Vivian believes deeply in the power and wisdom that exists within communities to care for and uplift youth and families. Growing up in Seattle, Vivian has worked in multiple sectors: providing direct services for survivors of domestic violence, supporting youth leadership and sustainable community development programs and in the academic space as a researcher. Across these diverse settings, Vivian remains dedicated to building capacity within communities and using her prior experience working with local community based organizations and current role as an epidemiologist to support translational research – both supporting the implementation of policies and programs that work, and developing the evidence base to demonstrate the value and brilliance of existing community programs.

She splits her time between the Allies for Healthier Systems for Health & Abundance in Youth Center, where she supports efforts to end youth incarceration and community-led solutions for systemic change to advance health equity for youth and families, and the Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program where she conducts firearm injury prevention research.

Vivian is deeply committed to supporting equity, diversity and inclusion, and community-led systems change to advance health equity for youth and their families. When she is not working, Vivian takes inspiration from her two kids, gardening, cooking meals for friends, and swimming in the sound.

“We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.”
Maya Angelou

vivian@ahshay.org | LinkedIn | Google Scholar