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House Democratic Leadership
Rep. Frank Chopp, Speaker of the House
A life-long Washington resident, Rep. Chopp was first elected Co-Speaker
of the House in 1999 and Speaker in 2002. He was the executive director of a
non-profit community service organization that assists thousands of people
annually – he is now the president of that organization.
He is a 1975 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Washington, and lives in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood with his wife, Nancy Long. They have two children, Nate and Ellie.
Rep. Jeff Morris, Speaker Pro Tempore
Representative Jeff Morris is a fourth-generation native of
the San Juan Islands. He was elected to the State House of Representatives in
1996 where he serves as Chair of the House Committee on Technology, Energy, and
Communications.As CEO of Energy Horizon
LLC, Jeff directs the Pacific Northwest Economic Region’s bi-national aggregated
energy resource planning, as well as developing distributive generation energy
projects. He is a co-founder of Northwest Energy Angels, the first North
American angel investing group investing exclusively in new energy technologies.
Jeff also serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government
& Audit Review and the Rules Committee.
Rep. Jim Moeller, Deputy Speaker Pro Tempore
Jim Moeller is a Vancouver native, was educated at local
schools: George C. Marshall Elementary and McLoughlin Junior High. He went on to
Clark Community College and Washington State University, before doing graduate
study at Portland State University.
Elected in 1995 to Vancouver City Council, he was re-elected to a second term in 1999. In 2002, when veteran legislator Val Ogden retired, Moeller ran to succeed her in the state House of Representatives. He won the subsequent general election handily and took office in January 2003. He has since been re-elected twice.
Rep. Lynn Kessler, Majority Leader
Serving her eighth term in the Legislature, Rep. Kessler serves on the
Washington State Fine Arts Commission and the National Association of State
Arts Agencies (NASAA). She is a former small-business owner and executive
director of the United Way of Grays Harbor.
She and her husband Keith are the parents of four and the grandparents of Kyle, Ryan and Areeya. They live in Hoquiam.
Rep. Bill Grant, Democratic Caucus Chair
Starting his 18th year in the Legislature, Rep. Grant is a life-long
resident of Walla Walla County. He and his wife, Nancy, are both graduates
of Whitman College. They operate a wheat farm that has been in their family
for four generations.
Bill and Nancy have four children and eleven grandchildren.
Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Majority Whip
A community activist for more than 20 years, Rep. Santos has worked for
civil rights, women's rights, economic and social justice, affordable
housing, and quality public education. A graduate of Evergreen State College
and of Northeastern University, she has worked in the banking industry and
in senior management positions for several nonprofit organizations.
She and her husband, Bob, live in the Rainier Beach area of Seattle.
Rep. Zack Hudgins, Floor Leader
Zack has been a member of the Legislature since December 2001. Before
serving in office Zack worked at Amazon.com as a project manager, as a
program manager at Excell Data Corporation on assignment at Microsoft, and
has led seminars on democracy in Iraq, the Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan with the
National Democratic Institute. Zack attended the University of Notre Dame in
South Bend, Indiana, and now lives in Tukwila. He is active in the Highlands
Community Association and the Greater Renton Chamber of Commerce and is also
a member of the SW King County Chamber of Commerce. Zack is focused on
creating jobs, reducing traffic congestion, improving education and making
health care more affordable.
Rep. Larry Springer, Floor Leader
A lifelong resident of East King County, Rep. Springer is serving his
second term in the Legislature and previously served 11 years on the
Kirkland City Council, including four as Mayor. He earned his MS from the
University of Oregon and his BA from Western Washington University. He and
his wife, Penny, are owners of a retail wine shop and enjoy spending time
with their friends and family.
Rep. Joe McDermott, Caucus Education Policy Leader
Joe was elected to the 34th District in 2000. His priorities include
education, elections and campaign finance, the environment, and civil rights
issues. He earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of
Washington and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from
Gonzaga University. He chairs the West Seattle Helpline Board and has taught
at South Seattle Community College. His civic activities include the West
Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Vashon Allied Arts, and Highline Historical
Society. Joe is a third generation resident of West Seattle where he lives
with his partner, Michael.
Rep. Brendan Williams, Caucus External Relations Leader
Brendan lives in Olympia with wife, Nicole, and son, Blake, who was born
in 2002. Both of Brendan's parents grew up on farms. A Northwest native,
Brendan went to Iowa City High School (Little Hawks) before moving back to
Olympia. Brendan has worked in all three branches of state government: As a
judicial law clerk for Justices Gerry Alexander and Bobbe Bridge of the
Washington Supreme Court; as executive secretary for former House Speaker
Brian Ebersole, and an aide and intern for former Senator Al Bauer; and as a
governor’s intern for former Governor Booth Gardner. A lawyer by trade,
Brendan was inducted in 1994 into Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal
justice honor society, and has been published in three law reviews.
Rep. Jeannie Darneille, Caucus Vice-Chair
Jeannie has represented the 27th Legislative District, which encompasses
Rustin, much of Tacoma, and part of Fife, since 2001. A dedicated community
leader, she currently serves on the board for the Pierce County Asset
Builders Coalition and is an adult literacy tutor for Tacoma Community
House. Jeannie worked for a decade in colleges and universities before
directing non-profit human services programs at the YWCA, Emergency Food
Network and the Pierce County AIDS Foundation. She received her B.A. from
Western Washington University and her M.Ed. from Colorado State University.
Rep. Dawn Morrell, Deputy Majority Whip
Dawn has lived in Puyallup for 22 years with her husband Jim, a retired
Air Force pilot. After retirement, Jim received his teaching certificate
from Pacific Lutheran University and taught at Clover Park Technical College
for 10 years. He is now a math and science tutor. Dawn and Jim have been
married for 38 years and have two children and five grandchildren. Their two
children, Jereme and Jameson, attended Puyallup public schools and graduated
from Rogers High School. Dawn continues to work as a certified critical care
Registered Nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup where she has worked
since 1985.
Rep. Dean Takko, Assistant Majority Whip
Dean represents the 19th District, including all of Pacific and Wahkiakum
counties, and parts of Cowlitz and Grays Harbor counties. Prior to joining
the Legislature, Dean served as Cowlitz County assessor. He has been an
active volunteer firefighter for 25 years, and he is also a local
sewer-district commissioner. Dean is past chair of the Lions, and he has
served on the Cathlamet City Council and the Red Cross board. He is a
graduate of Wahkiakum High School, Lower Columbia College, and Western
Washington University. Dean and his wife Debra, who works for the Longview
School District, live in Longview.
Rep. Jamie Pedersen, Assistant Majority Whip
Jamie represents the 43rd Legislative District, including Capitol Hill,
First Hill, downtown Seattle, the University District, Madison Park,
Eastlake, Montlake, Wallingford, Madison Valley and most of Fremont,
Ravenna, and Greenlake. Jamie has practiced law at Preston Gates & Ellis
since 1995, serving as counsel to a variety of private and public sector
clients. He chaired Lambda Legal’s Board of Directors, fighting for full
equality for gay and lesbian people. As former president and current
treasurer of Central Lutheran Church, Jamie helped to create a nonprofit to
feed the homeless; and as a volunteer attorney for the Northwest Immigrant
Rights Project, he won asylum for persecuted refugees. Jamie lives on
Capitol Hill with his partner, Eric Pedersen, a high school English teacher.
Rep. Christine Rolfes, Assistant Majority Whip
Christine represents the 23rd Legislative District, including the Kitsap
County communities of Bainbridge Island, Keyport, Poulsbo, Kingston,
Hansville, Silverdale, and most of East Bremerton. Christine is a former
member of the Bainbridge Island City Council, has served on the Kitsap
County Regional Council and the Kitsap County Board of Health. Prior to
holding elected office, Christine counseled Northwest businesses and
organizations on humanitarian assistance and commercial opportunities
overseas as a business development officer with the United States Agency for
International Development. In the early 1990’s, Christine worked as an open
space program coordinator and watershed planner with the Kitsap County
Department of Community Development. Christine lives on Bainbridge Island
with her husband Leonard and their two school-aged daughters.
Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, Assistant Majority Whip
A firefighter, paramedic and father, Rep. Van De Wege joined the
Legislature in 2007. Kevin earned fire administration and fire investigation
degrees from Edmonds Community College where he worked as a resident in Mill
Creek. He followed that with a paramedic certification from Northwest
Medical in Vancouver, WA. After becoming a paramedic, Kevin received a BA in
Social Science from Washington State University. He and his wife Jennifer, a
high school teacher, are raising their two children together in Sequim.
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