WHY I'M RUNNING

The 40th District represents the beautiful northern Puget Sound, including parts of Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Anacortes and the San Juan Islands. The natural beauty and diversity of this region of Washington State is incredible. From the rivers flowing from Mount Baker, to the farms of the Skagit Valley, to the hundreds of miles of shoreline of the San Juan Archipelago, to the marine waters of the Puget Sound, this area is truly a national treasure.

I believe that it is this natural beauty, combined with the thriving and diverse communities, solid economy and educational system that has influenced so many to call this place home. Unfortunately, another 1.4 million people will call the Puget Sound region home by 2020.

I’m running for the Senate because we are at a crossroads as a state, and a nation. Decisions we make today on education will determine the opportunities of the future for our children. Decisions we make today on how our communities accept and promote new growth and development will determine our long-term quality of life. Decisions we make today on economic development will determine the quality and kinds of jobs in our communities. And, decisions we make today with regard to natural resource protection will determine whether the next generation can enjoy the beautiful marine waters, coastline, watersheds, farmland and forests that we have known. These are all critical issues for our region, and I’m ready to put my experience to work.

I’ve been privileged to be a Council Member in San Juan County, since 2004. As an elected official, I have focused on a combination of conservation and community development—successfully bridging the gap between economic development and natural resource protection. I chair the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council and the Washington Coastal Counties Caucus and the Washington Association of Counties Transportation Committee and am Vice-chair of the Northwest Regional Council Area Agency on Aging. In 2005, Governor Gregoire appointed me to serve on the Washington State Oil Spill Advisory Council, and later I was appointed to the Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board and the Washington State Shoreline Hearings Board.

I have worked in community development and conservation at the local, regional, national and international level. I have worked in the private and public sectors developing and advancing legislation, economic development strategies and conservation initiatives. If elected, I would bring more than 14 years experience working to protect natural resources and build healthy and thriving communities to the Washington State Senate.