Who We Are

JJ is a lifelong advocate, where she first began her involvement with non-profit work in middle school, volunteering with dog rescue organizations. This sparked her dedication to advocating for social justice and equity, especially in minority and/or underserved communities. She had the opportunity to live, work, travel, and volunteer abroad, serving LGBTQIA+ communities, supporting youth development and education programs, and interacting with diverse communities. With an MA in Educational/Developmental Psychology, her focus was on the development of the individual and on mental health conditions, sometimes called “invisible disabilities.” As an administrator at a library for the print disabled, she was able to interact with individuals of diverse backgrounds and learn about the struggles the disabled communities face, as well as the diversity of this community. JJ is happy to bring her experience and skills to better serve the community!

Scot is a product of the Pacific Northwest, growing up in Tacoma, WA and living in Seattle since 2020. He obtained his BSc. In Biology (Molecular, Cellular, Developmental) from the University of Washington in 2019 and has since been a strong advocate for accessibility and inclusivity in scientific and investigative processes. Scot has worked most of his career in the employ of the City of Seattle, at both the Parks and Recreation Department and Human Services Department. For most of his time with the City, he has worked at Garfield Community Center to help deliver programs, events and resources to community members and create an inclusive environment that is welcoming to people of all ability or disability statuses. Scot is excited to leverage his experience with science communication and accessibility to bridge gaps and translate complex sentiments to a wide audience and help create connective tissue between advocacy groups to better serve Seattle’s disabled communities. 

Sawyer is new to Seattle having moved here after obtaining her Master's in 2023 at CWU. As a freshman in college, she sustained a spinal cord injury that left her a quadriplegic. After her injury, she became much more engaged with the disability community and even had the opportunity to work at a Center for Independent Living as a Disability Specialist. This fueled her passion to advocate on a deeper level in disability policy after experiencing the inequity faced in the community and with the healthcare system.  She recently completed a fellowship posted by Disability Belongs in the public policy and civic engagement department and has been looking for ways to continue supporting people with disabilities in our community. Sawyer hopes to contribute her skills and past experiences working with people with disabilities to better serve people with disabilities in Seattle and all of King County. 

Samiya Nasim is a lifelong advocate for mental health and accessibility. Driven by her lived experiences, she began her journey in advocacy by founding LonePack, a youth mental health organization dedicated to breaking stigma and improving youth mental health accessibility in India. Through LonePack, Samiya has led large-scale awareness campaigns, launched India’s first anonymous peer support platform, and reached over 130,000 people. Her work included outreach events at schools and colleges, support groups and large scale awareness campaigns.

With an MBA from The Wharton School and a background in Computer Science Engineering, Samiya brings experience across consulting, analytics and technology/AI.  Now living in Seattle, Samiya is excited to contribute to the Disabilities Commission by amplifying underrepresented voices and helping shape a more inclusive city for all. She is committed to championing equitable policies and fostering a supportive, accessible community.