Endorsements
Endorse Diana• Washington State Supreme Court Justice Charles W. Johnson
• Washington State Supreme Court Justice G. Helen Whitener
• Washington State Court of Appeals Division II Judge Linda CJ Lee
• Pierce County Superior Court Judge Sabrina Ahrens
• Pierce County Superior Court Judge Grant Blinn
• Pierce County Superior Court Judge Jerry Costello
• Pierce County Superior Court Judge Clarence Henderson
• Pierce County Superior Court Judge Gretchen Leanderson
• Pierce County Superior Court Judge Shelly K. Speir
• Pierce County Superior Court Judge (Sept 2020) Matthew Thomas
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Rosanne Buckner
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Frank Cuthbertson
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Beverly Grant
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Judge John R. Hickman
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Katherine Stolz
• Spokane Superior Court Judge Rachelle E. Anderson
• Lewis County Superior Court Judge James W. Lawler
• Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert A. Lewis
• King County Superior Court Judge Patrick Ohisi
• Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Mark Gelman
• Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Robyn Lindsay
• Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille
• Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Terri Farmer
• Pierce County Superior Court Commissoner Phil Thornton
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Mary Dicke
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner James W. Marshall
• Retired, Pierce County District Court Judge Frank Dacca
• Judge, Pierce County District Court Karl Williams
• Judge, Administrative Law, Retired Jane Habegger
• Judge, Administrative Law LaVonna Jones
• Judge, Tacoma Municipal Court David Ladenburg
• Judge, Bonney Lake Municipal and Attorney Ronald Heslop
• Judge, Fife Municipal Court Kevin G. Ringus
• Judge, Fircrest/Ruston Municipal Court John Miller
• Judge, Milton Municipal Court Sandra Allen
• Appellate Judge for the Northwest Intertribal Court System Jerry Ford
• Washington State Senator, 28th Legislative District O’Ban Steve
• Former Pierce County Auditor Sonntag Brian
• Former Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer, and Pierce County Counsel member Barbara Gelman
• Pierce County Executive Team Member, Sr. Counsel Justice Services Carol C. Mitchell
• Ph.D. Psychologist, Professor University of Washington Tacoma Carolyn West
• Attorney Gregory Abel
• Attorney Timothy Acker
• Attorney Beverly Allen
• Attorney Jeffrey Allen
• Paralegal Melissa Alton
• Attorney Jennifer Andrews
• Attorney Kimberly April
• Attorney Casey Arbenz
• Attorney Lowell (Bud) Ashbach Jr.
• Attorney Amber Austin
• Attorney Raj Bains
• Retired Loretta Baker
• Attorney Robin Balsam
• Attorney Daniel Barkley
• Attorney Hollis Barnett
• Business owner Shear Joy Kristen Barrett
• Construction Senior Project Manager Michael Barrett
• Retired, Juvenile Court Probation Officer Jesse Bell
• Attorney Jason Benjamin
• Deputy Fire Marshall King County Andrew Bergford
• Business Owner of Lucky Dog Daycare Tara Bergford
• Attorney Jeanne Betzendorfer
• Attorney Amber Bighorse
• Attorney Adam Birnbaum
• Bank Security Professional, Retired Ted Bjork
• Attorney Erik Bjornson
• Attorney Keith Black
• Business Owner of Lucky Dog Outfitters Jen Blankers
• Attorney Heather Bliss
• Attorney Nichole Bolan
• Attorney Leslie Bottimore
• Juvenile Court Probation Officer Ed Bowden
• Attorney Kevin Boyle
• Attorney David Braswell
• Attorney Josh Brumley
• Attorney Kevin Byrd
• Attorney John Cain
• Attorney Lindsay Camandona
• Attorney Catherine Case
• Attorney Dennis Casey
• Attorney James Cathcart
• Attorney Marc Christianson
• Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Diane Clarkson
• Attorney Kellie Clifton
• Attorney Douglas Cloud
• Attorney Howard Comfort
• Attorney Desa Conniff
• Attorney Amanda Cook
• Attorney Dan Cook
• Attorney Larry Couture
• Attorney Alece Cox
• Attorney James Curtis
• Attorney Lisa Dabalos-McMahon
• Attorney Clayton Dickinson
• Attorney Maryann DiRe
• Attorney Corinne Dixon
• Attorney Steve Downing
• Attorney Gina Duncan
• Jim Edwards Construction Inc. Jim Edwards
• Attorney Timothy Edwards
• Attorney Carolyn Elsey
• Attorney Michael Fisher
• Attorney Cameron Fleury
• Attorney Sheri Fontana
• Attorney Toni Froehling
• Attorney Janene Gore
• Attorney Haley Grant
• Attorney Daryl Graves
• Attorney Michael Gray
• Attorney Laura Groves
• Attorney Kelsey Hammond
• Attorney Vern Harkins
• Attorney Andrew Hay
• Hotel Night Auditor Rachel Heatwole
• Attorney Robert Helland
• Attorney Ronald Hendry
• Attorney Charles Herrmann
• Attorney Brian G. Hershman
• Attorney Lance Hester
• Attorney Fred Hetter
• Teacher Jeannie Hill
• Attorney Hillary Holmes
• Attorney Desiree Hosannah
• Superior Court Clerk Glynis Hughes
• Attorney Mark Hurdlebrink
• Legal Advocate Jill Jackson
• Attorney Tom Jacobs
• Attorney Deborah Jameson
• Attorney David H. Johnson
• Attorney Teena Johnson
• Attorney Charles Johnston
• Attorney Sandra Johnston
• Attorney Shannon Jones
• Attorney Christopher Keay
• Attorney George Kelley
• Retired, Psychologist Stephen Klein
• Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Sunni Ko
• Attorney Daniel Kyler
• Attorney Kelly LaBlanc
• Attorney Sara Leach
• Attorney Nancy Lee
• Retired, Superior Court Clerk Cindy Leeder
• Attorney Kenneth Levey
• Attorney Joey Lombino
• Attorney Joseph Lombino
• Attorney Joseph Loran
• Attorney Karen Lundahl
• Attorney Annette Lukinbill
• Attorney Wendy Lux
• Attorney David Lutz
• Attorney Christopher Maharry
• Attorney John Maier
• Attorney Lisa Mansfield
• Attorney Norm Margullis
• Attorney Anthony Marlow
• Attorney Paul Martin
• Attorney Thaddeus Martin
• Attorney Randy Martino
• Attorney Megan McCann
• Attorney Mike McCarthy
• Attorney Terry McCarthy
• Attorney Deborah McFadden
• Attorney Jacqueline McMahon
• Juvenile Court Clerk Joanne Medina
• Business Owner Chili Thai Restaurant Stephanie Meelop
• Attorney Pottorff Megan
• Attorney Steve Merrival
• Attorney Robert Michaels
• Local 32 plumbers and Pipefitters member Greg Miller
• Attorney Jonathan Moffitt
• Attorney Christopher Neil
• Attorney Gerald Neil
• Attorney Lawrence Nelson
• Attorney Ronald Nerio
• Attorney Brian G. Neuharth
• Attorney Britt Ohlig
• Designated Crisis Responder Audrey Osborne
• Attorney Patrick Palace
• Founder & President Sound Options Mary Lynn Pannen
• Attorney Donna Person-Smith
• Attorney Robert Pittman
• Attorney Dan Platter
• Attorney Megan Pottorff
• Attorney Donald Powell
• Attorney Nicole Pryor
• Attorney James Raffa
• Attorney Mark Randolph
• Attorney Richard Ricketts
• Attorney Robert Ricketts
• Retired Paralegal Patricia Rigney
• Attorney Laurie Robertson
• Attorney Jeffrey Robinson
• Attorney Lindsey Rogers
• Attorney Kevin Rundle
• Retired, Pierce County Superior Court Clerk Darrow Schiesl
• Attorney Charles Schmit
• Attorney Dennis Schroader
• Customer Service Representative Sabrina Shadle
• Attorney Noel Shillito
• Attorney S. Andrew Sill
• Retired Paralegal Eileen Simon
• Attorney David Snell
• Attorney Daniel Smith
• Attorney Carlos Sosa
• DDS Jeffrey Stewart
• Attorney Michael Stewart
• Attorney Heather Swan
• Attorney Jeremy Swan
• Attorney Stacey Swenhaugen
• Attorney Barbara Jo Sylvester
• Attorney Christopher Terrone
• Attorney Fred Thorne
• Attorney James Tomliinson
• Attorney Lawrence Tracy
• Attorney Michael Turner
• Court Coverage Specialist Chelsea Vargo
• Court Report Vernon & Associates Cathy Vernon
• Elizabeth Vincent
• Attorney Heidi Wachter
• Attorney Mark Wagner
• Attorney Jamie R. Walker
• Attorney Jennifer Walker
• Attorney Doris Watkins
• Attorney Julie Watson
• Retired Law Professor John Weaver
• Program Administrator, DSHS, Div. of Child Support, Community Relations Unit, Director’s Office Patrick Whalin
• Attorney John Wilson
• Attorney Donald Winskill
• Attorney Ed Winskill
• Pierce County Superior Court Commissoner Services Kelsey Witker
• Civil Protection Order Coordinator Pierce County Superior Court Clerk Gerry Wynne
• Attorney Kevin Yanasack
• Attorney Jesse Yarborough
• Attorney Matthew Yetter
• Attorney Heather Young
• Retired Seattle City Light Frank Yslas
• Attorney Anthony Zorich
• Attorney Candace Zygar
Jason Benjamin, Attorney
Having practiced family as a colleague of Diana and then before her when she was a Court Commissioner for almost 25 years, I could not offer a more enthusiastic endorsement than I do her for Judge. As a jurist, she is fair, thoughtful and respectful to the litigants and their counsel. Diana would make a fabulous judge.
Barbara Gelman, Former Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer, and Pierce County Counsel member
Congratulations to Diane who has the courage to enter the political race for judge in Pierce County! Let’s all get behind her toward her victory!!!!
Sheri Fontana, Attorney
Thank you running and creating a chance for all litigants to have their litigation tried by a dedicated and knowledgeable judicial officer. Keep up the fight for fairness to all individuals who find themselves in the legal system!
Asking all of you who may have a reason to go to court. Think of how important it is to be able to rely on the Judge , a stranger, to make a decision that is right for you. When you’re thinking about that, think about how critical it is to have someone on the bench that is committed to fairness and to following the law. If you want that for your community, vote Diana Kiesel for Judge.
Melissa Alton, Paralegal
I had the privilege of working for Diana in 2004 until she took the bench as Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner in 2009.
Her integrity is superlative and no one else deserves this more. She one of the hardest working individuals I know and someone we need on our Superior Court bench.
Eileen Simon, Retired Paralegal
I have known Diana Kiesel for over 20 years and worked with her for well over a decade. Her integrity, even-handedness, and honesty are rare. I wholeheartedly endorse her for judge. She has dedicated herself to educating the public and heightening knowledge regarding the law and legal practice and procedure. Her aim is always to help people SOLVE problems.
The care and concern she displays for our youngest residents is sincere and obvious. Her concern for the elderly, the incapacitated, and the underprivileged is unwavering. Pierce County – indeed, any place that wants dedicated, intelligent, fair judicial officers who are up-to-the-minute regarding the law and its application – would be lucky to have Diana Kiesel on the bench as a Superior Court judge. Her grasp of the law in every area is remarkable. She is extremely well qualified, indeed.
Howard Comfort, Attorney
Whole-hearted endorsement of this very well-qualified judicial officer.
Donna Person-Smith, Attorney
She is an excellent Commissioner and will make an excellent Judge.
Loretta Baker, Retired
Having known Diana for more than 40 years first as a legal secretary, then as law student, then as an attorney in her private practice (Family Law) then as Commissioner in Pierce County Superior Court. I am constantly impressed with her knowledge of the rule of law, her unfailing dedication to her profession and above all fairness in all she does. Having said all of that why would she not be an excellent judge to the Superior Court Bench?
Carlos Sosa, Attorney
Proud to endorse a very hard working and compassionate judicial officer. She will make a great Superior Court Judge who will put families first.
Corinne Dixon, Attorney
Commissioner Diana Kiesel works to ensure that our judicial system maintains its integrity and respect. She has spent her entire career working to improve access to the courts for all. She is known among her peers for preparedness, hardwork, respect for the law and the values of justice and equity. “Exceptionally Well Qualified” ratings from diverse groups of attorneys reflects her unquestioned fitness to serve as Superior Court Judge. She is one of the most qualified candidates ever to run for Pierce County Superior Court.
Gerry Neil, Attorney
I have been practicing law in Pierce County since 1973. I have seen judges come and go, some good ones, some not-so-good. I can’t remember how long I have known and worked with Diana Kiesel, but a long time. I have one thing to say about Diana, she will be a GREAT JUDGE. I do not know a person who spends more time being prepared, being fair, and who is devoted to her profession.
Desiree Hosannah, Attorney
We could not have a better candidate for Judge than Commissioner Diana Kiesel! I highly recommend her! She is fair, hard-working, honest, and empathetic. We need her on the Superior Court bench.
Floyd Chapman, Attorney
Truly well qualified.
Rachel Heatwole, Hotel Night Auditor
Diana has spent her career improving our community in many different ways. Her vast professional experience, legal knowledge and long list of qualifications only begin to demonstrate why she would make an excellent judge. Aside from her impressive resume, Diana’s commitment and dedication to her career, the members of our society and the law prove she’s not just an excellent choice, but the best choice for judge!
Dan Barkley, Mediator
I’ve watched Diana Kiesel bring a compassionate strength with her to the bench in juvenile and family law courtrooms. The stories that find their way into these courts are rarely straightforward or happy. I represented a wide variety of clients before Commissioner Kiesel, and she heard hundreds of those stories. During that time, she did just what I would hope a judge would do. She listened as if she cared, and she decided the cases seriously and fairly. She represents the best of the legal profession, whether as a fierce advocate for her clients or by mentoring countless members of the Pierce County Bar.
Carlos Sosa, Attorney
Great Commissioner, will miss her on the Commissioner Bench after she is elected but will love to be before her as a Judge on any type of case. This is a person who has worked hard at every level and will be an outstanding superior court judge.
Brian Sonntag, Former Pierce County Auditor
After being endorsed by the Washington State Veterans’ Bar Association, Nice job. They’re recognizing your background, experience and fitness to serve on the Superior Court.
Matthew Thomas, Judge Appointed by Governor Inslee (Sept. 2020)
Commissioner Diana Kiesel cares about keeping the judicial branch of government strong. She developed a mentoring program for new lawyers. She invited experienced lawyers to come speak with new lawyers during lunchtime. It was a very effective mentoring program. Commissioner Kiesel makes time to attend Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association meetings and to write legal practice articles for the bar magazine. Commissioner Kiesel has a proven record of supporting the work of the judiciary. Please join me in supporting her for Pierce County Superior Court Judge.
John Miller, Judge
I strongly endorse Diana for Superior Court Judge. Her impact as a Superior Court Commissioner by her compassion, empathy and dedication have been unmatched. Her willingness to work with all of our society is what makes Diana such a great choice for Judge. Her experience and her commitment to the rule of law coupled with her extra ordinary work ethic makes her my choice for Judge.
Kim April, Attorney
I had the good fortune of being one of Diana’s first interns, and I had the privilege to work for her and be mentored by her for the first 10 years of my career. She has the knowledge, temperament, passion and dedication to serve the citizens of Pierce County as Superior Court Judge, and she has proven it by the last 10 years of service as a Court Commissioner. I highly endorse Diana Kiesel for Judge.
Kevin Rundle, Family Law Attorney
There is NO ONE more qualified for this position than Diana Kiesel. Diana was a well respected and fantastic attorney, a fantastic mediator, a fantastic court commissioner, and undoubtedly will be a great superior court judge!!
Frank Yslas, Retired Seattle City Light
Diana was always committed to helping people, even before she became a Superior Court Commissioner. I met Diana at a low period in my life over 20 years ago. I was getting a divorce. I called Diana’s office and she answered her phone on a Saturday and she agreed to immediately see me. She filed an emergency motion on Monday to get custody of my boys, ages five and three. I ended up in the court system battling my ex-wife with Diana at my side. My ex-wife filed motions sometimes twice per month. At times I could not afford to pay Diana but she always worked with me on the bill. It took two years of hard fighting before I was awarded custody of the boys. My children are now young men. I am so grateful for Diana’s commitment to me and my boys. Thank you Diana.