Commissioner Biographies

Jonathan Schirmer, Chair, is a construction lawyer with Ballard Spahr LLP in Seattle. He has extensive experience in federal contracting issues at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and high-stakes bid protest actions at the Government Accountability Office and regularly advises bidders and public owners on procurement issues. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Seattle University, and also holds a degree in Political Science from Montana State University. Mr. Schirmer was appointed to the Commission by the City Council in 2024 and reappointed by the City Council to a second term expiring December 31, 2028. 

Vivian Vassall, Vice-Chair, is an Assistant Attorney General for the Washington State Office of the Attorney General in the Licensing and Administrative Law Division. She previously worked for the Unemployment Law Project as an independent contractor with the Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid. Ms. Vassall currently volunteers at the Loren Miller Bar Association. She is a graduate of University of Colorado Law School and has a BA in public affairs from Seattle University. Ms. Vassall was appointed by the Commission in March 2025 to a term ending December 31, 2027. 

Bobby Forch is the president of Forch Consulting. He has over 20 years of experience increasing the participation of DBE, Small, Veteran, and Minority-owned business enterprises (DBE/MSVWBE) in the award and performance of state and local contracts. He is a veteran of both the City of Seattle and Washington State Departments of Transportation. Mr. Forch was appointed to the Commission by the City Council in 2024 to a term that expires December 31, 2026.

Anita Khandelwal was appointed to the Commission by the Mayor in 2026 for a term that expires December 31, 2026. Bio forthcoming. 

Andrea Lino is an immigration attorney with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and has been practicing immigration law for more than a decade. Deeply committed to her clients and to advancing social justice, she has dedicated her career to serving immigrant communities and promoting equitable access to legal representation. Originally from Guatemala, Andrea began her legal career there as an attorney advocating for and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples. She later earned her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law, further strengthening her commitment to public service and immigrant advocacy. Andrea was appointed to the Commission by the Mayor in 2026 for a term that expires December 31, 2028.

Evan Smith’s career spans the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Beginning as a high school teacher in the New Orleans Public Schools, he joined Federal Emergency Management Agency to support disaster recovery after Hurricane Katrina. Subsequently he served as a senior administrator in the District of Columbia Public Schools and later as an education consultant to state, local, and national governments. After time with an education technology startup, he joined Starbucks, where he was a Vice President, serving in roles across the Strategy, Digital, and Technology teams. Evan is now CEO of Ethosphere, a frontline retail learning platform. He holds a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania, an MPhil from Cambridge, and an MBA from the University of Virginia. Evan was appointed to the Commission by the City Council in 2026 for a term that expires December 31, 2027.