Community leaders joining the YWCA Board of Directors

YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish welcomes the newest members and recently elected leadership to its Board of Directors for 2025-2026.

Amelia Ransom has stepped into the role of Board Chair, replacing immediate past chair Calandra Childers who served in the position from 2023 - 2025. Ransom has served on the board since 2020 and is a seasoned leader, speaker, and advocate, with decades of experience at companies including Smartsheet, Nordstrom, and Avalara. 

New members of the board include:

Gail Bent is a Transactional Attorney at Cascade Asset Management Company. She has substantial experience in private investment funds, real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint venture transactions, and venture capital transactions.

Jennifer Deger is the Global Controller at the Gates Foundation. She is a finance and accounting leader with a successful and proven track record for operational excellence in global organizations.

Elissa Eddie is the Senior Vice President Market Leader at Key Private Bank. She is experienced in management, operations, and relationship building with over two decades of sales experience.

Brittany Johnson is the Director of Corporate Council at Starbucks with over 10 years of experience. She’s also the author of Stated Differently, a column featured by Bloomberg Law.

In addition to the Board Chair, the Board of Directors has elected a new slate of 2025-2026 leadership positions: Vicki Foege as Chair-Elect, Roberta Romero as Secretary, and Kim Pastega as Treasurer. A complete list of YWCA’s board members can be found online: ywcaworks.org/leadership.