The Thurston County Chamber Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Josefina Magaña M.A., PMP, CDMS as the Director for Thurston Thrives.
Thurston Thrives is the community’s collective health impact organization. “I’m excited to engage in this work,” said Magaña. “The mission of Thurston Thrives is to eliminate health disparities so that optimal health is achieved for all, which aligns with my values and passion. Immigrating to this country as a child and growing up in Lewis County, I know the health challenges and barriers many in our community may face. It motivates me and hopefully others.”
Magaña’s first actions are to reach out to the diverse community providers working to close health equity gaps and improve overall health in Thurston County. She aims to renew efforts to convene and connect providers with shared resources and solutions to better address some of our most pressing community challenges.
According to David Schaffert, Corporate Secretary for the Foundation, “Josefina brings incredible lived experiences and skills to the role of Director.” Magaña has an M.A. in International Relations from the Brussels School of International Studies and a B.A. from Western Washington University. Magaña pioneered bilingual programs in Spain that allowed students to learn English as a second language. More recently, she served as Executive Chair for the Governor’s Washington State Interagency Committee of State Employed Women, improving the lives of state employees through advocacy, outreach, opportunity, and advising the governor on policies that affect state-employed women. She has also worked at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, keeping Washingtonians safe and working.
In 2020, she joined the Washington Career Development Association (WCDA) as a member-at-large and is currently the president-elect.
As Director, Magaña will convene, coordinate, facilitate and inspire Thurston Thrives’ regional effort. She will drive the initiative’s internal and external functions, including strategy, community engagement, communications, and administration, serving as an ambassador for Thurston Thrives’ mission and vision.