Most Influential People

Most Influential: Valerie Segrest
Native nutrition educator
Valerie Segrest’s elders and her community are the reason she dedicated her life to food systems. Segrest grew up a part of the Muckleshoot Tribe, located just south of Auburn, in a community where the closest grocery store was nearly 10 miles away in an area considered “food insecure.” Her elders often told her, “If…

Most Influential: Girmay Zahilay
King County Councilmember
When Girmay Zahilay arrived in Seattle as a 2-year-old refugee, his family lived in public housing and homeless shelters. He was born in a Sudanese refugee camp to Ethiopian parents fleeing civil war. Now, 35 years later, Zahilay is leading the charge to fund affordable housing in King County for working class families to the…

Most Influential: Dave Bateman
Founder, Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project at K&L Gates
David Bateman, a lawyer at K&L Gates who spent his time “finding people who were doing bad things on the internet,” didn’t fully know the concept of revenge porn until he met Holly Jacobs. Jacobs sought help from K&L Gates after explicit photos of her were nonconsensually shared on the internet. Jacobs’ case, Bateman says,…

Most Influential: Ethan Stowell
Restaurateur, Activist
Chef Ethan Stowell knows good food can change lives. You probably recognize him as the force behind more than 20 Seattle-area restaurants and cafes. Now, he’s taking on a new challenge: transforming what kids eat in public schools as a member of Eat Real’s chefs council. America’s school cafeterias serve 7 billion meals a year…

Most Influential: Uttam Mukherjee & Dr. Aakanksha Sinha
Co-founders of Spice Waala
When Spice Waala opened in 2019, husband and wife team Uttam Mukherjee and Dr. Aakanksha Sinha had two goals: bring authentic Indian street food to Seattle and give back to the community. Now, with three locations, Spice Waala is known for its flavorful chaats, kathi rolls — and its impact. Recently named King County Small…

Most Influential: Hamdi Mohamed
Seattle Port Commissioner
Hamdi Mohamed arrived 30 years ago with her family, refugees fleeing war-torn Somalia. In 2024, the 34-year-old port commissioner became the first Black woman to chair the Seattle Port Commission, the public authority that manages Sea-Tac Airport and the Port of Seattle. Mohamed was not quite a year old when she fled Somalia with her…

Most Influential: Delaney Ruston
Physician, Filmmaker
Delaney Ruston made her first film when she was a resident at UC San Francisco. While the rest of her medical school classmates delivered their final presentations in typical PowerPoint fashion, Ruston was inspired by the “video camera revolution” and the capability of film to portray people’s stories, she said. In the film, she told…

Most Influential: Jaci McCormack
CEO, Co-Founder, Rise Above
A tragedy in her hometown launched Jaci McCormack’s winding journey. Now, as co-founder and chief executive officer of Seattle nonprofit Rise Above, she’s committed to empowering Native youth to live healthy lives. McCormack was raised on the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho. She was a. young teenager when a boy was assaulted and died. She…

Most Influential: Samantha Holloway
Co-owner, Seattle Kraken
If you’re a long-suffering Seattle Supersonics fan, Samantha Holloway is someone you need to know. Holloway, co-chair and co-owner of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, leads the ownership group hoping to lure one of the NBA’s proposed two expansion teams. Rumors have swirled for years that Seattle would be next in line for expansion, especially after…

Most Influential: Peter Tomozawa
CEO, Seattle 2026 World Cup Organizing Committee
Those six FIFA World Cup matches in Seattle during the summer of 2026 are about so much more than soccer. They’re an opportunity to sell Seattle to a global audience on sports’ biggest stage. Peter Tomozawa is ready. For two years, Tomozawa has led the effort to create memorable experiences for fans across Washington state…

Most Influential: Susan Lieu
Author, Playwright
Last spring, after publishing her first book, Vietnamese American author, playwright, and performer Susan Lieu went on a 30-stop national tour culminating in an event with the Vietnam Society at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. Along the way, Lieu garnered reviews and praise from media outlets including the New York Times, NPR, Kirkus…

Most Influential: Faraji Blakeney
Co-Executive Director, Yoga Behind Bars
In a system where rehabilitation often takes a back seat to punishment, Faraji Blakeney has carved out a space for healing. As co-executive director of Yoga Behind Bars (YBB), he’s working to disrupt the cycle of trauma and stress that many incarcerated individuals face daily. In 2007, Blakeney was sentenced to 20 years for drug-related…

Most Influential: Microsoft
Business, Equity
As Microsoft turns 50, it’s tempting to reflect on the software giant’s legacy. After all, this is a company that revolutionized personal computing, advanced productivity tools like Microsoft Office, and redefined gaming through Xbox. Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith prefers to focus on what’s ahead. Think artificial intelligence that enhances productivity and creativity,…
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