October: Pro Bono Month
This October, for Pro Bono Month, the Seattle Seawolves and Foster Garvey PC are celebrating the personal bests that create meaningful impact in our communities.
A personal best is not always measured by a score, a win, or a milestone at work. Sometimes, it is the decision to show up for a family in need, advocate for someone whose voice needs to be heard, or help create a path forward.
Seattle Seawolves and Foster Garvey PC are proud to spotlight the people whose commitment to community reaches far beyond the pitch.
For Seattle Seawolves player Dan Kriel, a personal best is rooted in community connection.
Through his involvement with Happy Bundles, Dan has helped support efforts that bring care, encouragement, and moments of joy to children and families. The work reflects the belief that small acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference, especially during difficult moments.
Dan describes the value of being present for children and families:
“Beyond the pitch, I’m most proud of the community we are building at Happy Bundles. A community who helps us bring hope and joy to these kids and their families battling childhood cancer. Those moments remind us how much it means to be there for others and show kindness. Being able to show up for our community, share a smile, and help families feel supported when they need it most. That’s what matters most to me.”
Whether on game day or in the community, Dan’s personal best is about being present, lending support, and helping make people feel seen.
For Seattle Seawolves President JoAnne Anderson, a personal best beyond the pitch is reflected in the club’s connections with young people. In 2026, the Seawolves have impacted more than 10,000 youth through their community work.
Youth rugby initiatives give the Seawolves opportunities to connect with young people and share their love of the sport. The focus extends beyond introducing the game. JoAnne’s message emphasizes the relationships formed through those interactions and the importance of continuing to take part in community life.
JoAnne connects the reach of those initiatives with the relationships behind them:
“Beyond the pitch, I’m incredibly proud we’ve impacted over 10,000 youth in 2026 alone. Every opportunity to connect with young people and share our love of rugby matters. Building meaningful connections and making a lasting difference in our community, on and off the field, is what the Seawolves are all about.”
For JoAnne, the participation figure provides one measure of reach. Her personal best also reflects the connections behind it: time spent with young people and opportunities to share rugby with the community.
Daniel Carter pictured with Jonodev Chaudhuri, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Ambassador (left), and Stacy Leeds (Cherokee), President of the University of Tulsa (middle).
For Foster Garvey attorney Daniel Carter, service to the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission is both civic work and something deeply personal.
Daniel, who is based in the firm’s Tulsa office, has served on the Commission for five years and as its Vice Chair for the past three. The Commission advises the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County on issues affecting Native communities. Its work focuses on building cooperation between Native people and local government, preserving Native cultures, and expanding educational opportunities.
This year, Daniel led amendments to the City Ordinance governing the Commission. The changes made the Muscogee (Creek), Cherokee, and Osage Nations permanent voting members with their own delegates, rather than appointed member organizations. The amendments also strengthened the Commission’s role in City policymaking.
The result is a more direct path for tribal governments to participate in the decisions that affect their communities.
Daniel’s work also supports the Commission’s community efforts, including Tulsa’s Native American Day. Held for its 10th year at Dream Keepers Park, the event brings together thousands of attendees, Native vendors, community leaders, and local government representatives.
He also helped form the Tulsa Native American Day Foundation Inc., an Oklahoma not-for-profit that will help plan, promote, and fundraise for the event and related programs.
“As a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, I’m proud of giving tribal governments a more direct voice in the decisions that affect tribal communities,” Daniel said.
For Daniel, a personal best means building platforms to give more people a voice in their local governments and communities.
Eryn Karpinski Hoerster and Yeli Zhou, of Foster Garvey’s Portland and New York offices, respectively, helped an incarcerated client obtain a favorable settlement in a case in which he alleged his state Department of Corrections doctors deliberately delayed his critical surgical treatment, leaving him to endure years of severe and debilitating pain.
The client suffered from neuroforaminal stenosis, which caused immense pain, tingling and weakness to his right side for six years, preventing him from sleeping and causing deep depression and emotional distress. He eventually had the surgery at the State’s expense, which relieved his symptoms entirely, but sought compensation for the pain and suffering he experienced while awaiting surgery.
Through document discovery, depositions of medical providers, multiple mediations, and the support of a key medical expert, the Foster Garvey team built a compelling case and navigated challenging negotiations with the Oregon Department of Corrections and the Department of Administrative Services. Through strategic and determined advocacy and negotiations, Eryn and Yeli secured the client a meaningful pretrial settlement, providing both financial compensation and non-monetary relief, delivering him a measure of recognition and accountability for years of suffering.
Eryn and Yeli describe what the outcome meant for their client:
“For nearly six years, our client endured excruciating pain while waiting for urgently needed spinal surgery. We fought to ensure that his years of suffering would neither be overlooked nor go unanswered, and we’re proud to have secured a meaningful resolution that recognizes what he endured and helps him move forward.”
Thomas Scott, based in Foster Garvey’s Portland office, works pro bono with Proud Ground, helping low-income buyers understand the documents, rules, and covenants governing their ownership and use of a home. The program uses a community land trust model and provides down-payment assistance in exchange for those commitments.
Tom first got involved several years ago after responding to an email Proud Ground sent to the Oregon Bar Association. He has since helped more than 75 Portland homebuyers purchase homes through the program.
Founded as the Portland Community Land Trust, Proud Ground now serves six Oregon counties. It supports permanently affordable homeownership through homebuyer education, down-payment assistance, financial education, and long-term stewardship. All its homebuyers earn 80% or less of the area median income, and more than half are BIPOC.
More than 785 households have become Proud Ground homeowners. Tom’s work helps families understand their commitments while supporting an effort to preserve affordable homes for future buyers.
The Seattle Seawolves and Foster Garvey PC share a belief that community impact is not separate from the work. It is part of what makes a team stronger.
From supporting children and families to strengthening tribal representation, advancing access to justice, and helping buyers access affordable homeownership, these stories highlight people using their time and skills to serve their communities.
A personal best is not just what we achieve. It is how we help others achieve more, too.
Seattle Seawolves x Foster Garvey PC
