WPN Member Spotlight: Olivia DeFay

Olivia DeFay (she/her/hers)
Career Exploration Program Manager ANEW

Where are you located, and what regional Passport group are you part of? Tukwila (on the unceded lands of the Coastal Salish People), which is part of the King Country Regional Passport Group.

What type of support services do you provide to your students? At ANEW, our focus is on helping young people achieve financial and job stability through apprenticeships. While an apprenticeship is the ultimate goal, the path to get there often includes important milestones such as workforce development training, certifications, job shadowing, and pre-apprenticeships. Each of these steps is essential to their growth and success.

A key part of what we do is barrier removal. We’re committed to providing the support our clients need to thrive, whether that’s help with housing, transportation, rental assistance, childcare, or other services that remove obstacles to their success.

As I step into the role of overseeing this program, I’m excited to learn and grow with our community. I’m fortunate to work alongside Halley Shriber, our apprenticeship navigator, who brings three years of experience, passion, and expertise to her role. Together, we’re dedicated to celebrating every milestone our clients reach and continuing to support them on their journey to stability and independence.

What is your favorite aspect of your work? One of my favorite aspects of this role, even though I’m still relatively new, has been joining a community that is so dedicated to equity and supporting our clients. It’s inspiring to see how committed everyone is to creating lasting change. I’ve also really enjoyed working closely with Halley, refining our processes to ensure we’re providing the best possible support. A big part of this has been strengthening our partnerships and workforce development pipeline, so we can better serve our clients every step of the way.

What keeps you motivated in your work? What keeps me motivated is knowing the profound impact that apprenticeships can have on our clients. While the Passport Program is new to me, my time at ANEW isn’t. I’ve been with the organization since October 2023, first as a coordinator in the Career Exploration Program and now as its manager. During that time, I’ve seen firsthand how completing an apprenticeship can truly change the trajectory and quality of someone’s life. It’s not an exaggeration to say that these opportunities have a lasting, transformative effect. Although I don’t have the same close connection with our Passport clients as Halley does, the goal of providing them with the stability and independence they deserve keeps me grounded. It’s what drives me to ensure that their needs and futures are always at the forefront of my work.

In what ways have you utilized (or do you hope to utilize) the WPN as a resource? I hope to utilize the WPN as a resource to collaborate with and learn from a community of knowledgeable professionals. The more we can share resources and insights with one another, the stronger and more effective the network becomes, especially with a group of compassionate, like-minded individuals. I’m eager to learn from the experiences and expertise of others in the network and, in turn, contribute to its growth in a way that helps us better serve all Passport clients.

What do you like to do outside of work? Outside of work, I love spending time in nature and staying active. I enjoy bikepacking, hiking, and backpacking—really anything that gets me outdoors. I’m also an avid reader and love to travel when I can. Currently, I’m training for a 9-day bikepacking trip this summer with my partner, where we’ll be biking 1,200 miles from Bergen to Reine in Norway. It’s a big adventure, and I’m looking forward to the challenge and the chance to experience and see the Norwegian fjords!