Emily Bergkamp

First, her professional life: Emily Bergkamp started her over 20-year transit career at Olympia, Wash.-based Intercity Transit (IT) in 2004 working in the vanpool program. She began coordinating the Youth Education Program in 2007, managed IT's ADA paratransit service from 2008-2018, and served as operations director from 2018-2023, before being selected general manager in 2023. Bergkamp has a master's degree in public administration from the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. She also maintains a Class B Washington commercial driver's license. She lives in Olympia with her husband Jude and two children, Isaiah and Zane.

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What do you like best about your current city of residence?

I've lived in Olympia since 1995, and have seen it change a lot. But the thing I like best about living here is being able to see positive impact our transit agency has had on the community over the years. I rode our system as a college student and feel a real sense of pride to be leading it now. The other pretty cool thing about Olympia is its connection to the birth of grunge music. Nirvana played around 20 concerts in Olympia from 1985 to 1991 before they became a household name. This included informal "house party" concerts at various dorms and other locations at The Evergreen State College, plus various locations around town. Notable bands Bikini-Kill and Sleater-Kinney formed in Olympia around 1990 and 1994, respectively. The city still has a great all-ages punk scene, with weekly concerts that one of my sons and his friends go to.

Visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, in 2018. Bergkamp (center) with son Zane, and husband Jude to her left with son Isaiah.

Favorite travel destination?

India! My mother-in-law is from India, and my husband has traveled there multiple times since he was a child. We started traveling there together after we got married, including a trip with our sons before COVID. We haven't been back since, but India is an experience that anyone who loves to travel should have. You need to do your homework and be prepared for adventures, but it's a journey you'll never forget. We've been to the Taj Mahal twice and words can't express how beautiful it is. It was also wonderful to have our boys meet their family there.

What are some things you enjoyed about your travels to India?

I always love the food when we travel there. What always stands out to me is the sheer size of India and the population numbers. You see the diversity of everything, different cultures, cuisine, etc. I always really enjoy seeing monkeys running around — it makes our squirrels here at home seem pretty boring.

What book are you currently reading?

Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer

What is a favorite book that you could read over and over?

Annihilation, also by Jeff Vandermeer. It is so good. The movie based on the book is terrible, but this first book in his Southern Reach Series got me hooked on the story, which is generally about how nature reclaims the earth and how adapts itself over time, but with a cool sci-fi spin. Absolution is the fourth book in the Southern Reach Series.

Walks with the family dogs, Bowie and Chiya, help Bergkamp and her husband, Jude, stay active.

Favorite current TV show?

"Fallout," hands down. My husband played the Fallout video games, so when the show came out, to say he was excited was an understatement. I love the actor Walton Goggins, so it was a win-win show for us to watch together. Watching Goggins play the role of The Ghoul, aka "Cooper Howard" has been post-apocalyptically dark, but oddly entertaining.

If you had to watch one movie multiple times, what would it be?

"Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2." When the first movie came out, I remembered feeling pretty fulfilled watching strong female characters square off to battle each other: The Bride, aka "Beatrix Kiddo," O-Ren Ishii, Vernita Green and Elle Driver, and of course, Bud and Bill. And to know her journey of "revenge" led to a reunion with her young daughter she assumed had passed away, was priceless. This past summer, the movies were played back to back at various theaters, and we of course showed up to watch all four hours of it with a few of our friends. It did not disappoint and fun was had by all.

Favorite type of music/band?

My favorite band is U2 — I adore them. My favorite U2 songs are: "Bad" from the album The Unforgettable Fire; and "You're the Best Thing About Me" from the album Songs of Experience.

What was your first concert?

My first concert was one-hit wonders The Spin Doctors, circa 1992, when they played at the Cotillion Ballroom in the Kansas town I grew up in. Blast from the past!

Hobbies?

I used to be an avid runner, completing several half-marathons and two full marathons. I've moved away from running as a hobby following some injuries, but miss the euphoria of pushing myself past my limits.

Making pupusas is a "labor of love" for the Bergkamp family, including son Isaiah.

Favorite food?

Pupusas. My mom is from El Salvador, and they are the national dish. I learned how to make them from my grandmother and aunts and try to make them about twice a year, with my boys helping out. They're a labor of love, but always worth it. I use whatever I have on hand for the fillings — usually rotisserie chicken slow-cooked with spices and some cheese. This isn't traditional, but when I'm craving pupusas, I try to keep it simple. Traditional versions include chicharron, revuelta (refried beans with cheese and chicharron) and laroco (an edible flower native to El Salvador).

Favorite guilty pleasure?

Watching boxing! I love the entire experience, including the undercards. If it's a big match, I watch the pre-fight "documentaries" to learn about each fighter's background, training routines, and personal lives. I love a good underdog story and victory — as a Seahawks fan those types of wins resonate with me.

What led to your interest in boxing?

My husband's interest got me watching it, and we also used to go to local matches at nearby casinos. I found it was fun to watch local boxers and cheer them on. I also had the chance to meet Emanual Steward [known as the "Godfather of Detroit Boxing"] when we were in Las Vegas watching a professional match between Sugar Shane Mosely and Fernando Vargas in 2006. He is the founder of the iconic KRONK Gym and trainer of world champion boxers like Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. He was such a nice guy!

Favorite way to stay active?

Going for walks with my husband and our pups: Chiya, a French bulldog, and Bowie, a Boston terrier.

Favorite ways to relax?

Getting up before anyone else in my family, enjoying a good cup of coffee and reading a book, while snuggling with Chiya and Bowie.

What would surprise people to learn about you?

I love cosplay, specifically dressing up as "Star Wars" character Ahsoka Tano. I purchased a costume several years ago and have perfected her trademark orange-and-white makeup, which takes about an hour to put on. I love the reactions I get from kids and adults of all ages.

A fan of cosplay, Bergkamp channels "Star Wars" character Ahsoka Tano, after laboring for an hour on the orange-and-white makeup.

Why did you choose Ahsoka Tano?

I chose Ahsoka after falling in love with her character from the animated series "The Clone Wars." She always walks her own path and sees the pitfalls of the binary limitations of good vs. evil or Jedi vs. Sith.

What was your first job and what were some takeaways from this experience?

Working in the bakery of a grocery store. Some takeaways are that bakers start incredibly early and had very physically demanding jobs. I worked the "front end" which is packaging baked goods, taking cake orders, and slicing bread. But a baker's day starts at 2 a.m. for donut frying, and others start coming in at 4:30 a.m. to bake bread and other items. It's also the reason I can't eat muffins of any kind to this day. They were the toughest thing to package. Getting them out of the giant muffin pans was a struggle and it took forever. When we had sales on muffins, I seriously considered calling in sick. On the other hand, I absolutely loved slicing bread. We had a great slicer machine you could put multiple loaves in. We always had a competition between front-end staff of who was the fastest slicer.

Tell us about a memory you have of riding public transit

Growing up in Kansas didn't provide many opportunities to ride transit. But, my first real foray into riding transit was my first visit to Washington, D.C. I fell in love riding the Metro. I felt like there wasn't any place I couldn't go and it helped make my first visit there in the late 90s magical.

What do you think you would be doing, if you didn't work in public transportation?

I really wanted to be a veterinarian when I was younger. I love animals and worked in a vet clinic my last two years in high school. The vets there were very kind and let me observe procedures and assist with simple tasks during surgeries. But life happens when you're making other plans! My dream of being a veterinarian went by the wayside, but I've gotten great enjoyment from the pets I've had over the years, including two red-eared slider turtles. But I truly love transit and can't imagine doing anything else.

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This interview was conducted by Janna Starcic, who can be reached at [email protected]

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