GOLD Alumni Council
TOP ROW: Danny Bui, ’20, Camilla Koon, ’10, Simone Willynck, ’13, ’19, Reesha Flavors, ’17, BOTTOM: Stephanie Benipal, ’17, Kate Mead, ’11, ’14, Malika Garoui, ’15, Kenneth (KaeBee) Burns, ’12, Michaela Gormley, ’09.
The UWAA GOLD Alumni Council is an advisory group composed of University of Washington Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) alumni. Serving graduates from each UW Campus and representing most schools and colleges, the GOLD Alumni Council strives to engage, connect and inform the UW GOLD population through UWAA events, programs and membership. The GOLD Council plays a vital role in outreaching to members of the GOLD population who may be less active with UWAA and fosters a Husky community that welcomes all members.
During the 2019-2020 academic year, the GOLD Council had a presence at a number of UWAA’s most popular events, including Alaska Airlines Dawg Dash; New Year, New Headshots; An Evening with Karamo Brown; and Huskies@Work student job-shadow program.
Currently, in collaboration with UWAA, the GOLD Alumni Council is working on ways to create impact for the larger GOLD alumni community with special focus on personal and professional development, racial equity, and social and service opportunities. A representative of the Council also serves on the UWAA Board of Trustees nomination committee.
2020-2021 GOLD Alumni Council
Stephanie Benipal, ’17
Stephanie Benipal, ’17 earned her bachelor’s degree in Medical Anthropology and Global Health. She works in health care research with the Surgical Outcomes Research Center at the UW Medical Center – Department of Surgery and volunteers as a translator for free clinics that serve underrepresented communities and families of low socioeconomic status. Currently, she is a Master of Public Administration (MPA) candidate at USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. In her free time, she spoils her cavapoo puppy, Blue, and travels to Peru to visit her family as often as she can.
Why I Serve: I was a first-generation student when I started at UW. I felt overwhelmed with the process. Before orientation even began, I received invitations to join clubs and groups that were specific for first gen students, struggling with the unfamiliar transition. I had a community I could rely on for support before the school year even began. I worked all four years to help put myself through school, and utilized the Work Study program. UW offered a major and specialization I loved, but it was not just what I learned in the classroom that I appreciated. It was through the clubs, activities, work experiences and opportunities outside the classroom at UW that helped my professional growth. It was through these connections that helped my transition into my career. As an alumni, I feel a responsibility to give back to the community that gave me so much.
Danny Bui, ’20
Danny Bui, ’20 is an Analyst at MedBridge, who graduated from Foster School of Business. He served in the Army with the 2nd Ranger Battalion and has a love for financial literacy and investments. In his free time, you can find him trying new recipes, in the mountains of the PNW, or engaged in some kind of fitness activity, usually weightlifting.
Why I Serve: As an alum, I want to pay my gratitude forward by helping young Huskies transition from college into their professional lives. During my college life, my family, friends and mentors supported me to transition from Army to college, and also, college to business world. I want fellow Huskies to feel less intimated in the corporate world, and to provide them with a platform for networking and mentorship.
Kenneth (KaeBee) Burns, ’12
Kenneth (KaeBee) Burns, ’12 is an Admissions Counselor at UW on the MOR (Multicultural Outreach & Recruitment) team. For the MOR team, he works with prospective underrepresented students as they navigate the UW application process. He puts on events to help students apply, write their personal statements, and learn more about UW. As a local from Renton, he also coaches track at his old high school (Liberty) and is involved in creating socially relevant programs, educating youth about diversity and inclusion. KaeBee utilizes his leadership skills to motivate youth educationally and inspire communities to grow in their understanding of equity.
Why I Serve: As a UWAA Life member I am able to utilize all of the services, networks, and programs afforded to me by the Alumni Association. But I also noticed that there was little engagement with alumni who looked like me in these amazing programs I’ve enjoyed being able to utilize; like tailgates, the Dawg Dash, and small promotions year-round.
I would like to affect change so that I can welcome diversity to an association that I have personally found value in and want to spread that to my own network and others that may have felt they have had less access currently.
Reesha Flavors, ’17
Reesha Flavors, ’17 is a first generation, low income college student who graduated from UW Tacoma, and currently works for the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center. Born in Seattle, Washington, her parents were a very young couple who have most recently celebrated 26 years of marriage. She is the oldest of three siblings and one godsister who she is very close to. Reesha is passionate about equity and accessibility. Reesha and her fiancé Cameron spend their free time travelling, enjoying the outdoors and cooking.
Why I Serve: Sustaining connections and relationships is important, and creating areas of access is important to retaining students and recent alumni who come from similar backgrounds as me. To change the narrative, oftentimes experiences during undergrad can leave alumni feeling jaded, without a desire to engage with the University beyond graduation. I want for Black alumni to feel like they belong and are desired in more ways than just a photo op. I truly believe and practice each one, teach one and have made it my personal mission to continue to advocate and support our students and alumni communities.
Malika Garoui, ’15
Malika Garoui, ’15 began her career in the College of Engineering at UW, but then attended the University of British Columbia for her Master’s Degree in Economics. After graduate school, she worked in litigation consulting, providing economic damage estimates for large corporate disputes. Her passion for higher education and serving students brought her back to the University of Washington, where she currently is a student services professional, working with pre-major and data science minor students. Outside of work she can be found running around Greenlake, trying a new coffee shop, or cooking a new recipe!
Why I Serve: The experiences that I had and relationships that were formed while at the University of Washington still are some of the biggest influences in my life: studying abroad, Alternative Spring Break, serving as a Resident Adviser, just to name a few. I hope to support the University of Washington alumni community in fostering similar experiences and relationships even after leaving campus. I have also been a lifelong champion of public education and want to continue to support the mission of higher education.
Michaela Gormley, ’09
Michaela Gormley, ‘09 is currently putting her Foster School of Business education to work as the Communications and Marketing Manager for a health insurance brokerage in Bellevue. She previously worked in international produce sales and will happily engage in long conversations about apples. In her free time, Michaela is an avid fan of Husky Athletics and has been a football season ticket holder since graduation. She loves spending time in the sunshine of Eastern Washington with her family and has promised her mom that she will come home for Thanksgiving whenever the Apple Cup is in Pullman.
Why I Serve: As a first generation college student, attending the University of Washington was a life-changing opportunity for me. Being part of the UW alumni community has been a wonderful extension of that experience as a student, and I’m excited to give back by helping to provide opportunities for recent alums to build connections with fellow Huskies and achieve their personal and professional goals.
Camilla Koon ’10
Camilla Koon ’10 is an enthusiastic UW alum. Originally from San Diego, CA she attended UW to carry on her family’s proud legacy. She received a B.A. in Art History and minor in Diversity. During her time at UW, she particularly enjoyed art classes taught by Dr. Susan Casteras and classes about 20th century architecture. She works at local real estate development firm, R.C. Hedreen Co. as a Project Manager. Aside from work, she enjoys exploring and eating her way through Seattle, attending the UW Graduate School lectures, and capturing the city’s most iconic neon signs on her Instagram.
Why I Serve: I love the UW and the education that students get from attending such an outstanding school. I believe that education is essential to equality. I believe that GOLD Council members and alumni can make a difference by helping create opportunity to foster relationships and networking post-graduation.
Kate Mead, ’11, ’14
Kate Mead, ’11, ’14 is a patent attorney practicing in the Seattle area. She earned her BS in bioengineering, with a minor in philosophy, and her Juris Doctorate at the University of Washington. As a patent attorney, Kate helps inventors and organizations patent medical devices, life science technologies, cloud computing technologies, telecommunications advances, and other types of technologies. Outside of work, she enjoys running, birding, and cooking elaborate meals for friends and family.
Why I Serve: As a woman in engineering and law, I know what it’s like to feel unmoored and out-of-place transitioning from school to the workforce. If we can provide a strong network of support to our recent graduates, I’m confident that we can ease the stress of transitioning to the workplace and ensure that all recent graduates — regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic status — have the confidence to apply their UW educations to the professional world. I am incredibly proud to be a UW alum, and I am looking forward to serving the community that has given me so much!
Simone Willynck ’13, ’19
Simone Willynck ’13, ’19 is a double degree Dawg hailing a B.A. in Communication from the University of Washington in 2013 and a Masters in Education from UW Bothell in 2019. She currently serves as the Manager in the Office for Faculty Advancement at the University of Washington and Regional Director for the Greater Washington State Higher Education Recruitment Consortium. In this role, she focuses on equitable recruitment and retention practices for faculty/staff by collaborating and partnering across the UW tri-campus and greater Northwest region to inform and promote tools and resources that support diverse hiring efforts.
Why I Serve: I serve to ensure GOLD alumni from across the tri-campus have a voice at the table, are provided opportunities to engage and feel connected to the UW Alumni Association. As an alum from two of the three campuses and a current employee at UW Seattle, the UW was and continues to be a significant part of my community. A community that thrives in an accessible, equitable and inclusive environment, is my North Star in my drive to serve.
