Staff

The week of January 29th, Governor Inslee appointed Sheri Sawyer (she/her) as Acting Director of the Washington State LGBTQ Commission. Sheri currently serves as Deputy Director of Policy & Outreach for the Governor’s Office. She has been a friend and supporter of the LGBTQ Commission since day one and continues to advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA community from her role in the Governor’s team.

Sheri joined the Governor’s team in 2016 as senior policy advisor for general government. In this capacity, she works on a varied number of issues that range from information technology to open government, contracting and procurement, and cannabis, alcohol, gambling, and lottery. Sheri will serve as Acting Director for the coming months, until the appointment of a permanent Executive Director. This process can take between two and three months.

“I am very excited to receive the appointment of acting director! I have long respected all that the Commission does to help ensure equal opportunity for all Washingtonians,” said incoming active director Sheri Sawyer. “During my time in Governor Inslee’s office, I observed firsthand the Commission and staff’s enthusiastic commitment to the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community. While the search for a permanent director is underway, I look forward to collaborating with you as we consider ways advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ equity in all aspects of state government. Please reach out at any time!” You can reach Sheri at sheri.sawyer@lgbtq.wa.gov.

The staff of the LGBTQ Commission is incredibly excited to welcome Sheri to the team and continue to work for equity for 2SLGBTQIA+ Washingtonians. Sheri’s acting role will start on Thursday, February 1^st, 2024. 

Sawyer Tuttle, they/them, graduated from Washington State University Vancouver in 2023 with a major in Anthropology and a minor in Political Science. Their first introduction to state government was as a legislative intern during the 2023 legislative session, where they focused and worked on LGBTQ policies and bills. They started their role with the Washington LGBTQ Commission in August 2023 and are excited to continue their work in state government in this role. Outside of work, they enjoy running and hiking, board and video games, live music and spending time with their partner, Ally, and their two cats. 

Tova Mertz, an incoming senior at the University of Puget Sound, is majoring in Gender and Queer studies with a minor in Applied Music Studies. Thanks to a grant program through UPS, she will be joining the staff as an intern through the beginning of August. Tova has always been passionate about queer issues and politics and is thrilled to have the opportunity to intern with the commission. In her free time, Tova works at the campus library, enjoys arts and crafts, and plays in a band with fellow UPS students.

“We are so excited to welcome Tova to the team for the summer,” said Commission Executive Assistant Sawyer Tuttle. “Tova brings a lot of great experience with social media, advertising, and digital editing. We can’t wait for you all to see articles and social media posts written by Tova in the future”.

When asked about what they are most excited for in their role, they said “I am thrilled to learn more about working in government and what that experience entails, especially the idea of being able to contribute to positive change regarding queer issues. As a Gender and Queer Studies major, I have a nuanced understanding of queer issues and am eager to apply that knowledge to this internship. I haven’t had many jobs in this kind of professional setting, so I am also looking forward to gaining insight into this type of work and determining if it is a career path I want to pursue after graduation!”

The WA State LGBTQ Commission looks forward to working with Tova to serve our communities in the state.

Samuel Fennell (he/him) is a dedicated advocate and trainer. Originally from Henderson, Nevada, he lived in Oregon and New Hampshire before finding his home in Olympia. Sam’s initial involvement in LGBTQ+ activism began during his undergraduate years where he was the Coordinator for Western Oregon Universities LGBTQ resource hub, the Stonewall Center, and discovered joy and delight participating in the annual Drag Show. Sam received an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Western Oregon University, then studied Business Administration at Northeastern University, and will graduate with a Master’s in Public Administration from The Evergreen State College in 2024.

Sam most recently served as the Trans & Queer Initiatives Coordinator for the BIPOC & LGBTQ+ Intersectional Support Services office at The Evergreen State College. He is passionate about transformative justice, equal access for all, and ensuring our communities are places where all queer people can thrive. Sam can often be found on the Sound, snowboarding down a mountain, or playing board games with his wife and friends.