2027 JACKSON LEADERSHIP FELLOWS

Rachel Alger: Originally from Las Vegas, Rachel has spent the past decade in Seattle working in legislative government in various policy, communications, and outreach roles at the local, state, and federal level.  She is the current Policy Director for Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck working on issues including social and human services, homelessness, civil rights, budget, revenue, and technology. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work where she teaches a graduate course on poverty and inequality. She has held previous professional roles at with Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01), the Washington State Legislature, and AmeriCorps VISTA. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outside, looking at and making art, and yapping with friends and loved ones, most notably her husband and 13-year-old Boston Terrier. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, where she focused on public policy and administration, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Nevada, Reno. 

Joel Anderson serves as Associate Director of Legislative & External Affairs at the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), a cabinet-level state agency dedicated to improving educational attainment. In addition to leading WSAC’s government relations work on core issues like financial aid access and student basic needs security, he collaborates with business, labor, higher education, and workforce development leaders to conduct oversight of how the Washington State Legislature appropriates higher education funding. Prior to joining the agency, Joel worked on numerous federal, state, and local campaigns—including those of former U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and former Tacoma City Council Member Kiara Daniels—and conducted anti-hunger policy research as a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow with the Congressional Hunger Center. He holds a Master of Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts from Washington University in St. Louis. In his free time, Joel loves to try cooking new recipes, travel, go on long walks, and play golf.

Morgan Graves is a Judicial Law Clerk for the Washington Supreme Court, where she conducts complex legal research, drafts prehearing memorandums and bench opinions, and assists Justice Steven González in judicial deliberations for cases before the Court. Born and raised in Hood River, Oregon, Morgan built a foundation in public service, education, and advocacy before establishing her career in the Pacific Northwest. She brings a deep commitment to legal accessibility, public service, and civic leadership to her work and passions. Morgan previously served as a Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where she managed tort-action litigation and sat on the Civil Division’s Extern & Intern Committee to mentor emerging legal talent. She holds a Juris Doctorate from the Seattle University School of Law, where she served as Student Bar Association President, Technical Editor for the Seattle University Law Review, and as a national competitor in negotiation and mediation on the Dispute Resolution Board, ultimately earning induction into the Order of Barristers. She additionally holds a BA in Political Science and Public Relations with a minor in Leadership from Gonzaga University. She is passionate about using the legal system to uphold public trust, promoting equity, and mentoring the next generation of legal professionals. In her free time, Morgan enjoys exploring museums, taking in live theater, and connecting with nature.

Gemma Holt is the Embodied Carbon Program Manager at the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, where she is building a countywide program to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and infrastructure. Before joining King County, Gemma led the Building Emissions Performance Standard rulemaking process at the City of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and Environment. Her climate career has taken her from the Finnish Arctic to the Blue Ridge Parkway, but she is most deeply rooted in the mountains and waters of the Pacific Northwest. Gemma holds a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, a Master of Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and undergraduate degrees in Environmental Policy and English from Williams College. In her free time, Gemma can be found trail running, doing crossword puzzles, or cheering on the Seattle Storm.

Casey MacLean currently serves as the Washington Senior Policy Manager at Renewable Northwest, a clean energy advocacy nonprofit. She represents Renewable Northwest in the Washington legislative session, advocates for clean energy at the local level, and supports regulatory processes and market development across the state. She was previously the organization’s Offshore Wind Policy Manager. Prior to moving to Seattle in 2023, Casey worked in Washington, D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives: first for the Committee on Natural Resources, and then for Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-02) covering his natural resources work. Originally from Virginia, she earned her Bachelor’s at the College of William & Mary, where she double majored in Public Policy and Environmental Science & Policy. In her free time, Casey can be found on the beach exploring tidepools, collecting seaglass, and paddleboarding.

Brandon Monson is a public policy and government affairs leader whose career is rooted in expanding opportunity and making government work better for the people it serves. Growing up in a working-class family and experiencing homelessness as a young adult shaped his commitment to public service and his belief in the power of effective public institutions. His career has spanned city, county, congressional, federal, and nonprofit service, including roles with FEMA, a Clark County Commissioner, and a food bank, where his work has focused on disaster response, housing stability, food access, and services for vulnerable communities. He is now working at a startup called Rainmaker, where their goal is to terraform the planet via drone-based cloud seeding to create precipitation and end drought. Brandon holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Urban Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UNLV and has served with the Seattle Human Rights Commission and on local nonprofit boards. As a Jackson Fellow, he hopes to deepen his leadership skills and understanding of the institutions shaping Washington while contributing his experience in government, community engagement, and public policy.

Carly Peña currently serves as Government Relations Coordinator in the King County Executive Office. Her career has spanned immigration casework, political campaigning, and local government. She has had the pleasure of working for Senator Maria Cantwell and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal before working for Executive Girmay Zahilay in multiple different roles. Carly first volunteered with then-Councilmember Zahilay in 2021 through his Build the Bench initiative, which builds civic knowledge and equips young people with the tools to run for office – a cause she remains deeply passionate about. She went on to join his King County Council office, where she helped shepherd the passage of his legislation raising the minimum wage in King County and helped explore ways to build workforce housing, before managing his successful 2025 campaign for County Executive. Outside of work, Carly enjoys reading, traveling with her fiancé, and attending as many games as possible of every local Seattle sports team.

Arushi Thakorlal is the Acting City Auditor for the City of Seattle, where she directs independent oversight work to help city government improve performance, accountability, and public trust. She manages audit projects covering the spectrum of city services, including information technology, permitting, transportation, utilities, public safety, and consumer protections. She previously served as the City Auditor for the City & County of Honolulu and as a fiscal analyst in Seattle’s City Budget Office, where she managed a portfolio of departments and policy areas totaling over $350 million. She began her career at the U.S. Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C., focusing on evaluations of federal health care programs. Arushi also serves as Treasurer of the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, a nonprofit organization that supports Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students pursuing public service careers. She holds a Master of Public Policy and a B.A. in Economics, both from the University of Virginia, and is a Certified Government Financial Manager, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Internal Controls Auditor. Outside of work, Arushi enjoys regularly walking the loop around Green Lake with friends and family, browsing Peak Picks at the Seattle Central Library on her lunch break, and baking sweet treats for any occasion. 

Vin Valentino serves as the Energy Economy Lead in the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness, leading policy, program, and partnership development at the intersection of clean energy, climate tech, and inclusive economic development to create good jobs, clean energy access, and meaningful climate action for Washingtonians. Prior to Commerce, Vin served as the Green Economy & Key Industries Division Manager at the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development where he led citywide workforce development strategies, established the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub in downtown Seattle, and created Washington’s first-ever green bank, Washington Builds. Vin has previously worked to deploy sustainable practices in the health care and craft beer industries.