Our Board of Directors

Alex is a Senior Program Officer in the Global Policy and Advocacy program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where she manages relationships with large strategic advocacy partners.  Previously, she led the malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected infectious diseases advocacy portfolios to increase political commitment to, and funding for these diseases.

Prior to joining the foundation in 2007, Alexandra worked at a communications firm in New York and the International Herald Tribune in Paris. She has also spent time at the U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo and with Save the Children in Mali. Alexandra holds a Master of Health Science from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, an MA in international development from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a BA in politics from Princeton University.  She is fluent in French.  Alexandra enjoys running (for exercise) and to keep up with her two daughters.

Daniel (Dan) Escobar brings over 15 years of Program Development and Management experience with a focus on workforce, economic development, and social enterprise. Dan launched 3E Consulting in 2012 as a venue to continue mission focused work. He joined Amazon Corporate in 2014 to support the launch of an employee engagement program, and is currently a Change Program Manager.

Formerly with Catalyst Kitchens and FareStart, Dan launched Kitchens With Missions (now Catalyst Kitchens) and restructured youth and adult job training programs for FareStart. He utilized his background as a foodservice professional, with training and business expertise to great success. Dan’s unique skills and experience have been leveraged to benefit 50+ organizations across US and Canada, resulting in the launch of 30+ job training programs and 40+ social enterprises. Introduced to Open Arms through family and close friends, Dan was inspired by the powerful mission and passionate staff.

The proud father of two sons, Jacob (20) and Timothy (13), Dan never passes up the opportunity to hold a baby. Originally from Santa Barbara CA, he received his BA in Business Administration from Seattle Pacific University with a double emphasis in Management and Finance. He is a 12 (Go Hawks), fan of the arts, a music enthusiast, and a passionate cook who enjoys entertaining friends and family with his culinary skills and creative libations.

Nika brings over a decade of financial expertise, with a focus on financial strategy, risk analysis, and business development. She built her career in Silicon Valley with a major international financial services firm, managing a diverse portfolio of companies through growth transitions and fluctuations of the economic cycle. Most recently, Nika was a VP of Commercial and Technology banking, during which she consulted with CFOs of high-growth, venture capital-backed technology companies to develop and improve their capital structures and financial infrastructure.

For the past few years, Nika has taken on her most challenging and rewarding role yet– mom to two toddlers. The births of her children raised Nika’s awareness of the crucial difference being supported and heard can make during the heroic and life-changing–yet vulnerable and intimate–transition to motherhood, and sparked a passion to help other mothers find and honor their voice in their care. Nika is thrilled to draw on all of these experiences as a board member for Open Arms.

Nika holds a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Vocal Music from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She enjoys singing, skiing, burritos, and family adventures near and far.

Srilata Remala is a Seattle native. Her parents immigrated to the United States in 1981 from Andhra Pradesh, India to achieve the American dream. Through their successes, they created a family foundation, the Satya and Rao Remala Foundation where Srilata is both a Trustee and Director of health programs. Srilata attended the George Washington University in Washington D.C. for undergraduate studies and Carnegie Mellon University a Master’s of Science in healthcare policy and management.

After graduate school she worked in strategy consulting at Deloitte and Point B focused on healthcare improvements. She transitioned to non-profit and is currently emoloyed at Country Doctor as a manager working on special projects reporting to the Executive Director. She is also the founder of a non-profit, The Maternal Coalition, whose mission is to ensure that all moms have access to just equitable care. Srilata is also on the board of Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation and Make-a-wish Alaska and Pacific Northwest.

Srilata lives in Capitol Hill with her husband, Charles and 2.5 year old daughter Saanvi and her dog Hunter. In her spare time she enjoys exploring recipes from the villages in India her parents are from, exploring her artistic side, and binge watching Netflix.

Alyson is currently an independent global health consultant. Prior to consulting, Alyson most recently worked at the University of Washington’s I-TECH, where she led headquarters based teams to implement large health systems strengthening programs in Tanzania, Namibia, and China. Before moving to Seattle, Ms. Shumays worked at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies on the Board on Global Health. She also has several years experience working as a grant manager at non-profit organizations. Ms. Shumays completed her Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Her passion for maternal and child health began during her Peace Corps service in West Africa, and has continued throughout her career and in her personal life. Alyson is the mother of two busy, busy boys.

Erin Shea McCann launched her legal career as an Equal Justice Works fellow at Columbia Legal Services. Through her fellowship, and beyond, she served as co-counsel for the state’s 10,000 foster children in a class action foster care reform settlement agreement. Erin worked to ensure that the (then) more than 25,000 homeless students in Washington were properly identified and served by their school districts under federal homeless education law. She also advocated to protect the due process rights of foster children in the State Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

Following her work with Columbia, she joined the Office of Family & Children’s Ombuds, a state agency that investigates complaints against Child Protective Services and Child Welfare Services. She later joined The Mockingbird Society where she served as the Director of Public Policy & Communications. In that role, Erin led the agency’s strategic advocacy and policy agenda at the local, state, and national level—in collaboration with young people who experienced foster care and homelessness—to improve foster care and end youth homelessness.

In 2016, Erin started her own consulting firm, E.S. McCann, LLC, where she works with communities, policymakers, government agencies, programs, nonprofit organizations, and private funders to elevate the needs and voices of vulnerable children and families.

Erin most recently joined Legal Counsel for Youth and Children as the organization’s first-ever Deputy Director. With LCYC, Erin will play an instrumental role in designing and building out the organization’s systemic legal advocacy related to four direct service programs: child welfare, juvenile court, youth and young adult homelessness, and youth and family immigration.

Erin graduated from the University of Washington and received her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. Erin has two young children who were born with the support and love of her partner and an incredible doula.

Kevin Proctor works in medical administration for the Community Health Services Division of Public Health Seattle & King County. There he provides supervision and direction for a team of nearly 600 employees who provide social safety services in King County Public Health Centers, including First Steps, WIC, prenatal, and family planning services. He both lives and works in communities where the services of Open Arms are both needed and utilized. Kevin is excited to connect clients of Open Arms with services provided by Public Health and vice versa because of the similar target population, geographic locations, and inter-reliant service needs. Kevin also serves on the board of the Fulcrum Foundation, and actively participates in Social Venture Partners and Leadership Tomorrow. He has a BA from Yale University and an MPH in health policy and management from the University of Pittsburgh. Outside of work Kevin enjoys travel (47 countries and 46 states, and counting), spending time with family, and participating in a variety of sports and athletic endeavors.

Mari Offenbecher has spent her professional career as a non-profit leader including nearly three decades as the CEO of School’s Out Washington (SOWA). Mari served as the leader for SOWA, advancing quality, equity and innovation in building the field of after-school and youth development across Washington State. Mari has spent her career dedicated to bringing quality educational opportunities and supports to children and youth. Mari has extensive experience building local, statewide and national coalitions and initiatives that impact systems change for children and youth. She has especially focused these efforts on children of color and children from low-income backgrounds, understanding the critical role that early learning and expanded learning programs play in developing life-long skills and forming meaningful relationships. Mari is currently a Senior Associate with the Valtas Group, a consulting firm focused on guiding leadership transition for social enterprises.

Mari holds a Bachelors degree in Child Development from California State University Sacramento and has conducted research on advanced child development systems at the University of California Berkeley and Edinburgh University. Mari is honored to support Open Arms in furthering their mission to provide vital supports to families during pregnancy, birth and early parenting.

Pia Sampaga-Khim is the healthy communities specialist focused on opioid prevention work at the Snohomish Health District. She is dedicated to empowering people and communities to engage in all aspects of their health. Her experience includes more than a decade focused on patient and community health education. Through her work at the Snohomish Health District and International Community Health Services, Pia has led individual and group level education, community presentations and in-service trainings for staff, as well as leveraging a multi-cultural, community-based approach to health education related to opioid use disorder, chronic disease conditions and reproductive health.

Tisha Frank spent her professional career in nonprofit leadership, including service as the Executive Director of Puget Sound Big Sisters and Director of the Children’s Hospital Guild Association. Most recently her experience includes a decade as an internal consultant for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, providing analysis and guidance to more than 80 local agencies across the West on business and strategic planning, organizational development and capacity building, board and fund development, legislative advocacy, mergers and consolidations, and the use of metrics for program performance management.

Tisha currently serves as both a community volunteer and a part-time consultant to nonprofit organizations. She has volunteered as a board member of the Children’s Alliance, Washington Special Olympics, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, and the Leadership Tomorrow Alumni Committee. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Washington. Tisha believes that leadership of a nonprofit organization, either professional or volunteer, is some of the most challenging and important work in our society. Her commitment is to provide as much support as possible to those willing to take it on.

Dr. West is a physician at Swedish practicing Musculoskeletal Medicine. His work involves helping patients improve their performance and function through Osteopathic manual techniques. He works to maximize the body’s amazing healing potential to recover from illness and injury. He helps adults through a rehabilitation process and sees newborns with latching difficulties. Dr. West believes that people who educate themselves about exercise and nutrition can alter their lifestyle to improve health. They can set powerful examples for children, family, and friends. His interest in working with Open Arms comes from his passion for improving health. Open Arms aligns with his goal to help new parents and families. He believes that doulas can provide education and support that can relieve stress for families facing different challenges during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.