Mark Pelletier, a counselor, youth advocate and former Battle Ground School Board member, has announced his candidacy for the 17th Legislative District seat that’s being vacated by Democratic Rep. Deb Wallace.
Pelletier, a 52-year-old Republican, says he is ready to take his broad background in community service to a new venue where he can make a difference.
“This is a continuation of a life of community service,” he said in an interview. “As a legislator, I would love to be involved in anything pertaining to families, mental health and counseling. Having said that, the biggest issue is the economy and jobs. I don’t see anything on the horizon in terms of job creation. What we need is less rhetoric and more roll up your sleeves.”
Pelletier was born into a Navy family while his father was stationed in Newfoundland, Canada, and thus has dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship. His family moved frequently while he was growing up. He settled in Clark County in 1978.
With four degrees in counseling and social work, Pelletier has spent the past 30 years in appointed and elected positions involving service to young people and families. He served on the Battle Ground School Board from 1998 through 2005; lobbied legislators on behalf of children and families; and worked as a marriage and family counselor.
For 15 years, he worked as a contract instructor for the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, training police officers to become effective managers.
Pelletier presently serves as executive director of Youth Outreach, a not-for-profit organization that provides services to families and teens, and also administers Transitional Youth, a 20-year-old organization based in Portland that provides food, clothing, housing and outreach to young adults ages 18 to 25. Two of the five homes the program operates are in Clark County.
“Our focus now is on young adults because there are so few services for them, and yet they continue living in high-risk circumstances,” Pelletier said.
Three other candidates are seeking the 17th District seat: Republican businessman Paul Harris; Democrat Monica Stonier, a teacher in the Evergreen School District; and Democrat Martin Hash, an animation software developer.
The 17th District covers Vancouver east of Interstate 205, Orchards, Mount Vista, Brush Prairie and Meadow Glade. It generally runs from the Columbia River north to 199th Street, east to 182nd Ave., and west to I-205 and Interstate 5.
