Meet Dontae

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My husband and I moved to the Olympia during my service in the U.S. Army. We are the proud parents of our beautiful daughter and two dogs.

I was elected to the Olympia City Council in November 2021 and I'm the first Black/African American man to serve on the council. In my professional life, I have served as the South Sound & Olympic Peninsula Regional Representative in the Office of the Governor, as Deputy District Director for Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, and I've returned to the Office of the Governor as Senior Policy Advisor for Civil Rights & Racial Justice. I also serve on the Olympia Hands On Children's Museum's Board of Directors. 

I earned a Master of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Evergreen State College. I am the first person in my immediate family to earn a 4-year college degree. I served on active duty in the United States Army for six years, with two tours to Logar Province, Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. I reenlisted to serve for two additional years at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and separated from the Army in 2016.

During my first term on city council, I have served on the following committees and assignments:

• Community Livability and Public Safety Committee (former chair)
• Council of Neighborhood Associations
• Law and Justice Council
• South Sound Military and Communities Partnership
• JBLM Representative

Photo description: Dontae with his husband, Jason and their daughter, Priscilla.