Meet the VPA staff

Sam Harkness – Prevention & Education Program Manager

Hi there! I’m Sam Harkness and prefer he/him pronouns. I’ve worked in the gender-based violence field in community non-profits for 5 years, and have worked in the broader field of social work around 14 years now. I’m Seattle born and raised, which I hear is rare to come by these days, so you can call me a towny if you want. I’m very passionate about violence prevention work and specifically like to focus on engaging young men (or folks who identify as being socialized as boys/men) in violence prevention work. I love a lot of the cliché PNW activities like hiking, camping and ultimate frisbee. I have a hard time sitting still, so you might catch me walking around all over campus or running sprint workouts on the soccer field during my lunch break. Feel free to stop by the VPA office and say hi!

Claire Matsunami – Confidential Survivor Advocate

Hi I’m Claire Matsunami (she/her).  I’m a fan of enthusiastic consent, all kinds of noodles, dancing, elephants, and waking up to watch the sunrise then going back to sleep. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Religions from Whitman College and Masters in Social Work from Columbia University in New York, and also studied at both Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Birzeit University.  I’ve worked in the social work field for over 10 years and am thrilled to be here working with UW.

Melissa Tumas – Assistant Director

Hi UWB! I use she/her pronouns, am originally from Dearborn/ Detroit MI, and moved to Seattle for the city, ocean and mountains. I started as a peer health educator and have an MPH from Oregon State University. I’ve spent most of my career in higher education as a survivor advocate and prevention educator and love the college environment. I bring the lens of anti-oppression and trauma-informed practices to my work while centering students’ voices. In recent years, I’ve become a documentary filmmaker and believe in the power of storytelling to foster empathy and social change. I am a fan of science fiction novels, cooking with pals, yoga and outdoorsy stuff.