About Andrea Castell
Co-founding staff member Andrea Castell, BSN, RN, MBA has devoted her life to health care and increasing access to appropriate care. As lead operations nurse at Project Access Northwest, she uses her vast expertise to help people get the care they need.
“Andrea is an integral part of our organization,” says Gary Renville, Executive Director. “Her commitment to our mission and vision is apparent in everything she does.”
Driven by her belief in health care access, Andrea remains an active champion for patients in need—and the specialists who serve them.
In honor of her years of service, we presented founding staff member and lead operations nurse Andrea Castell with the first annual Andrea Castell Health Care Leadership Award.
This award, in Andrea’s name, will be presented annually to individuals who work for improved health care access for all members of our community.
Past award recipients include: Michael Brush, MD, Kaiser Permanente of Washington; Deborah Jefferson, EvergreenHealth; Cassie Sauer, Washington State Hospital Association; and Leanne Berge, Community Health Plan of Washington.
Our 2024 award was presented to Julia Colson, the driving force behind the Seattle/King County Clinic. Congratulations, Julia!
Who will be the 2025 award recipient?
We are so excited to introduce this year's nominees! The 2025 award winner will be announced at our Strike Down Barriers event on October 21, 2025.
Sheri Biller
Sheri Biller is a philanthropist and community leader focused on expanding access to supportive cancer care. She co-founded The Sheri and Lee Biller Family Foundation in 2001 to support initiatives in economic opportunity, supportive care, and social impact theatre. She helped establish a national model at City of Hope and currently convenes a cross-sector alliance to advance supportive care as a national standard. Her foundation funds nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest working to address financial toxicity, expand Medicaid coverage and telehealth, and provide emotional support. Her work has been featured in Modern Healthcare, Essence, and The Washington Post. She has served as a board member and advisor to organizations including the Kayne Eras Center, The Rape Foundation, Children’s Burn Foundation, and Center Theatre Group. She also co-produces Broadway musicals, including Come From Away and A Beautiful Noise. She continues to support approaches that address the physical, emotional and economic needs of people facing serious illness.
Senator Manka Dhingra and Representative Nicole Macri, Washington State Legislature
Manka Dhingra, elected to the State Senate in 2017 to represent the 45th Legislative District, is the first Sikh state legislator elected in the United States. She serves as Deputy Majority Leader and chairs the Senate Law & Justice Committee. She also serves on the Environment, Energy & Technology and Ways & Means committees. With a background in prosecution and behavioral health, she has sponsored legislation focused on domestic violence, firearm violence prevention, criminal justice reform, and tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities.
Nicole Macri, elected to the State House in 2016 to represent the 45th Legislative District, has led efforts to expand access to health care, reproductive justice, affordable housing, LGBTQ civil rights, and protections for renters, workers, and people with disabilities.
Together, they have advanced legislation and funding to reform the state’s behavioral health system, with a focus on prevention and improved crisis response. In 2022, they championed a budget proviso that led to the launch of Project Access Northwest’s Pro Bono Counseling program. In 2025, they secured continued funding through 2027. Their support has enabled the development of a statewide volunteer therapist network, which will provide over 1,500 hours of pro bono counseling in a single year.
Shamso Issak, Living Well Kent
Shamso Issak is the Executive Director of Living Well Kent, which provides health and resource support to immigrant, refugee, and underserved communities. Under her leadership, the organization joined the initial cohort of Case Management Partners in the HealthierHere Community Hub in July 2024. The organization continues to provide community-based care coordination services in south King County, with language access offered in English, Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Spanish, Somali, Ukrainian, and Russian. Staff aim to connect individuals with culturally aligned services while providing care with respect, empathy, and kindness. She has remained directly involved in the organization’s day-to-day response, including supporting individuals who need food, diapers, or housing help. Her leadership has centered on trust-building and consistency in service delivery. She has also designed and implemented grassroots programs tailored to the needs of the communities served by the organization.
Dr. Chris Leininger, Swedish Medical Center
Dr. Chris Leininger is a family physician who proposed and collaborated to create the Project Access Northwest Outpatient Procedure Clinic, which launched in 2016 and has provided dermatology-related procedures to over 1,000 patients. Dr. Leininger completed his medical degree at New York University School of Medicine in 1975 and his residency at the Swedish Family Medicine Residency – Cherry Hill in 1978. He has worked as a general medical provider and served with Doctors Without Borders. He has been an active supporter of Project Access Northwest's specialty care coordination program, contributing to the expansion of access to specialty services for underserved populations. He is known within the organization as a consistent partner in complex care work. Outside of medicine, he is a musician and avid traveler with a strong interest in guitar and navigation. His work in the clinic and specialty coordination program has contributed to ongoing efforts to reduce barriers to care for patients who would otherwise go without needed services.
