Commissioner Katie Walters represents Central Kitsap on the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners. Elected in November 2022, she is serving a four-year term through 2026 and brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in nonprofit management, education, community development, and regional collaboration.
Since taking office, Commissioner Walters has focused on addressing immediate community needs while advancing long-term planning priorities. She played a leadership role in completing major countywide policy frameworks, including the Comprehensive Plan Update, the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan, and the Critical Areas Ordinance. She has also advanced countywide efforts to remove barriers and expand access to childcare. In Central Kitsap, she has championed the Silverdale Regional Center Plan, guiding a shared vision for growth, livability, and economic vitality, with completion targeted for 2026.
Commissioner Walters has been a strong advocate for expanding healthcare education and workforce capacity through partnerships with Olympic College and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, including support for a new regional health sciences campus at Olympic College's Poulsbo location. She also supported land acquisition to expand the Kitsap Mental Health Services campus, enabling additional youth mental health services and supportive housing.
Her community-focused work includes support for innovative initiatives such as Silverdale's Sponsor-a-Can shopping cart collection and sanitation pilot program, the Silverdale Senior Center, and efforts to re-establish a Silverdale Community Center. She has also supported Old Town Silverdale community events, including special-event Pop-Up Ferries between Silverdale and Bremerton, as well as the inaugural Daffodil Festival and Trail of Lights Festival, recognizing their importance to local identity and small businesses.
Commissioner Walters helped secure Kitsap County and the City of Bremerton's designation as an official Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Zone, positioning the region for global visibility while creating economic opportunities for local businesses, hospitality, and cultural institutions.
She represents Kitsap County on numerous local, regional, state, and national boards and committees. Her leadership roles include Chair of Kitsap Transit, Chair of the Olympic Consortium Board, Immediate Past Chair of Housing Kitsap, and Vice Chair of the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council. She also serves on the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance Executive Committee, the Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Committee, 911-CENCOM, and the Maritime Washington Advisory Board. At the state and national levels, she serves on the National Association of Counties (NACo) Community, Economic and Workforce Development Policy Steering Committee, is a Vice Chair of the NACo Arts & Culture Innovation Council, and serves as 2nd Vice President of the Washington State Association of Counties.
Prior to her election, Commissioner Walters served as Executive Director of the Leadership Kitsap Foundation and as an adjunct professor at Olympic College. Earlier in her career, she was Marketing and Community Relations Director for the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and played a key role in opening the museum in 2013.
Born in Spokane, Washington, and raised in Helena, Montana, Commissioner Walters has called Kitsap County home since 1991. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations with a concentration in Political Science from Gonzaga University, a Master of Arts in Communications from Washington State University, and a Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Washington.
Commissioner Walters remains focused on thoughtful growth, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, and strong regional partnerships to ensure Kitsap County remains a healthy, resilient, and inclusive place to live and work.
Commissioner Walters may be reached at kwalters@kitsap.gov.
