Staff Members
Biographies for Washington Conservation Voters' staff members.
Kurt Fritts, Executive Director
Leea Brady, Administrative Director
Jesseca Brand, King County Conservation Voters
Brendon Cechovic, Program Director
Lauren Fitzgerald, Events and Development Coordinator
Shannon Murphy, Outreach Manager
Clifford Traisman, State Lobbyist
Tarrell Wright, Development Director
Kurt Fritts, Executive Director
Kurt joined Washington Conservation Voters in October 2005 as Political Director. Prior to Washington Conservation Voters, Kurt served on Governor Christine Gregoire’s senior staff as the Director of External Affairs. Previous to that position, he worked for Senate Democrats in Olympia, first as a policy analyst for the caucus for three years, then as the Executive Director of the campaign committee for another three years.
Kurt graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics and political science. Although he always considered Seattle to be home, most of his childhood was spent elsewhere, first in small towns around Washington state, and then living overseas in Hong Kong. He is married, lives in Tacoma, and has two boys.
Kurt oversees the organizational operations and represents the organization in a variety of arenas. In addition to his leadership within the organization, Kurt plays a leading role in the environmental community to select and advance the environmental Priorities each year.
Phone: 206-631-2621 Email: kurt (at) wcvoters.org
Leea Brady, Administrative Director
Leea serves as the joint administrative director for Washington Conservation Voters and Washington Environmental Council. She comes to Washington Conservation Voters with a strong administrative background, formerly working in the airline transportation industry. Leea attended the University of Washington where she focused her studies on urban issues and landscape architecture, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Community, Environment & Planning in 2008. Since she was a child, Leea has always had a passion for the environment; being native to the Seattle area as well as growing up on a farm, she has a love and an appreciation for nature and the outdoors. She loves camping, biking and swimming. When she isn’t working Leea can be found taking care of her vegetable garden or training for triathlons with her husband Shane and their dog Wally.
Phone: 206.374.0760 Email: leea (at) wcvoters.org
Jesseca Brand, King County Conservation Voters
Jesseca joined Washington Conservation Voters in December 2009. Jesseca grew up in Kennewick, WA and remembers fondly hours of play in open fields and swimming in the Columbia River. She moved to Seattle in 1998 to finish her Political Science degree at Seattle University. Jesseca worked as the Outreach Director for six years for Futurewise and has played key roles in several initiative and local candidate elections. Before joining WCV staff, Jesseca served on the King County Chapter board. Jesseca along with her husband Adam, spend most of their free time chasing after their two kids, Audrey and Lewis. Their favorite things to do as a family is visit all the great local farmland and bring home tasty treats.
Jesseca works with the King County chapter to endorse and elect environmentally friendly candidates and engage community leaders on critical environmental issues in King County.
Brendon Cechovic, Program Director
Brendon came to Washington Conservation Voters from Missoula, MT, where he spent 8 years working and studying. Originally from the Midwest, Brendon credits his time there for his enthusiasm for environmental politics. He has worked for several progressive organizations including the PIRGs and the Sierra Club, has taught Political Theory at the University of Montana, and is the veteran of state-level political campaigns. Brendon enjoys spending his free time mountain climbing, fly-fishing, and exploring the great Northwest with his wife and friends. Brendon has a B.A. in History and Political Science and a M.A. in Political Science.
Brendon helps coordinate our political work and directs the voter contact programs. Brendon is also the Program Director of the Washington Environmental Council Voter Education Program.
Phone: 206-631-2622 Email: brendon (at) wcvoters.org
Lauren Fitzgerald, Events and Development Coordinator
Lauren comes to Washington Conservation Voters after previous work and volunteer experience in the non-profit development sector. She has a Master's in Social Work, with a focus on non-profit management, from the University of Washington and a BA in Sociology from Boston College. Originally from the Chicago area, she has lived in Seattle for close to three years after detours in Boston and the mountains of Wyoming. While not hard a work, she can be found riding a bike (on the road or in the mountains), skiing, on her yoga mat, or searching oru the best bakeries in Seattle.
As the Events and Development Coordinator, Lauren works on organizing and running our events, primarily our annual Breakfast. She also assists the Development Director with the day to day development operations.
Phone: 206-631-2629 Email: lauren (at) wcvoters.org
Shannon Murphy, Outreach Manager
Shannon joined Washington Conservation Voters in January 2008. Shannon’s passion for environmental and social causes comes from studying abroad in Costa Rica and Spain. In her free time, Shannon loves to travel, hike, and play tennis. Prior to Washington Conservation Voters, Shannon was the Pierce and South King County Field Director for the 2007 RTID/Sound Transit campaign. She also worked on Troy Kelley’s successful legislative race in 2006. Shannon graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a B.A. in Communications and minors in Spanish and Public Affairs.
As the Outreach Manager, Shannon works with the Snohomish, Whatcom, Thurston, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, and Bainbridge Island. During election season, Shannon works with volunteers and activists to support the campaigns of environmentally friendly candidates in these counties.
Phone: 206-631-2628 Email: shannon (at) wcvoters.orgClifford Traisman, State Lobbyist
Clifford has been the full-time state lobbyist for both Washington Conservation Voters and Washington Environmental Council since November 2002. He is responsible for the state lobbying programs for these two statewide environmental organizations. Clifford has over 20 years of public and private sector experience both in Washington state and Washington, D.C. During his 11-year tenure in D.C., Clifford held positions as a political consultant; a staff member and congressional investigator for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by John D. Dingell (D-Michigan); and a federal lobbyist in the private sector for the Grocery Manufacturers of America. Since arriving in Seattle in 1995, Clifford has held senior level local government posts as a legislative assistant for Seattle City Council member Martha Choe and as the City of Seattle's Director of Intergovernmental Relations under Mayor Paul Schell. He has also consulted on intergovernmental matters for the City of Seattle's Department of Public Utilities. Campaign experience includes a role as Research Director on Patty Murray's successful 1992 campaign for U.S. Senate. Clifford is a graduate of University of Kansas and lives in Seattle with his wife, three sons, one daughter and two dogs.
Clifford spends much of his time in Olympia lobbying on behalf of the environmental community Priorities. He works with lobbyists in the community and other Washington Conservation Voters staff to produce the weekly Hot List for the House and Senate every Monday during the legislative session.
Phone: 206-369-2235 (cell) Email: clifford (at) wcvoters.org
Tarrell Wright, Development Director
Tarrell comes to Washington Conservation Voters with 15 years of experience in fundraising, primarily in the health and human services arena. She’s worked for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the American Lung Association and the NW Burn Foundation. For the past 8 years she’s also worked as a consultant for organizations such as Boyer Children’s Clinic, Heritage University and KUOW. Most recently she played a key role in TVW’s $8.2 million capital campaign for their new Media Center in Olympia.
As Development Director, Tarrell works directly with donors and foundations and oversees all other aspects of the organization’s fundraising.
Phone: 206-631-2640 email: tarrell (at) wcvoters.org
