Staff

Jenifer Chao is honored to serve as the next Executive Director of CAPAA as the commission enters a new chapter. As a Mien immigrant who has dedicated 27 years to public service, Jenifer understands firsthand how access to resources and public policy can shape a community’s ability to thrive. She looks forward to working with the commissioners and community leaders to advance equity and strengthen Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Asian American communities.

Jenifer brings extensive experience in public policy, strategic leadership, and organizational management. She began her career in the nonprofit sector, partnering with community coalitions to elevate the needs and voices of immigrant, refugee, and historically underserved communities. She later held several leadership roles with the City of Seattle, most recently serving as Director of the Department of Neighborhoods, where she advanced community-centered governance. She previously worked with the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Advocating Together for Health (APICAT), a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing health equity.

Outside of work, Jenifer enjoys life in a multigenerational household, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with her grown children.

Negheen brings over 10 years of government affairs experience serving residents, communities and Tribal governments in Washington state. 

Negheen first served WA State Representative Judy Clibborn as a Legislative Aide on key statewide transportation projects. Then, she served Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez as a Policy Director. During this time, Negheen managed Seattle’s workplan to combat the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples epidemic. She followed the lead of community experts and together they successfully launched the nation’s 1st piece of legislation to address the epidemic with concrete solutions. In addition, she staffed the creation of the city’s Indigenous Advisory Council dedicated to advising the city’s elected leadership and departments on priority issues.

It is this shared passion to make government more accessible and representative of diverse communities that brings Negheen to CAPAA. Negheen is a proud, first-generation Persian American with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington.

Brenda O’Brien is a first-generation Korean-Irish American born in Seoul, Korea. After her parents’ divorce in 1997, she moved to Tacoma, WA with her mother and two younger sisters. She graduated from Corban University (formerly Northwest Baptist College) in Salem, OR, with a B.S. in Psychology, after transferring there from Central Washington University. She has 23 years of combined experience in serving in both an administrative capacity and in case management as a social worker. She also cares full-time for her mother when she is not working.

Prior to joining CAPAA, Brenda managed a busy office for the Pierce North Community Services Office at DSHS in Tacoma. There, she was appointed a REDI (Respect, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Ambassador representing Pierce North at the Regional level. She has a strong passion for advocating for the marginalized, elderly, high school youth, and animals, as well as keeping up-to-date on current events impacting our communities. Brenda’s interests include gardening, animals, singing, winning at board games, and posing as a coffee connoisseur.