Representative Janice Zahn immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong at age ten- as an immigrant, she developed the ability to adapt, problem-solve, and navigate unfamiliar environments. She believes that the superpower of immigrants is their ability to bring something new to the table while remaining authentically oneself.
Representative Zahn pursued civil and structural engineering at the University of Washington before earning an Executive Master of Public Administration twenty years later. At the Port of Seattle, she transitioned from being a designer to overseeing construction, and eventually worked her way up to the Chief Engineer position. She later entered public service after participating in the Leadership Tomorrow Program and realized that her technical and government experience could help shape public policy. After more than twenty years of living in Bellevue, she ran for the city council as an opportunity to give back to the community and later became a Washington State Representative.
As an elected official, Representative Zahn emphasizes collaboration, community engagement, and connecting policies to people’s everyday lives. She has contributed in addressing transportation safety, affordable housing, and is particularly proud of Bellevue’s cross-cultural programming, which celebrates different cultures throughout the city. At the state level, she is able to utilize her additional voice as an engineer to deliver projects and make a difference in the government.
Representative Zahn’s advice to young people is to stay curious, embrace opportunities, and to not hesitate to become civically engaged. She encourages people to step out of their comfort zones and explore different interests in order to bring their whole, authentic selves to their communities.
