Staff Bios
Elaine Ko,
Phyllis Shulman, &
Sara Nelson
Elaine Ko, Legislative Assistant
Background: Elaine has served on the boards of The International Examiner, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, the Corporate Volunteer Council, Puget Sound Directors of Volunteer Services, University of Washington Certification Program in Fundraising, Leave a Legacy and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras.
In addition, she participated in Leadership Tomorrow and has been awarded the Donor of the Year from College Planning Network and Outstanding Volunteer from Denise Louie Education Center.
Her professional positions have included: Director of Community Affairs, City of Seattle Engineering Department; Market Research Director, United Way of King County; Social Policy Administrator, Security Pacific Bank; Director of Community Services and Volunteers, Harborview Medical Center. She holds a Master of Arts in Scandinavian Languages and Literature and a graduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington.
Core Areas of Responsibility: Office Management, Scheduling, Correspondence, Constituent Services, Mail/Phones
Specific Issues: Public Health Funding and Health and Human Service Issues
Schedule: Monday - Thursday
Phyllis Shulman, Senior Legislative Advisor
Phyllis Shulman has worked for fifteen years as a Senior Legislative Advisor to Seattle City Council Member Richard Conlin. She is responsible for strategic policy recommendations, civic engagement, and development of new initiatives on a myriad of issues effecting Seattle and the region. Her expertise in policy development and facilitation of stakeholder interests has been utilized on a number of the more complex issues including strengthening the local and regional food system, the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, State Route 520 Bridge Replacement, and Neighborhood Planning. She is currently involved in implementing Local Food System and Food Policy Initiatives, Economic Renewal and Development Strategy, Climate Change and Adaptation Policies, Urban Forestry Stewardship Plan, Emergency Preparedness Initiatives, and a Resilient City Strategy.
Phyllis has a broad background having worked in the non-profit, private, government and education sectors. This experience includes:
- Principal owner for 13 years of an environmental consulting firm with clients including, Boeing, Kimberly Clark Paper Company, Washington State Department of Ecology, FEMA, and Gull Oil Company.
- While living in New Zealand, consultant for the New Zealand Ministry of Energy on energy conservation policy.
- Co-Founder of the Pacific Institute of Resource Management in New Zealand, an NGO devoted to working toward sustainability in the Pacific Region and globally, as well as founder of numerous community –based organizations and programs.
- Curriculum developer and teacher in non-violent conflict resolution for children and adults as part of the non-profit organization, Children’s Creative Response to Conflict.
- Developer and teacher of new courses in energy and environmental studies for minority high school students in a program striving to increase minority student enrollment in the sciences.
- Assistant to Dr. Fritjof Capra in developing and teaching a new course in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of California at Berkeley and assisting him in the development of The Elmwood Institute.
Phyllis has a passion for wild mushroom hunting, traveling, cooking and gardening.
Education
- University of California at Berkeley, Bachelor of Science, Conservation and Resource Studies
- Antioch University of Seattle, Masters of Arts in Whole Systems Design, Organizational Systems Renewal
Core Areas of Responsibilty: Food and Health Policy, Major Transportation Projects, Sustainablility, Climate Change and Adaptation, Urban Forestry, Emergency Preparedness, Education, Civic Engagement
Specific Issues: Local Food Action Initiative, Neighborhood Plan Issues, Alaskan Way Viaduct, Waterfront Planning, SR-520 Replacement, Urban Forest Stewardship Plan, Recovery Planning, Climate Action Plan.
Schedule: Monday - Friday
Sara Nelson, Legislative Assistant
Recovering Academic, Political Junkie, Brew Frau
A California native, Sara Nelson moved to Seattle in 1990 for grad school and earned her doctorate in Cultural Anthropology at UW in 1997. After two years as an underemployed lecturer, she left academia in order to ply her real passion – politics – in Seattle. She first joined Councilmember Richard Conlin's team in 2002 and stayed for six years, working primarily on transportation and sustainability issues. She took a three-year break from public service to stay home with her two sons, born in 2004 and 2005. Sara returned to Councilmember Conlin's office in the fall of 2010.
While ostensibly devoting herself to her children, Sara also managed Conlin's 2009 re-election campaign and helped launch the family's new business, the Fremont Brewing Company. She also did a lot of mushroom foraging, beading, and hanging out at construction sites with her sons.
Sara has been involved in various social justice and environmental campaigns and non-profits. She served for several years on the Board of Home Alive, a local anti-violence project and she currently serves on NARAL Pro-Choice Washington's Political Action Committee. As a small business owner, she's active in efforts such as the Seattle Climate Partnership and the Seattle Good Business Network that support sustainable small businesses. She loves backpacking, mycology, hanging out with friends -- and lots of other things she has almost no time to enjoy.
Areas of primary focus in Conlin office: intergovernmental relations, economic development, environmental sustainability.
Areas of secondary focus: annexation, some land use, all things transportation, and misc.
Schedule: Monday - Thursday
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