Our Staff
Antonio Gómez
Associate Folklorist
Antonio Gómez is an educator and percussionist focused on fostering musical dialogue between cultures. He has studied, performed and recorded in various genres with emphases on Mediterranean and Afro-Latin music. A 2013-14 Jubilation Foundation Fellow for music in education, he conducted studies in Spain, Morocco and Italy as well as in Latin America. Formerly a K-12 teacher, Tony has developed curricula for PBS and the Experience Music Project Museum/Smithsonian. He has also worked with students and educators at the Broadway Center for Performing Arts and as an education services manager at KCTS 9 Public Television. Tony holds a Masters in education.
Asia Lara
Program Manager
Asia manages the Speakers Bureau program with an emphasis on promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. Prior to taking this position, she joined Humanities Washington as an intern for the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions in 2018. She received a Bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of Washington with a focus on human rights, comparative history, and political science.
Contact Asia at (206) 682-1770 x101 or by email at asia@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. He also hosts Dead Electric, a weekly music show on Everett’s public radio station KSER.
Contact David at (206) 682-1770 x108 or by email at david@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.
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.
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.
Kate McElroy
Digital Media Intern, Center for Washington Cultural Traditions
Kate McElroy holds an MA in folk studies (2019) and a BA in anthropology (2016), both from Western Kentucky University. Her professional history includes folklife programming, nonprofit work, and museum experience. As the managing editor of the journal of Washington State folklife Rites of Green, Kate hopes to facilitate a landing place for discussions about the aspects of our lives that connect us to each other.
Contact Kate via email at kate.mcelroy@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.
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
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.
Stone Addington
Director of Programs
Stone 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. In 2021, he received his PhD in philosophy from the University of Washington. Stone taught philosophy at the college level for eight years, served as an instructor for the UW Center for Philosophy for Children, and was the assistant director of learning and strategy at the Foundation for Healthy Generations.
Contact Stone at (206) 682-1770 x102 or by email at stone@humanities.org.
Tom Beasley
Technology and Special Projects Manager
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
Violeta Martin
Grant and Outreach Manager
Violeta has a Bachelor’s degree in comparative literature and the history of ideas from Willamette University and a Master’s in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University. Violeta has previously worked in higher education supporting first-generation students via college access and success organizations.
Contact Violeta at (206) 682-1770 x111 or by email at violeta@humanities.org