Quynh Pham, executive director of Friends of Little Saigon, will serve as director of the Department of Neighborhoods in Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration, taking over from Jenifer Chao. Wilson ousted several department heads who worked under her predecessor Bruce Harrell, bringing in new leadership.
Pham, who is wrapping up her work as one of four co-chairs of Wilson’s transition team, will be leaving Friends of Little Saigon around mid-March as she transitions into her new role, she said in a text message to the International Examiner.
The board of Friends of Little Saigon appointed Valerie Tran, previously deputy director of the organization, as interim executive director. Tran has spent seven years working at the organization.
Pham served Friends of Little Saigon for 14 years, eight of them as executive director.
“We are incredibly proud of her and also proud of everything that Friends of Little Sài Gòn has accomplished with Quynh at the helm,” said Leeching Tran, Friends of Little Sài Gòn’s Board President in a statement. “What began as a purely volunteer-run effort has grown into an organization of eleven passionate staff. With Quynh’s leadership, the organization is now a vibrant leader in the region.”
“My 14 years with FLS have shaped my values and my understanding of what it means to care for a community,” Pham said in a statement. “Serving this neighborhood and the Vietnamese community has been the greatest honor of my career. While stabilizing the neighborhood has been an uphill battle, our successes have built a strong foundation for the future—specifically in improving safety, supporting small businesses, and celebrating our unique identity and culture. I am confident that the team will continue to do great things and that the next chapter of FLS will be its best yet. As I move into my new role, I will always be an advocate for Little Saigon, and I hope to take the lessons I’ve learned here to elevate and support other neighborhoods throughout Seattle.”
In another high-profile leadership shake-up, Maiko Winkler-Chin is out as director of the Office of Housing. Before being appointed to the role by Harrell, Winkler-Chin was executive director of the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda), where she worked for 17 years. Andréa Akita will replace Winkler-Chin on an interim basis, but no permanent replacement has been announced for Winkler-Chin’s role.
Wilson announced the following additional changes in departmental leadership:
Office of Arts and Culture – Amy Nguyen appointed, replacing Gülgün Kayim.
Office of Economic Development – Beto Yarce appointed, replacing Alicia Teel.
Office of Sustainability and the Environment – Lylianna Allala appointed, replacing Michelle Caulfield
Seattle Parks and Recreation – Michele Finnegan appointed as interim acting director, replacing AP Diaz.
Wilson also announced on January 21 that she is retaining the following department heads:
Office of Planning and Community Development – Rico Quirindongo retained.
Office of Intergovernmental Relations – Mina Hashemi retained.
Office of the Employee Ombud – Dr. Amarah Khan retained.
She previously chose to keep some key department leaders from Harrell’s administration:
Seattle Police Chief – Shon Barnes retained.
Seattle Fire Department Chief – Harold Scoggins retained.
Office of Emergency Management – Curry Mayer retained.
CARE Chief – Amy Barden retained.
