Outstanding Public Servant Awards 2026
The SBF Outstanding Public Service Awards are intended to highlight and encourage the “next” generation of transformative servant leaders in the following six categories:
The Norman B. Rice Award
Community Development and Public Service Award: Erika Evans
Erika Evans is the first African American elected to the office of Seattle City Attorney. Evans previously served as an assistant U.S. Attorney, where she was the Coordinator of the Office of Civil Rights. She resigned from the U.S. Department of Justice in 2025 due to the department’s direction under the second Trump administration, including the rollback of diversity initiatives and new policies on birthright citizenship. Evans is a native of Tacoma and is the granddaughter of 1968 Olympic Gold medalist, Lee Evans, who protested racial inequality by wearing a Black Panther-style beret and raising his fist during the medal presentation after winning the 400 meters. Evans attended the University of Washington Tacoma for her undergraduate degree and later completed a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. Before attending Law school, she volunteered at legal aid clinics assisting people who could not afford an attorney.
The Trish Millines Dziko Award
Diversity in Technology Award: Joel Bush
Joel Bush is a longtime public-sector technology leader and serves as Chief Technology Officer for the City of Tukwila, Washington. He has built a career modernizing municipal IT systems with a consistent focus on community impact, resilience, and digital equity.
Joel is widely recognized for leading an innovative initiative to expand internet access for students who lacked reliable connectivity at home. Through partnerships with the Tukwila School District, King County, and private providers, he helped design and deploy a CBRS-based wireless network delivering free, secure broadband to students for remote learning.
This work has become a regional model for closing the digital divide, demonstrating how local governments can leverage emerging technology, cross-sector partnerships, and practical execution to ensure students have equitable access to education, opportunity, and long-term success across communities.
The Patrinell Wright Award
Excellence in the Performing Arts Awards: Justin Emeka
Justin Emeka is a visionary director, writer, and filmmaker whose creative voice spans both stage and screen. A long-time educator, Emeka is an Associate Professor of Theater and Africana Studies at Oberlin College where he teaches directing, acting, and Capoeira Angola. With over two decades of theatre experience, he has directed at leading institutions including The Old Globe, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Syracuse Stage, Two River Theater, Seattle Rep, Julliard, and Classical Theatre of Harlem. Justine, along with Haley Watson, Co-Produced the 2025 Documentary Film, Songs of Black Folk, which is currently showing on PBS.
The Lewis Rudd Award
Entrepreneurial; Excellence Award: Jenefeness Franke
Jenefeness Tucker Franke, MBA, is an award-winning entrepreneur, financial strategist, and community advocate dedicated to advancing Black entrepreneurship and small business growth. With more than sixteen years of experience coaching and advising business owners, she has supported hundreds of entrepreneurs in building sustainable enterprises through strategic planning, credit building, and access to capital. Her work focuses on removing barriers while strengthening pathways to business success and generational wealth.
Jenefeness serves as Executive Officer of Black Owned Business Excellence, a statewide initiative elevating Black-owned businesses through visibility, connection, and capacity-building opportunities. Through BOBE and her broader community leadership, she convenes entrepreneurs, lenders, and public and private partners to expand access to resources and economic opportunity across Washington State. Her leadership reflects a commitment to equity, economic empowerment, and resilient Black-owned businesses.
The Maxine Mimms Award
Educational Empowerment Award: Dr. Quintard Taylor (Posthumously)
Quintard Taylor is arguably the most prominent African American historian in Washington State history. He is an HBCU graduate (Augustine College, NC) in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in American history. He received a master's and a Ph.D. in History from the University of Minnesota in 1971 and 1977. He taught at several universities including Washington State University, Polytechnic State University, the University of Oregon, and the University of Washington until becoming Professor Emeritus in 2018. Apart from his countless research articles, Dr. Taylor published several books, including The Forging of a Black Community: Seattle's Central District from 1870 through the Civil Rights Era, and In Search of the Racial Frontier: African Americans in the American West 1528-1990. He was also the founder of BlackPast.org, an online encyclopedia devoted to African American History and Culture.
The Lyle Quasim Award
Social Justice & Activism Award: Dawn Bennett
Dawn Bennett is an educational activist and community advocate based in Kent, Washington, whose career has centered on advancing opportunity and equity for children, youth, and families. She has worked as a basketball coach, gang prevention specialist, and caseworker with the City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools, supporting young people who might otherwise fall through gaps in education and social services. In 2011, she co-founded the Multicultural Education Rights Alliance to confront the school-to-prison pipeline and advance educational justice statewide.
Known for grounded leadership and deep community trust, Dawn has served with the African American Leadership Forum and numerous nonprofit and civic initiatives focused on youth empowerment, community health, and economic opportunity. Her work is widely respected for measurable impact, authentic engagement, and sustained advocacy across Washington State communities.
