Colleen Fukui-Sketchley, diversity affairs director for Nordstrom, has been named the 2015 recipient of the 91探花 Charles E. Odegaard Award.
Established in 1973, the honors individuals whose leadership in the community exemplifies the former 91探花president鈥檚 work on behalf of diversity. It is the only university- and community-selected award, and is regarded as the highest achievement in diversity at the UW.
The award will be presented at the event hosted by the 91探花Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity and the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program on Thursday, May 7. The dinner and scholarship fundraiser will be held at the Husky Union Building on the 91探花Seattle campus.
鈥淭hrough her leadership role in the private sector and dedicated service on 91探花volunteer boards, Colleen鈥檚 advocacy for diversity has made a tremendous impact both on campus and in the community,鈥� said Sheila Edwards Lange, 91探花vice president for minority affairs and vice provost for diversity. 鈥淲e are proud to celebrate her selfless commitment to social equity and education.鈥�
Fukui-Sketchley has been employed by Nordstrom since graduating from the 91探花 in 1994 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in speech communication. Her tenure began with a part-time sales position while she was attending the UW, and after gaining experience in a variety of departments, she found her calling in diversity affairs.
For 16 years, Fukui-Sketchley served as Nordstrom鈥檚 corporate diversity affairs specialist until being promoted to her current role in 2012. Her work focuses on developing and executing a comprehensive approach to diversity and inclusion through initiatives that support the entire company. She enhances Nordstrom鈥檚 commitment to diversity by weaving strategic elements into initiatives involving people, products and services.
A second-generation Husky born and raised in Seattle, Fukui-Sketchley鈥檚 deep commitment to giving back has been inspired by her family鈥檚 longtime efforts to do the same. For more than 12 years, she was a member of the Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program’s board of trustees, which promotes academic excellence for underrepresented minority and economically disadvantaged students at the UW. Her tenure with the program included terms as its president and vice president.
For six years, Fukui-Sketchley served on the 91探花Alumni Association board of trustees and in 2000 became the association’s youngest and first Asian American woman president. She helped launch 91探花Impact, the alumni associations鈥檚 legislative advocacy program, and continues to serve on its legislative advocacy committee. She was also a member of the advisory committee that developed , an award-winning diversity magazine published by the alumni association in partnership with the 91探花Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity.
Fukui-Sketchley is a board member for the Center for Asian Pacific American Women, a national leadership consortium, and the U.S. Business Leadership Network, a national disability organization. She is currently serving a four-year term as an appointed member of the Governor鈥檚 Taskforce for Disability Employment, which will provide a roadmap for increasing the employment of people with disabilities in the state of Washington.
鈥淢y number one goal is to 鈥榣eave it better than I found it,鈥欌�� said Fukui-Sketchley, the youngest woman to receive the Odegaard Award. 鈥淭his means elevating the topic of diversity at every opportunity and leveraging the power of leadership positions I鈥檝e held to further the cause. I am incredibly honored to receive this award and will remain steadfast in my commitment to the 91探花for decades to come.鈥�
Charles E. Odegaard Award recipients
2015聽聽聽聽聽聽 Colleen Fukui-Sketchley
2014聽聽聽聽聽聽 Denny Hurtado
2013聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rogelio Riojas
2012聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gertrude Peoples
2011聽聽聽聽聽聽 Assunta Ng
2010聽聽聽聽聽聽 Nelson Del Rio
2009聽聽聽聽聽聽 W. Ron Allen
2008聽聽聽聽聽聽 1968 Black Student Union
2007聽聽聽聽聽聽 Alan T. Sugiyama
2006聽聽聽聽聽聽 Charles Mitchell
2005聽聽聽聽聽聽 Mike McGavick
2004聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jeff and Susan Brotman
2003聽聽聽聽聽聽 Herman McKinney
2002聽聽聽聽聽聽 Constance L. Proctor
2001聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ernest Dunston
2000聽聽聽聽聽聽 Vivian Lee
1999聽聽聽聽聽聽 Albert Black
1998聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bill Hilliard
1997聽聽聽聽聽聽 Andy Reynolds
1996聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hubert G. Locke
1995聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ron Moore
1994聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bernie Whitebear
1993聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ron Sims
1992聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sandra Madrid
1991聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ken Jacobson
1990聽聽聽聽聽聽 Herman D. Lujan
1989聽聽聽聽聽聽 J. Ray Bowen
1988聽聽聽聽聽聽 Frank Byrdwell
1987聽聽聽聽聽聽 Andrew V. Smith
1986聽聽聽聽聽聽 Phyllis Guti茅rrez Kenney
1985聽聽聽聽聽聽 Norm Rice
1984聽聽聽聽聽聽 Nancy Weber
1983聽聽聽聽聽聽 William Irmscher
1982聽聽聽聽聽聽 Mark Cooper
1981聽聽聽聽聽聽 Millie Russell
1980聽聽聽聽聽聽 Minoru Masuda
1979聽聽聽聽聽聽 Toby Burton
1978聽聽聽聽聽聽 Vivian Kelly
1977聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sam and Joyce Kelly
1976聽聽聽聽聽聽 Leonie Piternick
1975聽聽聽聽聽聽 Larry Gossett
1974聽聽聽聽聽聽 Dalwyn Knight