Julie Ziegler

Chief Executive Officer

Julie joined Humanities Washington as executive director in 2009 after serving multiple terms on its board of trustees. Her previous career was in corporate philanthropy, where she gained skills in program and partnership development, not-for-profit management, and marketing at companies including Safeco Insurance, Bank of America Foundation, and U.S. Bank.

During her tenure at Humanities Washington, Julie’s accomplishments include securing the largest, multi-year grant in the organization’s history to expand programming to areas in need; growing private contributions by over 300% to diversify funding; improving the organization’s efficiency and clarifying its essential programmatic mission; overseeing the launch and development of two new programs, Prime Time Family Reading and Think & Drink, and the formation of the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions; and expanding the reach of programming to reflect the diversity of Washington State.

She is a member of the King County Funders group, the Fales Foundation advisory board, and the steering committee for the Washington Consortium for the Liberal Arts. She was also recently named to the Federation of State Humanities Councils board—the national leadership body that advocates for congressional funding for humanities programming—and serves on the executive committee. Originally from Yakima, Julie remains a steadfast advocate for the humanities, ensuring that Humanities Washington continues to be a statewide leader and active partner for communities across Washington State.

Contact Julie at (206) 682-1770 x110 or by email at julie@humanities.org.

Shelley Saunders

Chief Resource Development Officer

Shelley joined Humanities Washington in 2019. Her role includes acquiring support for the organization via fundraising, sponsorships, events and earned income. She works closely with the communication team to plan branding, marketing, and multi-channel communications to a state-wide audience. Previous work experience includes KidsQuest Children’s Museum, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Experience Music Project (now MoPop), and KIRO Radio & TV.

Shelley is proud UW Husky and continues to be involved in alumnae association events on campus.  She lives in Seattle with her husband, who practices law with their son. She enjoys spending time on the Washington Coast whenever possible.

Contact Shelley at (206) 682-1770 x103 or by email at Shelley@humanities.org.

Eric Sanders, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

In Eric’s current role as the chief financial officer at Humanities Washington, he oversees financial performance and measurement, governmental compliance, human resources, and information technology. He began his career at Ernst & Young in the San Diego tax compliance department after earning an accounting degree from San Diego State University, and subsequently transferred to the San Francisco office’s audit practice. Later, he served as a financial analyst for a publicly-traded pharmaceutical company in the Bay Area, worked as an auditor with KPMG Berlin, and taught business English in Germany before moving to the Pacific Northwest, where he managed the finances and operations of a small Seattle-based company prior to joining Humanities Washington in 2006.

Contact Eric at (206) 682-1770 x106 or by email at eric@humanities.org.

David Haldeman

Director of Communications and Content

David is the editor of Humanities Washington’s Spark print magazine and blog, and oversees the organization’s social media, website, PR, and general marketing. He came to Humanities Washington after seven years in the nonprofit sector, first as a grantwriter at the Pacific Science Center, then in communications positions at the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Science History Institute in Philadelphia. A graduate of the University of Washington with a BA in journalism, David has written for the Utne Reader, CityArts, Chemistry International, the scientific journal Neurosurgery, and other outlets.

Contact David at (206) 682-1770 x108 or by email at david@humanities.org.

Dustyn Addington

Director of Programs

Dustyn leads the Think & Drink and Speakers Bureau programs, which aim to expand the humanities outside of the classroom and into the lives of all Washingtonians through provocative and enriching public conversations. Having received his Master’s, he is now a PhD candidate in philosophy at the University of Washington. Dustyn taught philosophy at the college level for eight years and also served as an instructor for the UW Center for Philosophy for Children. Most recently, Dustyn came from the Foundation for Healthy Generations as the assistant director of learning and strategy.

Contact Dustyn at (206) 682-1770 x102 or by email at dustyn@humanities.org.

Langston Collin Wilkins

Director, Center for Washington Cultural Traditions

Langston is the Director of the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions, a collaboration between Humanities Washington and the Washington State Arts Commission. The Center seeks to document and preserve the traditional culture of Washington State. He received his PhD in Folklore & Ethnomusicology from Indiana University in 2016. He also holds a Masters degree in African American and African Diasporic Studies from Indiana University and a Bachelors of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining Humanities Washington, Langston worked as the traditional arts specialist for the Tennessee Arts Commission and a program officer for Humanities Tennessee.

Contact Langston at (206) 682-1770 x107 or by email at langston@humanities.org.

George Abeyta

Program Manager

George manages Humanities Washington’s Prime Time Family Reading program. He is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound with a degree in English, and has a certificate in editing from the University of Washington. George came to Humanities Washington after an internship in Village Theatre’s development department.

Contact George at (206) 682-1770 x104 or by email at george@humanities.org.

Hannah Schwendeman

Program Manager and Communications Coordinator

Hannah manages Humanities Washington’s Speakers Bureau program and also assists with communications. She received her BA in anthropology and law, societies, & justice with honors from the University of Washington. Upon graduating, she was one of six individuals selected to represent the College of Arts & Sciences 2016 class. In her spare time, she volunteers with University Beyond Bars, tutoring currently incarcerated men pursuing higher education.

Contact Hannah at (206) 682-1770 x101 or by email at hannah@humanities.org.

Rachel Jacobson

Program and Development Coordinator

Rachel assists both the program and development staff with tasks related to Prime Time Family Reading, fundraising, and administration. She received her Bachelor’s in environmental studies from Lewis & Clark College with a focus on resilience in socio-ecological systems. Rachel is a Washingtonian through and through, and has an eclectic background in musical theater, world travel, and public health.

Contact Rachel at (206) 682-1770 x109 or by email at rachel@humanities.org

Tom Beasley

Database Administrator

Tom is the administrator for Humanities Washington’s Salesforce database. Prior to joining, he managed the database for Yale University’s Office of Marketing and Trademark Licensing. Tom has a Ph.D. in Classics and comes to Humanities Washington after 10 years in higher education, where he taught Latin, ancient Greek and digital humanities at a variety of small liberal arts colleges.

Contact Tom at (206) 682-1770 x105 or by email at tom@humanities.org

Asia Lara

Intern

Asia Lara joined the Humanities Washington team in 2018 as a project intern. Her role centers on the initiatives of the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions— the Heritage Arts Apprenticeship Program and the Cultural Traditions Survey. Asia is currently completing her undergraduate degree in international studies and pre-law at the University of Washington, class of 2020, and has been doing international nonprofit work throughout her academic career.

Tabitha Espina

Graduate Fellow

Tabitha Espina is a Ph.D. candidate in English rhetoric and composition and the outreach coordinator for the Critical Literacies Achievement and Success Program (CLASP) at Washington State University. She has taught English courses and women and gender studies courses at the University of Guam, Guam Community College, and Washington State University. Her research interests include Filipino American studies, cultural rhetorics, and decolonial studies and pedagogies. As part of the NextGen Ph.D. grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, she will be working with Humanities Washington to help identify the obstacles between the humanities and underrepresented communities.