Retired General Counsel, Snohomish County Public Utilities

Anne joined the Companis Board in 2018, served as Secretary from 2020 to January of 2022, then was elected President.

She was the General Counsel for the Snohomish PUD, starting there in 2008 after serving four years as the Chief Assistant City Attorney for Tacoma Public Utilities. Her background includes practice with the Office of the Attorney General, representing the State Department of Transportation, and with the City of Seattle as a land-use litigation attorney.

Anne has a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from Reed College, a juris doctorate, cum laude, from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a utility management program certificate from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the Energy Bar Association, a Washington, D.C. based organization of legal professionals in the energy industry.

Executive Director, Companis

Gary’s background is in nonprofit management, public policy, civic affairs and communications, having worked in a variety of positions within public broadcasting and nonprofit agencies, and for political and policy organizations and causes. He is a former news host and digital news editor. He holds a Masters in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University and a BA in communications from the University of Washington.

Physician, Federal Healthcare System

Kevin is a practicing physician in the federal healthcare system. He has focused his career on helping patients improve function and quality of life following traumatic injuries and chronic illnesses. Over his 20-year career in medicine, he has witnessed now social inequalities can impact medical outcomes. He sees non-profit agencies as key social safety nets for people in our region. He is excited to serve as a board member and support the unique mission of Companis to support these agencies. 

Retired Health Care Executive Leadership

In her professional career, Constance worked to serve this area’s most vulnerable populations in large, not-for-profit healthcare systems. She supports Companis because she says Companis exists solely to serve others and by doing so makes the world a better place. 

Retired Nonprofit ED

Jennifer retired after 37 years working in the nonprofit sector in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Her last position was as an executive director of a small nonprofit and its affiliated foundation. While there, she brought on a Companis Worker and learned the value of this organization.

Neurologist, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington

Sandeep is a practicing neurologist at Harborview Medical Center where he has worked for over a decade. He specializes in the in-hospital management of stroke patients. He grew up in the small town of Galesburg, Illinois, and was the 3rd child of immigrant parents from India. His training in medicine has allowed him to live in many cities, including Nashville and New Orleans, before he settled in Seattle about 20 years ago. He is married to another physician at Harborview and has two children. What led him to Companis is also what inspires him to be a part of Companis, mainly the efforts to find solutions for societal inequities and injustices. He feels fortunate to have had a supportive upbringing and to currently have a friendly community both at home and at work but says he is also aware that this is not universal nor something to take for granted. He hopes to find ways to give back to his community and city beyond the work he does in healthcare, even if this may be initially just to better understand the issues affecting the livelihoods of those less fortunate.

Retired Executive Director & Founder, Project Access Northwest

Sallie Neillie is the founder and former Executive Director of Project Access Northwest, a local non-profit committed to access to needed medical care without regard to income, insurance status or other socio-economic factors. She was introduced to Companis when the newly founded Project Access was a glimmer but didn’t have the depth or resources to make the impact the community needed. Through multiple Companis placements, her agency grew to be an important part of the health care safety net in the area. She is constantly excited about Companis’ ability to make a positive difference for our communities and in the lives of the Companis Workers who serve to make them stronger.

Retired Senior Director of Human Resources, Seattle Children’s Hospital

Devnee Gadbois joined the Companis board in April 2023. An Edmonds/Snohomish County resident, Devnee and husband Greg have been advocates and Companis supporters for more than a decade. Devnee is retired from more than two decades of service as the Senior Director of Human Resources at Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle. She also currently serves as Board Secretary of the Edmonds Waterfront Center.

Case Manager, City of Seattle

Tesfa is a counselor with the City of Seattle in the Human Services Department. Prior to this, she served as a case manager at St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle/King County, a position she began as a Companis placement. Before connecting with Companis, she served as an attorney and worked in nonprofits in Ethiopia. Tesfa says it’s an honor to serve on the Companis Board because Companis has given her opportunities she wouldn’t have otherwise received.