Ruth Kagi

Ruth Kagi, who was first elected in 1998, represented the 32nd Legislative District in Washington State which includes Shoreline, Lynnwood, and parts of Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Seattle. She was a pioneer in educating the legislature and the public about the critical importance of early childhood development.

Ruth chaired the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee from 2002-2018. She sponsored the Early Start Act, which created quality standards for child care and pre-school and funded robust supports for providers to improve quality. She was the primary architect of the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families which merged early learning, child welfare and juvenile justice administrations, enabling the state to focus on integrated strategies to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families.