Our 2023-2024 Scholars

Zoe Evans-Agnew – Seattle University

Zoe is following a family tradition in nursing which includes her great-grandmother, her grandmother, and her father.

“I see firsthand that underserved communities have poorer health outcomes due to inequities in our healthcare system,” she wrote. “I want to dedicate my career to serving the homeless population, those with low socioeconomic status, those who are incarcerated, and those disabled by addictions.”

In addition to her studies, Zoe works as a mental health nurse at Swedish Medical Center. She has also served as a family group facilitator with NAMI and as a scholar of the Washington Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program.

Derek Greenwood – Washington State University

Derek’s path is rooted in his own recovery from substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health struggles.

“I have experienced many of the same afflictions as my patients,” he wrote. “These experiences help me empathize with the difficulty of achieving change and allow me to model recovery to those who still suffer.”

“As a doctorally-prepared PMHNP,” wrote José A. Parés-Avila, WSU Clinical Professor and Associate Dean for Community Engagement, “I have no doubt he will be a state leader on innovative approaches to SUD treatment. His vision could easily place him on a national spotlight.”

Sarah Kuramoto – University of Washington

Sarah has extensive clinical experience as a Registered Nurse in medical-surgical and mental health. She also served as a volunteer nurse mentor to high school students pursuing a nursing career, addressing the need to increase access and opportunities in nursing to a more diverse population.

Her goals as a PMHNP include offering English and Japanese bilingual services in adult psychiatry and cycling her practice experience back into the classroom.

“I chose a doctoral degree [because] the pathway further prepares me for leadership positions, including educating the next generation of nurses and nurse practitioners,” she wrote.

Carly Williamson - Pacific Lutheran University

In addition to being a 4.0 student and working as a psychiatric RN at Navos Involuntary Adult Inpatient Unit, Carly gives back to her community.

Carly is working with a clinic in Kitsap County, a designated geographical health professional shortage area (HPSA) for mental health, to donate their transcranial magnetic stimulation machine to the community for use by Medicare and Medicaid patients.

She also volunteers with Port Orchard Helpers, which assists those without a home, and with Peninsula High School by providing free health evaluations for sports physicals to those without insurance.

Anteneh Woldeselassie - University of Washington

Anteneh co-founded a nonprofit which works with communities and governments to support communities in Africa in areas such as immigration and resettlement, community development, educational empowerment, and mental health development.

He has worked as a nurse with Schick Shadel Hospital, Auburn Medical Center Inpatient Psychiatry, and Swedish Medical Center, and Cascade Behavioral Hospital.

“Covering topics of mental health such as anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder,” he wrote, “these family-centric interactions have deepened my understanding of the pivotal role of preventative measures in maintaining familial well-being, further igniting my passion for impactful service.”