About Me

I am thankful my family and I have lived, worked, and thrived in our richly diverse natural environment for more than 30 years. As our district has grown exponentially this last decade - we’ve witnessed tremendous changes and I want to work for you to safeguard its natural resources for the future, while providing reasonable well-planned sustainable growth for all our communities. I am a small business owner, a micro-farmer and I have a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Evergreen State College (2007). I am a long time active member of the community volunteering with Emergency Food Network, Family Promise Pierce County, a member of Retired Public Employees Council (RPEC), Nisqually Stream Stewards, the Tacoma Branch NAACP, Charter Member of Rotary Club of Graham, Frederickson and Eatonville, and former Vice Chair of the WSDCC Small Business Caucus. I was also instrumental in helping organize union coverage at WSDOT for all employees outside of the engineering sector in 2005. I am a first-generation college graduate with a strong belief in the power of public education. I am also the proud daughter of a military family; I embody working class values and am committed to building a brighter future for all. I know I have a mountain to climb and a mountain to protect across more than 657 square miles of this district. I respectfully ask for your support to bring you a new vision, responsiveness, and fresh perspective to the legislature for the betterment of all residents in the 2nd LD.

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My Priorities

• Public Safety

  • Support bills that include the need for public safety and seek additional funds for law enforcement with community collaboration.

• Public Health and Recreation

  • Promote bills that include creation of additional parks, youth and community centers, and additional medical clinics.

• Education, Families, Veterans, and Workers

  • Support bills to invest in additional skills centers; encourage training and retraining for career paths including technical certification not offered at universities.

• Homelessness

  • Introduce legislation to help establish small family shelters throughout our district communities to reduce the impact of homelessness on families.

• Bi-partisanship and Collaboration

  • Work with bi-partisan committees supporting conservation efforts to protect our aquifer, rural farms, ranches, forests, and salmon.

  • Work to promote bills that support economic growth balanced with accountable, transparent, and responsible housing development that require traffic impact reports prior to development.

• Affordability

  • Create bills to address and encourage programs that will help reduce “Greedflation” and reduce living costs for all.

  • Help small businesses struggling with the stressful burden of Business & Occupation (B&O) taxes to help them thrive

  • I have a plan to work with the Finance Committee to help redirect our newest revenue streams to alleviate property taxpayer burdens, while helping take the pressure off our schools and first responders.

• Jobs and Transportation

  • Write legislation addressing the need for all families in the 2nd LD to obtain living wage jobs by attracting more companies and businesses to invest in our community.

  • Promote cooperation on bills that encourage more transportation routes connecting our rural communities - ensuring workers, seniors and those with disabilities have access to daily transportation.

• Healthcare

  • Support bills that will ensure women’s healthcare rights.

  • Lower the cost of necessary medications and ensure accessible healthcare options are available to all.

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Endorsements

Ryan Mello, Pierce County Council Chair & Pierce County Executive Candidate

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Jani Hitchen, Pierce County Council Member

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Cynthia Iyall, Nisqually Elder & Former Nisqually Council Chair

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2nd Legislative District Democrats 

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Madeline Bishop, Thurston County Community Leader

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Carin Chase, WSFDW Chair & Women's Caucus President

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Susan Herring, Chair of Thurston County Democratic Women

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Pierce County Democrats

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Pierce County Young Democrats

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Representative Mari Leavitt

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Bethel School Board Director & Senate Candidate Erasmo Ruiz

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Olympia Indivisible

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Thurston County Board of Commissioners Chair Tye Menser

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Andrew Villeneuve - Founder of Northwest Progressive Institute

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Beth Doglio - State Representative 

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Carolina Mejia - Thurston County Commissioner

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Former State Representative Laurie Dolan

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Pierce County Council Member Robyn Denson

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Pierce County Council Member Marty Campbell

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Tacoma Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh 

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Senator Sam Hunt

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WA State House Speaker Laurie Jinkins

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Lacey City Council Member Carolyn Cox

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WA State Stonewall Democrats

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WEA-PAC

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Thurston County Democratic Women

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WA State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal

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​Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO