Professional Experience

Councilmember, Metropolitan King County Council – Seattle, Washington (February, 2013 – Present)

  • Policy-making and budget-setting leadership with service as Chair of the Council's Transit and Environmental policy committees, Vice-Chair of the Budget & Fiscal Management Committees; three-time service as one of four Councilmembers on the Budget Leadership Team, responsible for assembling and passing the County's $12 Billion biennial budgets; Service on Law & Justice, Governmental Accountability & Oversight, Regional Transit, Regional Water Quality, Regional Policy and Housing & Human Services Committees.
  • Selected by colleagues to Chair the Council in 2019.
  • Chair, King County Board of Health, 2016-2018.
  • Select Significant Policy Accomplishments include: Led development of the County's Youth Action Plan, the foundational policy for King County's Children & Youth programs; Restructuring the Department of Public Defense; Ending juvenile solitary confinement; Electrifying the Metro Transit fleet; Passing 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents; Living Wage ordinance for county contractors, Responsible Banking ordinance; Key author of the new Regional Homelessness Authority legislation; Laws to require key county departments operate at net zero carbon emissions; Green jobs ordinance; Harborview Bond Leadership Group, leading efforts to build a new Behavioral Health Institute, secure permanent shelter beds on campus and 100 respite beds; Established the King County Immigrant & Refugee Commission; Secured the funding needed for RADAR/Navigator Program regional expansion; Sheriff's Office & Civilian Oversight Charter Amendment leadership; Disclosure Rule for Limited Service Pregnancy Centers
  • Never missed a vote, casting over 6,300 consecutive votes as of September 2021
  • Honored as Public Official of the Year by the Seattle-King County Municipal League Foundation; Selected: "15 People Who Should Really Run Seattle" Seattle Met Magazine; Additional recognition by community organizations for expanding voting access, environmental leadership, and human services work

Equity Partner, Foster Pepper PLLC – Seattle, Washington (2000 – February 2013)

  • Practice focused on real estate, land use, and municipal matters.
  • Appointed as Special Deputy Prosecuting Attorney (civil matters) for King, San Juan, and Pierce Counties
  • Chair, Real Estate Litigation Group
  • Admitted to all Washington state and federal courts, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
  • Legal Career Recognition includes:
    • Super Lawyer, Washington Law & Politics Magazine, 2012
    • Rising Star, Washington Law & Politics Magazine, 2005, 2007 - 2011
    • Washington State Bar Association Pro Bono Service Commendation, 2003, 2004 for work with victims of domestic violence and clients needing immigration law assistance
    • Featured in 2009 Foster Pepper Pro Bono Annual Report for Work with the Nisei Veterans Committee Foundation

Law Clerk, Washington State Attorney General – Seattle, Washington (1999-2000)

  • University of Washington Division, focused on employment, Sound Transit routing and construction issues

Marketing and Operations/Credit Analyst, PACCAR Financial Corp. – Bellevue, Washington (1996-1998)

  • Extensive analytical training and work with financial statements, company operations, and credit risk assessment

Executive Office Policy Analyst, King County Executive Gary Locke – Seattle, Washington (1994-1996)

  • Responsible for policy development and implementation related to Growth Management Act compliance, comprehensive plan development, zoning, transportation, business assistance, boards and commissions with an emphasis on recruiting diverse candidates, and county budget work.

Other Work Experience

  • The White House, Intern, 1993-1994
  • Japanese American Citizens League, Intern, lobby for Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act
  • W.T. Weaver & Sons Hardware, clerk.
  • United States Senate, Staff Assistant, Washington, D.C.
  • Dallas Warehouse, Rickreall, Oregon.  Operated all functions of grain storage company.

Education

Renton Public Schools, K-12, Graduate of Hazen High School, 1990, with honors
Georgetown University, B.S. cum laude, Business Administration, 1994, minor in Government

  • Dean’s Citation for Service to the School
  • Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service Award for Academic Excellence in Labor-Management Relations and Dispute Resolution

University of Washington School of Law, J.D., 2001

  • Moot Court Honor Board
  • Order of the Barristers
  • Class Commencement Speaker
  • Hugh Miracle Trial Advocacy Award
  • American College of Trial Lawyers - Western Regional Champion
  • American College of Trial Lawyers - Mock Trial Competition National Finalist
  • Justice Lewis Powell Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy
  • New Building Advisory Committee (overseeing construction of the new law school)