In 2026, we welcome five new members to the Washington Conservation Action (WCA) and Washington Conservation Action Education Fund (WCAEF) boards:
Patrick DePoe
Patrick DePoe (he/him) (WCA and WCAEF boards) is a member of the Makah Tribe and the executive director of the Association of Washington Tribes. He lives on the Makah Reservation on the Olympic Peninsula. He previously worked as the director of Tribal relations for Department of Natural Resources before running for Commissioner of Public Lands in 2024. He’s also a former Makah Tribal Council member and a former emergency responder.
Patrick hopes to assist our board political committee to review our endorsements process with the goal of supporting diverse candidates. He also would like to use his connections to expand outreach about our policy priorities with Tribal Nations and rural communities.
Tiffany Mendoza
Tiffany Mendoza (she/her) (WCA Board) is returning to WCA as a former staff member. She worked on our field organizing team early in her career. She has nearly two decades of experience in campaign strategy, narrative development, and movement building. Tiffany currently serves as program officer at Piper Fund, where she leads the national money in politics portfolio and supports state-based organizations working to reduce the influence of concentrated wealth in our democracy.
Previously, she was political director at Progress Alliance, where she guided donor strategy and provided technical support to grassroots partners. Tiffany has also worked as a consultant with organizations and coalitions that helped shape and pass the state HEAL Act, which requires seven state agencies to draft community engagement plans that address environmental justice. She intends to support WCA with her expertise in political campaigns and fundraising.
Vanessa Millán
Vanessa Millán’s (she/her) (WCA and WCAEF boards) career is rooted in equity at the intersection of environmentalism and civic advocacy. She is driven by her experience growing up in an immigrant family in a diverse community.
Vanessa has ten years of experience in political consulting, dedicated to mobilizing audiences to advocate on progressive issues, from strategic messaging to outreach and plan development with cultural competency. Through her firm, Con Cultura, Vanessa currently advises clients on communication, partnerships, and outreach strategies across politics, the environment, education, public health, civic advocacy and engagement, grassroots organizing, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Vanessa moved back to Washington state after working at the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration to support community outreach in the allocation of funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. Vanessa divides her time between Seattle and Yakima, where her husband grew up. She still has family who are farm workers. Vanessa believes these relationships strengthen her racial equity and environmental justice lens. These insights drive her interest in strengthening policies that address community response to wildfire and climate change mitigation.
Collin Thrower
Collin Thrower (he/him) (WCA board) serves as a Commissioner on the Tacoma Human Services Commission and as Vice Chair of the 27th Legislative District Democrats. Collin brings a deep background in legislative strategy and policy analysis to the board. He previously served as the deputy campaign manager for Dave Upthegrove’s successful 2024 campaign for state Commissioner of Public Lands and as a policy analyst for a consulting firm. He intends to support the organization’s mission to strengthen democracy and environmental justice through his expertise in electoral organizing and youth advocacy.
