Economic Development Committee interviews six applicants, recommends appointments to City Events and Recognitions Committee

Tacoma’s Economic Development Committee on June 10 interviewed six applicants for the City Events and Recognitions Committee and moved to recommend multiple appointments and two reappointments to the full City Council.

City Clerk Nicole Embree opened the session by explaining the interview format: each applicant had three minutes to present, followed by roughly five minutes of questions from committee members. Embree said staff requested the committee consider reappointments based on applicants’ prior service and updated applications in the meeting packet.

The interviews centered on applicants’ event-planning experience, networks for sponsorship and outreach, and commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Applicants included Janet Fiswell, Nathan Donald, Joseph Eubanks, Talia (last name not specified in the record), Sydney Stevens and Ty Lianbo. Several committee members emphasized the committee’s need for sponsorship and marketing experience, youth representation, and members who can do active outreach and nomination work for the city’s awards program.

Janet Fiswell described long experience in recreation and event coordination and gave the Turkey Trot she started as an example: “I coordinated with the city, with the permitting process, with the police department ... that grew up to about 2,200 participants,” she said. Nathan Donald cited more than 20 years working in live-music venues and described organizing benefit festivals; he said his network of performers and production people helped with logistics and volunteer coordination. Joseph Eubanks emphasized experience in diversity, equity and inclusion work and described his public-sector role advancing equity for veterans. Talia and Sydney spoke to event logistics and regional relationships; Sydney said she is “a photographer and videographer born and raised in Tacoma” and cited networks of local vendors and artists. Ty Lianbo described outreach strategies for younger and digitally connected audiences and said he would prioritize accessibility and multilingual outreach.

After the interviews, committee members discussed which skills they wanted the committee to gain: sponsorship/fundraising, marketing and social-media capacity, event logistics and security, youth representation, and diverse cultural backgrounds. Staff liaison Ashley Young and others noted the committee’s recent addition of a sponsorship subcommittee and the need to bring more private funding and nominations into city events and awards.

The committee then moved several recommendations to the City Council. Motions recorded in the meeting file include recommendations to reappoint incumbent members and to appoint new members to fill at-large and district seats. The meeting minutes show the committee approved the following recommendations (motions were moved, seconded and recorded as adopted by voice vote): the reappointment of Jacob Theis to the Council District 3 seat and the reappointment of Kirsten Putman to the Council District 5 seat; the appointment of Nathan (Donald) to the Council District 4 seat; the appointment of Janet Fiswell to an at-large seat to fill an unexpired term; the appointment of Ty Lianbo to an at-large seat; and the appointment of Sydney Stevens to an at-large seat (the motion as recorded in the transcript sets a delayed start date for Stevens’ appointment and a subsequent three-year term). The clerk recorded that motions were moved and seconded and that the motions were declared adopted by the committee.

Committee members said their votes reflected a mix of event logistics experience, fundraising and sponsorship ability, and community-centered commitments to inclusion. Council Member Bushnell and Council Member Scott asked applicants how they handle disagreements in teams; several applicants said they prefer listening, compromise and leaning into conflict constructively. Committee members noted concerns about scheduling conflicts for applicants who work or plan events outside Tacoma and emphasized the committee’s time-intensive responsibilities beyond the formal minimum service hours.

The committee recessed briefly during deliberations and resumed to make formal nominations. City staff said the clerk’s office would notify applicants of the committee’s recommendations within a week. The committee adjourned after moving other administrative calendar items and agreeing to reschedule a planned work session.

Votes at a glance - Motion to recommend the reappointment of Jacob Theis to the Council District 3 seat on the City Events and Recognitions Committee: moved and declared adopted by voice vote (motion text recorded in meeting transcript). - Motion to recommend the reappointment of Kirsten Putman to the Council District 5 seat on the City Events and Recognitions Committee: moved and declared adopted by voice vote (motion text recorded in meeting transcript). - Motion to recommend the appointment of Nathan (Donald/"Donnell" appears in the motion text) to the Council District 4 seat: moved and declared adopted by voice vote (motion text recorded in meeting transcript). - Motion to recommend the appointment of Janet Fiswell to an at-large seat to fill an unexpired term (expires 06/03/2027): moved and declared adopted by voice vote (motion text recorded in meeting transcript). - Motion to recommend the appointment of Ty Lianbo to an at-large seat (term dates recorded in transcript): moved and declared adopted by voice vote (motion text recorded in meeting transcript). - Motion to recommend the appointment of Sydney Stevens to an at-large seat (motion as recorded sets a start date of June 3, 2026, followed by a three-year term to 06/30/2029): moved and declared adopted by voice vote (motion text recorded in meeting transcript).

Why this matters Appointments and reappointments to the City Events and Recognitions Committee affect who plans city-sponsored events and who helps nominate and select local award recipients. Committee members cited the need to secure private sponsorships, expand marketing and outreach, and center diverse voices and youth in public events — priorities that shape how Tacoma programs public celebration, recognition and community gatherings.

What’s next The Economic Development Committee forwarded its recommendations to the full Tacoma City Council for confirmation. The clerk’s office will notify applicants of the committee’s recommendations; the transcript records that staff will contact applicants in the week following the meeting.