Thursday, February 13, 2025
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Every community needs people willing to step into managing a municipality.  As the state capital, Olympia is even more entrenched in politics.  ThurstonTalk shares the stories outside the meeting room about people in politics in our community.

Check out our Government channel to learn more about what’s happening in the cities, Thurston County and Port of Olympia.

People in Politics

Wedding photo of Ernest Suko and Everlyn Mercer

People in Public Service: Ernest Suko, Mid-Century Olympia Teacher and Principal

Ernest Suko worked for the Olympia School District from 1927 to 1969. A man of many talents, he impacted countless students as a teacher,...

People in Public Service: Mabel Smith, Olympia Public Library’s First Professional Librarian

A library is incomplete without its librarians. Mabel Smith was the first professional librarian at the Olympia Public Library, now Olympia Timberland Library. Olympia Looks...

People in Public Service: Amy Rowley, Creator of The Mayday Foundation

A cancer diagnosis changes everything. Amy Rowley was 42 when she heard her diagnosis: invasive ductal carcinoma or more clearly, breast cancer. It was...

People in Public Service: Peter Epperson Helps Feed Our Community

It’s fun to have coffee with Peter Epperson, even if he doesn’t drink coffee. As if you were a good friend, he might catch...
Glass fronted building with the words, 'McLane Elementary School' on the front

People in Public Service: William McLane, Early Pioneer and Philanthropist of Olympia

Many people are familiar with the McLane Fire Department, McLane Nature Trail and McLane Elementary, but not everyone knows the story of William McLane,...

People in Public Service: Hazel Loomis, Olympia High School Librarian

The heart of a school is its library. For many years in the mid-20th century the Olympia High School library was led by Hazel...

People in Public Service: Who Was L.P. Brown Elementary School Named After?

Olympia’s L.P. Brown Elementary School, 2000 26th Avenue NW, is named for Leland Pennock Brown, a long-time Superintendent of Olympia School District. He left...
black and white photo of a desk covered in books and papers. A card catalog is next to it

People in Public Service: Louella Diven and the Washington State Traveling Library

At the turn of the century, public libraries were few and far between in Washington. Helping bring books to the most isolated parts of...

People in Public Service: Reverend Corey Passons Honored with 2024 Peacemaker Award

This year Reverend Corey Passons is the recipient of the Evan Farber Peacemaker Award by the Dispute Resolution Center of Thurston County. Corey’s dedication...
Amanda Montgomery kneeling on a stage giving a talk at a Church

People in Public Service: Amanda Montgomery Educates Our Community on the Realities of Human...

We want our children, all children, to be safe and protected. It’s hard for most of us to imagine that many children are human...

People in Public Service: Tumwater Fire Department Chief Brian Hurley and Assistant Chief Shawn...

Serving the public at large and people in times of crisis requires a support system as diverse as the community it serves and the...

People in Public Service: Edwin and Alice Twitmyer, Dedicated Educators

In the early 20th century, most American teachers were single women. But as Washington State left the decision to hire married women up to...
Antonette Benham headshot

People in Public Service: Antonette Benham, Medical Equipment Bank Manager

Antonette Benham has a long and strong history of serving the Thurston County community both in state government and now as manager of the...
Holly Johnson kneeling by a student who is working on a worksheet

People in Public Service: Holly Johnson, Tenino Teacher and ESD 113 Teacher of the...

Tenino Parkside Elementary School special education teacher Holly Johnson always wanted to be a teacher when she was growing up and now works with...

People in Public Service: Tumwater Middle School Teacher Tony Harris Keeps Science Fun

Teachers are often the adults in our lives that we remember fondly. Each one gives so much to future generations. The great ones know...
Deana Ready sitting her school bus driver's seat with a bright neon yellow jacket on

People in Public Service: North Thurston Public Schools Bus Driver Deana Ready

School bus driver Deana Ready rises at 3:30 a.m. and is prepared to navigate busy roads at early light. She greets the students on...
Shelley Kneip posing for a photo in front of an art piece.

People in Public Service: Shelley Kneip, League of Women Voters of Thurston County

Shelley Kneip of Lacey may be technically retired, but you would never guess that when you visit with her about her service on the...

People in Public Service: Olympia High School’s Eli Loomis

At the turn of the 20th century, teachers at Olympia High School wore many hats. Eli Loomis taught English and science, coached debate and...
Angela Jefferson headshot

People in Public Service: Angela Jefferson Tumwater City Council & Community Advocate

Serving the public is integral to Angela Jefferson’s past and fuels her future. The compassion she holds for people has been honed by her...

People in Public Service: Lee Wojnar, Action-Oriented Visionary

Lee Wojnar maintains his vision on community resilience with an eye to future generations. As president of the board of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation...

People in Public Service: 2023 Peacemaker Leadership Award Winner Anne Larsen

She has a vision for the people of the South Sound that uses conflict resolution centered around trust, collaboration and respect. Her dedication to...

People in Public Service: Mary Diven, Olympia High School Teacher

Over the years many people have taught at Olympia High School. One of these teachers was Mary Diven, who later went on to become...
Jalissa Jones standing with a group of other people after being awarded Teacher of the Year.

People in Public Service: Jalissa Jones Teacher of the Year

It was a total surprise to Jalissa Jones the day she learned she was Olympia School District’s Teacher of the Year. The impromptu meeting...
Maggie Bean in jeans a fire house shirt standing by a vintage fire truck

People in Public Service: Teacher and Fire Fighter Maggie Bean Inducted into Olympia High...

Olympia High School (OHS) alum Maggie Bean is the 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee at OHS, receiving the Great Respect of Winning Legends...
Newton Aiken, seen here in the 1945 issue of the Chinook yearbook

People in Public Service: Newton Jessie Aiken, Principal of Olympia High School

Newton Jessie Aiken played an important role in the story of Olympia education. Before his long-lasting career as an economics professor at Washington State...
Selena Rodocker in summer 2008 holding sunflowers in a field

People in Public Service: GRuB Farm Alum Selena Rodocker

Experiences during youth often have lifelong positive effects, and many find themselves returning to take on career roles in those special places. Selena Rodocker,...
Preston M Troy standing with his daughter Marion

People in Public Service: Preston Marion Troy, Olympia Attorney at Law

In turn-of-the-century Olympia, Preston Marion Troy was a lawyer and leading citizen. Although prominent during his lifetime, he has largely been forgotten nearly a...
Mary O’Neil, Olympia school teacher.

People in Public Service: Mary O’Neil was a Beloved Early Olympia School Teacher

The Olympia School District has a long history. Over the years many teachers have worked for the district. Mary A. O’Neil, an Irish immigrant,...
State Archivist Heather Hirotaka sitting at her desk

People in Public Service: New State Archivist Heather Hirotaka Invites You to Access Records...

New State Archivist Heather Hirotaka invites you to access the millions of records at the Washington State Archives and learn more about the state’s...
State Archivist Sid McAlpin, sitting at his desk in the 1970s

People in Public Service: Sid McAlpin, Longtime Washington State Archivist

On February 5, 2020 Washington lost Sidney (“Sid”) McAlpin, who had led the Washington State Archives as State Archivist from 1963 to 1994. Mike...
This picture from the 1917 commencement issue of the Olympia High School Yearbook shows the cast of 'Priscilla.'

People in Public Service: Gertrude Nelson and the Olympia School District

On April 21, 1918 people in Olympia gathered to celebrate the ongoing construction of the new Olympia High School building on what is now...

People in Public Service: Clark V. Savidge, Longtime Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands

October 13, 1926 was a long-awaited day. A large crowd gathered to watch the capstone being placed atop the Washington State’s capitol dome’s 47-foot-tall...
Punch McArthur in uniform in front of Tenino's new 1946 Ford police car.

People in Public Service: Punch McArthur, Tenino’s 1940s Marshal

Back in the days before the Tenino City Police, City Marshals in cooperation with the Sheriff’s Department kept order. The most remembered Marshal of...
E. R. Thoma (back row, center) and staff of Olympia High School in the 1913 Commencement issue of Olympia High School’s Olympus yearbook.

People in Public Service: Earl Raymond Thoma, Founder of Olympia High School’s Commercial Program

In the early 20th century, more students were enrolling in Olympia High School than ever before. Although most people never went to school past...
black and white photo of Washington State Library in the Basement of the Temple of Justice, 1954.

People in Public Service: Washington State Librarian J.M. Hitt

Every morning when Washington State Librarian J. M. Hitt sat down to his breakfast his faithful pet dog would bring him a copy of...
Corey Rux griffin fire department headshot

Person in Public Service: Griffin Fire Department Fire Chief Corey Rux Emphasizes Community First...

Though the capital of Washington, Olympia is still a small town at heart with pockets of tight-knit neighborhoods throughout the city. Within these close...
olympia history public service -Pearl-Wanamaker-Tacoma

People in Public Service: Washington’s ‘Fighting Lady’ Pearl A. Wanamaker, Superintendent of Public Instruction

In 1966 Tacoma Community College dedicated the Pearl A. Wanamaker Library. Its continuing mission is “to teach and promote information literacy, collect and provide...
people in public service-Cindy-Caturia-Food-Bank

Person in Public Service: Cindy Caturia Follows Her Lifelong Passion for Service as...

The holiday season often sparks feelings of gratitude for all that we have. From warm clothes to a roof over our heads, most of...
Brian-Windrope-Headshot

People in Public Service: Senior Services for South Sound Executive Director Brian Windrope Finds...

Senior citizens currently make up 17% of the population in Thurston County, which will increase to nearly 20% by 2040. As a growing demographic,...
People in public service Chris-Schaefer-Aidan

Person in Public Service: North Thurston Public Schools Audiologist Chris Schaefer Turns Passion into...

Many of us couldn’t imagine life without sound. Unfortunately, there are many children across the country that experience hearing difficulties or even full deafness....
Benjamin-McClelland-OHS-band-1912

People in Public Service: Benjamin McClelland Shaped Minds as an Early Olympia High School...

On November 16, 1927 Olympia High School students gathered to pay respects to long time teacher B.R. McClelland. After the student orchestra and trio...
Kelly-Poff-Wilson-Family

Person in Public Service: Olympia Elementary Teacher Kelly Poff Wesley Infuses Fun in Hands-on...

Teachers are some of the most influential people in our community. Their impact on our youth helps shape their future, and we are fortunate...
public service Judy-Jones-Full-Profile

Person in Public Service: Thurston County Food Bank Development Director Judy Jones Helps Find...

During the pandemic, our community experienced widespread lockdowns to help keep us safe and minimize the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, because of these changes,...
Olympia Chuck-Liska-WSU

People in Public Service: Tumwater Patrol Sergeant Chuck Liska Expresses Gratitude To Serve the...

There are many public servants that work hard every day to help keep our community safe. Chuck Liska is a police officer with the...
city of olympia Jay-Burney-City-Hall-Construction

Person in Public Service: Olympian Jay Burney Celebrates One Year as Olympia City Manager

Olympia is full of wonderful individuals seeking to create change and make our community a better place. City Manager Jay Burney is one such...
Taylor-Wolden-Student

People in Public Service: Fifth-Grade Teacher Taylor Wolden Expresses Joys and Challenges in Teaching...

Most of us look back fondly on our elementary school years. It was a time of wonder and curiosity where we discovered incredible things...
Kelly-Wilson-all kids win Granddaughter

People in Public Service: Kelly Wilson Makes a Difference for Homeless Youth With All...

Our community is just one of many that has seen a rise in homeless people. Among the many individuals we see forced to sleep...
Thurston County Firefighter-Patrick Harn Hendy

People in Public Service: Patrick Harn Celebrates 30 Years as a Firefighter with Lacey...

Thurston County is filled with exceptional people that choose to live their lives serving the community. The Lacey Fire Department has a dedicated and...

People in Public Service: West Thurston Regional Fire Authority

Preserving lives and property is always the focus for a fire department. The remarkable people at the West Thurston Regional Fire Authority (more casually...

People in Public Service: Tenino’s Cutter Copeland Brings Enthusiasm of Youth to City Council

At just 21-years-old, Tenino’s Cutter Copeland not only is a full-time college student and working two jobs, but he’s also now bringing his enthusiasm...

People in Public Service: Samuel Goodlove Cosgrove, Governor for a Day

On March 31, 1909 a sad procession left the Old State Capitol (now home to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) in downtown...

People in Public Service: Tanikka Watford Williams of The Moore Wright Group

With a vision to create communities where everyone can thrive, Tanikka Watford Williams executive director with The Moore Wright Group is a force of...

People in Public Service: Laura Currie Celebrates 53 years of Shaping Young Minds as...

There is no greater purpose than teaching the next generation. Teachers shape the future generations and that is a monumental task. Some teach for...

People in Public Service: Steven and Kathleen Drew

The best Christmas presents that Kathleen, chair of the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, and Steven Drew, Thurston County assessor, ever received happened decades...

People in Public Service: Greg Bert, 40 years of PE at Black Hills High

For many students their favorite class, outside of lunch, is probably PE. Physical education is a break from sitting quietly at a desk and...

People in Public Service: Micah McBride and Doug Martin Raise Money one Loop at...

This time of year we all feel like we’re running in circles. But for one local teacher, running in circles took 24 hours and...
Governor John Rogers

People in Public Service: Governor John Rogers

In the shadow of the Old State Capitol in downtown Olympia stands one of Olympia’s few historic statues. It is a monument to John Rogers, Washington State’s third...
Clara Van Etten

People in Public Service: Clara Patton Van Etten

In the summer of 1920, in an orphanage in Symnra, Turkey, hundreds of orphans and Armenian officials gathered to present Clara Van Etten, an...
Bucoda Town Councilman Steve Purcell

People in Public Service: Bucoda Town Councilman Steve Purcell

On first meeting Bucoda Town Councilman Steve Purcell, he might be wearing a top hat and a tuxedo with tails. When thus attired, he...
Belle Reeves bill signing

People in Public Service: Belle Reeves, Washington’s First Female Secretary of State

Women play an integral role in Washington state politics today, but that was not always the case. Although Washington women won the right to...
Ruby Swan Young

People in Public Service: Ruby Swan Young

The 1938 vote, taking place as the Great Depression was nearing its close, marked the election of the first female Thurston County Treasurer. Beginning...
Alyssa Compton Clark

People in Public Service: Alyssa Compton Clark

Say what you want about Millennials – do they vote or not? Could they live without their phones? Can they stay put at a...
Josephine Preston

People in Public Service: Josephine Corliss Preston

In 1912, just two years after women won the right to vote in Washington, the public voted in the first female statewide official. She...
Neil McClanahan Jay Inslee

People in Public Service: Neil McClanahan

Tumwater City Council member Neil McClanahan has never been homeless, yet for him the issue is personal. For over four decades as the undersheriff...
Pamela Case Hale

People in Public Service: Thurston County’s Four Female County School Superintendents

Prior to reforms in the mid-20th century, people in Washington elected county school superintendents who supervised schools in their areas. These officials acted as...
Sally Eke 1944

People in Public Service: Sally Eke

During World War II, American women joined the workforce in unprecedented numbers, entering into many traditionally male-dominated occupations. This proved true for Thurston County...
Marian Argo FaG

Marian Argo: Tumwater’s First Female City Council Member

Today, four women sit on the Tumwater City Council. Despite being among the oldest American communities in Washington State, Tumwater did not elect a...
Annie Gaston

Annie Gaston Sutcliffe: Thurston County’s First Female Auditor

Annie Gaston Sutcliffe was the first woman elected as auditor of Thurston County. A descendant of the famous African-American pioneer George Bush, she was...
Thomas Miller in legislature

People in Public Service: Thomas J. Miller

Thomas J. Miller's past, or at least the mystery of where he came from and what he had done, kept creeping back into his...
Mike Halliday

People in Public Service: Mike Halliday and His Service to Saint Martin’s University

At first glance, Mike Halliday is reticent in his demeanor with kind eyes and an even kinder smile. But after learning of his lifetime...
Mayor Amanda Smith

People in Public Service: Amanda Benek Smith, Olympia’s First Female Mayor

Olympia’s current mayor Cheryl Selby is the third woman to hold the office of mayor of Washington’s capital city. Holly Gadbaw was the second....
Dusty Pierpoint Lacey Police Cheif

People in Public Service: Lacey Police Chief Dusty Pierpoint Says Thanks for 33 Great...

Lacey police Chief Dusty Pierpoint has had a sterling career in law enforcement that has spanned 33 years. And while he remains humbled and...
Tim Braniff Headshot

People in Public Service: Undersheriff Tim Braniff, Continuously Putting Service over Self

It could be said that service and community is in Tim Braniff’s DNA. Braniff has dedicated the last 35 years of his life to...
Lacey District 3 Fire Chief Steve Brooks

Safe and Sound in Thurston County Thanks to Lacey Fire Chief Steve Brooks

Some people make the world a safer place…every single day. Among those is Lacey District 3 Fire Chief Steve Brooks who is making sure that...
Hutchings in Office

People in Public Service: John Hutchings

Upon meeting John Hutchings, it’s easy to classify him as an unforgettable character – one who loves public service, has a knack for eloquent...
Renata Rollins

People in Politics: Renata Rollins

Renata Rollins’ motivation to serve on the city council came from a desire to work towards connection and understanding in our community between people...
Senator Karen Fraser Trailblazer

People in Politics: Karen Fraser

In recognition of Karen Fraser’s decades of service and long list of accomplishments, the area’s Woodland Trail that runs through Lacey and Olympia was...

People in Politics: Wayne Fournier

Moments after stepping into Mayor Wayne Fournier’s office at Tenino City Hall, one notices that he is proudly unrolling blueprints for Tenino City Park’s...
scott clifthorne

People in Politics: Scott Clifthorne

Scott Clifthorne has education in his blood. As the proud son of a paraprofessional who has served for 32 years in the Highline School...
Bud Blake

People in Politics: Bud Blake

Walk around the Thurston County Court complex with Bud Blake, and you run into county staff members who are excited to chat with the...

People in Politics: Gary Warnock

Death is inevitable. While it is not something we talk about often, every community and every family will deal with it at some point....
JW Foster

People in Politics: Yelm’s Mayor JW Foster

As I meet up to interview Yelm's Mayor John Foster, or JW, as most people call him, I am surprised to see he is not...
cheryl selby

People in Politics: Cheryl Selby

Mayor Cheryl Selby has been a welcoming ambassador for the City of Olympia long before she held public office. I met Cheryl when I...
mayor pete kmet

People in Politics: Pete Kmet

Pete Kmet is the 42nd Mayor of Tumwater and a familiar face for decades in city government. Kmet recently retired from his full-time position...
tumwater city council

People in Politics: Nicole Hill

As the oldest permanent American settlement on the Puget Sound, the city of Tumwater has been a cornerstone of the region since the mid...
washington state senate page

People in Politics: El Wanda Bryant

In classrooms all over the country, teachers are working hard to engage their students in the process of government, teaching kids how a bill...
Miguel Perez-Gibson

People in Politics: Miguel Pérez-Gibson

Miguel Pérez-Gibson is truly a renaissance man. Recently retired from his role as legislative director for Governor Jay Inslee, Miguel is about as busy...

People in Politics: Kim Wyman

Washington’s Secretary of State, Kim Wyman has many duties. The most important of these is overseeing our elections. The Secretary of State is also...
jen waldref

People in Politics: Jen Waldref

Jen Waldref is a happy person. She surely has her moments, but in the time I have known her, she has been extremely proactive...
chris reykdal

People in Politics: Chris Reykdal

Thurston County is full of people who work hard every day to make the communities we live in great places to call home. One...
jessica bateman

People in Politics: Jessica Bateman

Thurston County is full of incredible people, all of whom help to make our area a place we are proud to call home. For...
jt wilcox

People in Politics: JT Wilcox

Perhaps the most unique source for voting information in last year's tumultuous election was Lancelot's Common-Sense Voting Guide. Who is Lancelot you may ask?...
sheriff snaza

People in Politics: Sheriff John Snaza

Thurston County Sheriff John Snaza is a beloved member of the law enforcement community and possibly one of Thurston County's most popular public officials. When...
foster parents

Foster Parents Barbara and Bill McGregor: A Labor of Love

Barbara and Bill McGregor of Olympia have been foster parents for over 35 years. When asked how many children have come through their doors,...
hometown property yelm

Hometown Property Management Opens Yelm Office

Andrew Barkis has had his eye on Yelm for a long time. In fact, his Hometown Property Management business has had clients in the...

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