HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2024-4699

HR 4699

ByRepresentatives Jinkins, Stokesbary, Abbarno, Alvarado, Barkis, Barnard, Bateman, Berg, Bergquist, Berry, Bronoske, Caldier, Callan, Chambers, Chandler, Chapman, Cheney, Chopp, Christian, Connors, Corry, Cortes, Couture, Davis, Dent, Doglio, Donaghy, Duerr, Dye, Entenman, Eslick, Farivar, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Fosse, Goehner, Goodman, Graham, Gregerson, Griffey, Hackney, Harris, Hutchins, Jacobsen, Klicker, Kloba, Kretz, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Low, Macri, Maycumber, McClintock, McEntire, Mena, Morgan, Mosbrucker, Nance, Orcutt, Ormsby, Ortiz-Self, Orwall, Paul, Peterson, Pollet, Ramel, Ramos, Reed, Reeves, Riccelli, Robertson, Rude, Rule, Ryu, Sandlin, Santos, Schmick, Schmidt, Senn, Shavers, Simmons, Slatter, Springer, Stearns, Steele, Stonier, Street, Taylor, Thai, Tharinger, Timmons, Volz, Walen, Walsh, Waters, Wilcox, Wylie, and Ybarra

WHEREAS, Lisa Fenton was born in Portland, Oregon to Mike and Linda Higginbotham and grew up with brother Scott and sister Daina all over the county as her father was transferred to San Jose, California; Bellevue, Washington; Denver, Colorado; Olympia, Washington; and Burnsville, Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, Lisa eventually moved from Pullman back to Olympia, where she began her career with the legislature in October 1984; and

WHEREAS, Between 1984 and 1998 she worked in the Senate five years and then transferred to the House of Representatives, serving in the capacities of legislative assistant and senior legislative assistant, and in the chief clerk's office; and

WHEREAS, She took a two-year hiatus from the legislature between 1998 to 2000, to work as an account executive in a local advertising agency; and

WHEREAS, She returned to the House of Representatives in 2000, acting as a public information officer until 2007 and assuming the role of communications director for the house republican caucus between 2007 to 2012; and

WHEREAS, Between 2012 and 2024, she ably, loyally, and courageously served as chief of staff, AKA Right-Hand-Woman, to four sets of house republican leaders, earning their trust, respect, and admiration; and

WHEREAS, Said leaders describe her as "an absolute professional" who has "earned the respect of legislative members and staff across the capitol campus on both sides of the aisle and the Third House"; the "hardest working woman in Olympia, with the biggest heart"; "probably one of the best additions to the House of Representatives that I know of"; and a defender of the institution, which in the end promoted not only the interests of her members and staff, but also of the people of the state of Washington; and

WHEREAS, As chief of staff she promoted her values of fairness, inclusiveness, consideration, kindness, respect, and providing growth opportunities for all staff. She consistently promoted "teams" well before "Teams"; and

WHEREAS, We will miss her fun-loving sense of humor and the fact that you can get her to laugh so hard she cries, which lightens the mood during a 20-hour floor session; and

WHEREAS, She balanced the substantial demands of her career at the legislature with her role as devoted wife and partner to Mike Fenton and dedicated mom to sons Ben and Sam, and stepdaughters Rachel and Palen; and

WHEREAS, The pull of being a grandma to her adorable grandson David is contributing to her decision to abandon us and focus on family; and

WHEREAS, We will be green with envy, but happy for her and Mike, when she sends us photos of them relaxing in Mexico, their home away from home, during the months of January through April; and

WHEREAS, We will miss her cheerful greeting, "Hello, sunshine," because she is our sunshine and please don't take our sunshine away; and

WHEREAS, We must get through the stages of grief and let her go, because she has given her heart and soul to serving the legislature, members, staff, and the people of the state of Washington, and she deserves a long, healthy, and happy retirement with Mike, their family, and their beloved dogs Winnie and Cubby;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of Washington salute and celebrate Lisa Fenton for her dedicated service to the legislature and, indeed, to the people of the entire state of Washington.