Councilmember Alex Pedersen's Staff

Malik Davis joined Councilmember Alex Pedersen in the summer of 2020 after having spent 20 years in the non-profit, government and private sectors engaging and responding to a cross section of constituents and communities.

For Councilmember Pedersen's team, Malik focuses on District 4 constituent relations, neighborhoods, parks, civil rights, native communities, general governance issues, public safety, police accountability, and criminal justice issues.

Malik began his career at Seattle Public Utilities working in the City's Solid Waste and Recycling Division. He worked for Seattle City Councilmember Margaret Pageler's Office where he was a Legislative Aide responsible for advising Margaret on public safety, land use and utility issues. He then worked in the construction industry as a homeowner liaison working with residents impacted by construction disruption. From there Malik worked at the UW Alumni Association as a Director of Constituent Relations and later became a Major Gifts Officer at the College of Arts and Science raising private support for research and scholarships in the Natural Sciences. Before joining Councilmember Pedersen's office, Malik worked as a philanthropy officer for a provider of shelter and services raising private support for women and families experiencing homelessness in King County.

Born and raised in Seattle, Malik is a lifelong Husky and 94' alum with a bachelors' degree in political science. Malik attended Montlake elementary, Meany Middle School and Garfield High School. With deep Seattle roots, he has been a mentor to high school youth and college students, an advocate for increasing underrepresented groups in higher education philanthropy, and a volunteer parent active in his children's schools.

Malik also has a masters' degree in public administration from Milano Graduate School of Urban Management and Public Policy, located in New York City.

Malik lives in West Seattle with his wife and two daughters.

Gabby Lacson was promoted to Legislative Assistant in the spring of 2022 after serving as a graduate student research intern for Councilmember Pedersen’s office since the Fall of 2021.

Gabby is a District 4 resident and is earning her Master of Public Administration from the Evans School of the University of Washington. She is a devoted Husky as she completed her bachelor's degree at UW’s main campus in the U District where she majored in Environmental Studies and minored in Law, Societies, and Justice.

Born and raised in Seattle, Gabby attended Concordia Lutheran School and Laurelhurst Elementary (both in District 4), as well as North City Elementary, Ridgecrest Elementary, Kellogg Middle School, and Shorecrest High School in Shoreline.

In 2021, Gabby served as a Climate Action Intern with King County where she worked on wildfire mitigation strategies while also working part-time in other jobs to help to pay for college. Gabby has volunteered to clean up the streets around UW, participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s (2020 and 2021), and volunteered with the American Red Cross. She has previously served as the Vice President of Academic Excellence at Sigma Kappa Sorority, Mu Chapter.

In addition to managing the busy calendar and handling the large volume of incoming communications to the office of Councilmember Pedersen, Gabby monitors important City issues including economic development, education, libraries, public health, environmental issues, Seattle City Light, and technology / digital equity. Recent projects have included researching several transportation and environmental issues impacting Seattle.

Like the Councilmember, she really enjoys analyzing financial spreadsheets. When not at City Hall working for the residents of District 4, she enjoys gardening, traveling, snowboarding, and cuddling with her corgi and rescued corgi-mix.

Toby Thaler, an attorney and long-time community leader, has had an extensive career focused on land use and environmental issues.

Toby volunteered on the team that prepared the 1999 Fremont Neighborhood Plan for incorporation into the City Comprehensive Plan. Early implementation plan elements included study and reconfiguration of bicycle and vehicle routing through ‘downtown’ Fremont. He has continued to be engaged in transportation planning and project advocacy, with a focus on creating a functional network of safe non-motorized routes such as neighborhood greenways.

Toby’s career as a lawyer began as an advocate for Native American Treaty Tribes in Western Washington. During that time, he also started serving as a board member of the Washington Environmental Council (WEC) and later served on the board of the Washington Conservation Voters. Toby the first staff attorney at the WEC, helping to organize and prosecute numerous cases concerning conservation of forests, waters, and other natural resources. For another eight years, Toby was staff counsel for the Washington Forest Law Center.

Into the early 1990s, Toby was as an environmental analyst at Seattle City Light, serving on the team preparing the application for and negotiating the Skagit Hydro Project’s new 30-year federal (FERC) license. In recent years, Toby has been an independent attorney and policy analyst. He has represented a variety of clients around Washington State. He has worked extensively with communities around the country on climate adaptation planning.

Toby served on the board of the 36th District Democrats (2009-2011) and the board of the 43rd District Democrats (2012-2016.)

Toby is passionate about the quality of life of Seattle neighborhoods, preventing displacement, protecting our urban forest, and helping to make our community more truly sustainable.

Part-time in 2023, Toby is focusing on land use / comprehensive planning policies with an emphasis on preventing displacement and expanding inclusionary zoning for low-income housing opportunities. (Toby joined Councilmember Pedersen’s team in December 2019 with an initial focus on transportation, land use, utilities, and the environment.) Toby continues as the lead for expanding Seattle’s tree canopy as part of Seattle’s resiliency to climate change as well as phasing out harmful gas-powered leaf blowers.

Toby, an avid cyclist and transit rider, is a dad and has been married for more than 25 years. He resides in the Fremont neighborhood. Toby earned his JD degree from the University of Washington School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University.

Hannah Thoreson joined Councilmember Alex Pedersen after serving as Development Coordinator at Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) in Seattle.

Hannah earned her Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She completed her bachelor degree at the University of Washington in District 4 where she studied political science and human rights.

Prior to her work at the nonprofit ReWA, Hannah conducted outreach to build public health and environmental campaigns throughout Washington State, including in Seattle.

Hannah, who is proficient in speaking Spanish, arrived in Panama to serve as a member of the Peace Corps, and was one of thousands of volunteers to be evacuated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While earning her master’s degree in 2021, Hannah was a Research Assistant for the former head of the UN’s World Food Programme and served as a consultant for the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

For Councilmember Pedersen’s team, Hannah will focus on reducing homelessness, improving transportation, and optimizing the City budget. In addition, Hannah will be the lead on the Councilmember’s team monitoring Seattle Public Utilities. Hannah will also serve as the Committee Clerk for the City Council’s Transportation & Seattle Public Utilities Committee, chaired by Councilmember Pedersen.

Hannah grew up in Federal Way, WA. When not working at City Hall, she enjoys playing soccer with her team, "Sasquatch".