Name: Anna Landa

Gender: Female

Age: 32

Area of Study: Public Policy/Administration – Master’s Degree Candidate

Year of Study: 2nd (I will graduate in June)

Career goals: To work in a capacity where I am contributing to building community. This could be in any number of venues: public, private and/or nonprofit sectors. My primary goal is to always feel like I’m learning something and have my work mean something outside of myself.

Where I live: Seattle, WA. Seattle is a beautiful place to live. It is situated between the Cascade mountain range to the east, and the Puget Sound (a body of water) to the west. Beyond the Puget Sound is a peninsula that houses yet another mountain range, the Olympic Mountains. On a clear day, water and snow-capped mountains surround the entire city.

Where I grew up: Eureka, California. Eureka is a small town (25,000 people) on the North coast of California. The town sits on the Pacific Ocean and is distinguished by surrounding Redwood forests and rivers. I lived in the country about 5 miles outside of town on a small farm where we raised sheep, pigs, goats and chickens throughout my childhood.

My family: My immediate family consists of 2 sisters (they are twins), and my parents. My whole family lives in the Seattle area and we have a very close relationship.

Outside interests: I am a musician and I perform in a rock band with my sisters. I play the electric bass guitar and sing. We perform in clubs all over the West Coast and we have recorded three records. When I have time, I enjoy cooking, reading, gardening and practicing yoga or dancing. I spend as much time with my family and friends as I can.

How do I see myself contributing to society? I plan to continue working in public service in the Pacific Northwest. I am particularly drawn to working with immigrant and refugee communities. I would like to become more involved at a neighborhood level in my community to feel more connected to where I live. I also would like to start volunteering for local organizations once I have finished school.