Meet Kaylee

Kaylee grew up in Sequim. Her parents are longtime teachers at Sequim High School, and four generations of her family live in the district. She was active in the community from a young age, representing Sequim as a princess in the Irrigation Festival and as a state wrestler during the 2010s. Today, she lives in Sequim with her husband, Matt, their daughter, Nora, and their dog, Maggie.

Kaylee attended The Evergreen State College in Olympia, earning her bachelor's degree in liberal arts with a focus on politics and social psychology. During college, she interned in the Washington State Senate and later returned to work in the legislature for two years as a session aide, gaining firsthand experience with the legislative process.

After earning her master's degree in education, Kaylee became a high school math, history, and government teacher. She also coached girls' wrestling and golf and served as an advisor for the Speech and Debate club, helping students build confidence, leadership skills, and a deeper understanding of civic engagement. She continues to support local education by serving on the Sequim Career and Technical Education advisory committee.

Kaylee later transitioned into communications work as an independent contractor while continuing her involvement in community advocacy. She works with The Building Bridges Project, a nonprofit focused on teaching civility and constructive dialogue to young people. She also advocates for the Association of Western Pulp & Paper Workers in Olympia in partnership with Pacific Northwest Regional Strategies. She is serving this summer as a state delegate to the Washington State Democratic Convention, where delegates will help shape the party platform and priorities.

Kaylee met her husband, Matt, while they were both working at the Washington State Capitol for different state senators. They were married in the legislative building in 2023. Matt is a former prosecuting attorney and now serves as an Assistant Attorney General in Clallam and Jefferson counties.

Kaylee enjoys spending time with her family and friends and feels grateful to be raising her family in the place she has always called home.

Platform

improving our healthcare System

tackling affordability

ensuring quality education for all

supporting the seniors in our community

pro-choice. pro-families.

addressing the mental health & substance abuse crisis

Protecting our environment with trade industries & workers in mind

Many of us are feeling the pressure of rising costs, from housing and utilities to groceries and childcare. I will deliver practical solutions at the state level that help people afford to live and work in our communities. This means prioritizing funding essential projects and programs while keeping as much money in the pockets of the taxpayers as possible.

I will ensure any updates to our state’s tax structure is thoughtful and balanced so as to ease the burden on working families and the middle class. Smart budgeting and long-term planning are key to keeping costs manageable for both households and small businesses.

Despite being one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world, the United States consistently spends the most on healthcare and gets the worst health outcomes.

As a former teacher and daughter of career-long educators, I believe that every child in Washington deserves access to high-quality, fully-funded public education, just as the state constitution guarantees. Every student is different, and success doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some students thrive in a traditional classroom, some in hands-on learning, and some in the workforce or trades. Our job at the state level is to respect those differences and make sure every student has a real path forward, whether that’s college, an apprenticeship, technical training, or going straight into a career.

What actually helps students thrive is having smaller class sizes, especially in the early grades. Research consistently shows that the students in classes of around 15-18 perform better academically and behaviorally than those in larger class sizes. Students also do better when schools have enough counselors, nurses, and support staff so teachers aren’t trying to do five jobs at once.

Teachers thrive under those same conditions. When they have manageable class sizes, protected planning time, and support from administrators, burnout drops and teacher retention improves. States that have stronger support systems in place for their educators see lower staff turnover and more consistent learning for students. If we want stable schools and better outcomes, we need to focus less on mandates and more on giving classrooms the conditions they need to succeed.

At the state level, I will focus on securing funding for education. I will highlight the importance of career and technical (CTE) education, partnerships with local industries, and pathways that connect students to jobs. My mom teaches CTE in Sequim and advises students through Work-Based Learning, in which they can earn credit for the work they do in their jobs.

When education provides students with real-world opportunities, students are well-supported, and teachers are trusted to do their jobs, everyone benefits.

Mental health and substance use issues touch nearly every family, whether we talk about them openly or not. Far too often, people try to handle things on their own until they’re overwhelmed, and by the time they can get help, the situation has already become a crisis. The gaps in our system make it harder for people to get support when it would help the most. People face long wait times, limited local providers, and services that don’t connect to each other.

In Olympia, I will focus on making care easier to access and more consistent. That means investing in local treatment options when possible, strengthening crisis response through better trainings, and supporting the school teachers, counselors and healthcare providers who are often the first point of contact.

Protecting the environment and protecting family-wage jobs should go hand in hand. Washington’s farm, forest, and trade industries already operate under some of the strongest environmental standards in the country, and those union and family-wage jobs are essential to our communities. Our goal at the state level should be focusing on thoughtful, nuanced solutions that protect our natural resources while keeping good jobs here at home and supporting our workers.

Honoring Service & Ensuring public Safety

Our communities rely on people who dedicate their lives to service, whether in the military, law enforcement, or firefighting. Members  of my family served our country in the military, both in the Marines and the Navy. Their commitment has instilled in me the importance of honoring our veterans and ensuring they have the support they need when they return home.

People deserve to age with dignity, security, and independence. My grandparents live in Sequim, and I have seen the effects that rising property taxes and the lack of easily accessible home health care has had on them. I will work to ensure that seniors can afford housing, healthcare, and basic necessities. This includes working with our federal partners to protect Social Security and Medicare and access to in-home care, long-term care services, and caregiver support at the state level.

Healthcare decisions around pregnancy and reproduction are deeply personal. Washington State has recognized the importance of protecting privacy and access to care for a long time, and I am committed to maintaining those protections.

Supporting families means looking beyond a single moment and addressing the practical realities of raising children. Access to childcare, prenatal and postpartum care, and family leave policies help parents like myself and my husband stay in the workforce while meeting our family’s needs.

Pro-choice and pro-family are inseparable. When we protect reproductive freedom and support families, we create a place where people can decide if and when to have children, and feel confident they will be supported every step of the way.

Washington has made progress expanding access to coverage, but too many people still struggle with high premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. At the state level, we should build on existing programs to make healthcare more affordable, accessible, and transparent, especially for working families and seniors.

I will address shortages in the workforce that strain our healthcare system, particularly at Jefferson and OMC. I believe in supporting nurses, caregivers, and other healthcare workers through fair wages, safe staffing levels, and improved working conditions.

A healthier Washington is one where people can get the care they need, when they need it, without fear of financial ruin.

Law enforcement officers work hard every day to keep our neighborhoods safe. They deserve respect, proper funding, and ongoing training that strengthens practices, transparency, and accountability. Bad actors must be held accountable, but the majority of officers who protect our communities and serve with integrity should be valued and recognized for their work.

At the state level, we should work together with the agencies that protect our people to ensure the highest standard of public safety and service to our communities. If possible, I would love to see programs like CARES in Port Townsend by the East Jefferson Fire Rescue available across the state. The CARES team is an alternate response program that staffs an EMT and a prevention specialist to respond to non-emergency situations in the community.

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