Left to right: 1st Vice-Chair Sharon White, Treasurer Ed Smethers, State Committeewoman Judy Guenther, Chair Bob Guenther, 2nd Vice-Chair Ellen Brock. (Not pictured: State Committeeman Bill Little and Secretary Jan Leth)

Executive Board Officers l Precinct Committee Officers

Bob Guenther, Chair, was born and raised in Lewis County. After completing vocational school and fulfilling his military obligation, Bob worked as a Machinist in the Seattle-Tacoma Area. Bob married into a large Lewis County family, moved back here in 1971 and has been working at the Centralia Power Plant. He and Judy raised two children, sent them off to college and now have an expanded family that includes three grand children.
     Bob says, "I have been active in the Democratic Party for a long time. I believe the party should continue to work for family values and strive for living wage jobs here at home. Lewis County's wage base has declined over the past years and is now about 70 percent of the state's average wage. If we are to enjoy having our families live close to us, we must work towards providing jobs that support a family wage. Democrats are the party of working people."

Sharon White, 1st Vice-Chair, was born in Oregon and raised mostly in Washington. Sharon completed high school in Lake Quinault and then went to he University of Washington, where she majored in History and played basketball for the U of W.
     "While at the University, I had a chance to join the Young Democrats and to work on Bobby Kennedy's election race. I was privileged to meet him when he came to Seattle. One of the highlights of my life. I was very impressed with him and his beliefs and ideals and have been a democrat ever since."
      Upon graduation, Sharon joined the Teacher Corps and spent two years teaching in the inner city of Seattle. When the economy took a dive and there were lay off, Sharon went back to her home town to teach. Sharon married Jack White in 1974 and they moved to Lewis Country where Jack's family had been raised in 1986. Jack passed away in 1991 and in 1994 Sharon battled cancer and is still going strong.
      "I have been an active volunteer for political candidates and issues since my college days and am willing to work hard for you. Please contact me if you have any questions."

Jan Leth, Secretary of the 20th Legislative District Democrats, cut her teeth on anti-war and women's rights movements.  She earned a B.A. in English Education with minors in Foreign Languages and Political Science from Portland State University, then did her Graduate work at Central Washington University in Guidance and Counseling. Jan taught high school and counseled at middle school in Centralia for 31 years. After retirement, she was hired as Congressman Brian Baird's director of his Olympia office. - In 1995 she was elected to the Centralia School Board and has served 9 years.
      Jan has worked on campaigns for Jolene Unsoeld, Mike Lowery, Booth Gardner, Gary Locke, and Brian Baird. She has also served as 1st Vice Chair of the Lewis County Democrats.  She is currently PCO for Centralia # 13. Jan was a lobbyist for WEA-R until this year.  She is a member of the Federal Relations Network of the Washington School Directors.

precinct committee OFFICERS

• Lewis County
• Thurston County