“Making Real, Sustainable Change NOW”: Join COO’s Governance Group
Apply for a Position on the COO/Best Starts Advisory Group
L-R: At the 2025 Governance Group retreat, member Gloria Ramirez debriefs from a group discussion, supported by interpreter Martha Guerrero; at Gloria’s left, fellow GG member Bilan Aden listens. At far right: A quote from Gloria explains why serving on the GG is important to her. Gloria said she benefits from learning how groups like this work in the county, and how decisions are made about creating programs for the community.
Communities of Opportunity is recruiting new members to fill up to 6 positions on our Governance Group (GG), also known as the COO-Best Starts for Kids Advisory Group, this summer.
We invite our partners to consider applying for a position. Members must be residents of King County.
The priority due date for applications this round is Wednesday, May 28, though we accept applications on a rolling basis.
“It’s really important work,” said longtime GG member Yordanos Teferi of Multicultural Community Coalition. “It’s one of the few governing groups that really allows a true collaboration between institutions – government, our philanthropic partner, Council, and community, working together to advance community-led solutions.”
Yordanos serves on GG’s nominating committee, along with Michael Seiwerath of SouthEast Effective Development (SEED) and Dae Shogren, staff member for the King County Council.
Read more to learn about the Governance Group, and why this is a rewarding role, according to GG members.
Above: Recruitment Committee members Dae, Yordanos, and Michael are interviewing candidates for GG roles.
Who Is the Governance Group? Community leaders from across the county
At the retreat, COO Director Elsa shared a new communications tool with GG members.
The importance of partnership and working alongside community, rather than simply directing it, is reflected in the composition of the Governance Group.
"I am honored to work alongside passionate community leaders who, like me, believe that another world is always possible and that solutions can be as diverse as our communities,” said Elsa Batres-Boni, COO Director. “For anyone interested in being part of this space, I would say this is a unique opportunity to create, influence, and practice shared leadership, embracing both its creativity and its challenges."
COO’s Governance Group is not a typical board or commission. Rather, it is a powerful group of community leaders from King County Districts and funded partner organizations, sponsors from King County and the Seattle Foundation, and COO staff. This group has intentionally come together, each bringing their unique perspective from their respective sectors, to learn, share, and strategize about transforming the King County region towards a future where all communities have the resources, capacity, and power to live healthy, self-determined, and thriving lives.
Many members of the Governance Group helped us celebrate our 10th Anniversary last October. They included, from left: Elsa, Ubax, Cilia, Bilan, Yordanos, Sandhya, Dae, Aaron, Sally, Gloria, Matias, Michael S., and Jackie. Photo by Kelly Vang.
Community leader Colleen Echohawk delivered a keynote about the importance of storytelling at the Governance Group retreat.
The members of the Governance Group provide guidance on community priorities, connect with others, and seek opportunities for growth within the COO model.
Together, these GG members:
Provide strategic leadership, direction, and oversight of the COO initiative.
Are responsible for stewardship and promotion of COO’s mission, vision, and values, to community, staff, sponsors, and the public.
Serve as the COO-Best Starts for Kids Advisory Board with respect to the COO portion of Best Starts for Kids levy proceeds.
Determine funding levels on the Best Starts for Kids Implementation Plan for COO’s three strategy areas over the levy's life and ensure that the sum of allocated percentages equals 100% of contract funding.
Participate in the design and decision-making process of COO’s Requests for Proposal (RFP) through relevant committees co-led by COO staff.
The annual GG retreat is an opportunity to reconnect, plan, and reflect. Pictured is the February 2025 retreat, with GG members and COO staff members, plus the facilitator, Matt.
Members indicate interest through our open application processes, or are nominated by staff and community, to address specified sector and district gaps on an on-going basis. They are selected by the Governance Group, appointed by the King County Executive, and confirmed by the King County Council for one-, two-, or three-year terms. The 20-24 members must be King County residents and are recruited on an ongoing, rolling basis. must be King County residents and are recruited on an ongoing, rolling basis.
“The diversity of sector inclusivity is a very unique component of this GG,” Dae said. “It’s out of balance, with more private-sector folks than government. In my experience, groups like this are weighted the other direction. It’s critical to be outweighed by community voice, as someone who represents the government sector.”
Some of the GG members represent a specific district of the nine Metropolitan King County Council districts. For this current round, we’re particularly interested in candidates from these districts:
D3: including Sammamish, Issaquah, Carnation, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Duvall, and Woodinville
D5: including Renton, SeaTac, Kent, Normandy Park, and Des Moines
D6: including Bellevue, Redmond, Medina, and Clyde Hill
To find out what County Council district you live in, visit the Find My District page and type in your address.
In addition, candidates should have expertise in our results areas of safe and affordable housing, health, economic opportunity, or civic engagement/community connections. We’re also seeking people from communities who are underrepresented on the GG, especially Indigenous and Tribal representatives, said Dae.
Dae said that this year the group is hoping to recruit young adults too. “They need a different kind of support to be able to serve, and we want to make sure they have those supports.”
At the recent retreat, Dae engages in a group discussion about the GG’s work.
Yordanos noted that these positions are not compensated, like most King County boards and commissions. “And so for some, it’s unfortunately not an option, but it speaks to the commitment of GG members who regularly show up in this space. Not that I don’t think that community members should always be compensated for their time because I absolutely do. Notwithstanding, however, it is nice to see that folks have been willing to sacrifice and serve on GG.”
The GG meets once a month for two hours on the last Friday of the month, in-person or online. Members who are part of work groups and committees get together for an hour or two more per month.
And, once a year, there’s a retreat of 1-2 full days. This year, GG and staff met at Dumas Bay Center in Federal Way, on the grounds of what’s now a city park on Puget Sound.
“Communities of Opportunity works to improve community conditions by investing in community-led solutions. A Governance Group that includes funded partners, staff, sponsors, and members of the community is, at the same time, an investment in a community-led initiative and in building community power,” Elsa said.
L-R: At the recent GG Retreat, Cilia, Sili, and Aaron participate in discussions. Behind them are the scenic grounds of Dumas Bay Center in Federal Way.
Yordanos at the retreat, in a group discussion.
Yordanos said that what makes COO different is that “there was a lot of intentionality when creating COO. Those community leaders who were at the table were really demanding that the composition look different, and feel different. We are forever grateful to folks like Sili Savusa, who insisted on an authentic partnership model with community leaders rather than one that would be rooted in the extraction of ideas. What has resulted since is an initiative that aims to have a balanced co-leadership model with community leaders at the decision-making table.”
She said that the Governance Group “is only improving as time goes on. It offers something solid to build upon, and thankfully, GG continues to grow and evolve by striving to center community leadership and wisdom even more.”
Above, more retreat photos, from left-right: Lydia, Cilia, Sandhya, Yordanos. As the then-GG co-chair, Lydia helped lead the retreat.
Taking a walk during a break was a retreat highlight for some of the GG members, along with the opportunity to give each other hugs after a long time of not seeing each other. L-R: Aaron, Bilan, Yordanos, Cilia.
From above left, GG members enjoying sunset conversations at the end of the first day of the retreat: Joon and Yordanos; Cilia and Yordanos; Sili; and Aaron.
Above: Several GG members showed their creative side at the retreat, sculpting intricate figures from molding clay, including Yordanos – modeled by Bilan (left) -- and Cilia.
How to Apply for the Governance Group
You can find the application materials on our website, on the Governance Group page. For consideration this summer 2025 for one of up to six positions, please submit your application by May 28.
Fill out an application, either online or in Word. Include the names of two references.
A member of the Governance Group will do an informal interview, followed by an interview with two members of the nominating committee.
The committee will make their recommendations to the Governance Group at the June GG meetings.
The GG will forward their nominated candidates to the County Executive and County Council for approval later this summer/fall.
We accept applications on a rolling basis. If now isn’t the right time for you, please consider applying later this year.
Thank You to Previous Governance Group Members
We also want to recognize the people who have recently contributed as GG members. Community leaders who have served on the Governance Group and whose terms have ended include:
· Carlos Jimenez
· Sandhya Nakasi (term ending in late June 2025)
· Joy Sebe
· Agaiotupu I. Viena
Thank you to these GG members for their representing the community and helping to guide COO!
For More Information: If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at info@coopartnerships.org.
COO Governance Group members, staff, and community members at the end of the first day of the 2025 Retreat.