Nyka grew up in Mount Vernon and completed her Bachelor’s degree in microbiology and global health, before earning her graduate degree in community-oriented public health from the University of Washington. She joined the team in 2019, bringing experience working in LGBTQ health and program evaluation, as the Data & Evaluation Manager at North Sound ACH. She recently became the new Director of Innovation, responsible for creating and supporting opportunities to incubate and foster growth of nontraditional ideas, leveraging partner assets and resources, and identifying key areas for innovative transformation.

She grew up in a community where there was a lot of inequity and lack of access to basic needs and health care, and saw a lot of suffering as a result of that. She is passionate about supporting communities to better the well-being of individuals and groups, to learn and grow together, and to reduce disparities.