Rep. Monica Stonier Wins AWSP’s 2023 Torch of Leadership Award

David Morrill, Communications & Technology Director, AWSP
Jul 31, 2023


Torch of Leadership Award header


Vancouver-Area Legislator Played A Key Role In Many Education Bills


Rep. Monica Stonier

Representative Stonier currently serves as the House Majority Floor Leader and leads her caucus on several key issues like labor and workers’ rights, public education, health care access for children, financial literacy education, and portable benefits for Washington workers of our future. She serves on the House Appropriations, Education, Health Care & Wellness, and Rules Committees and is the first person of color to serve in 17th and the 49th legislative districts in Clark County.

Some of her successes include garnering bipartisan support for key education bills, including Breakfast After the Bell, de-linking passage of the state test for high school graduation and adding a performance pathway, and expanding healthcare access for students in school-based healthcare centers. She also played an important role in framing and amending SB 5175 to describe how optional three-year contracts might be used to support school principals.

Professionally, Rep. Stonier still works as an instructional coach in Evergreen Public Schools. She is currently focused on ensuring that students who receive special services also have access to their legally protected experiences in the general education setting and making sure they have the supports they need to be successful. Politically, Rep. Stonier is known for her steadfast advocacy for issues of justice and for working across the aisle to serve the state of Washington best. Her nearly two decades of experience in public education as a middle school teacher, instructional coach, and professional development provider serves as a foundational experience for her belief that equitable access to high-quality education is the key equalizer for the challenges we face today.

Rep. Stonier graduated from Kentridge High School, earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, her teaching certificate from Western Washington University, and her master’s degree from Washington State University Vancouver. She is proud of her Hispanic-American and Japanese-American roots, especially of her Japanese-American uncles who fought in the 442nd Go For Broke Infantry in WWII.

She and her husband, Brandon, have been married since 2001 and have two children. She enjoys the outdoors, coaching youth sports, reading, cheering for her kids on the soccer field, and spending time with her family and friends.

Download the press release as a PDF.


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