Council Chair Upthegrove’s Staff

Diana Phibbs

Chief of Staff
206-477-1470
diana.phibbs@kingcounty.gov

Diana Phibbs serves as Chief of Staff with a policy portfolio that includes Budget, Flood Control District, Human Services and Law and Justice. Diana has worked at all levels of government and across two continents. She began her public service career as a Congressional Intern, worked for the City of Saint Paul during her college years and served as the Senior Legislative Aide to the Chair of the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee, Senator Nita Rinehart. Diana spent two decades in Australia where she provided policy advice and constituent support to members of the South Australian Parliament before serving as the Ministerial Advisor to the South Australian Minister for Education and Children’s Services, providing high level policy guidance, legislation management and community engagement. Diana received her B.A. in International Relations from Carleton College, her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington and was the recipient of a Rotary Fellowship to study U.S. Pacific Relations at Australian National University. Diana spends her free time running, hiking and enjoying the cooler weather of the PNW with her four children and two dogs.

Zoë Mullendore

Policy and Outreach Aide
206-263-0817
zoe.mullendore@kingcounty.gov

Zoë is a San Francisco native who most recently relocated to Seattle from the Twin Cities. In Minnesota, Zoë was the community relations specialist with the Metropolitan Council, the Twin Cities’ regional planning agency. Prior to that, she was the senior associate of housing and transportation policy at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a technology trade association in the Bay Area. Zoe’s past work includes policy advocacy on the local, state, and federal levels as well as helping to lead a regional transportation funding measure in Santa Clara County. Zoë’s issue areas include transportation, land use, and environmental policy in District 5. She earned her B.S. in Political Science from the University of Oregon.

Shaunice Wilson

Policy Advisor & Community Liaison
206-263-3205
shaunice.wilson@kingcounty.gov

Shaunice Wilson is a native of Renton, WA and earned her B.A. from Seattle University in Public Affairs and M.A. in Policy Studies from the University of Washington – Bothell. Prior to joining the King County Council, Shaunice worked with Seattle Public Schools supporting program operations for an after-school literacy tutoring program. Additionally, she spent several years working with the City of Seattle providing administrative support to both the Equity and Environment Initiative Office and the Fresh Bucks program. Shaunice’s issue areas include law and justice, health, homelessness, and human services.

Elaine Rickards

Legislative Aide
206-477-9285
elaine.rickards@kingcounty.gov

Elaine Rickards is a Seattle native who grew up in the Ballard neighborhood. Elaine earned her B.A. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Gonzaga University. She then moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she participated in a year of service program co-teaching 1st grade in a K-8 school on Milwaukee’s south side. From there, Elaine moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey where she earned her Masters of Public Policy from Rutgers University, she moved back to Seattle after graduating. Prior to joining the King County Council, she was working in campaign finance with a Seattle-based consulting firm. Elaine manages community engagement, communications, constituent correspondence, scheduling and other office operations for District 5.