Pronouns: he/him

Paul joined the NAMI Seattle team in 2022. His prior history includes work in community health, food security, HIV/AIDS, and health equity advocacy. Paul is compelled in this work by the strong belief in the power of peer to peer models in reducing racial and social disparities, facilitating access to mental health services, reducing stigma, and building enduring support for individuals and families pursuing their best possible mental health. As someone native to Seattle, Paul appreciates the sun and the rain equally and spends his free time enjoying the food, arts, and music the city has to offer.

Pronouns: she/her

Katie has worked for NAMI Seattle since 2015, overseeing all volunteer-led community programs for individuals and families impacted by mental health conditions, as well as NAMI Seattle’s leadership and professional development trainings. She holds an MS in Social Work from the University of Texas and has 15+ years of community programming experience in reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, racial justice education, and empowerment self-defense.

Pronouns: he/him

Jeremiah served on the Philanthropy and Policy Committee as a member of the NAMI Seattle board of directors in 2018. He has worked in mental health advocacy as a presenter for the NAMI In Our Own Voice program and served as a moderator at the NAMI Washington 2018 conference. Before joining NAMI Seattle, Jeremiah volunteered as a grant writer for LifeDesigns in Bloomington, Indiana, and as a networking assistant for New Leaf – New Life, an anti-recidivism organization supporting formerly incarcerated persons. Jeremiah has a BA in Anthropology from Indiana University.

Pronouns: they/them

Gabi has a B.S. in Social Science from Portland State University. They are passionate about decriminalizing mental health, adequate access to mental health care, and how trauma impacts communities of color. In the future, Gabi wants to become a therapist to support people in healing as a form of liberation. In their free time, they love showing people the hidden gems of Seattle and trying new food!

Pronouns: she/her

Katie joined the NAMI Seattle team in July 2020. She has a BA in writing from the University of Washington Tacoma, and believes in storytelling as a tool for positive change. She has a background in office management, and has worked as a volunteer with adult English language learners. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her cats.

Pronouns: they/he

Andi Medrano received their Master’s of Social Work from the University of Washington, Seattle campus. Prior to joining the nonprofit world in Washington, they spent 8 years working in mental health research in Arizona and Wisconsin. Andi’s focus is primarily in working with folks with psychosis. Andi uses their lived experience to connect with others. Previously Andi co-facilitated two NAMI Seattle Connection Recovery Support groups including the LGBTQ+ group. In their free time, Andi likes to make art, chat with friends, and hang out with their cat named Booger.

Pronouns: she/her

Kayla Harris graduated in 2017 from the University of Washington with a B.A. in International Development and a B.F.A in Photo Media. She received a certificate in Nonprofit Management in June of 2020, also from the University of Washington. While in college, she was the Social Media Chair for Huskies for Suicide Prevention & Awareness. Kayla has a background in content creation and nonprofit communications and fundraising. She enjoys connecting with people and telling stories. In her spare time, you can find her adventuring on motorcycles with her husband, out in nature with her camera, or curled up on the couch with her cats.

Pronouns: she/they

Mary is originally from the East Coast and is passionate about expanding mental health access to children and teens in underserved communities. She has a BA in Graphic Design & Media Arts and is currently a graduate student at Chaminade University of Honolulu working on her MS in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Mental Health Counseling. As an artist, Mary wants to help people find self-empowerment and healing by exploring their emotions through a creative lens. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, analog photography, indulging in Seattle’s food scene, and spending time with her dogs, Nico and Daphne.

Pronouns: she/her

Lore Filgueira moved to Seattle with her four-legged dog daughter Nina in 2019 from her hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lore is a singer, specializing in tango, boleros, and Brazilian music. For four years, Lore volunteered as a peer-to-peer coordinator, facilitating support groups for people with bipolar disorder for FUBIPA (Fundación de Bipolares de la República Argentina), a nonprofit organization similar to NAMI. She also served as a coordinator on a team for people with bipolar through her own psychiatrist for 2 years.  Since 2021, Lore has volunteered for NAMI Seattle, and is excited to join the staff as Spanish Programs Specialist as of December 2022.