Kate Telis
A candidate for Spokane City Council District 2 (South), City of Spokane in the 2025 Washington General Election, Nov. 4
City: Spokane, Washington
Education: Graduated from Hellgate High School in Missoula, Montana in 2001. Graduated with bachelor’s from Colby College in Maine in 2005. Graduated with a law degree from George Mason University Law School in 2012. Passed the Virginia Bar Exam in 2012 and the New Mexico Bar Exam in 2014.
Work experience: Worked for Sen. Max Baucus in Washington, D.C., from 2007 to 2009. Served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Jan Brodie of the Fairfax Circuit Court from 2012 to 2013. Worked as an Assistant District Attorney, prosecuting domestic violence felonies in New Mexico from 2014 to 2015. Served as development director for Cuidando Los Niños, a nonprofit supporting homeless families with children under the younger than the age of 5, from 2016 to 2017. Established the Law Office of Kate Telis and consulted with private law firms in New Mexico on cases involving sex trafficking and excessive use of force by law enforcement from 2017 to 2019. Moved to Spokane in 2019 and volunteered with the League of Women Voters, and Hutton Elementary. Founded a support group for parents with children diagnosed with ADHD in 2023 and is the current chapter lead of Spokane’s Moms Demand Action.
Political experience: Top three finalist for a recent vacancy for an appointment to the Spokane School Board in 2024. Volunteer coordinator for Maggie Yate’s campaign for county commissioner in 2022 and Paul Dillon’s campaign for City Council in 2023. Communications director for Molly Marshall’s campaign for county commissioner in 2024.
Family: Married to Alex Telis. They have two children, ages 4 and 9.
Campaign finance: Raised more than $93,100 as of Oct. 1, according to the PDC. Contributors include: New Mexico attorney Kelly Sanches; the Spokane Fire Fighters Union; Brian McClatchey, husband of Mayor Lisa Brown and former city council legal adviser; City Council President Betsy Wilkerson; former Democratic congressional candidate Don Barbieri; and the Washington Education Association.
Candidate Channels
Race Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Kate Telis | 15,238 | 59.91% |
| Alejandro Barrientos | 10,197 | 40.09% |
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