2024 Joe Dear Award Recipient
Seth Kirby '02, MPA '07
Seth is a transgender man, parent, and advocate for racially equitable, community-designed approaches to everyday challenges and opportunities. Throughout his career, Seth has bridged communities and policy advocacy to support inclusive, accessible communities. Seth’s engagement has spanned government to philanthropy and non-profit to community organizing.
Seth is currently the chief impact officer at Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, where he identifies, designs, and champions lasting connections and investments in Pierce County. Previously, he served as the executive director of Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma. He was also legislative director at the Washington State Human Rights Commission, where he led on a range of public policy issues, including disability access, veteran and service member non-discrimination and implementation of sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes.
Seth was chair of Washington Won’t Discriminate, the campaign to retain existing statewide LGBTQ protections. He served for ten years on the board of directors for Pride Foundation and is a senior fellow with the American Leadership Forum-Pierce County Chapter. Seth is current board chair of Inatai Foundation.
Seth was born and raised in rural Nebraska before making his way to Washington state. He currently lives in Tacoma.
Seth is a proud “double greener” having graduated from The Evergreen State College with his BA and returning to earn his MPA with concentrations in public policy and tribal governance.
