Meet Our Team

Amalia founded The Vida Agency to prove that an agency built on equity, empathy, and balance could deliver exceptional results—and she's been doing just that ever since. With over 20 years of experience in communications and public relations, she’s known for pushing clients to think beyond the expected while helping them reach their goals through inclusive, community-centered strategies. Under her leadership, TVA has become a trusted partner for campaigns that speak to everyone, especially those often left out of the conversation. Her work spans sectors including health, transportation, education, retail, and the arts, and has impacted hundreds of thousands of lives across the Northwest.

A recognized thought leader and relationship builder, Amalia has served on boards and advisory committees including the Latino Community Fund of Washington State, the Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprises, and One Center City. She earned her BA in International Relations from the University of Washington.

Known to the team as Mafe, María Fernanda leads with clarity, collaboration, and culture. She manages TVA’s growing portfolio of clients and projects with both strategic depth and personal warmth, making sure the work is not only high quality, but also human. Over the past five years, she’s helped expand TVA’s client base to over 40 organizations and tripled the size of the team, strengthening the agency’s ability to deliver end-to-end support from research to rollout.

Mafe brings more than a decade of experience in marketing and communications, including work for global brands such as Nestlé. She specializes in bilingual, multicultural campaigns that change behavior and build trust. Her background in public relations, combined with her proactive approach and relationship-driven mindset, make her a vital partner for TVA clients across sectors. Mafe holds a BS in Public Relations from Universidad Autónoma de Centroamérica in Costa Rica.

Marcela helps workplaces and communities navigate change with honesty, care, and accountability. With 20 years of experience across Washington State, she’s known for leading equity-centered processes that build trust, heal conflict, and create space for transformation. Her work blends professional expertise in conflict mediation and DEI strategy with ancestral practices like restorative circles—helping clients move from tension to connection. Marcela has guided efforts for King County, Whatcom County, the City of Seattle, and others. She’s a trusted facilitator, a respected advocate, and a powerful voice for equity at every level.

Janine helps organizations get the right message to the right people whether it’s landing a story in The Seattle Times or building trust with local communities. With over 15 years of experience, she crafts media and communications strategies that make complex work clear, human, and newsworthy. Her clients include Lydig Construction, Neighborcare Health, and SDOT, among others. Janine brings a dual lens from agency and in-house roles, and her work spans industries from tech to tourism. She’s a Forbes Communications Council contributor with a BA from Ohio Wesleyan and a certificate in Advanced Social Media from USF.

Diana helps public agencies bring people into the process whether it’s planning new transit lines, improving roads, or making public lands more accessible. Since 2015, she’s led outreach and engagement efforts for agencies like King County Metro, SDOT, Sound Transit, and the US Forest Service. At TVA, she guides complex projects from start to finish, building trust and keeping things moving. Diana holds a master’s in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington and serves on the board of WTS Puget Sound, where she supports women in transportation careers.

Samantha brings creative projects to life with clarity, heart, and purpose. With 15 years leading a production studio in Jakarta and 10 years in Seattle’s social services sector, she blends creative vision with deep care for people and systems. At TVA, she turns big ideas into clear strategies and actionable plans, helping clients navigate the creative process from concept to execution. She’s also the founder of Galaktik Good, a nonprofit that explores the overlap of art, public service, and ethical entrepreneurship. Samantha loves connecting dots, building spreadsheets, and making space for what matters.

Rachel builds the systems that help teams thrive. With 15+ years of experience in startups, events, and hospitality, she’s led fast-moving companies through big transitions—launching new markets, integrating enterprise tools, scaling operations from 50 to over 1,000 people, and managing cross-functional teams around the globe. Whether she's designing internal workflows or rolling out change at speed, Rachel knows how to bring order to chaos and clarity to complexity. She’s also produced major events for companies like Google and Apple. At TVA, she keeps our operations running smoothly—so the rest of us can focus on impact.

Yasemin helps brands grow through smart strategy and strong storytelling. With 25 years of experience in marketing, creative direction, and brand leadership, she’s guided global campaigns for companies like Nike, Apple, EA, and Mattel, and supported early-stage startups across tech, travel, and consumer goods. She’s skilled at turning a client’s vision into clear plans that resonate with the right audience. At TVA, Yasemin leads accounts with a mix of curiosity, collaboration, and big-picture thinking—always focused on impact.

Rebecca helps clients move through challenges with clarity and care. She's a natural facilitator, known for asking tough questions and finding solutions, whether she’s managing a multi-stakeholder project or organizing neighbors to turn a forgotten parking strip into a parklet for kids. Before TVA, she worked in human rights in Guatemala, supported families as a birth doula, and fundraised for grassroots movements. That community-first mindset guides everything she does here, from elevating unheard voices to making public engagement feel meaningful and real.

Ryann helps our clients reach the right audiences with the right message. She plans and monitors ad campaigns, keeps digital strategies on track, and turns complex performance data into clear dashboards. Her background blends digital marketing with multicultural outreach, making her a valuable link between strategy and impact. Ryann supports campaigns for clients like WSDOT, Neighborcare, and Washington State Housing Finance Commission. She holds a BA in Strategic Communications and PR from WSU.

Sheena is the behind-the-scenes powerhouse who keeps things running smoothly. She manages calendars, orders, logistics, and communications with precision and a positive attitude. She’s also the energy behind TVA’s team-building efforts and supports our marketing team with content coordination. Whether she’s solving problems or keeping our systems organized, Sheena brings heart and hustle to every task.

Syd keeps our digital work moving with focus and flexibility. She manages media campaigns and outreach initiatives for clients like SDOT and the Department of Neighborhoods, always making sure details don’t slip through the cracks. Syd has experience in state government and political communications, plus skills in tools like STATA, Cision, and Google Analytics. She earned her BA in political science from UC San Diego.

Nanda brings deep experience and calm leadership to every project. With over 20 years managing public involvement and environmental outreach, she’s helped shape healthier, more sustainable communities across the region. She’s a master at timelines, team motivation, and making technical work feel human. Nanda holds degrees in environmental studies and sociology from Bowdoin, and a master’s in environment and community from Antioch University Seattle.

Valeria builds bridges between technical projects and the real lives they affect. Originally from Colombia, she brings a global perspective to community outreach—connecting data with lived experience to make engagement more meaningful. From teaching computer skills to Spanish-speaking communities to promoting environmental action with Mujeres Conectoras, she’s helped people access tools, knowledge, and power. At TVA, she plans and facilitates outreach that centers clarity, trust, and collaboration—especially for communities where English isn’t the first language.

Everett keeps our numbers sharp and our budgets calm. As a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and seasoned bookkeeper, he brings precision and care to everything he does. Before TVA, Everett spent over a decade in digital marketing—so he gets the pace and quirks of agency life. He’s also a DJ, a basketball lover, and a greyhound rescuer. Married to his junior high sweetheart, he once biked 900 miles around Europe on their honeymoon. Honestly, we couldn’t dream up a better fit.

Kelsey helps TVA put its best foot forward. She supports business development through strategic proposals, presentation design, and stakeholder planning. With a background in marketing and graphic design, she brings visual storytelling to every pitch. Kelsey’s past roles include work with Deacon Construction, Kidder Mathews, and Third and Wall Art Group. She holds associate degrees in Graphic Design and in Fine Arts and Photography from Shoreline Community College.

Caoilfhionn (say “Kee-lin”) believes community includes people, animals, and the planet we all share. With a background in communications and a master’s in social work, she brings a unique lens to outreach—especially for frontline communities impacted by pollution and climate change. She’s worked across rural and urban settings to promote environmental justice, connection, and well-being. At TVA, she meets people where they are—whether that’s at a community event or leading a yoga retreat—with empathy and curiosity.

Johanna helps projects run smoothly from start to finish. Her background spans brand strategy, arts nonprofits, and production—giving her a strong foundation in creative coordination. Growing up in the Yakima Valley as part of an immigrant family shaped her passion for equity, which she now channels into outreach work that reaches underserved communities. Johanna studied marketing at the University of Washington and supports both strategy and execution across TVA’s accounts.

Jacky is a people person who brings energy, empathy, and logistics savvy to every project. Before TVA, she led disaster response initiatives, organized large-scale volunteer events, and rebuilt homes in New Orleans after Hurricane Ida—a turning point that deepened her commitment to equity and justice. She joined TVA to keep amplifying voices that aren’t often heard. Jacky holds a degree in Spanish with a minor in graphic design and is currently earning a certificate in construction management.

Njeri keeps big projects running smoothly and equitably. With a Master’s in Public Administration and a strong consulting background, she brings both structure and heart to her work. Her experience spans tech, finance, and public service, including three years leading Microsoft’s Leap program to diversify talent in tech. At TVA, she manages projects for clients like Sound Transit, SPU, SDOT, King County, and PSE, ensuring community needs stay at the center.

Ashley brings a thoughtful, community-driven approach to design. As a multidisciplinary creative, they blend visual storytelling, interaction design, and curation to make work that’s both expressive and accessible. Before TVA, Ashley interned at The Feels Foundation and curated comfi.space at The Fishbowl Gallery—an exhibit celebrating queer pleasure and intimacy. Whether designing campaigns or documenting community moments, Ashley centers inclusion and creativity in everything they do. They’re also a DJ, photographer, and passionate advocate for elevating underrepresented voices through art.

Zhonghao (or “Z”) turns data into insight. As a skilled research analyst, he blends qualitative and quantitative methods to surface patterns, validate findings, and tell meaningful stories. His work helps clients like King County Public Health, SPU, and Lydig Construction make smarter, more inclusive decisions. With a background that includes roles at Amazon, REQ, and Unison Agency, Z brings both rigor and creativity to TVA’s research team—always with a focus on engaging real audiences and driving impact.