Submitted by Soroptimist International of Olympia
Soroptimimst International of Olympia is pleased to announce Rose Gundersen, Executive Director of Washington Engage has been chosen as this year’s Ruby Award recipient. The Ruby Award recognizes women who have worked to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional and/or volunteer work. Rose’s work to raise awareness of and combat human trafficking has made a significant impact in our community and throughout the state. Rose was honored for her great service to women at a dinner on January 22nd at Mercato Ristorante.
Rose founded Washington Engage in 2010. In 2012 a record twelve anti-trafficking bills were signed into law, nine of those were developed from Washington Engage’slegislative proposals and recommendations. Washington State has been given the highest rating of all 50 states by the Polaris Project for having the most comprehensive laws against human trafficking; even though the legislation that created criminal liability for website providers, who permit minors to be advertised for commercial sexual exploitation online, was successfully challenged in a preliminary injunction law suit.
Washington Engage is now working to implement collective impact model organizations through developing Coalitions Against Trafficking in communities throughout our state.
Rose has more than 20 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience. She grew up in Hong Kong and is fluent in Chinese. She resides in Olympia with her husband and three children. Her foreign upbringing and her children are the reason behind her passionate dedication to fight for justice for the voiceless.
Soroptimist International of Olympia is a part of the larger Soroptimist International organization, http://www.soroptimistinternational.org/. Its mission is to improve the lives of women and girls in our local communities and throughout the world. Soroptimist International and its member clubs focus on accomplishing this goal through promoting education, sustainability, peace and equality.
