Meet Our Commissioners

Julia Jannon-Shields
Mayoral Appointee
Born and raised on Ohlone Land (San Francisco Bay Area), Julia Jannon-Shields (she/her) became highly aware of the range of detrimental impacts that rapid development poses on underrepresented communities and the surrounding environments. This experience among others led her to the UW where she pursued degrees (urban planning, cultural communication) to address issues of injustice in both built and natural environments, and work towards an equitable, sustainable future that centers minoritized people in governance, planning, and development processes. Through the Community Involvement Commission, Julia hopes to work towards a co-created city and bring forward a fresh perspective in traditional government spaces, while learning from others and the community.

Ahoua Koné
Mayoral Appointee
Ahoua Koné (she/her) is a public health practitioner and a licensed attorney. She is currently a faculty member and co-Chair of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) at the University of Washington School of Public Health (SPH). She is an alum of the University of Washington SPH and Seattle University School of Law.  Ahoua is a first-generation immigrant from the Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa) with a lived experience of nearly 4 decades in the US. She is a proud mother of two young men and an auntie and grandmother to many extended family members. Professionally, Ahoua has developed and led large public health projects in Africa (Ivory Coast and Mozambique), China (Guangzhou) and the Seattle-King County area. She is a founding member and was a partner of the Seattle Immigration and Family Law Group. Through her lived experiences, Ahoua has cultivated a deep commitment to activism to promote social justice and confront racism. She has been extensively involved with community organizations and commissions including Yesler Terrace Health Clinic, Seattle Human Rights Commission, Washington State Commission on African American Affairs, City of Seattle Police Chief Search Committee, Somali Family Task Force, Institute of Research and Actions in Africa, Women in Global Health-Seattle Chapter, Grandmothers for Race and Class Equality, and the African Leaders Health Board. With community engagement, she strives to help amplify the voices and needs of marginalized individuals and communities. She looks forward to contributing to this Commission to further its mission.

Martha Lucas
City Council Appointee
Martha was born in Ethiopia and moved to Seattle at the age of 2. Martha is a proud double Husky and long-time resident of the Wedgwood neighborhood with a background in healthcare management, public health, education, insurance, caregiving, and 25+ years of community service. Martha is an experienced local insurance broker in car, home, business, life, disability, and Medicare. Currently, Martha is a 2020 Community Leadership Institute Fellow and is enjoying learning how to balance the growth in her financial services and insurance practice, Tigray Women's Advisory Council member, and Co-Chairship/Grants Manager position for the Washington State Coalition of African Community Leaders.

Fiona Murray
Fiona (she/her) grew up in the Seattle area and resides in the Eastlake neighborhood. While studying for her Masters in Public Administration at the University of Washington she became fascinated with theories of equitable policy development. For her capstone project, she had the privilege of consulting for the U.S. Census Bureau researching and developing recommended best practices for engaging historically undercounted communities in Washington state. During this time, she also became more invested in civic engagement and served as the Seattle fellow for IGNITE National, the largest organization dedicated to empowering young women to run for office, which inspired her to apply to this commission. Currently, she works as an Operations and Policy Analyst in child care. She is excited to leverage her experiences and passion for access to civic engagement to bring creative ideas on how to better involve the Seattle community.

Mike Seo
City Council Appointee
I am Mike Seo, living in Ballard. Daily and nightly basis I bike or bus (sometimes light rail too!) around Seattle and talk to anybody anytime in any neighborhood to see what is up. I would like to help Seattleites get more involved in community actions. I believe in people’s collective power. This city should not be run and driven by just a few politicians, (self claimed) community visionaries and influencers.

I started my career as a local newspaper reporter in NYC. I learned how to communicate with all walks of life and how to give them voices. I then went to a grad school and studied readily applicable urban planning & community development theories and practices. After that, I worked for a community development finance institution, where I helped a series of innovative community & economic development projects. Then I moved to a labor union to learn more about economic justice and community organizing. I was doing collective bargainings for our union members. I am now working for a nationwide cooperative developer & investor, helping community members start their own food, housing, and worker co-ops. 

Bill Southern
City Council Appointee
Originally from New England, Bill Southern moved to Seattle in 1978 and lives in the Meadowbrook/ Wedgewood area. Bill has a background in media, public affairs, community relations and outreach. He worked for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) as an Affirmative Actions Officer and later promoted as the Public Affairs Officer for the 1.46 billion dollar Interstate 90 Completion Project, where he gained notoriety as the department spokesperson during and after the sinking of the I-90 Bridge in 1990. Bill went on to serve as the Public Affairs Director for WSDOT's NW Region. From there he served as the Director of Public Affairs and District Communications for the Seattle School District. Bill retired in 2013 from Special Olympics Washington having served as its Director of Public Affairs.

Marcus White
Commission-selected Appointee
Marcus White grew up in the Atlanta Area and has lived in Seattle for over 2 years. With a background in the accounting profession, Marcus wants to use an organized, disciplined approach to help temper the chaotic, frenetic nature of our beloved city and its governmental affairs. He has resided all over Seattle (Capitol Hill, Central District, and Queen Anne). He is becoming increasingly aware of the acute challenges the city faces such as the permanent housing crisis and racial equity and inclusion and wants to help ease the tension and augment the city’s commendable qualities.