PORT TOWNSEND — Port Townsend branch of the American Association of University Women has named Zhaleh Almaee as its 2024 Woman of Excellence.
The annual award has recognized women who have contributed significantly to the community through paid or volunteer work since its inception in 1996.
Almaee, an Iranian-American Jewish person who resides in Port Townsend, is a social justice educator, cultural organizer and multi-cultural theater artist.
Almaee is a co-founder of the Community Equity Initiative, which partners with school districts to include multiple people of diverse identities to inform and improve learning environments.
She currently serves as co-director of The Mandala Center for Change and program director for Owl360, “The Nest,” an inclusive and collaborative gathering space for teens in Port Townsend.
