About Us

WACIC is a member-driven non-profit advocacy organization that represents Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) serving communities in Washington State. Our work is overseen by a Board of Trustees and led by our Coalition Coordinator, who also serves as our lobbyist. Founded in 2021, WACIC represents 15 non-depository CDFIs that do lending in Washington state. Our mission is to advance the work of our member-CDFIs by informing public policies seeking to advance economic opportunity, raise awareness of CDFI services and the broader work in communities to lower barriers to accessing financial services for those historically underserved by traditional financial services.

Board of Trustees

  • Ms. Bartee is the Executive Director of JST Capital, a Native CDFI headquartered in Sequim, WA. JST Capital is a nonprofit revolving loan fund, serving the North Olympic Peninsula. 

    Active in the community, Ms. Bartee is involved in numerous economic development initiatives.  Community volunteering includes serving as a Board Director for the Opportunity Fund, reviewing applications and advising Clallam County Commissioners on strategies and use of funds.   She also serves on the Port Angeles Waterfront District Board, supporting the beautification, elevation, and economic prosperity of the rural town.  She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Political Science from the University of Washington and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School in New York.  Her professional experience includes banking, finance, real estate, and sales.  Prior to her founding the Native CDFI, she worked as an Investment Banker in New York, and a Commercial Banker in Southern California.  Johanna loves to practice yoga, read, hike, bike, travel, cook, and garden.

  • Bruce Brooks, as President and Interim CEO, works with Craft3’s staff and Board to deploy capital, relationships, and voice as key strategies and tools in confronting systemic racism, the climate crisis, and challenges in Tribal and rural economies in the Pacific Northwest and, in collaboration with others, to create more thriving, just, and empowered communities throughout this region.

    He re-joined the Craft3 team as President in October 2021, after serving as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the organization from 2016 to 2019. In the intervening period he was a General Partner with Perch Partners, a strategic brand advisory and management consulting firm where he provided business and strategic advice to clients and managed firm operations, finance, human resources, and legal functions. He also served on Craft3’s Board of Directors during 2021 before resigning to assume the role of President.

    Bruce has a diverse business and legal career spanning almost 40 years, holding a number of leadership positions operating at the intersection between business and community within the public and private sectors.

  • 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.

  • Joe Sky-Tucker has over twenty five years’ experience working in the nonprofit world in a variety of positions and organizations including direct experience working with at risk youth and families in crisis, fund development, and strategic planning. He has worked with “at-risk” youth in mental health settings including working with foster care youth, children in locked psychiatric settings, and group homes.  Further he has worked to ensure hardworking families have access to safe, fair, and affordable financial services.

    Currently he works as the President and CEO of Business Impact NW, an asset building/community lender that specializes in supporting small and micro-businesses; helping them to achieve financial stability through technical assistance and lending services.  Joe Sky-Tucker has a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Washington.  He lives in Seattle with his family.

  • Theresa is a philanthropy and resource development professional with more than 30 years of experience supporting community development organizations throughout the Pacific NW. She joined Evergreen Business Capital Community Finance in 2018. Her efforts focus on raising capital and building partnerships in the public and private sectors. These connections benefit small business owners in underserved areas. Other interests include youth homelessness, food scarcity, and LGBTQ advocacy.

  • As the Director of Capital and Incubation at Ventures Nonprofit, Erin Williamson leads the organization’s capital deployment strategy and oversees small business incubators. CDFIs provide Erin the opportunity to pair her experience as an entrepreneur with her passion for micro-finance. As a mission-based lender, Erin has supported the deployment of over $250M in microcapital and has seen, firsthand, that even the smallest loan can change the trajectory of a business.

    Prior to joining the CDFI space, Erin founded a community-based coffee shop, a nationally distributed cold brew company, and a supply chain management tool to match women-owned farms with packaged food producers.

Coalition Coordinator & Lobbyist

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Member CDFIs

Coming soon…