Our Centennial year featured a new event series titled Blazers of Color–panels featuring identifying People of Color (POC) leaders focused on the topics of mentorship and leadership. On Wednesday, November 8, 2023, Bush parents and alums sat on the Blazers of Color | Mentorship panel.
The panel included Chara Amlag, co-owner of Hood Famous Bakeshop; Steve Banks ‘94, founder and president of Banks Sports Ventures; Wes Burns, owner of Transformational Advisory Group; Tisha Pagalilauan, partner at Cascade Law Group and elected fellow of the American Bar Foundation; Daniel Pak, co-founder and executive director of Totem Star and singer, songwriter, and producer; Michelle Purnell-Hepburn ‘75, associate dean of inclusion and diversity at the University of Washington Foster School of Business; Jeff Shiu, senior managing director at Macquarie Group and global head of Innovative Equity Ventures in Macquarie Capital; and Gerald Tolbert, M.D., clinical assistant professor for emergency medicine, and assistant dean for student support in the School of Medicine at the University of Washington.
The panelists shared their thoughts on and experiences with mentorship to a room packed with Bush alums, parents, students, and faculty and staff. On Thursday, February 8, Bush hosted leaders from the greater Seattle area including Donna Moodie, Executive Vice President of Community Roots Housing and Owner of famed Seattle restaurant Marjorie; Krish Srinivasan, President and CEO at PCC; Dr. Mia Tuan, Dean of the University of Washington College of Education; Stephanie Ellis-Smith, Owner and CEO at Phila Engaged Giving; and Nick Brown, JD, former U.S. Attorney for Western Washington and candidate for Washington Attorney General.
The panelists reflected upon their journeys and approaches to leadership, answering questions from several Bush students. Both panels were moderated by Head of School Percy L. Abram.