Senator Jeanne
Kohl-Welles
36th District  Seattle

Official Senate Biography

Democrat: Term expires January, 2007.

Elective Office: Senate, 1994 to present; House of Representatives, 1992-1994; Majority Whip, 1993-94.

Special Committees/Assignments: Present: Member, Joint Legislative Task Force on Gambling; Member, Washington State Liquor Control Board's Three-Tier Review Task Force; Member, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education; Chair, Joint Legislative Systems Committee; Member, Joint Task Force on Criminal Background Check Processes; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee; Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Education Technology Advisory Committee; K-20 Network Board; Governor's Fire Protection Task Force; Children's Legislative Oversight Committee; Public Stadium Authority Advisory Committee; Child Care Coordinating Committee; member, National CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Association Professional Advisory Board;  Former: Sentencing Guidelines Commission; Governor's Task Force on Higher Education; LEAP (Legislative Evaluation Accountability Program);

Recognition/Affiliations: Anchor Award, Washington Credit Union League (2005); Good Deeds Recognition, Washington Conservation Voters (2004); Marching toward Equity Award, Washington Federation of Teachers (2001), Humane Hero Award, PAWS (2001); National Education for Women's Leadership Program (NEW Leadership) Honorary Advisory Board, Washington State University; Award for Outstanding Service & Advocacy on Behalf of Women in Washington State (Colleges Women's Programs Council (2001)); Legislator of the Year, Washington Student Lobby (1999); Child Care Champion, Child Care Works of Washington (1998); Washington Defenders Association and Washington Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys Advocate of the Year (1995, 1996); Woman of Achievement Award, Business and Professional Women -- Washington State (1995); YouthCare Advocate of the Year (1995).

Education: Ph.D, Sociology of Education, UCLA; M.A., Sociology, UCLA; B.A., M.A., Education, California State University, Northridge.

Professional Legislative Associations: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): Host Committee and Treasurer of the Corporation for the 2005 NCSL Annual Meeting in Seattle; NCSL Executive Committee (2002-present); NCSL Executive Committee Program Planning Subcommittee (2002-present); NCSL Foundation Board (2003-present); Women's Legislative Network Board Immediate Past President (2003-present), President (2002-03), Vice President (2001-02), Board Member (1997-present); NCSL-U.S. Department of State Women's Legislative Exchange Program with Brazil (2001 in Brazil, 2002 in U.S.); NCSL Education, Labor, Workforce Development Committee (vice chair, 2001-02); ASI Education Committee (vice chair, 2000-01); NCSL Human Services Committee. University of Washington Center for Women & Democracy board member (2005-07) and Delegation Leader to Sweden and Baltics (2003); Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University – Senior Executives in State and Local Government; Fannie Mae Foundation Fellowship (2001); Center for Policy Alternatives: Flemming Fellow (1999), Western Policy Leaders Forum Advisory Committee (1996-2000), Eleanor Roosevelt Global Leadership Fellow (2002 Legislative Exchange with Chile) and Advisory Committee (2000-03), Work and Family Leadership Advisory Committee (1998-2001). Center for Women Policy Studies – Policy Council; Foreign Policy Institute Fellow; Japan Society/Center for Policy Alternatives – U.S.-Japan Exchange on Women in Public Policy (2000); Washington State Humanitarian Delegation to Cuba (2001).

Professional Employment and Activities: Present: Lecturer, University of Washington (Sociology, Education, Women Studies); researcher, author, consultant, expert witness. Former: Assistant Professor, Pacific Lutheran University; Assistant Dean of Students, Coordinator of Women's Programs, University of California, Irvine; Program Manager, Project Equity (Desegregation Assistance Center, Region IX, U.S. Department of Education); Lecturer, California State University, Long Beach and Fullerton; University of California, Irvine; Chapman College; Los Angeles Community College District; Teacher, Los Angeles Unified School District.

Community Involvement: Present: member of the Board of Transportation Choices Coalition; member of Washington State Legislature's NCSL Host Committee for 2005 Seattle Annual Meeting; Seattle Girls' School Advisory Board Member; Rainier Institute, Board of Directors; Reinvesting in Youth Steering Committee; YouthCare Advisory Board; Smart Tools Academy Advisory Board; University of Washington Rural Girls in Science Advisory Board; Nutrition Education Network of Washington, Steering Committee member; Greenwood Senior Center Advisory Board; Queen Anne Helpline Board; Bayview Manor Board; University of Washington Women's Center Community Advisory Board; Friends of Discovery Park; Groundswell; Queen Anne Historical Society; Mothers Against Violence in America; Washington CeaseFire; People for Puget Sound; Mountaineers Club; American Association of University Women; Legislative Committee member, Washington State Coalition for Homeless Youth Task Force. Former: Commentator, KPLU-FM (NPR affiliate); Committee for Children Board; Queen Anne Community Council Board; Washington Women United Board; Bus Barn Shelter Oversight Committee; Aloha Inn Transitional Housing Advisory Committee; King County Council Task Force on Responsible Gun Ownership; Kingdome Renovation Task Force; Stop Youth Violence Advisory Committee; Woodland Park Zoo Commission; Puget Sound Educational Service District Postsecondary Education Task Force.

Personal: Married to Alex Welles; mother of five children; resides on Queen Anne Hill.

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