I’m running for Thurston County Clerk because our community deserves a Clerk’s Office that is accessible, accountable, and reliably available to the people it serves.

The Clerk’s Office is the public’s front door to our courts. People turn to it during some of the most important and difficult moments of their lives—seeking a protection order, filing a family-law case, responding to a court action, or trying to understand a complicated legal process. They deserve an office that is welcoming, responsive, and centered on service.

After months without public counter service, limited in-person access has begun returning. That is an important step, but our work cannot stop there. People should be able to count on consistent, full-time access to the Clerk’s Office when they need help. Achieving that will require experienced leadership prepared to evaluate what is working, address what is not, and guide the office through meaningful change.

The County Clerk is not simply a technical position. The Clerk is an elected executive responsible for setting policy, managing public resources, hiring and supervising employees, supporting and training staff, working with unions and court partners, modernizing systems, and creating a workplace where people can succeed.

I bring nearly 30 years of public-service experience leading people, developing policy, improving programs, training and supporting staff, and navigating complex public systems. I understand how decisions made at the leadership level affect both employees and the people who depend on government services. I also understand that meaningful change requires listening—to staff, court partners, attorneys, advocates, and, most importantly, the public.

Experience performing the day-to-day work of an office has value. But familiarity with existing procedures is not the same as experience leading an organization. The next Clerk will be responsible for building and supporting a strong team, managing change, and ensuring the office can meet the needs of the public now and into the future.

As Clerk, I will work toward reliable, full-time in-person access, strengthen customer service, improve transparency and efficiency, and ensure every person is treated with dignity and respect. I will lead an office that listens, solves problems, and takes responsibility for results.

Thurston County has begun restoring in-person service. Now we need to make that access dependable and build an office that works better for the people who rely on it.

I’m ready to lead that work.