The Bellevue Diversity Advisory Network is made up of a diverse group who provide counsel to the city on how to better reach, serve, communicate and collaborate with Bellevue’s diverse communities.
Members must meet the following requirements:
- Work or live in Bellevue
- Have cultural connections and knowledge of the city’s diverse population
- Possess a willingness, curiosity and interest in bridging cultural gaps to strengthen community
- Volunteer a minimum of six hours a month, including monthly meetings for general membership and subcommittees
- Be able and willing to serve a two-year term
Meetings
Meeting monthly, with members appointed by the city manager, BDAN has the following duties:
- Offer input on matters brought forth by the city manager, city staff and departments
- Participate in initiatives that foster equity, inclusion and access
- Provide culturally responsive counsel on how to engage our various communities
- Support linguistically diverse communities to help disseminate pertinent information, receive feedback, understand needs and relay opportunities
- Act as a bridge and champion for diversity efforts happening throughout Bellevue
- Explore the opportunities and challenges in regard to diversity
Meetings are held online via Microsoft Teams. Please contact diversity@bellevuewa.gov to join the meeting or submit public comment. Captioning, American Sign Language and language interpreters are available upon request. Please phone at least 48 hours in advance 425-452-7886 (voice). If you are deaf or hard of hearing, dial 711 (TR). Assisted-listening devices are available upon request.
Members
Chair, Anthony Tone Austin (Term 4 expires 12/31/2026): Anthony is committed to economic justice for underserved communities and households. With an MBA, he is a financial advisor and educator, and believes everyone should have a comprehensive plan. As an entrepreneur, he served as a business consultant with 10 years of analytical experience in strategy, marketing and management. Anthony is passionate about volunteerism, and serves on the boards of multiple, nonprofits.
Vice-Chair, Haruka Kojima (Term 4 expires 12/31/2026): From Tokyo, Haruka came to the United States to attend Yale School of Management and worked on Wall Street for over 10 years. She moved to Bellevue in 1998 and has volunteered in multiple roles in the Bellevue School District, most recently as a member of Equity Advisory and Advocacy Collaborative. She advocates for students learning English and racial minorities in the school system. Haruka is also a 2017 graduate of Bellevue Essentials. She has been a board member of Open Doors for Multicultural Families, a nonprofit that supports families and individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities across diverse communities, since 2017.
Secretary, Diala Ezzeddine (Term 2 expires 12/31/2026): Diala is a mom, data scientist and educator. She has lived in Bellevue since 2014 and has dedicated herself to mentoring others to navigate difficult transitions. Diala has a doctorate from Lumiere University in France in computer science, specializing in machine learning. She heads data science at Tao Media, a gig economy startup in the media industry. She also teaches computing and software systems at the University of Washington Bothell.
Assistant Secretary, Amera Chehem (Term 1 expires 12/31/2025): Political science student at Bellevue College and passionate DEIB advocate. As a facilitator for Sources of Strength, Amera promotes youth mental wellness and suicide prevention. With six years of experience in Bellevue, she has served on the Bellevue School District's Student Advisory Committee, co-founded Eastside Black Girls 4 Change and was Vice President of the Eastside Youth Coalition. Amera is committed to fostering belonging and addressing systemic disparities, bringing valuable lived experiences and insights to BDAN.
Yvonne Adagala (Term 2 expires 12/31/2025): Yvonne has called the greater Seattle area home for the last nine years and lives and works on the Eastside. She looks forward to helping foster belonging within the various communities who’ve chosen to make a life here, which will allow them to fully engage and thrive. Yvonne is teaching herself Hangul (Korean) and learning how to roller skate, not necessarily at the same time.
Darya Anoshei (Term 2 expires 12/31/2026): Darya is a multicultural and polyglot international educator with a background in immigration law. She works in the University of Washington's International and English Language programs. Passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, Darya serves on the UW Continuum College DEI Committee and Accessibility Subcommittee.
Lauren Applewood (Term 1 expires 12/31/2026): A lifelong Bellevue resident and advocate for accessibility. Lauren focuses on supporting people with disabilities, the elderly, and those experiencing homelessness.
Laurren Chase (Term 2 expires 12/31/2026): Laurren is the director of diversity at Eton School, where her daughter is a student. Having been a member of the Bellevue community for over eight years, she is passionate about working to ensure that all residents are seen, heard and valued. Outside of work she enjoys seeing live music, crafting, finding beauty and humor in life’s radically complicated simplicity and binging a great show on Netflix.
Angela Cheung (Term 2 expires 12/31/2025): A business advisor and attorney, Angela has a long history of community involvement in Bellevue and beyond. She serves on Bellevue's Asian Pacific Islander Police Advisory Council and received a commendation from the Fire Department for her volunteer service to the City's Office of Emergency Management. Angela holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and a master's degree in personnel/organizational psychology from New York University, along with a Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law.
Boliver Choi (Term 1 expires 12/31/2026): Senior Center Director with 20+ years of experience in community outreach. Boliver is passionate about promoting multilingual services, inclusive spaces, and addressing systemic barriers in diverse communities.
Adam Dibba (Term 1 expires 12/31/2025): Founder of "Africans On the Eastside," a community-focused initiative supporting underserved immigrants. Adam has over 20 years of volunteer experience with the Bellevue School District #405, where she contributed to the academic success of three young African women. She is passionate about fostering cultural belonging through a racial justice lens and advancing cultural diversity in the Bellevue community.
Era Pogosova (Term 1 expires 12/31/2026): Managing Director of Theatre33, a bilingual nonprofit community theater. Era brings extensive experience in nonprofit management and arts-based community building. She is passionate about using the arts to bridge cultures and promote inclusivity.
Rye Radetski (Term 1 expires 12/31/2026): LGBTQ+ advocate and elementary special education teacher. Rye is active in Pride Across the Bridge and seeks to expand safe spaces for queer and trans individuals in Bellevue.
Samuel Rodriguez (Term 1 expires 12/31/2026): CEO of BizDiversity LLC, with over seven years of experience supporting BIPOC and immigrant-owned small businesses in Bellevue. Samuel’s expertise spans cross-cultural marketing, economic development, and community engagement.
Anuradha Samrat (Term 1 expires 12/31/2026): Founder of an Indian classical dance school in Bellevue. Anuradha leverages her expertise to address youth mental health and foster cultural appreciation.
Nicholas Ton (Term 2 expires 12/31/2026): Professionally, Nicholas works for Microsoft as a risk and privacy manager, helping to ensure that Microsoft's products meet high regulatory standards and that customers are able to trust Microsoft as a steward of their information. He drove the Asian employee resource group at Microsoft to partner with local nonprofits, universities, community-based organizations and other tech companies. Nicholas is currently lead for the group's external engagement and relations.
Devika Vyas (Term 1 expires 12/31/2026): Community Outreach Coordinator and educator. Devika focuses on addressing food insecurity and mental health through public events and fostering inclusivity.
Lisa R. Weber (Term 3 expires 12/31/2026): Born and raised in Western Washington, Lisa has lived in Chicago, Albuquerque and Bellevue. She is a member of the Samish nation, whose historical territory was the San Juan islands. Lisa has been a speech and debate coach at Interlake High School since 2015. Even though she suffers from silent disabilities, due to having autoimmune diseases, Lisa loves working to make our community a welcoming place.
Staff Support
DEI Outreach Administrator, Dr. Marcus Johnson - City Manager’s Office