OUR TEAM

BIO

B. (Brenda) Tausch is an attorney and educator committed to advancing initiatives aimed at providing legal access, affordable and quality education, and furthering justice and racial equity.

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B.’s legal experience is in nonprofit and business law, fiscal sponsorships, alternative leadership and decision-making structures, federal tax-exemption for charitable organizations, and business transactions. B. has worked for nonprofits for about 20 years and has been in private practice representing nonprofits and small businesses for about 3 years.

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Prior to private practice, B. served as an attorney and the Director of Legal Services at Communities Rise (CR). B. collaboratively led the five-person Legal Team, reviewed complex government, grant, and partnership agreements for CR, and represented nonprofit and small business clients. Additionally, B. took the lead on managing legal work for CR’s partnerships with local government partners.

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As an educator, B.’s approach is to demystify the law and make it accessible to everyone, particularly people most impacted by structural oppression. B. has taught for the University of Washington’s Communication Leadership graduate program since 2014. B.’s current course, “Law and Ethics of Organizations,” focuses on serving as a communication leader and navigating common legal and ethical dilemmas facing organizations.

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Outside of work, B. is the parent of two children, lap swims nearly every day, enjoys baking with sourdough starter discard, reading, taking snapshots, and almost solving crosswords.

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EDUCATION

• B.A., Cultural Anthropology (summa cum laude), University of Washington, 2002

• J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 2007

 

BAR ADMISSIONS

• Washington, 2007

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AWARDS AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES​

• Communities Rise, Volunteer Attorney (2022-present)

• 2017 JustLead Leadership Academy Fellow

• 2016 completed People’s Institute Northwest (PINW) Undoing Racism Training

• Served on 6 nonprofit boards over a 12-year period, including founding boards and boards encountering financial and relationship challenges

• 2003 Fulbright grant to Brazil (studied approaches to educating girls and young women to stop cycles of poverty and violence)