Seattle-based Waldo Waldron-Ramsey accepted his current position as political director of Washington Community Action Network (WashingtonCAN) in 2023. He rose through the ranks of the equity-focused, grassroots organization first as an organizer and policy volunteer, then as a policy intern and analyst. Immediately prior to taking on the duties of political director, he served as a WashingtonCAN lobbyist, ensuring that issues of racial, gender, and economic justice stayed front and center in the legislative agenda. Waldo Waldron-Ramsey has additionally served in key roles on state government task forces charged with bringing transparency to criminal sentencing and police use of deadly force.
Mr. Waldron-Ramsey previously worked with the NAACP, initially in the century-old civil rights organization’s Seattle King County offices as criminal justice chair. In this capacity from 2018 to 2019, he focused on organizational management and team-building within a unit addressing issues of incarceration, policing, public safety, victim rights and voting rights. He has additionally served as criminal justice co-chair, and later chair, of the NAACP’s Alaska Oregon Washington State Area Conference. From 2019 to 2023, he served as the State Area Conference’s vice president.
Through his work with both the NAACP and WashingtonCAN, Mr. Waldron-Ramsey has brought strategy, dedication, and powerful advocacy to the job of promoting equity and expanding community in his region.