Women in Political Leadership: Interview with Bellevue City Councilmember Janice Zahn
As part of CuriosityBased’s Women in Political Leadership series, we spoke with Bellevue City Councilmember Janice Zahn about her journey from immigrant to public servant, her reflections on inclusion and belonging, and how curiosity shapes the way she leads.
What sparked your interest in serving in public office?
For me, it’s been a journey. I didn’t grow up thinking, “I’ll be in public service.”
I came to the U.S. as an immigrant from Hong Kong in the mid-1970s and always felt deep gratitude for the opportunities my family received. My uncle sponsored our education, and one of my best friends in middle school was a Vietnamese refugee. That early exposure shaped my belief that service means helping others belong.
After college, I worked in the private sector before joining the Port of Seattle, which opened my eyes to what public service looks like in action — economic development with an emphasis on inclusive growth. The Port’s commitment to creating opportunities for all inspired me to return to school 20 years later for a Master of Public Administration at the UW Evans School.
As a Bellevue Councilmember, belonging remains central to my work. Our city’s motto is “Bellevue welcomes our world — diversity is our strength.” For Asian Americans, belonging means feeling seen and not treated as perpetual foreigners. Creating that sense of inclusion is at the heart of my public service.
Related reading: Practicing Curiosity in Leadership During Divisive Times.
What is it like being a woman in public office?
Serving in public office brings both challenges and joy. I often reflect on how my intersecting identities — as a woman, an engineer, a person of color, and someone in a biracial marriage — shape my experience.
When I’m in spaces dominated by men, especially in policy or engineering, I notice that women are still treated differently. We can say the same thing as a male colleague, yet it’s received differently. These subtle biases are hard to name but deeply felt.
As an Asian American woman, I also carry cultural expectations — the model minority myth and the internalized pressure not to “make waves.” My father, who fled China during a time when success could make you a target, taught me to stay humble and avoid drawing attention. For many of us, that mindset lingers.
Now, I’m learning to lift my voice — to change systems from within — even when it’s uncomfortable. Change can feel slow and frustrating, but that’s how progress is built.
Explore: 7 Forms of Respect® Framework for Communicating Across Differences.
What are the most pressing issues facing our region?
Everything is interconnected — housing, transportation, environment, and equity. In Bellevue and across the nation, affordable housing is one of the most urgent challenges. It drives homelessness, reduces access to transportation, and deepens environmental inequities.
We also face widening economic gaps. During COVID-19, large corporations thrived while small, family-owned businesses struggled to survive. This imbalance revealed who truly has a voice at the table — and who doesn’t.
To address these challenges, we need leaders willing to move beyond incremental change. In Bellevue, the average home price exceeds $1 million, while even small rentals cost around $2,000. That’s unsustainable for working families.
Meanwhile, mental and behavioral health services remain underfunded, and nonprofit workers — those holding our communities together — often earn below a living wage. We must stop expecting people who serve others to sacrifice their own stability.
As I often say, “When you’re on an airplane, you put on your own oxygen mask first.” Nonprofits need that same oxygen — sustainable funding and respect for their labor.
Related insight: How Curiosity Shapes Leadership and Systems Change.
What policy solutions are you most passionate about?
Leadership requires courage to speak truth to power — and humility to co-create with the community.
We need to move beyond simply “giving people a seat at the table.” True equity means inviting people to build the table together. That’s how government becomes “people-first” — by grounding policy in what communities actually need, not what we assume they need.
I’m passionate about regional collaboration. Issues like housing, transportation, and environmental resilience don’t stop at city borders. We need a regional mindset to make progress at scale.
Finally, we must equip youth and community members to understand how public budgets are built — and where they can influence funding decisions. Empowering people with this knowledge helps them advocate for sustainable change.
How does curiosity aid policymaking and decision-making?
Curiosity is foundational to innovation. When we start from curiosity, we approach conversations with openness rather than defensiveness.
As an engineer by training, I naturally ask questions — but I’ve learned that questions can sometimes be perceived as challenges. That’s why I now preface them with intent: “I’m asking because I want to understand.” This framing lowers tension and builds trust.
Curiosity also helps us move beyond surface-level solutions. Too often, policies address only “the tip of the iceberg.” Asking why gets us closer to the root causes of issues — from homelessness to economic disparity — and prevents well-intended policies from worsening the problem.
Curiosity isn’t criticism. It’s a pathway to empathy, better decision-making, and collective learning.
Read next: What It Takes to Lead with Curiosity — Especially When Answers Are Elusive.
Continue reading our Women in Political Leadership Series:
- Senator Yasmin Trudeau
- Representative Debra Entenman
- Redmond Mayor Angela Birney
- Seattle Deputy Mayor Kendee Yamaguchi
- Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda
Interested in learning more from women in leadership? Check out our Leadership Book List, where we have compiled 350+ books written by women in leadership.
