OLYMPIA—State Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-Tacoma) was sworn into office on Saturday, January 7th by Chief Justice Steve González of the Washington Supreme Court in Olympia.
Mena represents the 29th Legislative District which includes Parkland, South Tacoma, and parts of Lakewood, Frederickson, and Spanaway. She was sworn in two days before the majority of freshmen members to serve out the remainder of her predecessor Rep. Steve Kirby’s term.
During the 2023 legislative session, Mena will serve on the State Government & Tribal Relations, Environment & Energy, and Transportation committees.
“As the child of Mexican immigrants and the first person in my family to go to college, I am focused on pursuing policies that will empower working families to prosper,” said Mena. “I am excited to get down to Olympia and get to work building a Washington that works for everyone.”
Prior to joining the Legislature, Mena worked at the Washington State Department of Ecology. Previously she has worked for Washington Governor Jay Inslee and in the US House of Representatives and the Washington State Senate. She is a Board Member of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council and was appointed by Inslee to serve on the Governor’s Pandemic After Action Review Task Force as a representative of the immigrant community.
The Washington Legislature begins the 2023 legislative session on Monday, January 9th.
