Business

Port Hires First Senior Director For Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion

THE SEATTLE MEDIUM — The Port of Seattle announced that Bookda Gheisar will serve as the Port’s first Senior Director for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and lead the Port’s first ever Equity Department, beginning June 12. Prior to joining the Port, Gheisar served as Policy Advisor for King County’s Office of Equity and Social Justice, in the office of King County Executive, Dow Constantine.

Published

7 years ago

May 22, 2019

Oakland Post

By The Seattle Medium

The Port of Seattle announced that Bookda Gheisar will serve as the Port’s first Senior Director for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and lead the Port’s first ever Equity Department, beginning June 12. Prior to joining the Port, Gheisar served as Policy Advisor for King County’s Office of Equity and Social Justice, in the office of King County Executive, Dow Constantine.

As Senior Director for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Gheisar will provide leadership and strategic direction for the Port’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts, both internal and external. She will partner with lines of business, ensuring externally facing equity goals and objectives are incorporated into business plans.

The Senior Director will manage the use of the Port’s new equity process tool, overseeing its implementation and use, and evaluating results of the Port’s equity pilot program.

As a direct report to the Port Executive Director Stephen P. Metruck and as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, she will ensure that equity, diversity, and inclusion is infused in the Port’s culture, strategies and goals. As part of her duties, the Senior Director also oversees the Port’s Office of Social Responsibility.

“Reversing unconscious bias and institutional racism in any organization requires deliberate change,” said Port of Seattle Executive Director Steve Metruck. “We are very grateful to our community partners. Their feedback and advice helped push the Port to make a groundbreaking institutional change by establishing an Equity Department and shaping our strategy to better reach communities that were too often overlooked.”

Port of Seattle Commissioners have been expanding the Port’s equity platform, most recently by approving a motion to develop and implement an equity pilot program. “The Port is a source of opportunity, but we need to ensure those opportunities are available in all communities,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Stephanie Bowman.

“The Port’s vision for its role in a more equitable society is ambitious and full of high expectations,” said Bookda Gheisar, the new Senior Director for EDI. “That tells me that the Port gets the urgency of inequity and that small actions will not get the results we need. I’m thrilled to help the Port leadership set a new path for this organization and the communities we serve.”

The Port selected Gheisar following a rigorous competitive selection process. A panel of six community leaders participated in the process as an External Advisory Panel. Paulina Lopez, Executive Director of the Duwamish River Clean Up Coalition and a member of the External Advisory Panel said, “We met some of the most talented and passionate professionals working in racial equity during this selection process. Underserved communities see the Port taking more action than ever before. We are excited to see the Port add even more expertise and expectations to its equity agenda.”

This article originally appeared in The Seattle Medium.

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

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2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC