Nirae “Ni” Petty (she/her/they) serves as Poverty Action’s Community Policy & Engagement Manager. A strategic advisor and analyst working across public policy, data analysis, government affairs, and nonprofit advocacy, Ni centers community‑informed data—pairing lived and empirical experience with policy analysis and quantitative data to guide legislative strategy, program design, and funding decisions. A Seattle native who grew up in the Central District and Rainier Beach, Ni’s lived experience as a Black queer woman from a low‑income household deeply shapes how they approach policy work and community engagement.
Ni has held leadership roles across state government, nonprofit advocacy, and community coalitions, supporting statewide and local policy efforts and supervising organizers. Before joining Poverty Action, they worked as an Equity Analyst at the Washington State Department of Commerce, leading policy and data analysis for equity‑centered initiatives. They previously served as Director of Advocacy at the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, helping build the organization’s Advocacy Department, and earlier served as a Youth Representative on Washington State’s Environmental Justice Council. In recognition of their leadership, Ni was nominated as one of Harvard University’s 2024 Young American Leaders.
Ni is certified in Targeted Universalism through UC Berkeley’s Othering and Belonging Institute and SEED Collab, serves on the board of the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition, and is completing an Executive Master of Public Administration at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. They also hold a Bachelor’s degree in Law and Justice.
Outside of work, Ni enjoys traveling, gardening, art, sports, and time with friends and family.
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