Marilyn Strickland

Marilyn Strickland
Name	Marilyn Strickland
Birth date	17 November 1962
Birth place	Seoul
Nationality	United States
Occupation	Politician, Businessperson
Party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Kenton Bretz
Alma mater	University of Washington, University of Washington School of Law

Marilyn Strickland is an American politician and business executive who has served as the U.S. Representative for Washington's 10th congressional district since 2021, after serving as the 38th mayor of Tacoma, Washington. She is the first member of Congress who is both African-American and Korean-American, and she previously led the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport advisory efforts and business organizations. Her career spans leadership in trade, economic development, municipal government, and international commerce.

Early life and education

Strickland was born in Seoul to a Korean mother and an African American father and was raised in Tacoma, Washington and the Seattle metropolitan area, attending Wilson High School before matriculating at the University of Washington, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and international studies, and later obtained a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law, while engaging with institutions such as the Japan-America Society, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and regional entities like the Port of Tacoma.

Business career and local politics

Strickland's private-sector roles included executive positions with the International Community Health Services, the Korean American Chamber of Commerce, and as president of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, where she worked with organizations including the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Washington State Department of Commerce to advance trade and small business initiatives, while forging partnerships with corporations like Boeing, Microsoft, and Starbucks and with civic institutions such as Goodwill Industries and the United Way.

Mayor of Tacoma

Elected mayor of Tacoma, Washington in 2010, Strickland presided over initiatives involving the Metro Parks Tacoma, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and collaborations with the Washington State Ferries and the Port of Tacoma to promote infrastructure, housing, and economic development, engaging with federal entities like the Department of Housing and Urban Development and regional actors such as the Sound Transit board and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce to attract investment and revitalize downtown Tacoma.

U.S. House of Representatives

Strickland ran for and won the open seat in Washington's 10th congressional district in 2020 and was sworn into the 117th United States Congress, later serving in the 118th United States Congress, joining committees that work with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, participating in caucuses including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the New Democrat Coalition, and interacting with national leaders from President Joe Biden to Cabinet officials in the Department of Commerce and Department of Transportation on legislative priorities.

Political positions and legislative initiatives

Strickland has emphasized priorities such as infrastructure investment, trade expansion, small business support, and manufacturing revitalization, sponsoring and supporting legislation connected to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, workforce programs tied to the Department of Labor, trade measures involving the United States Trade Representative, and initiatives addressing port competitiveness alongside partners like the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma, while aligning on issues with figures such as Senator Patty Murray, Representative Derek Kilmer, and policy groups including the Brookings Institution and the Economic Policy Institute.

Personal life and community involvement

Strickland lives in Tacoma, Washington with her husband, Kenton Bretz, and their two children, and has been active with community organizations such as the YWCA, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Institute, engaging with faith communities, veterans groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, educational institutions including University of Puget Sound, and cultural partners such as the Asia Pacific Cultural Center to support civic engagement and multicultural programming.

Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Washington Category:Mayors of Tacoma, Washington Category:University of Washington alumni Category:Asian American members of the United States Congress