Ruchika Tulshyan on April 22, 2021. CREDIT: Jovelle Tamayo

The Seattle Women’s Commission has chosen Ruchika Tulshyan to receive the 2022 Jeanette Williams Award. This award seeks to recognize strong leaders who are making an impact in the city today. The Seattle Women’s Commission is proud to host this award as a chance to bring people together and to celebrate the amazing work of community leaders who promote joy, connection, and inspiration.

Ruchika’s work to champion workplace equity for women and BIPOC communities was a driving point in her nomination. Many noted her strong leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly in uplifting the experiences of non-white people and how workplace culture can improve. Ruchika’s message flows through a variety of mediums, including articles, books, speaking engagements, and consultations. Her messages of belonging and inclusion have resonated with employers and employees alike, a central theme in her book Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work. Ruchika is an incredible changemaker who has had a significant positive impact on our local community, and beyond.

Ruchika Tulshyan is the author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work. She is also the founder of Candour, an inclusion strategy practice, and a regular contributor to The New York Times and Harvard Business Review on workplace inclusion.  Ruchika served on the Seattle Women’s Commission from 2016-2018. During her tenure as one of the co-chairs, the Commission consisted of the most diverse group of representatives since its inception.

About the Jeanette Williams Award

A pioneer for women in Seattle politics, Jeanette Williams is one of the most notable and recognizable names in the City’s political history. The first woman chair of the King County Democrats and a 20-year member of the Seattle City Council from 1969-1989, she was a fierce advocate for women’s rights, human rights, and LGBTQ rights, along with issues on housing, transportation, and parks. In 1971 she was instrumental in establishing the nation’s first Seattle Women’s Commission and Office of Women’s Rights with paid staff.

[Read more about Jeanette Williams and her legacy]

The Jeanette Williams Award was created in 2003 as part of the Seattle Women’s Summit to highlight the extraordinary leadership of those who advance the cause of women in the City of Seattle.