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Our Keynote Speaker
Washington Governor Jay Inslee

A fifth-generation Washingtonian, Governor Jay Inslee entered public service in 1985, and in 1993 was elected to Congress as a representative of the 4th Congressional District. In 2012, Jay was elected Washington’s 23rd governor. Through his time as governor, Jay’s focus has been on building a brighter future for every Washingtonian. Under his clear leadership, Washington’s economy has been ranked number one for both businesses and workers, and has become a vital roadmap for the rest of the nation.

Jay has steadily led the way for profound social and economic changes in Washington: raising the minimum wage, passing best-in-the-nation paid family leave, providing sick leave to every Washington worker, and making historic investments in transportation and education. And he has firmly established the state of Washington as the national leader in fighting climate change by passing nation-leading policies to transition to 100% clean electricity, cap carbon pollution, electrify transportation, and more.

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Our Emcee
Laura Skelton

From 2014 to 2019, Laura proudly served as the Executive Director of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility. During her tenure at WPSR, she helped found the statewide coalition, Washington Against Nuclear Weapons.

Since departing WPSR, Laura has primarily served in interim leadership roles – for nonprofit organizations working on diverse issues including homelessness, food security, commercial sexual exploitation, senior care, and more. Laura has her own consulting practice (Skelton Consulting) and is a Senior Consultant for the Valtas Group.

Our Auctioneer
Kevin Joyce

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Kevin has hosted hundreds of events, and auctioneered for over 500 regional and national non-profits, in the process becoming one of the most popular and sought-after hosts in the Pacific Northwest. He co-founded Vashon Island’s UMO Ensemble, and created and hosted the TV show Big Night Out for two seasons on the Seattle Channel. Kevin has designed and facilitated at the United Nations and the World Health Assembly in Geneva, and provided communications training for scores of healthcare and other organizations throughout the US.

Kevin was raised in Minneapolis and holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership (Pinchot University) and a BA in Comparative Religion (Bowdoin).

2024 PAUL BEESON AWARD HONOREE: Governor Jay Inslee

The Paul Beeson Award honors activists in the healthcare field who have made a substantial contribution to peace, justice, and health in Washington state.