It's that time of year again! Mark your calendars for YP's Seattle Summer Social. This year's theme: public safety. From homelessness to crime to police, we'll convene an all-star panel -- moderated by Brandi Kruse -- to discuss the most pressing issues in our city. Join the Young Professionals on Thursday, August 4th, at 6pm at a private residence in Medina for food, drinks, great discusison, and backyard fun.

Register at the bottom of this page. Address will be sent to registrants ahead of the event. Dress code: business casual.

Meet our moderator:

Brandi Kruse is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and political commentator. After nearly a decade with the FOX affiliate in Seattle she left to launch [un]Divided, an independent political show and podcast that gives a voice to Americans who have been drowned out by the fringes.

Meet our panelists:

Chief Adrian Diaz has been a dedicated member of the Seattle Police Department for more than two decades. His work building relationships that bridge race, ethnicity and every flavor of humanity can be seen across the Department and in every neighborhood in Seattle.

Chief Diaz began his career in Patrol, the Mountain Bike Unit, and the Anti-Crime Team before joining the Investigations Bureau. He is also a Master Defensive Tactics instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. He served as Assistant Chief of a newly created Collaborative Policing Bureau prior to being promoted to the Deputy Chief. Chief Diaz is now serving as the Interim Chief of Police.

Chief Diaz holds a B.A. in criminal justice from Central Washington University and a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Washington. He has completed the Major Cities Chiefs Associations Police Executive Leadership Institute, the Cascade Executive Program and the Senior Management Institute of Policing. Chief Diaz has authored numerous national publications in community policing, misdemeanor justice and juvenile justice.

 Andrea Suarez is a King Country resident of 24 years living in Belltown where she founded We Heart Seattle, a volunteer-led, boots-on-the-ground, grassroots coalition for a more beautiful and safe Seattle for all to enjoy. To date, she has harnessed the power of one into a movement that has serviced the entire City of Seattle by inspiring hundreds of volunteers to clean up the trash weekly now totaling 580,000 pounds removed; 20,000 needles removed; and restored and maintained 38 parks and green spaces through civic engagement. Unknowingly, picking up the trash in encampments built trust with our unhoused neighbors and her team has housed more than 120 people, developing one of the most effective outreach models in the region.

Joe Fain is the President and CEO of the Bellevue Chamber. He previously served two terms in the Washington State Senate where he worked extensively on economic development, transportation, and education issues.

He was a leading negotiator of Washington’s 2015 statewide transportation package. He also led the negotiations and prime-sponsored Washington’s Paid Family Leave legislation, which passed in 2017.

Joe has also worked managing a boutique law and consulting firm in Seattle speciailizing in technology and healthcare; at the University of Washington office of technology transfer and commercialization; as a prosecutor for King County; and as Chief of Staff to a member of the King County Council.

Joe was selected in 2012 as one Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and was a 2017 Rodel Fellow with the Aspen Institute.

He has a Joint JD/MBA from Seattle University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington.