Cynthia Tamayo
Chief of Operations and Policy
Cynthia was born and raised in Skagit County, Washington, and resides in Olympia.
Cynthia moved to Lacey in 2017 to pursue her bachelor’s degree. She graduated from Saint Martin’s University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology. She joined CHA in June 2022.
Cynthia is the Chief of Operations and Policy and the liaison to the Department of Enterprise Services, WaTech, and other agencies that provide operational services to our agency. She also takes the lead on any special efforts CHA gets involved in.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs, reading psychological thrillers, and spending time with her family.
Email: cynthia.tamayo@cha.wa.gov
O: 360-742-4015
Nancy Aguilar, born in Mexico City, raised in Southern California. Nancy has a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business from Cal State San Bernardino, she has a certificate in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge and certificate in Economic Development from the California Local Association of Economic Development and the State University of Fresno. She is currently two classes away from fulfilling the requirement to become a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD).
She joined CHA mid 2018 as an Operations Manager and was later promoted to the Communications and External Relations Manager position where she has lead projects such as Census, Voter Registration, Civic Engagement and Education and she leads various research efforts. She leads all things communications (social media, website, press releases, etc.) and relationship-building (community engagement).
She is also the Small Business Liaison for the agency and a member of the Small Business Liaison Team for the state.
She lives in Olympia, WA with her family. She enjoys reading, music and traveling.
Email: nancy.rochaaguilar@cha.wa.gov
O: 360-515-6101
Nancy Aguilar
Assistant Director of Community Development
Giovanna Solomon
Administrative Assistant
Born and raised in Veracruz, Mexico, Giovanna Solomon embarked on her journey to the United States in 2009. Determined to learn and grow, she moved from Columbia George to Olympia, Washington, to achieve her Associate in Applied Science degree in Office Administration-Medical from South Puget Sound Community College.
Giovanna is an integral member of our team as an Administrative Assistant and is also on a mission to become a family counselor dedicated to empowering and facilitating the success of the Latinx and Hispanic communities.
With a deep-seated passion for positive change and social justice, she believes in the power of everyday interactions and personal growth to drive societal progression. Outside of her professional pursuits, Giovanna enjoys writing pen pal letters, nurturing her chickens, and cooking delicious and healthy Mexican meals.
Emial: giovanna.solomon@cha.wa.gov
O: 3604805504
Meet the Community Development Officers (CDOs)!
Esmeralda Garibay
CDO
Born and raised in Wenatchee, Washington. Esmeralda has a bachelor's degree in Children Studies with a minor in Sociology and a master's in Public Administration from Eastern Washington University.
She is an entrepreneur with a small business and podcast highlighting first generation women. She is also a member of the Hispanic Business council in Wenatchee where she collaborates with dedicated leaders to help build trust and dismantle barriers for the Latinx community. She leads a 1 million cup event once a month to support businesses and entrepreneurs in Wenatchee.
Email: esmeralda.garibay@cha.wa.gov
O: 360-480-6413
As the fifth of six children in his family, Adan was born in California to parents who were born in Los Ramones, Nuevo Leon México and had less than a 4th grade education. He and his family were migrant/seasonal farm workers, working in the vineyards of California picking grapes and other crops in Washington state.
Adan earned his Master’s degree in Education with credentials in Administration from Washington State University. He also holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Secondary Education with endorsements to teach Spanish and Physical Education from Eastern Washington University.
Email: AdAn.SuArez@cha.wa.gov
O: 360-742-1760
Adán Suárez
CDO
Amber Hoefer
CDO
Amber Hoefer (she/they) was born in the Pacific Northwest but was raised throughout the country as her father served in the Navy. They hold a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from the University of West Florida. Following their undergraduate degree, Amber moved back to the Pacific Northwest and earned a Master of Education degree from Oregon State University.
Throughout their professional journey, Amber has been passionate about creating inclusive environments that empower individuals from all backgrounds. She strongly believes in the power of community as a tool for social change and strives to ensure access to resources for all.
Email: amber.hoefer@cha.wa.gov
O: 360-742-1759
Vic Rodríguez
CDO
Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México and raised in central Washington State, Víctor “Vic” Rodríguez (He/Him/El) is the eldest of five and son of immigrant farmworker parents. Early in life, the importance of education was instilled in him by his mother which guided and motivated him to continue his education and employment in higher education.
His higher education work experience, spanning over three decades, has provided the unique experience of connecting with thousands of diverse individuals from comunidades across the United States to demystify the complex higher education system and empower students and their families/supporters to navigate, master, and succeed in the system.
Vic looks forward to continuing to foster his current network and establish new working relationships with his comunidad to open channels of feedback and communication concerning the rights and needs of Washington State’s comunidades serving as one of CHA’s Community Development Officers.
Email: victor.rodriguez@cha.wa.gov
O: 360-280-2512
As a young child, Maria immigrated to the beautiful Skagit Valley from Mexico with her mother. A graduate of Western Washington University, Maria has expertise in management, policy development, and language access refined through her work in various non-profit and public service agencies. She was appointed by Governor Inslee as executive director for the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs in August of 2018.
Maria lives in Olympia with her partner and Stinky Dingo; is a serial-restorer of craftsman homes; and almost always falls asleep during movies.
Email: maria.siguenza@cha.wa.gov
O: 360-725-5660
María Sigüenza
Executive Director