About our Initiative

Our Story, Mission & Community Partners

Founded by community leaders and peers, Washington Community Support Network (WCSN) was born out of a determination to ensure no one in our community faces mental health struggles, system barriers, or isolation alone.

From Lived Experience to Community Action

Dr. Jean-Paul Yafali
Dr. Jean-Paul YafaliMentor

The story of the Washington Community Support Network began from a place of deep concern and a desire for meaningful change. Co-founders Josiah Kisakye and Ketsia Kamarashavu saw friends, neighbors, and families struggling silently with mental health challenges, isolation, and addiction.

When a close friend reached a critical breaking point, it revealed a stark reality: too many people in our community faced overwhelming battles with nowhere to turn, often falling through the cracks due to language barriers, financial hardship, or system complexity.

Guided by mentor Dr. Jean-Paul Yafali, WCSN was created to serve as a bridge to stability. Today, WCSN empowers immigrant families, Black community members, seniors, and unhoused individuals across Washington state through peer navigation, public benefits enrollment, digital literacy, and health education—ensuring that language and economic status never stand in the way of essential support.

Meet Our Leadership Team

  • Dr. Jean-Paul Yafali

    Dr. Jean-Paul Yafali

    Co-Founder & Mentor

    Dedicated community leader, CEO at Pacific Northwest Webtors LLC, founder of Nested Communities, and economics lecturer at Green River College, Highline College, and the University of Washington. Holding a Doctor of Business Administration and multiple master’s degrees, Dr. Yafali brings deep expertise in case management, program leadership, and community development.

  • Ketsia Kamarashavu

    Co-Founder & Chief of Staff

    Co-founder of WCSN, Chief of Staff at Nested Communities, and former non-profit leader with Mission Africa. A multilingual advocate and future legal professional, Ketsia leverages her expertise in non-profit operations and philosophy to advocate for underserved populations and foster cross-cultural collaboration.

  • Josiah Kisakye

    Josiah Kisakye

    Co-Founder & Technology Lead

    A Community Health Worker (CHW) and co-founder of WCSN. Combining a background in network engineering and cloud solutions with non-profit experience at Nutrition Group Africa, Josiah leads WCSN’s digital inclusion initiatives and technology workforce training. He also serves in the armed forces and in his community.

Collaborating for Health Equity

  • Nested Communities

    Collaborative partner supporting language access, English language learning, and newcomer family navigation.

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  • Pacific Northwest Webtors LLC

    Technical partner supporting community technology education, digital literacy infrastructure, and skills training.

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  • Kit Technologies

    Hardware infrastructure and technology training partner expanding digital access across underserved neighborhoods.

  • Uplift Global Foundation

  • Faith Communities & Community Hubs

    Local churches and community centers hosting multilingual digital literacy workshops, health education, and essential goods distribution.

  • Public Health & Housing Network

    Regional handoff networks linking individuals to Apple Health (Medicaid), food assistance (SNAP), emergency shelter, and local health systems.