Tina Podlodowski
{{Short description|American businesswoman and politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Tina Podlodowski
| image = Podlodowski-2019 (cropped).jpg
| office = Chair of the Washington Democratic Party
| term_start = January 28, 2017
| term_end = January 28, 2023
| predecessor = Jaxon Ravens
| successor = Shasti Conrad
| office1 = Member of the Seattle City Council
Position 7
| term_start1 = January 1, 1996
| term_end1 = January 1, 2000
| predecessor1 = Jim Street
| successor1 = Heidi Wills
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|8|26}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| spouse =
| children = 3
| education = University of Hartford (BA)
}}
Tina M. Podlodowski (born 1960) is an American businesswoman and politician who served as the chair of the Washington State Democratic Party for three terms. A member of the Democratic Party, and previously served as a member of the Seattle City Council from 1995 to 1999.
Education and Microsoft
Podlodowski graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Hartford.{{cite web|url=http://www.spokesman.com/elections/2016/washington-general-election-nov-8/candidates/tina-podlodowski/|title=Election Center|website=www.spokesman.com|accessdate=November 30, 2018}} After graduation she worked with a number of technology start-ups, finally coming to Microsoft in 1984, where she managed groups in product marketing, domestic and international sales, and eventually Microsoft's global training business. She managed 8 business hubs in the U.S and four in Europe and Asia.
Podlodowski left Microsoft in 1993 a millionaire and became a principal investor in the purchase and renovation of Seattle's historic Paramount Theatre.{{cite news |last1=Sorensen |first1=Inga |title=Even rich dykes need a little supprt |url=https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/2013202554/1995-12-01/ed-1/seq-10.pdf |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=oregonnews |publisher=University of Oregon |date=1 December 1995}}{{cite news |last1=Admin |title=Seattle Theatre Group purchases Paramount Theatre |url=https://djcoregon.com/news/2002/12/26/seattle-theatre-group-purchases-paramount-theatre/ |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=DJC Oregon |publisher=Bridge Tower Media |date=26 December 2002}} She also joined the board of the Pride Foundation, a queer community foundation, and The Cities Project, which expanded internet access to areas of high poverty.{{cite web |last1=Schlittler |first1=Ron |title=Tina Podlodowski, Washington, 1995 |url=https://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/out-and-elected/1995/tina-podlodowski |publisher=OutHistory |access-date=7 September 2024}}
Seattle City Council
Podlodowski ran for city council in 1995 for the seat vacated by retiring councilmember Jim Street.{{cite news |title=Farewell To Jim Street, Good Servant And Wonk |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19951225&slug=2159490 |access-date=7 September 2024 |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=25 December 1995}}{{cite web |last1=Drosendahl |first1=Glenn |title=Wineberry, Jesse Calvin (b. 1955) |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/11147 |publisher=HistoryLink |access-date=7 September 2024 |date=18 November 2015}} She came in second, behind state representative Jesse Wineberry, with both progressing to the general election. Podlodowski spent $75,000 of her own money and raised $250,000, a record at that time.{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Dan |title=PODLODOWSKI BOWS OUT |url=https://www.thestranger.com/news/1999/05/06/920/podlodowski-bows-out |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=The Stranger |date=6 May 1999}} Podlodowski defeat Wineberry in the general election in a landslide, 65% to 35%.{{cite web|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Will-the-2016-election-shatter-a-gay-lesbian-7304731.php|title=Will gays and lesbians in 2016 shatter last 'glass ceiling' in state politics?|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|date=April 23, 2016|accessdate=January 30, 2017}}
Podlodowski chaired the Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Planning, and the Public Safety, Health and Technology Committee. She shepherded the creation of the Office of Police Accountability as chair of the Public Safety committee.{{cite news |last1=Miletich |first1=Steve |title=New SPD commission unveiled, with longtime advocates of change |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/new-spd-commission-unveiled-with-longtime-advocates-of-change/ |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |date=14 January 2013}} She voted to require landlords give 60-days notice for rent increases, toughened the city's anti-gay-discrimination statute, adding gender identity as a protected class and voted against imposing sanctions on the Burmese government.
She chose not to run for reelection in 1999, citing the split with her partner, Chelle Mileur, as the reason. Heidi Wills, an aide to King County Executive Ron Sims would defeat former councilmember Charlie Chong in the November election.
Post-city council
In 2004, she was named the executive director of the Lifelong AIDS Alliance,{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/879834578/?terms=%22Tina%20Podlodowski%22&match=1 |title=Seattle Gay News 12 Mar 2004, page 1 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=2004-03-12 |accessdate=2023-02-16}} a position that she held until 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/879844342/?terms=%22Tina%20Podlodowski%22&match=1 |title=Seattle Gay News 22 Jun 2007, page 52 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=2007-06-22 |accessdate=2023-02-16}} She also worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, a role she would stay in for several years.{{cite news |last1=Tuinstra |first1=Rachel |title=Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks to expand services |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside/big-brothers-big-sisters-seeks-to-expand-services/ |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |date=16 January 2008}} In 2014, she advised Ed Murray, the Mayor of Seattle, on issues of policing.
In January 2016, Podlodowski announced that she would run against republican Kim Wyman, the incumbent Secretary of State of Washington, in the 2016 election.{{cite news |last=Brunner |first=Jim |date=January 13, 2016 |title=Tina Podlodowski to challenge Secretary of State Kim Wyman |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/tina-podlodowski-to-challenge-secretary-of-state-kim-wyman/ |newspaper=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 30, 2017}} Wyman defeated Podlodowski with 55% of the vote in a bruising race, centered on access to the ballot, postage paid ballots, same-day, registration, and pre-registration for 16 and 17 year olds.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/washington-secretary-of-state |title=Washington Secretary of State Results: Kim Wyman Wins |date=November 29, 2016 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=December 1, 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201180309/http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/washington-secretary-of-state |archivedate=December 1, 2016}}
File:Michael Blake, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Tina Podlodowski.jpg and King County Council member Jeanne Kohl-Welles.]]
In January 2017, Podlodowski was elected to be the chair of the Washington State Democratic Party, defeating incumbent Jaxon Ravens.{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article129422934.html|title=Washington Democrats opt for new leader|work=The News Tribune|accessdate=January 30, 2017}} As chair, the Washington Democrats increased their state House majority, took back the state Senate, won every statewide office, and flipped two Congressional districts. Podlodowski also served as a member of the Democratic National Committee, and chair of the DNC western states caucus as well as a member of the DNC executive committee. She did not run for another term in January 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-democratic-party-chair-tina-podlodowski-stepping-down/ |title=WA Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski stepping down |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=2023-01-04 |accessdate=2023-02-16}}
Podlodowski has served on the national boards of the Human Rights Campaign, The Task Force, INLGO and L-PAC, as well as the Pride Foundation. She has been honored for her service by the Urban League, and the LGBTQ Victory Fund.
Podlodowski is now semi-retired and focused on rural economic and organizing issues on the Olympic Peninsula.
Personal life
Podlodowski is openly gay.{{cite web|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Two-mom-families-are-moving-beyond-the-hurtful-1222187.php|title=Two-mom families are moving beyond the hurtful barbs|first=Susan|last=Paynter|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|date=December 12, 2006|accessdate=January 30, 2017}} She is married and has three children.{{cite news |last1=Paynter |first1=Susan |title=Two-mom families are moving beyond the hurtful barbs |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/two-mom-families-are-moving-beyond-the-hurtful-1222187.php |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=Seattle Post Intelligencer |date=12 December 2006}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{CongLinks|votesmart=170832}}
- {{C-SPAN|85262}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Jaxon Ravens}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Washington Democratic Party|years=2017–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Shasti Conrad}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Podlodowski, Tina}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:American LGBTQ city council members
Category:Candidates in the 2016 United States elections
Category:American lesbian politicians
Category:LGBTQ people from Washington (state)
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Seattle City Council members
Category:State political party chairs of Washington (state)
Category:University of Hartford alumni