Stay in touch with Jay and Trudi Inslee
Want to meet with the governor, invite him to an event, or just get in touch? You can reach him and Trudi here:
Jay Inslee served three terms as the governor of Washington, advancing a bold, progressive agenda focused on creating opportunity for working families, protecting the environment, and building a stronger, more innovative economy. Under his leadership, Washington became aa national leader on clean energy, climate action, and economic innovation. His administration enacted the landmark Climate Commitment Act and transformative policies for 100% clean energy, clean buildings, and clean transportation..
His climate vision, first laid out in Apollo’s Fire, shaped federal climate legislation years later. Today, Jay brings his experience as a governor and national climate leader working with companies, investors, elected leaders, non-profit climate advocates and institutions at the forefront of the clean energy transition. He’s still focused on driving the clean energy national discussion, helping navigate complex policy and regulatory environments, unlocking growth opportunities, and scaling solutions in a rapidly evolving low-carbon economy.
About Gov. Inslee
Over the past 35 years, Governor Inslee has provided bold leadership at the state and federal levels that has demonstrated the powers of innovation and inspiration to move our communities forward. His leadership as the three-term governor of Washington State led to breakthroughs in building a clean energy economy, fighting climate change, improving opportunities for working families and advancing progressive values of Washingtonians.
Under Governor Inslee’s leadership, Washington consistently ranked as one of the best states for both working families and business growth. Washington’s policies of constant innovation, openness to new ideas and a deep commitment to equity and inclusion are mutually supportive and demonstrably successful.
Governor Inslee’s leadership is deeply rooted in the values of Washington State. As a fifth-generation Washingtonian, who grew up in the Seattle area, he developed his environmental ethic by hiking in the Cascade Mountains and exploring tidepools with his parents. He worked his way through college operating bulldozers, married his high school sweetheart, Trudi, and graduated from Willamette Law School. He then established a successful law practice in the Central Washington town of Selah in 1976 where he and Trudi raised three sons and four acres of hay. After twelve years practicing trial law and prosecuting criminal cases, Governor Inslee decided to co-chair a campaign to build a new high school. This led him to serve in the Washington State House of Representatives for the 14th District, after an upset victory, one of several in his political career.
After being elected in 1992, Governor Inslee served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Central Washington until his defeat in 1994, largely attributable to his vote to ban assault weapons. Inslee returned to Congress in 1999 representing the 1st District, becoming one of four people ever to represent two separate congressional districts. There he became notable as a leader of climate and clean energy economic development, and was a leading opponent of the Iraq War. During his time in Congress, he co-authored a book: Apollo’s Fire: Igniting America’s Clean Energy Economy, a template for economic growth fueled by clean energy. Governor Inslee carried this vision to make Washington State a national clean energy leader and to propel his influential run for the presidency in 2019. His ideas became the basis of groundbreaking federal climate laws that have accelerated clean energy development.
Throughout his three terms, Governor Inslee established Washington as a leading state for climate action and a beacon of progress:
Created the Climate Commitment Act and successfully defeated an initiative to repeal it. Launched nation-leading policies related to 100% clean energy, clean buildings and clean transportation. The governor’s climate efforts also continue to support innovation through the launch of the Washington Clean Energy Fund, a Clean Energy Institute at the University of Washington, and the Institute for Northwest Futures at Washington State University.
Promoted a more equal and fair justice system. Governor Inslee placed a moratorium on Washington’s death penalty, which was ultimately affirmed by the state Supreme Court due to its unequal and racially biased application, and it was subsequently struck from state law. He also enacted several justice system reforms such as the Marijuana Justice Initiative and Community Reinvestment Fund and has been recognized for his leadership on clemency and re-entry.
Led efforts to fully fund Washington’s K-12 education system and a historic expansion of early learning.
Led the transformation of Washington’s behavioral health system with a significant expansion of community-based facilities, a new teaching hospital at the University of Washington and a new forensic hospital on the grounds of Western State Hospital.
Defended access to reproductive health and gender-affirming care.
Featured Videos
Big Oil companies are facing dozens of lawsuits that seek to hold them accountable for deceiving the public about their role in the climate crisis. Now, as these cases are moving closer to trial, Republican lawmakers want to give the fossil fuel industry blanket immunity from any laws or lawsuits that could hold them accountable.
Former Governor of Washington Jay Inslee went to Capitol Hill to raise the alarm over Big Oil’s dangerous power grab.
“Americans deserve not to be lied to by big corporations — they should be subject to the same laws everybody is subject to,” Inslee said. “We should have no kings in the White House and no kings saying they’re above the law.”
Gov. Inslee delivers an optimistic, galvanizing speech at North American Carbon World (NACW) 2024, breaking down the success of Washington state’s nation-leading Climate Commitment Act.
