Mission
The Diversity Oversight Committee (DOC) was established by the Sound Transit Board of Directors on July 13, 2006. The mission of this advisory committee is to report to the CEO and on occassion the Board of Directors regarding Sound Transit's compliance with the guiding principles for employment and contracting established in Motion No. 17.
Members
The DOC is composed of members from throughout the Sound Transit District, and includes representatives from small business, trade and craft organizations, communities and commmunity organizations in impacted neighborhoods, and other such interested parties as deemed appropriate by the CEO. Committee members are independent of Sound Transit, meaning they have no contracts with Sound Transit and no plan to compete for bid on Sound Transit contracts or subcontracts. The committee reflects the cultural and ethnic diversity of the communities in the Sound Transit District.
The DOC members are:
Biographies of each member can be found by selecting any name.
Administration
The DOC is administered by Sound Transit's Diversity Programs Office. For more information, contact:
Leslie Jones
Diversity Program Manager
Sound Transit
401 South Jackson
Seattle, WA 98104
email
206-398-5047
DOC Members' Information
James Donaldson owns and operates Donaldson Physical Therapy and Fitness. He is active in the minority community and participates in and supports a number of community-based activities.
Daniel Gandara is an attorney and community activist. He served on the Seattle School’s MWBE Advisory Committee. He is active in the minority community as well as the Latino community, and serves on various boards and committees, including the Advisory Board, Business and Economic Development Center at the University of Washington’s Business School and the Seafirst Bank Hispanic Small Business Advisory Board. He is knowledgeable and aware of the obstacles and barriers faced by MWDBE firms.
Dr. Carver Gayton is the Director of the Northwest African American Museum, and an educator and community activist. He serves on and is affiliated with numerous community-based agencies and programs that serve communities of color.
Artis Grant is an attorney in Pierce County, and his law practice involves representation of groups and individuals in employment discrimination matters. Active in the community, he serves on several committees including the Metropolitan Parks Business Advisory Committee, which he currently chairs. He also devotes his time to working with youth as a coach and advisor.
Verlene Jones is President of the Seattle Chapter A. Philip Randolph Institute, and a union member and activist. She has been an activist in the labor movement for the past 30 years. As President of the Seattle Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, she is in the forefront on social-political and economic issues.
Nancy Mason is a trades person and former manager with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Apprenticeship Programs. She is a licensed journey-level electrician and a representative of IBEW Local 46. She is knowledgeable about apprenticeship training and sensitive to the barriers that exist for women in non-traditional jobs.
Erin Nielsen is Program Manager for Washington State Procurement Technical Assistance Center, a program that assists small businesses with accessing government contracts. She is actively involved with activities that try to match (and increase) minority and women-owned businesses with contracting opportunities.
Lee Newgent is Assistant to the Executive Secretary of the Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council. He is active on labor issues, especially apprenticeship and recruiting people of color and women, and participates in the JAC under Sound Transit’s Project Labor Agreement.
Silas Potter is HUBS Coordinator for Seattle Schools, and in this capacity works with contractors including small, minority and disadvantaged businesses. He has developed programs to utilize small, disadvantaged and minority businesses to enable them to participate in Seattle Schools “Building Excellence Program Phase II”, and is knowledgeable and aware of the barriers, obstacles and impediments that impact the participation of small, disadvantaged and minority businesses on Seattle Schools public works projects.
Walle Ralkowski is a retired construction corporation executive and is affiliated with the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and the Contractor Development. He was instrumental in the development of the Competitiveness Center, and has a distinguished career in the construction industry for major corporations. He has chaired and has served on the Urban League Board for a number of years, and mentors and works tirelessly on behalf of emerging minority and women contractors.
Bill Reed is an accounting instructor at Everett Community College, and is President of Reed Consulting, Inc., a firm focused on accounting services and credit/debt management. He is also past commissioner for the Washington State Commission on African-American Affairs, and is a supporter of a number of community organizations in the region.
Dr. Thaddeus Spratlen is Professor Emeritus of Marketing at the University of Washington’s Business School. A distinguished academician, Dr. Spratlen has participated in various studies/research such as “Insurance Redlining” and the initial multi-jurisdictional disparity study. His areas of special expertise include urban enterprise development, social issues in business, and affirmative action.
Angela Tarah is a business owner and activist. She is a Commissioner with the Seattle Human Rights Commission, and is knowledgeable and aware of the nature of systemic discrimination. She participates in a number of community-based agencies and programs, is a minority-business owner and is acutely aware of the barriers and obstacles faced by minority businesses.
Robert M. Williams is Vice President of Community Development at Key Bank. He is active on several boards and committees in the minority community including Rotary Boy’s and Girl’s Club. He is knowledgeable about the obstacles faced by MWDBE’s, especially in the area of finance.
Joyce Zhou is Acting President of the Northwest Minority Business Council, a non-profit service organization that creates and develops business opportunities for minority firms. Her background includes knowledge of the barriers and obstacles faced by minority businesses.
