Why I'm Running

Olympia is my home. Despite growing up in Philadelphia, this is where I settled after being stationed at JBLM while I was in the Army. Olympia is where I chose to buy a house, and start a family. Olympia is where I live, work, play, and shop. My daughter goes to school here. I’m invested in this community, with my time as well as my money. That doesn’t make me special, though. You’re invested in this community just like me. You’re proud of your city just like me. You’re frustrated about the problems you see, just like me. I want to be mayor because I want to be part of the solution, and make sure our investment pays off.

I believe it is critical for our community and our city government to have stable and pragmatic leadership that has important working relationships with fellow councilmembers, city staff, community leaders, and regional partners. My life experiences have prepared me well for this job. Whether as a soldier or a non-profit board member; a Congressional staffer or policy advisor to the Governor, I’ve learned that we accomplish nothing without teamwork, and that negativity gets us nowhere.

As Mayor, I want to harness the power of the pride we feel in our city, embrace the diversity that comes with our growth, and lead Olympia into a future rooted in cooperation and inclusion.

My Priorities 

Over the past decade it has gotten increasingly more difficult to afford housing in Olympia. There’s no debate to be had about whether or not housing is an essential need. Everyone needs a roof over their head. This is an issue I began to tackle on day one of my first term in office, and will be a top priority for me as Mayor. We must continue building public and private partnerships to tackle the housing crisis. There is no single magic button we can push to end the crisis and get everyone housed. We need multiple types, styles, and sizes of housing, with an eye on transit-oriented density. We need housing that is affordable for the lowest income folks in our community, supportive services for those who need them, and housing projects geared toward our large senior population, who are aging out of their single family homes and looking to age in place in an apartment or senior living facility.

As mayor, I will ensure that Olympia continues to be a leader in the regional efforts toward healthier and safer communities by bolstering our compassionate response to homelessness, advocating for police reform through an expansion of non-law enforcement resources and interventions, fixing fire/EMS service gaps, and addressing climate change and sea level rise. For me, an important part of health and safety is centering equity in the work we do. I want us to set, and put into practice at city hall, policies that ensure that anybody who interacts with the city, or a city employee, in any way, and for any reason, is treated fairly, and with dignity. I also want to continue to advocate for state and local action on homelessness, substance abuse, and the lack of sufficient mental healthcare.

Improving the quality of life of all Olympians is a top priority for me. Our local economy is strong, but that doesn’t mean everybody is thriving. As Mayor, I want to continue the work we’re doing to develop an economic resiliency and opportunity plan that will adopt solutions for low-income earners, bring more jobs to the city, promote tourism, support existing business, and welcome startups.

What I’ve Done

• Chaired the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee and approved the community’s recommendations to the city council for Reimagining Public Safety in Olympia.

• Voted in favor of the installation of body worn cameras and in-car video systems for the Olympia Police Department.

• Voted in favor of the transfer of downtown mitigation site to the establishment of the Quince Street tiny home village site.

• Voted to support the interlocal agreements between the City of Olympia and the State of Washington to address encampments on state and local rights of way.

• Voted in favor of the implementation of the Transgender Rights Resolution to provide further protections to members of our community and employees at the City of Olympia.

• Supported the appointment of the inaugural members of the Social Justice and Equity Commission.

• Supported the appointment of the inaugural members of the Cultural Access Program Advisory Board.

• Voted in favor of renter protections for tenants.

• Voted in favor of the South Sound Habitat for Humanity development of 100+ units of affordable housing with homeownership opportunities.

• Co-sponsored a resolution declaring Olympia a sanctuary city for reproductive rights. Olympia was the first city in the state to take such action after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

• Supported the use of City Council goal funds to be used for the City’s Gun Buy-Back Program, which has resulted in over 100 firearms being turned into the police department in just a few months.

• Voted in favor of a ban on the open carry of firearms in city-owned buildings.

• Supporting the electrification of newly constructed residential and commercial buildings in the city to reduce our carbon emissions.

•          …and more.