At 27, Jared Mead represents the 44th Legislative District, which includes Mill Creek, where he grew up. Mead graduated in 2014 with a degree in Global Studies, and he credits UW Bothell and IAS faculty member Bruce Kochis for his introduction to Olympia. At Kochis’ urging, Mead applied for a legislative internship in Olympia, which opened up the possibility of working in state government. “Five years ago, I was an intern. Five years later, I’m a state representative,” he said. “You can do that if you want to.” Read about Mead’s path to Olympia.