Meet Our People
Felipe Martinez (he/him) | Executive Director, CIRCLE
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Favorite café in Seattle: Simply Desserts in Fremont
Fun Fact: I have worked/studied at four different Pac-12 schools.
Dan Zhu (she/her) | Assistant Director for Undergraduate Programs, CIRCLE
Languages spoken: Mandarin Chinese, English
Favorite café in Seattle: Spicy Chongqing in Renton
Fun Fact: I am a mother of two little boys.
Ziyan Bai (she/her) | Assistant Director for Graduate Programs, CIRCLE
Languages spoken: English, Mandarin Chinese
Favorite place to eat in Seattle: Tian Fu in Northgate
Fun Fact: My research area is graduate education, including access, student experience, finance, and education outcomes.
Hyerim Park (she/her) | Student Transitions Coordinator, CIRCLE
Languages spoken: Korean, English
Favorite café in Seattle: Café Canuc, Petit Pierre
Favorite Book: Alain de Botton Status Anxiety
Siya Nkosi (he/him) | Strategic Communications Coordinator, CIRCLE
Languages spoken: IsiZulu, English, SiSwati, Mandarin Chinese, Xhosa, Afrikaans.
Favorite café in Seattle: Broadcast Coffee
Favorite Book: Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
Aakash Neve (he/him) | Program Coordinator
Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi
Favorite place to eat in Seattle: Salt & Straw in Capitol Hill
Fun Fact: I am an ordained minister, which gives me the ability to perform legal wedding ceremonies
Amodini Khade (she/her) | Unite UW Program Coordinator
Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Marathi
Favorite place to eat in Seattle: Plum Bistro in Capitol Hill
Favorite Book: The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow
Elizabeth Dechasa (she/her) | Program Assistant
Languages spoken: English, some Spanish and French, beginner Amharic
Favorite place to eat in Seattle: Retreat in Greenlake
Favorite Book: Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West
Iman Janoo (she/her) | Social Media Coordinator
Languages spoken: English, Urdu, and some Spanish!
Favorite place to eat and café in Seattle: Cesar’s Indian Restaurant and Happy Lemon boba!
Favorite Book: The Selection series by Kierra Cass
Mellot Samuel | Program Assistant
Languages spoken: English, Amaringya, Japanese, Ge’ez
Favorite place to eat in Seattle: Ichi Bento
Fun Fact: With my team we won third in a National Hip Hop competition
Sree Lekha P (she/her) | Graduate Student Programs Coordinator
Languages spoken: English, Telugu
Favorite café in Seattle: Portage Bay Café
Favorite Book: You Can Win by Shiv Khera
