REMEMBERING SAVILLA PITT
Savilla Pitt, a beloved Pacific Council member and former staff member, passed away recently after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 36 years old.
Savilla held various roles at the Pacific Council from 2008-2013, including Programs Coordinator, Membership & Special Programs Manager, and Programs Officer when she left staff and became a member in 2013.
Most recently, she worked as the Partnerships & Events Manager and on cybersecurity and technology initiatives as part of the Aspen Digital program at the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C. There, she guided and facilitated day-to-day operations of the program by providing policy and program support in an effort to elevate Aspen Digital’s many cyber and technology focused initiatives. Before that, she worked in the RAND Corporation’s Research Operations group, the World Affairs Council of Northern California, the Center for International Relations, Global Color, and Switchboard International, where she managed the Mobile Doctors Network program for Liberia. She held degrees from American University and UCLA.
Savilla will be remembered as a kind and passionate person who was dedicated to making the world a better place. Donations can be made to Capital Area Food Bank, the Nature Conservancy, the Cancer Society of America, and the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation.
Current and former Pacific Council staff offer their memories of Savilla below:
Amie Kashon: Savilla was an absolute joy to know and one of the most genuinely kind, inquisitive, and hardworking people I have ever met. She was our most adventurous eater on the Emerging Leaders delegation in Mexico City, the best company to have at your table at any event, and as reliable for a thoughtful policy question as she was for a meme that would turn into a long-standing inside joke. I remember checking in with her right before she moved from Los Angeles to D.C. a few years ago and she was so excited to be starting a new chapter, so thrilled to be doing the work she was doing, and so committed to making a positive difference in the world. She was the person who first hired me at the Pacific Council and has had an outsize influence on my life, professionally and personally. I will always be grateful to have known her.
Ashley McKenzie: I was interviewed at the Pacific Council by Savilla when I first applied as an intern. She stopped me halfway through and told me I was overqualified and that I should apply for a full-time position. When I landed my associate position, Savilla took me under her wing as a mentor and fast friend. Days when I felt intimidated or needed more guidance, she was always warm and welcoming and encouraged me at every step. Savilla was one of the most genuine, sincere, hard-working go-getters I’ve ever met and her passion for social justice and making the world a better place was inspiring. The world has lost a gem of a human and she will be deeply missed.
Melissa Lockhart Fortner: Savilla was generous, selfless, deeply thoughtful, and a cheerleader for her friends. I was so lucky to have her support and friendship for 10 years. She took care of all of us. She listened and cared. She was driven by her values, uncompromising in her principles. The warmth of her dimpled smile fills my thoughts today. I miss you so so much, my wonderful friend.
Nastasha Everheart: Among the many things that made Savilla remarkable was her ability to make authentic connections anywhere she went. Whether it was bonding quickly with fellow delegates in Mexico or nurturing decades-long relationships with former colleagues, members, and peers in our field, Savilla made everyone who crossed her path feel like a lifelong friend. She was genuine and loyal—but always direct. She never missed an opportunity to follow up, whether to check in after a life event or merely to share a photo of her beloved cats or give more information about a topic discussed in passing over lunch. Her far-too-soon death is a tremendous loss to the Pacific Council community and all who knew her. We will miss her dearly.
