Who We Are
The Seattle Human Rights Commission consists of 21 representative residents of Seattle appointed to serve in an advisory capacity to the Mayor, City Council, Seattle Office for Civil Rights, and other Seattle City departments in matters affecting human rights. Eight commissioners are appointed by the Mayor, eight are appointed by the City Council, and four are appointed by the Commission. Commissioners are appointed to a two year term of office and serve without pay. The 21st member joins the Commission each year through Get Engaged, a leadership development program for 18-29 year olds.
The Seattle Office for Civil Rights provides staff and support to the Commission.
Meet Our Commissioners
Emeka Alozie
Bio + -
Mr. Alozie brings over 10 years of experience working with startups, from their inception to seed/Series A stages. Prior to joining Transpose Platform VC, a global formation-focused fund, as a Director of Marketing, he served as the Director of Marketing and Partnerships at IntuitiveX. This medical incubator and accelerator launched 3 FDA-designated Breakthrough Devices. He also held the position of Director at the Founder Institute, where he supported the launch of Seattle and Western Canada pre-seed startups.
He was an Entrepreneur-In-Residence and Venture Advisor at 360 Social Impact Studios, a non-profit incubator dedicated to supporting underrepresented founders, and a Partner at Seattle Social Venture Partners, which is a social innovation accelerator for nonprofits and for-profits seeking more scaled and sustainable solutions for social impact and environmental good and supports the Climate Justice Grant Cohort.
He participated as a venture scout for NexCubed and has served as a mentor at a16z Talent and Opportunity, UW CoMotion, gener8tor, and Techstars, supporting underrepresented founders. He has spoken on entrepreneurship and startups at the University of Washington Foster Building and Startup Hall, and he is a member of ForbesBLK and BLCK VC, which are global communities of Black entrepreneurs and venture investors, and a member of UNICEF NextGEN and Seattle Children’s NextGen, each focused on supporting innovations and advocacy for children. As an advocate, he supported the passing of WA State: HB-1946, which focused on providing mental health support for underserved communities and is deeply passionate about how technology can shape the world around us for good, social impact, economic empowerment, and family.
Koumudi Phadake
Bio + -
Koumudi Phadake identifies as an Indian-American woman and has resided in the Greater Seattle area for over 10 years. Her academic pursuits at the University of Washington helped her develop a strong EDI&B (equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging) philosophy that has defined her commitment to the growth and livability of Seattle residents and workers.
An advocate for the working class, Koumudi supported unionizing and picketing efforts through work with MLK Labor and the Washington State Labor Council. The experience emboldened her to develop a foundational understanding of internal human resource operations, to help achieve her goal of creating diverse and equitable workplaces that put the people first. Koumudi also has lived experience, which has only served to deepen her advocacy of housing first and harm reduction policies. Her career ambitions and experience consequently brought her to Mary’s Place, where she currently provides data-driven human resource support to employees serving families experiencing homelessness.
In August of 2024, Koumudi began her tenure as a commissioner of the Seattle Human Rights Commission, where she contributes to the City of Seattle’s vision for human rights and social justice.