Bea Bany – Financial Coach & Benefits Planner

Bea Bany joined Northwest Access Fund in November 2022. She previously worked as an accountant in the healthcare industry serving diverse populations, including people with disabilities. Bea brings with her experience using her accounting knowledge to educate community members on the best practices of bookkeeping and is excited to be using those skills in the financial coaching program. Bea is passionate about serving her community and working with individuals to help them reach their goals. Outside of work, Bea enjoys reading books, spending time with her cat, and playing video games.
Email: [email protected]

Felicia Cardenas – Loan Officer and Underwriter

Close-up shot of Felicia smiling into camera.Felicia has recently joined the staff and is excited to use her 10 years of experience working at Sound Credit Union to continue her career maintaining great relationships with clients, while allowing their financial needs to be met.  She is looking forward to immersing herself within the nonprofit culture of helping others.  Outside of work, Felicia’s two children keep her busy with around the clock snack duty & impromptu dance parties.  They also like to visit the local parks that surround them in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Email: [email protected]

Ruth Daugherty – Youth Program Manager

Ruth outside smiling at cameraRuth Daugherty joined Northwest Access Fund in March 2022.  Ruth has worked within the disability community for over ten years as a Special Education Teacher and as a Community Service Provider for adults with disabilities.  Ruth is passionate about providing education, resources, and support needed for people with disabilities to live joyful and fulfilling lives, and is excited to bring her teaching experience to the financial coaching program.  Outside of work, Ruth enjoys reading, cooking, and playing outside with her husband and two young children.
Email: [email protected]

Allison Falleur Barber – Senior Financial Coach & Benefits Planner

Allison joined Northwest Access Fund in September 2020. Allison is our first Portland-based financial coach. Allison holds a Bachelor of Arts from Willamette University and has been Certified as a Community Work Incentives Coordinator and a Certified Community Partner Work Incentives Coordinator through Virginia Commonwealth University. In her career, she has become a recognized expert in financial policies and programs that impact People with Disabilities and strives to help individuals navigate the financial policies and programs that impact their lives to gain a stronger, more equitable economic standing with a better, brighter financial future.
Email: [email protected]

Monie Frost – Senior Loan Officer and Underwriter

An image of Monie smiling.Monie Frost joined Northwest Access Fund in February 2021. Monie previously worked for OneMain Financial for 10 years, helping community members with personal loans. Prior to OneMain, she worked in student accounts at Southwestern Oregon Community College, where she also studied Business, assisting students with payment plans to meet their education expenses. She is passionate about helping others improve their quality of life and excited to join a nonprofit where she can use her skills and experience to serve others.
Email: [email protected]

 

Kathy Gilman – Program Director

Kathy with one of her dogs, GloriaKathy Gilman joined Northwest Access Fund in 2008 after serving on the Board and Loan Review Committee for almost three years. Kathy previously worked as a Business Development Specialist with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) working on bringing microenterprise development programs to both urban and rural areas. Prior to joining MEDA she worked for more than seven years for Ventures (formerly Washington CASH), a community-based microenterprise development and peer lending organization in Western Washington. She was also a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching business in the Russian Far East. Kathy’s educational background includes an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago.
Email: [email protected]

 

Lisa Jones – Director of Economic Inclusion

Lisa (Zimmerman) Jones is new to the Pacific Northwest but no stranger to microlending and financial coaching.  Joining NWAF in June 2022, Lisa brings over almost 2 decades of experience in asset development and program management. She has developed multiple programs to assist in poverty alleviation including a Women’s Business Center, Youth IDA program, and a public transportation system. Lisa has worked extensively in rural markets to develop Community Development Financial Institutions like NWAF, focusing on keeping rural communities and their residents thriving instead of just surviving.  Lisa enjoys music festivals, karaoke, camping, floating, and fishing.
Email: [email protected]

Emerson Sekins – Executive Director

As the Executive Director of Northwest Access Fund, Emerson Sekins is dedicated to empowering people with disabilities and their families by providing affordable access to life-changing assistive technology financing and the support and resources needed to navigate financial barriers. With over 20 years of advocacy experience in the disability community, Emerson is deeply committed to addressing the systemic financial barriers faced by individuals with disabilities. These barriers include unaffordable medical and prescription costs, credit score impacts from medical debt and bankruptcies, and restrictions on assets and savings tied to public benefits. Emerson’s passion for the mission of Northwest Access Fund began in 2013 when he joined the organization as a program staff member working with low-income clients to access assistive technology. Since then, he has served as Asset Building Director and Deputy Director before assuming the role of Executive Director in 2017. A leader in the field of disability finance, Emerson serves as the Secretary of the Washington Community Investment Coalition and the Treasurer of the National Disability Finance Coalition. Emerson earned an MPA and a BA in Disability Studies from the University of Washington.
Email: [email protected]

Michelle Smith - Loan Underwriter and Officer

Close-up of Michelle smiling to camera and wearing glassesMichelle Smith joined Northwest Access Fund in January 2023. Hailing from Oregon, she has spent the greater part of her 30-year career in the lending arena. She has spent the last several years working within nonprofit agencies, providing everything from financial coaching, certification for affordable housing, consumer/business counseling, and SBA financing to new start-up businesses primarily located within impoverished rural communities. Michelle brings with her a wide knowledge of underwriting practices and lending, consisting of Consumer, SBA, and Mortgage loans. She understands what it means to gain self-sufficiency, regardless of your circumstance, and embraces the values and vision that Northwest Access Fund has strived to achieve. She remains passionate about the work she’s been part of and looks forward to working with each and every new client. In her personal time, Michelle spends time with family, especially the grandchildren, enjoying the beautiful lake she lives on or planning her next big adventure.
Email: [email protected]

Ellie Vainker – Deputy Director

Ellie has short red/blonde hair and is wearing a plaid shirt Ellie Vainker has been with Northwest Access Fund since 2017. Ellie first came to the Pacific Northwest as an international exchange student at the University of Washington in 2006 and loves getting to know more people and places across Washington and Oregon through her work here. She leads operations at NWAF, often focusing on how to make our systems and processes work better for the communities we serve. Ellie brings a varied background to Northwest Access Fund: she has worked as a researcher on a number of documentary and film productions, as a manuscript editor and communications consultant, and as a classroom assistant working one-on-one with students with disabilities. She holds a Ph.D. in sociocultural anthropology from Rice University and is an affiliate of the University of Washington’s Disability Studies Program.
Email: [email protected]

Tim Vanden Bos – Office Associate

Photo of TimTim Vanden Bos spent 25 years doing research in the biology field, both at private biotechnology firms and public research institutions. In 2014 he started taking some classes to learn bookkeeping skills. This eventually led him to an internship at Northwest Access Fund, which has turned into continued work in bookkeeping and general office work. Tim has a BS in Biology from the University of Washington and a Bookkeeping Certificate from North Seattle College.
Email: [email protected]

 

Heather Zundel – Loan Officer and Underwriter

Heather Zundel joined Northwest Access Fund in November of 2022.  She has 17 years of experience in the financial industry having previously worked at Wells Fargo in pre-legal collections then in mediations helping people keep their homes out of foreclosure.  After that she went on to Adair Financial Services helping people get into the home of their dreams.  Heather is passionate about serving her community and is looking forward to working with a nonprofit helping others improve their quality of life.   Outside of work you can find her near any body of water, in the kitchen baking, having game nights with friends, or spending time with her husband and grown kids.
Email: [email protected]

Jack Brummel – Senior Advisor

Former Executive Director of Northwest Access Fund, Jack Brummel spent 26 years with the Washington State Senate, primarily as lead staff for committees addressing economic development, financial institutions, commerce, labor, and workforce development issues. While with the Senate Jack developed legislation relating to the employment of people with disabilities, creating individual development accounts, and supporting micro-enterprise development. Prior to work with the Senate, Jack was the Administrator for the Northwest Intertribal Court System and the National Director of the Law Students Civil Rights Research Council. Jack served as the Chair of the Board for Evergreen Business Capital, a nonprofit development company certified by the US Small Business Administration, for 20 years. He is currently the Chair of the National Disability Finance Coalition and the National Disability CDFI Coalition.  He also serves on the Board of the Credit Builders Alliance. Jack’s education includes a BA in Political Science from Washington State University, a JD from the University of Washington, and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.
Email: [email protected]