Meet Our Team

Brissa Perez joined NAWA in November 2022. Born and raised in the Walla Walla Valley, Brissa enjoys being outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. She received her BA in Political Science and Spanish, with a minor in Criminal Justice, from Washington State University in 2019. Much of Brissa’s work has been in community outreach, collaboration, advocacy, and public administration. In 2020, she worked with the U.S. Census Bureau as a Partnership Specialist, which included relationship building and education in Eastern WA. More recently, she worked for a healthcare nonprofit serving the Greater Columbia Region, where she led a mental health campaign. This inspired her to pursue her MBA and a career in the nonprofit sector serving underrepresented BIPOC communities. Brissa currently co-directs Folklorico Estrellas de Mexico (Mexican Folklore Tap Dance) in Walla Walla, where she danced for over fifteen years. Brissa lives in Richland and enjoys traveling, crafting on her Cricut, and taking her dog Chapo on trails.

Jennifer joined the Nonprofit Association of Washington team in August 2020. She brings ten years of nonprofit experience and community-centered work in the South Puget Sound region to our team. Her experiences include serving as a nonprofit executive director, overseeing the transition of a funder managed program to an independent nonprofit, supporting watershed-based community collaborations, and leading urban green space restoration projects. Jennifer looks forward to supporting the continued growth of NAWA’s offerings and connecting with nonprofits across the state to cultivate learning opportunities and resources that meet their evolving needs. At the University of Washington, she received a Master of Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance as well as a Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Sciences. Jennifer is from Tacoma, Washington and she enjoys going for walks, quilting, and gardening.

Jonathan joined Nonprofit Association of Washington in September 2022. He has a Bachelor’s in Mathematics from Western Washington University and a Master’s in Data Analysis from Western Governor’s University. In addition to his time working as a data analyst, Jonathan spent a year living and working as a teaching assistant in Szarvas, Hungary. In his free time, Jonathan is a pub trivia host. He also enjoys listening to podcasts, going to hockey games, and going to escape rooms with his family.

Laura became Nonprofit Association of Washington’s Executive Director in May 2017 after serving as the organization’s Interim Executive Director and having been a member and partner with the organization for many years. She has been the owner and principal consultant of Laura Pierce Consulting. Laura has worked in and with nonprofit organizations since 1989, including fund development, community organizing, and executive management positions. Since 1998, she has consulted with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, assisting with strategic planning, board development, organizational assessment and capacity building.

Lianna comes to Nonprofit Association of Washington with 10 years of development and community support work with nonprofit organizations in both Pierce County and North Texas. Her expertise includes fund development, community outreach, board development, and volunteer management. Lianna is committed to equity and education, volunteering for the Equity Committee of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and teaching Public Administration and Nonprofit Management as an Adjunct Faculty member. She is excited to use her strategic approach to work with nonprofits across the state in identifying what they need to thrive and supporting them in achieving access. Lianna has a Master’s in Public Administration from Evergreen State College and a Bachelors in Journalism from University of Idaho. Lianna lives in Lakewood with her husband and two dogs (Boomer and Adele). She can most frequently be found experimenting in her kitchen or curled up with a sci-fi novel in her favorite chair.

Tiffany became Nonprofit Association of Washington’s Policy Director in October of 2022. She brings 10 years of experience in social work, public policy, and advocacy across disability rights, voter engagement, education, childcare access, and healthcare. She received her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Spanish from Seattle University and her Master of Social Work in Administration and Policy Practice from the University of Washington. Tiffany is passionate about supporting nonprofits, their workers, and those they benefit to advocate for a thriving Washington. When she’s not deep-diving into a policy proposal or meeting with advocates, Tiffany is often found baking up seasonal treats for the gluten free community. Tiffany will say yes to any invitation as long as her dog, Yuki, is invited too.