Meet Director Hamada

Leslie Hamada retired from a corporate communications career of 32 years and has since focused on giving back to the South King County community. For the past ten years she has directed the Emergency Assistance program for the Kent United Methodist Church, helping our lower-income neighbors during times of crisis. She has served on the Interfaith Taskforce working on solutions to the issues involving and surrounding homelessness.

Leslie is also a founding member of KentHOPE, a day center for homeless women and children. Leslie, along with her husband, founded the Kent East Hill Boxing Club, an amateur boxing club for youth. The club focuses on promoting leadership, citizenship, conditioning, community service and the sweet science of boxing.

For the past six years, Leslie has been mentoring and tutoring kids in the Kent School District through the Communities in Schools of Kent program. Her tutoring of children of color began in college at 19 years of age.

In 2011, Leslie was appointed to serve on the Covington Human Services Commission and is currently serving as the Chair of the Commission.

When she isn’t volunteering in the community she enjoys spending time with her husband, kids, and grandkids.

She has three grown children and three grandchildren. In 2019, her daughter was named the 2020 Regional Teacher of the Year for Washington State.

• 2012 Covington Citizen of the Year
• Recipient of the “Spirit of Caring” award from Catholic Community Services
• Recipient of the South King County Human Services award for her work in social justice and poverty
• Recipient of an award from Governor Chris Gregoire for working on the Washington State Board of Corrections
• Recipient of the Kiwanis Hometown Heroes award
• Recipient of the Kent Reporter Citizen of the Year award
• Published author of a children’s book

Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Leadership Experience

• Mountlake Terrace, Evergreen Elementary Vice President
• Edmonds, Meadowdale Elementary Treasurer
• University Place, Chambers Elementary Vice President
• Curtis Junior High Fundraising Chair
• Curtis Senior High Vice President
• Regional Chair Vice President

Formal Education

• Choteau Montana Public School District (grades K-9)
• Sunnyside High School, Sunnyside, Washington Public School District
• Eastern Washington College (University), Cheney, Washington, majored in political science and minored in music
• University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, majored in political science and minored in music
• Evergreen State College, majored in communication with a television (TV) media emphasis

Term Information