Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck's Staff

Email Tim

Originally from Providence, RI, Tim Lennon has dedicated almost his whole working life to supporting Seattle’s cultural scenes since moving here in 2001. He has served as Board President of the Washington Bus Education Fund, Chair of the Seattle Music Commission’s Advocacy & Economic Development committee, and a member of the Seattle Arts Commission’s Facilities & Equitable Development committee. Tim was also a charter member and inaugural Council President of the Cultural Space Agency, a WA public development authority he helped design and establish in deep collaboration with community and public sector leaders.

Tim is an alumnus of the Harvard Business Schools’ Young American Leaders Program and the HBS/National Arts Strategies Chief Executive Program. A member of the Leadership Tomorrow class of 2015, he served seven years on LT’s curriculum committee designing and delivering Arts & Culture curriculum for local emerging leaders. Tim played a key role early on in supporting the community-led transition process for the historic Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, which resulted in the creation of the Black-arts-focused nonprofit LANGSTON, which he helmed as its inaugural Executive Director. While at LANGSTON Tim partnered with Black Seattle artists to scale the Seattle Artist Relief Fund to become the single largest source of direct financial support for Washington artists in the first year of the pandemic. He has also been an organizational development and strategic planning advisor to the Historic Central Area Arts & Cultural District, and the Movimiento Afrolatino Seattle (MÁS).

Tim lives in Beacon Hill with his wife and son, and aspires to be half as awesome as they are.

Email Rachel

Rachel brings a wealth of experience and a passion for community advocacy to Councilmember Rinck's office after serving as a Senior Community Liaison & Grants Manager for Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) where she worked closely with community organizations, secured critical funding for regional projects, and advocated for policies that uplift Puget Sound communities. During her tenure she managed a portfolio of issues including grants, health and behavioral health care, women's issues, local government, worker and family assistance, technology & telecommunications, seniors, workforce and economic development, and labor. She has also held positions with the House Democratic Caucus at the Washington State Legislature, LifeWire, AmeriCorps VISTA, State Rep. Tina Orwall’s office, and the WA Institute for a Democratic Future.

She was born and raised in Henderson, Nevada – a suburb of Las Vegas. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, where she focused on Public Policy and Administration, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Email Kaiden

Kaiden is a graduate of the University of Washington, where they earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a double minor in Environmental Studies and Urban Design & Planning. During their time at UW, they interned for the Washington State Speaker of the House, gaining firsthand experience in legislative processes and stakeholder collaboration. 

Kaiden has built a strong professional background in campaign management and grassroots organizing, leading efforts for local and state candidates. They are also a passionate advocate for policies supporting housing supply and affordability as well as expanding transit access. Committed to advancing social and environmental justice, Kaiden is dedicated to meaningful change through strategic collaboration, effective leadership, and impactful policy work. 

Outside of work, Kaiden enjoys exploring Seattle and the surrounding area on their E-bike where they often capture photos of construction project progress along the way. As a dedicated transit enthusiast, they love taking the Link and bus to discover new neighborhoods and to consume all the boba Seattle has to offer.

Email Kenney

Born and raised in New England, Kenney studied Political Science and Social Justice at Merrimack College, focusing on the intersection of international development and racial justice. Kenney's interest in the policy aspect of education led him to work with the Ministry of Education in Colombia where he served in the Peace Corps, focusing on developing culturally competent and relevant curriculums which led him to obtain his Master's in Public Administration at the  Evans School at the University of Washington where he was awarded the Daniel J. Evans Award for outstanding leadership.

Kenney focused a lot of his time in graduate school studying and conducting research in Little Saigon learning about refugee community development, where he put his native Vietnamese skills to use. He later worked for Friends of Little Saigon as their Community Engagement Manager, before moving to the City of Seattle's Office of Emergency Management.

In his free time, Kenney enjoys going to local concerts, baseball games, playing frisbee, and spending time with his cat.