Why I’m Running

We’re facing a climate and wildfire crisis and we need a Commissioner of Public Lands who will take action to lead the state beyond responding to the crisis, to getting ahead of it.

Washington needs a lands commissioner who knows how to manage the state’s wildfire fighting force and lead the Department of Natural Resources in stewarding the nearly 6 million acres of working forests, conservation lands, sagelands, farmlands, coastal waters and rivers held in trust for the citizens of our state.

I have over 30 years of hands-on experience as a wildland firefighter, forester and restoration ecologist who has worked across the state – and I’ve spent over a decade of my career at the DNR, so I know how the agency works. I can lead Washington into a future where we’re not breathing smoke all summer and we have healthy forests, rivers and bays for generations to come.

As commissioner, I will continue the exceptional progress the DNR has made under Commissioner Hilary Franz, building one of the country’s best prepared wildland firefighting forces, responding to wildfires as soon as they start to protect our lands and communities. With the investment made in increasing our capacity to respond to wildfire with aircraft, fire engines and heavy equipment, we must now focus our resources on getting ahead of the wildfire crisis by addressing the source of the problem and restoring the health of our forests and sagelands so that they are naturally resilient to wildfire, investing in communities to become better protected from wildfire, and implementing recovery after wildfires.

But the DNR cannot lead the state in getting ahead of the climate and wildfire crisis alone. We must all work together and I will continue to build upon my history of collaboration with Washington’s sovereign Tribal Nations, federal agencies, state and local governments, community-based organizations, private landowners, industry, and the public to achieve this shared priority. As YOUR commissioner, it will be my top priority to listen and learn from the different voices that make our state strong. And, I will be responsive to the needs of ALL Washingtonians, ensuring the benefits of our public lands are enjoyed equitably - by ALL.