The Elected Leadership Group is made up of elected officials from various governments within Pierce County. They will determine the scope of the project by deciding which issues around homeless response they want to solve together. This group will guide the project by establishing the project’s guiding principles and vision. They will build consensus among themselves on recommendations from the Task Forces. And they will advocate for those recommendations in their jurisdictions so they can be implemented across the County.
The responsibilities of the Elected Leadership Group include active participation (no alternates are allowed), maintaining positive communication, representing their jurisdiction’s and their individual perspectives, acknowledging and addressing conflicts, serving as a conduit for information, leveraging resources and information, and advocating for recommendations in a collaborative manner. The Elected Leadership Group will meet four times in the Design Phase and attend the Implementation Phase Kick-Off in March 2026.
Guide process
Create Project Vision & Guiding Principles
Determine scope – problems to solve
Build consensus on actions among electeds and jurisdictions
Provide referrals for task forces recruitment, including government / agency staff
Bryan Yambe, Pierce County Councilmember
Jani Hitchen, Pierce County Council Chair
Jeff Southard, City of Edgewood Councilmember
Jeff Sproul, City of Orting Councilmember
Kim Roscoe, City of Fife Mayor
Lauren Adler, City of Puyallup Councilmember
Mary Barber, City of Gig Harbor Mayor
Melanie Grassi, City of University Place Councilmember
Mike Brandstetter, City of Lakewood Councilmember
Nancy Backus, City of Auburn Mayor
Naomi Wilson, City of Ruston Councilmember
Ryan Mello, Pierce County Executive
Sandesh Sadalge, City of Tacoma Councilmember
Sarah Rumbaugh, City of Tacoma Councilmember
Sylvia Miller, Puyallup Tribe Vice Chairwoman
Victoria Woodards, City of Tacoma Mayor