Jun 24, 2026

Ballard Spahr

Kumar

Hari Kumar, a litigator based in Ballard Spahr's Seattle office, is the recipient of the 2026 Pro Bono and Public Service Award from the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA).

Kumar is being recognized “for extraordinary dedication to pro bono service, marked by perseverance through complex litigation and an unwavering commitment to client-centered advocacy,” the WSBA said in announcing its 2026 APEX—Acknowledging Professional Excellence—Awards.

Hari led a team of fellow associates from Ballard Spahr's Litigation Department in a pro bono representation of an autistic minor who was wrongfully removed from his home by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The team took the matter to trial and won a multimillion-dollar jury verdict for their clients.

Kumar is a trial and appellate attorney with a focus on insurance coverage and commercial liability matters.

Ballard Spahr's pro bono program is renowned for the volume and impact of pro bono work by its lawyers and professionals. The firm donates more than 50,000 hours a year in cases involving fundamental human rights, voting rights, asylum and immigration, child advocacy, and artists' intellectual property, as well as representing low-income individuals and families in a spectrum of matters.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit have selected Corey Endo as the next federal public defender for the Western District of Washington. She succeeds Rene Valladares, federal public defender for the District of Nevada, who served as interim defender after former defender Colin Fieman entered private practice in January 2026. Endo began her four-year term on June 17.

Endo joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Washington in 2005 and has served as a research and writing attorney, assistant FPD, and, most recently, first assistant FPD. In these roles, she has handled direct appeals, federal habeas litigation and complex federal criminal cases, including challenges to the Bureau of Prisons' implementation of the First Step Act and prolonged immigration detention.

Endo earned a Bachelor of Arts in biology and society from Cornell University in 1995. She received her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law in 2002, graduating magna cum laude and Order of the Coif.

The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Washington is headquartered in Seattle and maintains a branch office in Tacoma. The office employs approximately 54 staff members, including attorneys, paralegals, investigators and administrative personnel. In fiscal year 2025, the office opened 1,204 cases and closed 1,136 cases.

Art Anderson

Mitchell

Mendes

Sanchez

Art Anderson added summer interns James Sanchez and Tyler Mendes and welcomed Art Mitchell as construction manager.

Mitchell has joined the team as construction manager. He brings 20 years of experience and will begin working on the NOAA Manchester Campus Addition project which is set to start construction this summer. His portfolio includes commercial renovations and tenant improvements, such as Union Bank headquarters, Verizon Wireless retail locations and healthcare facilities.

Sanchez has come on as a mechanical engineer intern, having recently graduated from Washington State University with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Mendes is a new naval architecture intern working with the firm's marine engineering team. He is an incoming senior at SUNY Maritime College, pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering in naval architecture with a minor in nuclear engineering.

Mackenzie

Null

Dena Null recently joined Mackenzie as its healthcare practice leader. A healthcare strategist with nearly three decades of experience, Null has guided complex projects from vision through implementation across hospitals, academic medical centers, ambulatory surgery centers, and outpatient care environments, contributing healthcare planning, project delivery, and regulatory compliance throughout the western United States.

PLS Engineering

McGreevey

Grant McGreevey joined PLS as a summer intern in the civil department. He will assist with design and planning projects throughout the summer. McGreevey is currently pursuing a degree in civil engineering, with a minor in finance, at Boise State University.

Dykeman Architects

Schodin

LeMieux

Otto

Gannon

Ham

Zach Ham has been promoted to principal, a promotion that reflects 20 years with Dykeman leading large, complex projects, primarily in the K-12 education market, while also guiding Dykeman's marketing efforts.

Kathryn Gannon has been promoted to associate principal. She has 24 years of interior architecture and design experience in K-12.

Miranda Otto has been promoted to associate principal, with more than a decade of architectural experience with the Dykeman team and contributions to the education market, from pre-K through secondary education.

Jacob LeMieux has nearly a decade of architectural experience with Dykeman and has been promoted to associate.

Rebecca Schodin was promoted to associate, recognizing eight years of architectural experience with the Dykeman team.

Jun 23, 2026

Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Ingrid Ulrey has been appointed senior health policy advisor to Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. She succeeds Jane Beyer, who retired from the position after nearly 40 years of health policy leadership in Washington state.

Ulrey joins the Office of the Insurance Commissioner after serving as the CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange for the past three years. Before that, she was regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and 272 federally recognized tribes.

Ulrey will advise the commissioner on policy and legislative strategies to address the growing health care affordability crisis, protect consumers, and expand access to care. She will also serve as the commissioner's delegate to the Health Care Cost Transparency Board and the Universal Health Care Commission.

Ulrey's perspective is grounded in decades of experience in federal and state health care policymaking, and previous leadership positions with Public Health Seattle & King County, AARP, SEIU, and PATH. She has a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Jun 18, 2026

The city of Redmond

The city of Redmond is accepting applications for the Library Board of Trustees. This is open to Redmond residents within the city limits, who have an interest in library-related issues and activities. The board enhances the quality of life in Redmond by advising the mayor and city council on library policy, representing Redmond's interests to the King County Library System, and promoting local interest in the library.

The city is committed to having a board that reflects the diversity of the community and encourages applicants who are passionate about libraries and the role the Redmond Regional Library plays in the community. Members are appointed to three-year terms with a two-term limit.

Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at the Redmond Regional Library. All meetings are currently being held in a hybrid format, with the option of in-person or virtual attendance. All board and commission members are volunteers.

Interested residents are encouraged to complete an online community service application, including a summary of related experience at http://redmond.gov/Commissions/. There is no deadline for applications, but interested community members are encouraged to apply by 5 p.m. on June 30. The position will remain open until filled.

For additional information about the Redmond Library Board of Trustees, contact Deputy City Clerk, Kalli Biegel at kbiegel@redmond.gov, or visit redmond.gov/LibraryBoard.