Latasha Ware completed her Master of Public Administration at Evergreen in 2019. She’s since went on to be honored as a City of Tacoma Management Fellow (2019) and was awarded the City of Tacoma’s Emerging Leader Honor in 2022.

Throughout her career in public service, Latasha has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that community support programs are rooted in access, equity, and inclusion. For nearly a decade, Latasha relentlessly sought to improve access to both educational and employment opportunities through her nonprofit work. As part of these efforts, she facilitated the growth of two key programs in the City of Tacoma that helped thousands of folks obtain their GEDs, enroll in local two- and four-year degree programs, and secure paid internships with regional nonprofit organizations and government agencies.

Today, the strategies utilized by Latasha have enabled other leaders at local community colleges and organizations to continue fostering success among young professionals in our city. During her time in the nonprofit field, she also engaged frequently in community outreach via clothing, gift, and product drives; fundraising; and even the creation of a visual and audio storytelling project to uplift the narratives of immigrants and refugees living in Tacoma.

Since then, earning a Master of Public Administration (MPA) has only allowed Latasha to further amplify feelings of hope, healing, and sustainable peace through her contributions to equity focused work. As a Tacoma Management Fellow, she developed new training guidelines and resources for members of the City’s volunteer commissions, boards, and committees to streamline pathways for policy advocacy and subsequent change. In her current role as an Executive Assistant and Policy Analyst for Tacoma Public Library (TPL), Latasha has already led and contributed to multiple projects that have refined TPL’s data collection procedures and expanded the availability of culturally appropriate and inclusive programs, services, and resources.

Latasha attributes her work and her commitment to social justice to Evergreen Tacoma, where she completed her BA in 2014. Stating that “…Evergreen Tacoma planted the seeds for me to complete the MPA program and grow as a public servant…”.

By Latasha Ware