The Most Influential People in Seattle Athletics, Vacation, and Recreation

Table of Contents


Sue Chicken and Megan Rapinoe Step Out of Bounds
The companions and sporting activities legends have crafted unique game strategies for athlete activism.
As vaccine-seekers filed into Lumen Field’s clinic in mid-March, two common figures stood as greeters: Megan Rapinoe, simply recognized by her cotton candy–colored pixie slice, and fiancee, Sue Bird, beside her. As stars of the OL Reign and the Seattle Storm, respectively, Rapinoe and Chook rival Russell and Ciara as the city’s greatest electric power pair.
Because getting drafted just two several years into the team’s existence, Chicken has develop into synonymous with the Storm and its four-time championship results. Although relatively peaceful in general public, about Seattle the 41-yr-aged has mentored small children as a result of the Boys and Ladies Club and stepped in at a Marysville substantial faculty immediately after a university capturing. In 2020 ESPN’s “The Evolution of Sue Bird” traced how she has more and more spoken out in assist of Black Lives Make any difference and LGBTQ rights.
In contrast, the phrase “outspoken” is utilized to 36-calendar year-outdated Rapinoe just about as frequently as, say, “World Cup–winning.” In the midst of her worldwide good results, she minced no text when telling reporters, “I’m not likely to the fucking White House” with President Donald Trump in workplace, and she stands at the forefront of soccer’s equivalent fork out dispute. Even her stance after scoring in the Environment Cup turned a meme: arms out, chest up, shorthand for unapologetic self-appreciation. Then the activist swerved in 2021 when she accepted a place as an “ambassador” (not angel!) for Victoria’s Top secret, aspect of the company’s exertion to rebrand alone.
Chicken and Rapinoe started relationship in 2016 and obtained engaged in 2020, but their particular lives are less than scrutiny fewer than the tantalizing query of retirement. Nearly no one particular needs to see possibly conclude their sports profession, but it’s ever more crystal clear that they’ll be unattainable to skip when they do.—Allison Williams
Dongho Chang
No matter if you’re biking, strolling, or driving, the city’s longtime traffic engineer has likely formed how you transfer by the city. He’s reconfigured our city landscape at the Seattle Department of Transportation, including almost everything from bicycle lanes to speed bumps to make Seattle less car-centric and, principally, safer. Now he’ll attempt to do the same in a new condition-level function.
Sam Cho
The transport of merchandise and folks runs as a result of Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac and the city’s shipping space. However the makeup of its governing body doesn’t frequently reflect the diversity of its imports. Immediately after this 2nd-technology Korean American was sworn in final 12 months by his mother (in Korean!), he instantly lifted broader issues, like immigration plan. He’s because introduced more awareness to the community human trafficking crisis.
Lee Jacobson
Path selfies have only proliferated for the duration of the pandemic (“Behold, I Have Returned from a Hike,” browse one new New Yorker humor piece). But the male who operates the virtually 200,000-sturdy Washington Hikers and Climbers Facebook group takes advantage of social media to foster much more authentic appreciation for the outdoor. Associates share strategies and stories and, for the most component, maintain their cameras pointed out at all our jaw-dropping vistas.
Sally Jewell
The following era of company leaders will have to grapple with existential local climate issues who can speak greater to that than this previous REI CEO and U.S. secretary of the interior? The Character Conservancy board member is sharing her wisdom this calendar year as the Fritzky Chair in Leadership in the University of Washington’s Foster University of Business.
Quinn
Pinoe may get most of the focus all-around in this article, but this OL Reign midfielder is also internationally regarded. Following coming out very last 12 months, they became the first publicly trans and nonbinary Olympic gold medalist (for Staff Canada, womp womp). The soccer star advocates for trans-inclusive youth athletics insurance policies amid political contests.
Jill Simmons
The Washington Trails Affiliation CEO has brought a history in sustainability to arguably the nearby mountaineering community’s most influential placement. The nonprofit’s revitalization of backcountry paths, and ongoing servicing of popular types, keeps its 25,000 customers, 5,000 volunteers, and 500,000 on the net consumers coming back. A “Trails for Everyone” campaign hopes to diversify its devotees.
Rick Steves
He might have experienced to refund 24,000 deposits right after Covid manufactured global visits a no-go, but the Edmonds-based vacation connoisseur hasn’t shed any of his pull among these who value a excellent father joke with their London restaurant recs. Currently he’s performed prognosticator, predicting a return to typical journey someday in 2022. In the meantime, he’s furnishing “daily doses of Europe” on social media.
Nathan Vass
A trip with this King County Metro bus operator is a excursion. Greeting passengers with a smile and narrating stops as he drives, he disarms even the most cynical Seattleites with his relentlessly gregarious disposition. His web site and resulting guide, The Strains That Make Us, highlight the human connections community transit can forge.
Doc Wilson
In June 2020, following Black Life Subject protests, this cyclist expected about 30 persons to journey with him to Black-owned organizations all-around the town. More than 10 moments that number confirmed up. Because then, Peace Peloton has ongoing pedaling to lover storefronts to enable solution financial injustice. Other towns are interested in the model.
Russell Wilson
Speak about a electricity play. The Seahawks QB may not have asked for a trade past offseason, but he did let some wanted trade destinations leak from his camp right after sensation like the crew was disregarding his enter. The final result: a new Russ-welcoming offensive coordinator. No matter whether they work collectively further than this time stays in doubt.
An earlier model of this article misstated Jill Simmons’s title at Washington Trails Affiliation. She is the CEO.