Richard Nafziger worked as an economist in public policy for nearly 35 years.  His public service positions include Executive Director for Partnerships and Economic Development for Seattle Community Colleges, the Chief of Staff for the State Senate Democrats, Chief Clerk of the Washington House of Representatives, policy advisor to Governors Gardner and Locke, Director of Workforce Training for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and Chair of the State Workforce Training Education and Coordination Board. He has also served as Research Director for the Service Employees International Union and Americans for Indian Opportunity in Washington D.C.  He was Senior Associate with Tanzer Economics in New York City, working on international petroleum and minerals issues. Rich was elected twice to the Olympia School Board and served as board chair.   Rich serves on the board of the Seattle Jobs Initiative, Port Jobs, the Drop Out Retrieval Advisory Group, and Skill-up Washington. He is married to Kristin Swenddal and has two children; Tess a graduate of Evergreen State College and Mia, a student at Western Washington University.