. Her professional career includes working as an Assistant Nurse Manager, Post Partum Charge Nurse, Travel Nurse, Patient Care Coordinator, and Liver Transplant Coordinator. She is currently employed as an On Call Transplant Coordinator with Kaiser Permanente. She is a member of the Hayward-Tri-City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where she serves on the Risk Management and Delta Academy Committees. She and her husband, Anthony, are proud parents of one son, Mark, and 20 pet fish. She is passionate about women's health and organ donation education within communities of color. Demetria's hobbies include traveling, running marathons, collecting cookbooks, and spending time with her family. She has completed half marathons in 29 states and five of the Six World Major Marathons.