Thurston County Commissioner Carolina Mejia, District 1

Carolina Mejia was born in Progreso, Honduras. She is the daughter to a Medical Doctor and a nonprofit advocate and educator. Throughout her life, Carolina's parents have demonstrated the importance of caring and advocating for disadvantaged community members. At the age of 11 years old, her family moved to a small rural community in Shelbyville, Tennessee.  

In 2013, Carolina graduated from Christian Brothers University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in Pre-Law.  Shortly after graduating, she permanently relocated to Washington State to continue her post-secondary education.

While attending law school, Carolina worked at Bean, Porter, Hawkins LLC, a law firm that specialized in immigration and personal injury. During her tenure at the law firm, she worked closely with clients, their families, and community partners as a law clerk.  After her promotion from law clerk to office manager, Carolina assisted in changes that brought the law firm's budget deficit to a surplus of revenue.  Since 2015, Carolina has been a Judicial Assistant with Thurston County Superior Court.

Like in the past, Carolina took to volunteering and advocacy in her new community here in the PNW. While her community changed from place to place over the years, Carolina has remained committed to serving diverse and underprivileged communities.

Carolina's education, personal experiences, and professional background have taught her valuable lessons that are instrumental in guiding her work. She has a strong desire to serve our community and enhance its richness and diversity. 

In 2021, Carolina was elected to the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners. She was elected Chair in 2022 and continues to serve as the Chair in 2023. She is also a member of the Board of Health.

Carolina represents Thurston County on the following regional Boards and Committees:

• Canvassing Board

• DES Community Officials Roundtable

• Finance Committee

• Intercity Transit

• Law Library Board

• Mayor’s Forum

• Olympic Regional Clean Air Authority

• Pacific Mountain Consortium

• Thurston Thrives Elected Officials Council

• Tourism Promotion Area

• Transportation Policy Board

• Washington State Association of Counties Legislative Steering Committee

• Emergency Food & Shelter Program

• County Road Administration Board

• Solid Waste Advisory Committee

• Regional Housing Council

   

J.P. Anderson

Chief Executive Officer for CHOICE Regional Health Network and the Cascade Pacific Action Alliance

His background includes direct service and leadership positions in Community Behavioral Health, Therapeutic Courts, Public Health and Social Services. The Cascade Pacific Action Alliance is the Accountable Community of Health for Central Western Washington and leads Medicaid Transformation efforts in Thurston, Mason, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Wahkiakum Counties.

Cheryl R. Brown

Executive Director of Grays Harbor Youth Works

Been involved with GHYW since 2015 when daughter participated and found her career pathway. Cheryl has strong leadership, networking, and financial skills. Main skill sets achieved from having a home-based business, working in government, automotive, metal recycling, restaurants, and factoring businesses, with a strong emphasis on training. Currently an Ambassador of Greater Grays Harbor Inc., Board member of the Nonprofit Leaders Conference, Treasurer for the Copalis Community Church and Foodbank, and Women’s ministry leader.

Moriah Candler

Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington

She has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Walla Walla University and has worked in non-profit sectors of youth camping and youth mentoring for 12 years. She is passionate about empowering youth to discover and reach their goals! In her free time, she enjoys gardening, and spending time with her horses and dogs.

Meagan Darrow

Executive Director at TOGETHER!

Meagan has an undergraduate degree in Public Health & Master’s in Public Administration. For the past 11 years, Meagan has served at non-profit organization TOGETHER! first in direct service, then as Deputy Director and now the Executive Director. Meagan is passionate about transformation in the systems of care for children, youth and families. Which looks like deep collaboration between communities, organizations, schools and systems of care. She has two kids 11 & 13 and loves to quilt, read, ski & camp.

Sara Ellsworth

Regional Administrator for Behavioral Health and Integrated Student Support at Capital Region ESD 113’s True North Student Assistance & Treatment Services

Sara has worked directly with children and youth in various capacities for 18 years, including providing direct services for both mental health and substance use disorders, juvenile justice, family wrap-around and care coordination. She has been a Licensed Mental Health Clinician since 2006 and a Substance Use Disorder Professional since 2009. As Regional Administrator Sara is instrumental in supporting the ESD in achieving its mission of providing high-quality, cost-effective school-based services. Sara is fluent in implementing Student Assistance within a multi-tiered system of support framework. Sara holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Denver and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Gonzaga University. Sara lives in Olympia, WA with her husband and three sons.

Carrie Mayeux

Clinical Program Director of the Transitional Age Youth (TAY) program at Community Youth Services in Mason and Thurston Counties

Her program offers intensive co-occurring mental health counseling, including Wraparound with Intensive Services. TAY uses a treatment team approach. We support youth and families in creating their own success stories by partnering to increase natural and professional supports, getting everyone on the same page, and creating an action plan to meet the youth and family's goals.

Our Therapists create treatment plans with achievable goals, aimed at stability. Care Coordinators help youth navigate needs and work towards youth inspired outcomes. Care Coordinators also facilitate team partnering with the youth’s family, school, probation or parole officers, social workers, community members, and natural supports. Certified Peer Counselors hired as Youth or Family Peer Specialists offer peer counseling from their own lived experience. This offers hope in recovery, including increased natural supports and empowerment. Carrie and her team focus on collective ethics and care to ensure the best possible treatment implementation with the communities they serve.

Samantha Mitchell

Child Forensic Interviewer for Lewis County and has worked with children experiencing exploitation and abuse since 2011

After graduating from WF. West, in 2000, served in the United States Marine Corps as a jumpmaster and water survival instructor. When returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom, she moved back home to Lewis County. She received her bachelor’s degree in strategic communications from Seattle University, her paralegal certificate from the University of Washington, and her MBA in organizational development from Liberty University. She also runs a business as a Guardian ad Litem for Lewis County, representing children in Court. She has been a child forensic interviewer for nine years, a Guardian ad Litem for twelve years, and a senior paralegal for fourteen years. She has specialized training in forensically interviewing children with disabilities and vulnerable adults, victims of online exploitation, and child sex trafficking, and since 2015 has focused on bringing child safety prevention education to her community in a meaningful way with a local focus. Samantha is a 5th-generation Lewis County community member and has dedicated her career to making it a safer place for our children. When she is not working two jobs and going to school, she spends her time riding horses in the mountains with her husband and chasing a very active fourteen-year-old son around to sports and other adventures.

Betsy Storey

Public Services Specialist at Timberland Regional Library

She has worked at the Olympia and West Olympia Timberland Library for 5 years. Betsy is committed to offering a wide range of accessible and diverse frontline public services. She is part of a team focused on growing Timberland Regional Library's programs, outreach, and services to the Spanish speaking and Latinx community. This includes, but not limited to, serving on the board of the Hispanic Roundtable, organizing on the Latinx Youth Summit and co-facilitating Bilingual Storytimes. In her free time she enjoys relaxing with her family, long walks with her English Bulldog, and reading of course.

Shelly Willis

co-founder and Executive Director of Family Education and Support Services (FESS)

Her education includes certification in Early Childhood Education, Social work and Non Profit Leadership (GO HUSKYS). In addition to working for the non-profit agency Shelly has served as an adjunct professor for South Puget Sound Community College and provided a wide array of parent education and training programs. In 2021 she was honored by the Dispute Resolution Center with the Peacemaker Award. She serves on the Washington State Kinship Legislative Oversite Committee, as a Rotarian, and a member of the Zonta Club of Olympia. She is a parent, Kinship Caregiver, and Foster parent. Shelly has been married to her high-school sweet heart for 40 years.