Letter to Editor | Katherine Bryant-Ingman brings experience and a fresh perspective

||| FROM SCOTT SLUIS |||

When I heard that Katherine Bryant-Ingman was running for San Juan County Council I was so elated that I immediately reached out to see how I could help get the word out in support of her candidacy.

I met Katherine in 2019 at the Leadership San Juan Islands program that hosts leaders from the business, government and non-profit sectors. The program provides attendees with a view of our county from behind the scenes. I was still new to the island when I joined the program, and when the group of roughly 15 people were in a room getting to know each other, I was immediately drawn to Katherine. She was young and full of great energy and wit, but to add to her amazing warm personality was this super smart and informed person well beyond her years. Usually, they compare age against experience, however in this case, you get both – a younger person’s perspective along with years of experience in leadership and solving big problems.

Katherine has formed some very critical relationships with the Town of Friday Harbor, SJ County and WA State governmental leaders, as well as business and non-profit leaders which is important for the role she is running for. Katherine helped secure a new health care provider for Lopez Island, worked with other fellow leaders on the Washington State Ferries Scheduling Committee, co-founded and manages the Lopez Food Share program, and is very invested and working on affordable housing issues for Lopez Island.

Currently, Katherine is the Senior Manager for the Washington Women’s Foundation where she manages budgets and builds relationships with the communities they serve. All this experience plus her fresh perspective on the county is why she is absolutely the best option for the open seat in District 3.

As I have accompanied Katherine on visits to meet her constituents, I am repeatedly impressed with her listening skills, she isn’t interested in imposing her ideas solely but wants to know what the needs of the people in the county are. Katherine is truly invested in this candidacy and wants to help the county.

One of the many things that stood out to me at the League of Women Voters candidate forum on San Juan Island is that the last question asked what a successful term would look like, and while the other candidate focused a “me” response, Katherine’s was a “we” and a “us” statement and that is critical to representing the county. It’s not how well you did but how well the people of the county did and she said that very thing.

Vote for Katherine Bryant-Ingman District 3 Seat for San Juan County Council.