Biography
City Committee
- Chair - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC)
- Member - Parks, Recreation, Human Services, Public Safety Committee (PRHSPS)
Regional Representation
- Alternate, Sound Cities Policy Issues Committee
- Watershed Resource Inventory Area 9 (WRIA 9)
- PSRC Economic Development District Board
- Regional Law, Safety and Justice Committee
Community and Regional Service
- Communities of Opportunity (COO)
- Pacific Hospitals Preservation & Development Authority (PHPDA)
- Financial Education Providers Network – Chair
- Non-Profit Staff Development Collaborative
- Executive Committee - Ethiopian Community in Seattle
- Advancing Leadership Board Member, Federal Way, WA
Previous Community and Regional Service
- Board of Directors – Puget Sound Access, South King County, WA
- Language interpreter - American Red Cross Language Bank, Seattle, WA
- PTA President, Strategic Planning Committee, Auction Committee, Christian Faith School, Federal Way, WA
- Community Relations Board (President) - Federal Detention Center, SeaTac, WA
- National Soccer Tournament Organizing Committee - Ethiopian Soccer Federation of North America – Seattle, WA
- Christian Faith Center – Bookstore Lead Volunteer
- City of Federal Way Human Services Commission
- Washington State Advisory Council on Homelessness
- Federal Way School District Educational Partnership Summit Planning Committee
- Learners First Planning Committee – Federal Way High School
Certificates
- Financial Empowerment for Non-Profits
- Coaching for Prosperity
- Leadership Development Program – Housing Development Consortium
- Domestic Violence Advocacy Training - DAWN
- Parent Leadership – Federal Way School District
- Advancing Leadership – Federal Way Chamber
- Leadership Development – Dominion College
- Project LEAD – United Way of King County
Memberships
- American Association of Service Coordinators, A national resource for service-enhanced housing
Awards
- Gold Heart Volunteer Award, Ethiopia Reads Seattle Event
- Living Green Award – King County Housing Authority
- The Presidents Volunteer Service Award; Washington, DC
- Bridge Builders Award – Center for Spirituality Works, Denver, CO
- Alumni Citation - Sterling College; Sterling, KS
- Diversity Award - City of SeaTac; SeaTac, WA
- Volunteer Recognition – Christian Faith Center and Christian Faith School; Federal Way, WA
- Advancing Leadership Community Service Award (nominee)
- Jefferson Award, Seattle P.I.; Seattle, WA (nominee)
Employment
- King County Housing Authority – Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator
- YWCA – Financial Educator and Coach
Education
- Bachelors of Science – Sterling College, Sterling KS
- Post Graduate Studies – Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA
- Masters in Organizational Management – University of Phoenix
Personal
Lydia, originally from Ethiopia has lived in the United States for over 35 years. She is committed to serving others.
Lydia has three sons, Christian (Graduate Student at Northwest University); Caleb (Junior at Gonzaga University); and Joshua (Sophomore at University of Washington).