About Us
What We Do. Washington Breathes is a statewide coalition of diverse organizations and individuals working together to eliminate the harmful use of commercial tobacco and other nicotine products. We focus on addressing health inequities and creating healthier communities by changing the policies, systems, and social dynamics that fuel the commercial tobacco epidemic. We educate and engage communities to support positive policy, systems, and environmental changes, but do not engage in lobbying actions or take positions on specific legislative proposals.
Washington Breathes invites you to join and get involved. Participation in our meetings is open to any organizations and individuals who support our Vision and Mission. Learn more about our coalition and find out ways to Get Involved.
Our History. The coalition launched in September 2022 after a strategic planning group worked together for more than a year to develop the coalition's foundation. A Steering Committee formed to guide the coalition's efforts while working closely with our member-driven workgroups.
In December 2024, Washington Breathes incorporated as a Washington State non-profit corporation. The coalition’s Steering Committee transitioned into a Board of Directors and a Leadership Committee At this time, we are not applying for a 501-c-3 tax exempt status from the Federal IRS, but the Board of Directors may decide to do so in the future.
A healthier Washington, where commercial tobacco-related inequities are non-existent and where all people in our communities, across generations, are free from nicotine addiction, disease, and premature death caused by commercial tobacco.
To bring together diverse partners from a variety of sectors to build capacity, collaborate, increase understanding, support cessation, and develop policy, systems, and environmental changes aimed at eliminating inequities and the negative effects from commercial tobacco use, sales, and marketing.
Our Principles
Our Guiding Principles: 10 statements that serve as a compass as we work to reduce nicotine dependence and dismantle policies and systems that enable the harmful actions of the commercial tobacco industry:
Our Relationship Principles: 9 statements about how we do our work together by respecting diverse perspectives, using an equity lens, creating a supportive coalition culture, and developing trusting relationships:
Shared Terminology
Understanding each other is critical to our effective work as a coalition. For example, we say “commercial tobacco” to clearly differentiate from use of traditional tobacco by Indigenous peoples:
Commercial tobacco: manufactured and sold by the commercial tobacco industry, and is linked to addiction, disease, and death. Commercial tobacco includes any product that contains tobacco and/or nicotine, such as cigarettes, cigars, electronic cigarettes, hookah, pipes, heated tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and other oral nicotine products. Commercial tobacco does not include FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine patches or gum.
Traditional tobacco: Some American Indian tribes use tobacco as a sacred medicine and in ceremony to promote physical, spiritual, emotional, and community well-being. This traditional tobacco, which may be tobacco and/or other plant mixtures, is different from commercial tobacco and is used differently in sacred practices. When used appropriately, traditional tobacco is not associated with addiction and adverse health impacts.
We invite you to download our full list of Shared Terminology and Concepts for more explanations:
Board of Directors
Briseida Chavez (she/her), Chair
Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Prevention Professional - Educational Service District 123
Brandon Omernik (he/him), Vice-Chair
Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Living Tobacco-Free Services - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Yajaira Lemus (she/her) - Treasurer
Public Health Educator - Benton-Franklin Health District
Rebecca Bryant (she/her) - Secretary
Director Government Relations - Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Daynon Jackson (they/them)
Youth Advocacy Program Co-Manager - Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center: formerly Gay City
Leadership Committee
Alison Sanders (she/her)
Coalition Coordinator, Coalition for Orcas Youth
Brittany Bevis-Sciuto, MPH (she/her)
Healthy Communities Specialist, Prevention Services - Snohomish County Health Department
Crystal Shen, MD (she/her)
Pediatrician, Legislative Committee Co-Chair of the WA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Matthew Cox (he/him)
Community Prevention Project Specialist, Educational Service District 112
Micah Zimmermaker (he/him)
Youth Commercial Tobacco Prevention Coordinator | Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Control Prevention Program - WA Department of Health
Ray Horodowicz (he/him)
Prevention System Manager | Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery - WA Health Care Authority
Scott Neal (he/him)
Tobacco and Youth Marijuana Prevention Program Manager - Public Health Seattle-King County
We are currently welcoming new members to the Leadership Committee. Please contact us if you’d like more information about participating.
Past Members of Our Steering & Planning Committees
We're grateful for the expertise and guidance of these individuals who assisted with planning and developing Washington Breathes.
AJ Sanders (she/her) formerly Regional Coordinator, Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco at Spokane Regional Health District
Amanda Yager, formerly at American Cancer Society - Cancer Action Network
Annie Tegen (she/her) National State Advocacy Director, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Brittany Grant, MPH (she/her) Advocacy Director, Western Region - Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Bev Utt, MS, MPH, RD (she/her) former Tobacco Cessation Program Manager, MultiCare Center for Health Equity and Wellness
Carrie Nyssen (she/her) Senior Director | Advocacy | AK, HI, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY - American Lung Association
Cenora Akhidenor (she/her) Health Promotion Coordinator, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Cynthia Stark-Wickman, MED, CPP (she/her) Prevention Coalition Director (retired)
DeAnna Pearl (she/her) Tobacco Prevention Project Specialist, Cowlitz Indian Tribe Health Services
Donna Manders (she/her) formerly Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Elaine Ishihara (she/her) Director - APICAT for Health
Elena Ozturk (she/her) Human Services Program Administrator, El Centro De La Raza
Fred Swanson (he/him) Executive Director, Highline Schools Foundation
Grace Henscheid, formerly at American Heart Association
Heidi Glesmann, MPH (she/her) former Commercial Tobacco Program Manager, Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Control Prevention Program - WA Department of Health
Jacob Delbridge (he/him) formerly Policy, Systems & Environmental Change Coordinator, Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Control Prevention Program - WA Department of Health
Janelle Okorogu (she/her) Health Equity Program Manager, Center for MultiCultural Health
JanMarie Ward (Chumash) (she/her) Senior Public Health Policy and Project Advisor - American Indian Health Commission for Washington State
Jessica Alvestad (she/her) Health Promotion Coordinator, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Julie Peterson (she/her) Executive Director, Foundation For Healthy Generations
Kateri Wimsett (she/her) Health Education and Outreach Specialist, Thurston County Public Health & Social Services
Matt Helder (he/him) former Washington Government Relations Director, American Cancer Society - Cancer Action Network
Megan Moore (she/her) formerly Healthy Communities Specialist at Kitsap Public Health District
Patti Migliore Santiago (she/her) formerly Community Based Prevention Manager, Washington State Department of Health
Penny Lipsou (she/her) former Washington Government Relations Director, American Heart Association
Samara Heydon (she/her) former Youth Marijuana & Tobacco Prevention, Snohomish County Health Department
Stacey Okland (she/her) Executive Director, Okanogan County Community Coalition
Tim McAfee (he/him) University of Washington School of Public Health Faculty, Cessation Expert, former CDC Director of Office on Smoking & Health (2010-2017)
Trillium Swanson (she/her) former Prevention Services Manager, Coalition for Orcas Youth
Member Organizations
- 2Morrow, Inc.
- American Heart Association
- American Lung Association
- Association of Washington School Principals
- Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL)
- Bridging Cultural Gaps
- B-THAT Prevention Coalition
- Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
- Cancer Pathways
- Centralia Prevention Coalition
- Chelan-Douglas Health District
- Children’s Alliance
- Coalition for a Healthy Benton City
- Coalition for Orcas Youth
- Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano
- Educational Service District 123 (ESD 123)
- El Centro de la Raza
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Grant County Health District
- Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council (GSSAC)
- inZights Consulting, LLC
- Kitsap Public Health District
- Morton UP! Coalition
- Neighborhood House
- NorthEast Washington ESD 101 (NEWESD 101)
- Okanogan County Community Coalition
- Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes (PAVe)
- Public Health – Seattle & King County
- Puget Sound Asthma Coalition
- Rede Group
- San Juan Island Prevention Coalition
- Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center (formerly Gay City)
- Seattle Public Schools
- Snohomish County Health Department
- Spokane Regional Health District
- SUPER Colfax
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
- Target
- Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department
- United General Health District 304
- Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
- Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
- Washington State Department of Health
- Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
- Washington State Health Care Authority, Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery (HCA – DBHR)
- Washington State Medical Association
- Washington State Public Health Association
- Whatcom County Health & Community Services
- Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program of Island County Public Health
We welcome new members! Learn more about working together and becoming a member of Washington Breathes.
Financial Support
The Washington State Department of Health’s Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program (DOH CTPP) is supporting the development and coordination of Washington Breathes through a state tobacco grant from the Centers for Disease Control, along with some state funding. DOH CTPP participates in the coalition as a member, serving on the Steering Committee. This partnership aligns with and enhances efforts to achieve the state’s commercial tobacco strategic plan (2021-2025).
A part-time coalition organizer position is currently funded through a contract with DOH CTPP. Contact our coalition organizer at organizer@washingtonbreathes.org.
Contact
Have a question or a comment about Washington Breathes? Fill out our contact form below: