The May 2 Alliance for Education fundraising gala will bring civic, community and philanthropic leaders together to support the long-term success of students, families and educators in Seattle.
The Alliance for Education is thrilled to announce Alice Shobe as the distinguished Gala Chair for its annual 2026 Gala, Auction & After Party. Set for Saturday, May 2, this unforgettable evening will bring together civic leaders, advocates and community members under a shared canopy committed to educational justice and racial equity for Seattle Public Schools students.
This year’s Gala centers on the idea that the most meaningful investments are the ones that endure. Like evergreens that stand tall through changing seasons, our community’s commitment to students must be steady and sustained. The evening will celebrate the leaders, educators and partners who nurture opportunity in Seattle’s public schools and help ensure every student has the support they need to grow and thrive.
This year’s chair, Alice Shobe, is a global social impact leader who has spent her career helping organizations build what matters both across sectors and at scale. In 2017, she founded Amazon’s community impact function and spent nearly a decade growing it into a team operating across 55 countries, establishing food security, education, disaster relief, volunteerism and affordable housing as global corporate priorities. Her signature achievement: Amazon’s $3.4 billion Housing Equity Fund, which will finance more than 35,000 affordable apartments.
“Public education gave me everything, from kindergarten through college, and my children grew up as Seattle Public Schools students. I know firsthand the benefits when a community invests in its schools and the consequences when it does not,” said Alice Shobe, 2026 gala chair and social impact leader. “The Alliance for Education has spent over thirty years making sure that investments reach every student, not just the ones in a wealthy zip code or fortunate circumstances. They bring private resources and partnerships to Seattle Public Schools in ways that spark new ideas, pilot programs that would otherwise never get off the ground, and help schools try approaches that our public system alone cannot always fund or take the risk to test. That kind of igniting force is rare, and it is exactly what our students and educators need. Chairing this gala is an honor because the Alliance’s work is not just inspiring, it is necessary.”
Alice’s leadership reflects the very spirit of this year’s theme: investing in strong roots and long-term, systemic impact that lasts beyond one student or one classroom. She is known for helping organizations grow with intention by creating systems, partnerships and investments that last and strengthen communities over time.
Before Amazon, Alice served as CEO of multiple U.S.-based nonprofits, partnered with the Gates and Annie E. Casey Foundations, and held roles in local government. She has served on nonprofit and for-profit boards and is known for showing up at inflection points to stabilize, build and move organizations forward cogently.
“Alice has been a trusted thought partner to the Alliance, pivotal in helping us define and launch innovative programs, and pushes us to think differently about how we invest in students and families,” said Roxanne Christian, President of the Alliance for Education. “Her leadership has helped us to reimagine what’s possible for our work and for Seattle Public Schools. We are thrilled to have her leading this year’s gala as she exemplifies this year’s theme: enduring commitment that helps our students grow and our education ecosystem to be strengthened through collective care.”
The Alliance for Education’s 2026 Gala is a premier fundraising event, featuring an enchanting evening of dining, inspiring stories and opportunities to make a direct impact on Seattle’s students. Proceeds will support vital programs at the Alliance like the Right Now Needs Fund and Seattle Teacher Residency—programs that invest in the brilliance of Seattle students and provide the resources they need to thrive.