9th Legislative District Position 2

Age: 55

Hometown: Manson, Iowa

Family: Married to Dr. Stephen Thew, raised our four children in Spokane County (one died in 2022).

Education:

Relevent or Volunteer Experience: No political experience. Relevant professional experiences include practicing as a board certified emergency physician for about 15 years, then teaching predominantly Health Policy and Law and Professionalism as a Lecturer-MPH for Eastern Washington University, and most recently serving as a staff attorney and the policy manager for the Washington Medical Commission. Relevant community service includes serving on the Board of NAMI-Spokane (supporting mental health in our community), Partners with Families and Children (protecting against child abuse), and as the Board Chair of St. George's School. Other recent volunteer experiences include serving as the Chair of the Spokane County Disaster Clinical Advisory Committee and Co-chair of the Crisis Standards of Care Regional Triage Team.

Candidates have been given a 100 words to answer each question and answers have not been edited.

Question 1: In recent years, state agencies have used purported habitat and wildlife concerns as a reason to implement new regulations on farmers and ranchers. Those regulations have impacted the livelihoods or rural residents. What would you do in the Legislature to protect farmers and ranchers while also preserving habitat and wildlife?

Farmers and rural workers deserve to live the American dream. As the grandchild of farmers and the child of a parent who worked as an animal nutritionist, I am aware of how difficult farming has become. I am also aware that living the dream as a farmer is not possible with polluted water, air, and soil. Thus, as an elected representative of Southeastern Washington, I will listen to the specific needs of farmers and be their voice in the Democratic caucus where frankly many decisions are being made that impact Southeastern Washington.

Question 2: In 2019, the Legislature passed the law that would become the Washington Cares Act. Since then, state residents have overwhelmingly called for it to be repealed and any related collected taxes refunded. Voters even gathered enough signatures to get its repeal on the Nov. 5 ballot as Initiative 2124. If elected, how would you address the long-term care tax and benefit issues?

Affording long-term care (LTC) is a complex and difficult issue. Those of us who have had a loved one receiving this care have likely witnessed, if not felt, the financial impacts. LTC is SO expensive. Yet, the reality is that few of us are getting LTC insurance or saving enough to afford LTC on our own. The result has led to significant financial strains which impact families in our district. As a legislator, I will help explore alternative options should Initiative 2124 pass, and I will explore seeking to amend the statute to allow for reasonable opt out options.

Question 3: The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Legislature have redefined Title IX rules to allow gender-dysphoric boys in female locker rooms and sports, and vice versa. As a lawmaker, what would you like to see done to simultaneously safeguard gender-dysphoric residents as well as Title IX protections for girls/women?

As a legislator, I will embrace legislation that supports updating bathrooms and locker rooms to provide gender-neutral stalls whenever possible. I recently attended a conference at a school that had mass gender-neutral bathrooms, with individual stalls and privacy measures that prevented looking above, under, or around the doors, and provided better privacy than most public restrooms I have used in my 55 years of life. Alternatives such as this may help to improve privacy for all individuals, while helping to protect the emotional health of those traumatized by current binary bathroom options, and I will support such advancement.