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.

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. 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.