Dennis Seinfeld Emerging Leader Award
Each year, City Club of Tacoma, in partnership with the American Leadership Forum, recognize an individual who demonstrates the qualities and values of leadership but is not yet acknowledged as an established leader in our community. The award was originated in memory of Dennis G. Seinfeld, a well-known and civic-minded Tacoma attorney, a founding member of City Club, and the Club's second president. Since 2009, City Club has partnered with American Leadership Forum (ALF) to bring innovative and interesting speakers to our Dennis Seinfeld Award Lunch.
Previous winners:
2012 - LaMont Green
2011 -- Melody Rodriguez
2010 -- Chelsea Levy
2009 -- Keith Blocker
2008 -- Marty Campbell, Rachael Costner, Gretchen Roosevelt & Kathy Westlin, Stephanie Schuster, Sharon Winters
2007 -- Matthew Lystra
2006 -- Kristen Rehberger
2005 -- Brian Boyd, Lynn DiNino, Ryan Bradway
2004 -- Deborah Dodson
2003 -- Jamie Chase, Becky Fontaine, Emily Reiter, Andreas Udbye
2002 -- Valerie Bennett, Linda Danforth, Lamont Loo, Shauna Rae Weatherby
2001 -- No data
2000 -- Phil Carter, Wayne Williams, Karen Knipher, Theresa Tavernero, PJ Pedroni
2011 Winner - Melody Rodriguez
The 2011 winner is Melody Rodriguez, who works with the Northwest Leadership Foundation and Proyecto MoLE at First Creek Middle School.
Our two finalists are Chris Jordan, an artist and member of the Youth Philanthropy Board, and Terese Ngo Pasquier, Advancement Director for the Tacoma Philharmonic.
2010 Winner - Chelsea Levy
City Club of Tacoma recognized up-and-coming leader Chelsea Levy with the Dennis Seinfeld Award for 2010.
Levy is the metropolitan development director at the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. She sits on the boards of the Cascade Land Conservancy, Love Tacoma, Downtown on the Go, Commute Trip Reduction Board of the State of Washington, and the Young Professional Network of Tacoma.
Two finalists were also recognized: Seth Kirby, Oasis Director with Pierce County Aids Foundation and Monique LeTourneau, Community Organizer with Stand For Children.
2009 Winner - Keith Blocker
City Club of Tacoma is pleased to announce the winner of the 2009 Dennis Seinfeld Emerging Leader award: Keith Blocker.
Mr. Blocker was selected for his energy, devotion, and significant contributions to The Conversation, a group of community members who gather to focus on issues of social justice, and The Race and Pedagogy Initiative, a University of Puget Sound program that seeks to address issues of race as it relates to teaching practices.
When notified of his selection from among all the nominations, Blocker was surprised and commented that, “Living in Tacoma has enriched my life and I like to be part of the enrichment of Tacoma.”
A signature event of the Race and Pedagogy Initiative is So’Just, now in its third year, an event that Blocker coordinated with great success. Other events where Blocker has brought together youth and leadership to discuss civic and social issues are FreshKids Barbeque and Community Dialogue and an interfaith service celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
