Emily Clouse is a US army veteran and pro-Democracy candidate running for her second term on the Board of Thurston County Commissioners.

Emily is a proud alumna of North Thurston High School and the University of Washington Tacoma. Her public service began in the U.S. Army, where she served as a Military Intelligence Analyst. After completing her service, she returned home to Thurston County to manage two family businesses - gaining firsthand experience with the challenges facing local business owners and workers.

In 2021, she founded the Collaborative Association for Reintegration and Education (CARE), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting justice-impacted youth and families, improving pathways to successful reintegration.

Before taking office, Emily was a WFSE 443 member and supervisor for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services in the Office of Forensic Mental Health Services. That experience continues to inform her approach to public safety, behavioral health, and systems accountability.

As a Commissioner, Emily brings a steady, values-driven approach to governing - grounded in transparency, fiscal responsibility, and a commitment to working families. She believes local government should work for the people who live here, not special interests, and that long-term solutions require collaboration, data, and community trust.

Emily’s perspective on governance is simple: democracy survives when leaders choose transparency and civic access over convenience. When people can see decisions and participate in them, trust follows.