Gov. Jay Inslee recently appointed Jesse Johnson to the Highline College Board of Trustees.

Johnson will be the fourth new trustee since John R. Mosby became president in July 2018 at the Des Moines college. He fills former Board of Trustee member Dan Altmayer’s position.

“Jesse Johnson is a proven community leader with experience as an elected official at the state and local levels and a passion for education,” Mosby said. “He grew up in Federal Way and has served the community in many capacities. He’s keenly aware of the educational needs and interests of community members and the demands in the local workforce. He is joining our Board of Trustees at a critical time as Highline launches our new strategic plan and focuses on building enrollment.”

Johnson is completing a term as state representative for the 30th Legislative District. In this elected position, he passed a number of key policies around youth workforce planning and development, mental health access and juvenile justice reform. He also brought first ever funding to create a pre apprenticeship program in construction and general contracting at his alma mater Federal Way High School and helped support the building of Maritime High School in Highline Public Schools.

Johnson previously was on the Federal Way City Council, when at age 27, he was the youngest official elected in the city’s history. In Federal Way, he started a youth internship program called “Emerging Leaders” and led efforts to pass an ‘apprenticeship utilization’ ordinance that mandates apprentices to be given job opportunities on city capital projects. Johnson has shared in his published biography that his values are rooted in equity, inclusion and social justice and he has a passion for education and youth development.