Chapter News and Events

IAP2 Puget Sound: 2024 Legislative Session Wrap-Up Panel

Join us for a 2024 Legislative Session wrap-up panel on March 19th at noon- 1 pm on Zoom.

We'll be joined by:

• Noel Frame - Washington State Senator
• Lyset Cadena - Washington State lobbyist advancing the legislative agendas of local cities and organizations
• Karen Rodriquez La Paz - Hopelink's VP of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Community Affairs

These experts, each working in different areas of policy and community engagement, will share their perspective on what happened during session and how it's relevant to P2.

What: IAP2 2024 Legislative Session Wrap-up Panel

Where: Zoom

When:  March 19th at noon- 1 pm PST

Register in advance for the meeting, and send any questions that you have for the panel to iap2pugetsound@gmail.com. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Puget Sound Chapter

We’re here to provide resources for professionals who work in the field of public participation and those who are interested to learn more about it. Our chapter typically hosts quarterly events and a week-long IAP2 Foundations Training in Seattle. If you would like to receive notifications and updates on event opportunities and trainings, send us an email to join our chapter email list: iap2pugetsound@gmail.com  

Meet the Board

Brooke Brod, Board member 

Brooke works for the City of Bellevue's (Washington State) Planning Division where she creates opportunities for residents to have their voices heard on issues ranging from affordable housing to neighborhood planning to environmental stewardship. Prior to coming to the city, Brooke worked in the advocacy and political campaign arena. She worked on President Barack Obama's 2008 and 2012 campaigns helping to lead volunteer recruitment and voter outreach in Washington and Minnesota. Brooke also worked in the non-profit advocacy arena to help organize parents and community leaders to advocate around issues related to public education.

All told, Brooke has been responsible for recruiting hundreds of community leaders and thousands of volunteers to get involved in improving their communities. She uses that experience to help people see the importance of participating in small democracy, share their stories, and find common ground on key issues.

Brooke holds a bachelor's degree in fine art from New York University and a master's in fine art from the University of Texas at Austin. She uses her experience as a theater director to tell compelling stories and design interactive and inclusive community engagement processes. 

Gracie Geremia, Board member 

Gracie Geremia is Lyft’s community engagement lead for the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii, leading Lyft’s regional partnerships and relationships with community-based organizations, drivers, and passengers. Gracie previously worked as an engagement consultant, helping government agencies build inclusive and equitable engagement plans. Her passion for transportation equity stems from her experiences working at nonprofits and as a case manager connecting individuals to essential services and resources. She has a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and has experience working with nonprofits, government entities, and businesses.

Andy Gregory, Board member 

Bio coming soon.

Penny Mabie

Bio coming soon.

Mary MacKie, Board Member

Mary MacKie is a Communications Initiatives Program Manager at Puget Sound Energy (PSE), an electric and gas utility serving Western WA. She manages communications and public engagement for some of PSE’s major projects. Outside of work, Mary enjoys being a part of the Washington Ice Emeralds, a synchronized skating team.

Dennis Sandstrom, Treasurer

Dennis Sandstrom is the Northwest Strategic Communications Manager at HDR, leading teams throughout the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii that are engaging communities on important neighborhood and statewide improvement projects. Dennis has been working in the public participation field for over 15 years, implementing outreach and communications on projects of scales. He has been an IAP2 Puget Sound Board Member for 10 years, serving various roles including treasurer and vice president. Outside of work, Dennis spends his time helping coach his twin boys in baseball and soccer, and making (some) progress on home-improvement projects. 

Sarah Shannon, Board member

Bio coming soon.

Josh Stepherson, Vice President

Bio coming soon.

Jenny Thacker, Secretary 

Bio coming soon.

Lauren Wheeler, Board member 

Lauren Wheeler is an Associate Director at PRR. She leads west coast aviation business development while supporting PRR clients in transportation and environment sectors. Lauren brings her experience integrating solutions to help bridge communication gaps and collect input from diverse voices. Outside of PRR, Lauren enjoys to be outside and traverse the PNW with her dog-child and human-partner. Lauren has been serving the Puget Sounds board since 2018.