{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ryan N. Mello | image = | office = 7th Pierce County Executive | term_start = January 1, 2025 |term_end = | predecessor = Bruce Dammeier | successor = | office1 = Member of the Pierce County Council from the 4th District | term_start1 = January 1, 2021 | term_end1 = January 1, 2025 | predecessor1 = Connie Ladenburg | successor1 = Rosie Ayala | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of dates | 32 | 2011 | 10 | 7 | 32 | 2011 | 7 | 15 }} | birth_place = Kailua, Hawaii | party = Democratic | partner = Sean | education = University of Puget Sound (B.A.) }}
'''Ryan Mello''' is a Democratic politician from Tacoma, Washington, who currently serves as the Pierce County Executive. Mello was elected as County Executive in 2024, and previously served as a member of the County Council and the Tacoma City Council.
==Early life== Mello was born in Kailua, Hawaii, and moved to Washington in 1997 to attend the University of Puget Sound.<ref name="county bio">{{cite web|title=Biography|date=2025|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/8703/Biography|website=Pierce County, Washington|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> He served as the President of the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound, the university's student government association, from 2000 to 2001,<ref>{{cite web|title=Past ASUPS Presidents|date=2025|url=https://www.pugetsound.edu/associated-students-university-puget-sound/governance/asups-president/past-asups-presidents|website=Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> and graduated in 2001 with his bachelor of arts degree in politics and government.<ref name="county bio"/>
After graduation, Mello joined AmeriCorps and worked for the United Way of Pierce County from 2001 to 2003, and worked as a staffer to Democratic State Representative Hans Dunshee.<ref name="2020 voter guide">{{cite web|title=County Council No. 4 - Ryan Mello|date=2020|url=https://voter.votewa.gov/GenericVoterGuide.aspx?e=865&c=27#/candidates/47759/45597|website=State and Local Online Voters' Guide|publisher=Washington Secretary of State|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref>
==Political career== In 2005, Mello ran for a position on the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma. He defeated incumbent Commissioner Jerry Thorpe,<ref>{{cite news|last=Sherman|first=Kris|title=Parks bond bound to pass, auditor says|newspaper=The News Tribune|date=November 11, 2005|location=Tacoma, Washington|page=B1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178198254/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> winning 55–44 percent.<ref>{{cite web|title=November 8, 2005 General Election - Official Election Results|date=November 29, 2005|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1538/nov2005results?bidId=|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> He became the Pierce County Director of the Cascade Land Conservancy in 2006,<ref name="2020 voter guide"/> and spearheaded an effort to preserve open spaces in the county by purchasing the development rights on family-owned tree farms.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wickert|first=David|title=Preservation comes to county|newspaper=The News Tribune|date=August 18, 2009|location=Tacoma, Washington|page=A1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178198783/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref>
Mello applied for a vacant position on the Tacoma City Council in 2010. He was appointed by the City Council to the Position 7 seat on January 14, 2010.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kamb|first=Lewis|title=Council picks Boe, Mello for empty seats|newspaper=The News Tribune|date=January 15, 2010|location=Tacoma, Washington|page=A1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178195712/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref> He was elected to a full term in 2011,<ref>{{cite news|last=Kamb|first=Lewis|title=Ibsen leading Smitherman in Tacoma City Council race|newspaper=The News Tribune|date=November 9, 2011|location=Tacoma, Washington|page=A6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212419/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref> defeating perennial candidate Will Baker with 74 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=November 8, 2011 - Summary Report - Pierce County - Final Results Report|date=November 28, 2011|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/75557/Summary-ReportFinal|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref> He was re-elected in 2015,<ref>{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Kate|title=Ibsen, Blocker lead competitive races|newspaper=The News Tribune|date=November 4, 2015|location=Tacoma, Washington|page=A12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212451/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref> and barred from seeking another term in 2019 because of term limits.<ref>{{cite news|last=Needles|first=Allison|title=Which two new faces will join Tacoma City Council?|newspaper=The News Tribune|date=May 19, 2019|location=Tacoma, Washington|page=A3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212471/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref>
In 2020, Mello ran for the Pierce County Council from District 4. In the primary election, he placed first, receiving 30 percent of the vote,<ref>{{cite web |title=Final Results - Pierce County, Washington, Primary Election, Aug 04, 2020|date=August 18, 2020|publisher=Pierce County Auditor|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/93658/Summary-Report|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> and advancing to a runoff election with University Place City Councilman Javier Figueroa.<ref>{{cite news|last=Peterson|first=Josephine|title=Pierce County races will determine majority party|newspaper=The News Tribune|date=August 23, 2020|location=Tacoma, Washington|page=A4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212584/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref> Mello defeated Figueroa in a landslide in the general election, receiving 63 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Final Report - Pierce County, Washington, General Election, Nov 03, 2020|date=November 23, 2020|publisher=Pierce County Auditor|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/95923/Summary-Results|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref>
==Pierce County Executive== Mello announced in 2023 that he would run for Pierce County Executive in 2024 to succeed term-limited Republican incumbent Bruce Dammeier.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mello announces campaign for Pierce County Executive|newspaper=Tacoma Weekly|date=December 11, 2023|url=https://tacomaweekly.com/mello-announces-campaign-for-pierce-county-executive-p6572-117.htm|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> He was the only Democratic candidate to run, and faced Republican State Representative Kelly Chambers.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lotmore|first=Mario|title=Competition for statewide offices, Pierce County seats dominate Day 1 of candidate filings|newspaper=Lynnwood Times|date=December 6, 2023|url=https://lynnwoodtimes.com/2023/12/06/kelly-chambers-231206/|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> In the primary election, Mello placed first with 52 percent of the vote,<ref>{{cite web|title=August 6, 2024 Primary|date=August 20, 2024|url=https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20240806/pierce/|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> and narrowly defeated Chambers in the general election, winning 51 percent of the vote to her 49 percent.<ref>{{cite web|title=November 5, 2024 General Election|date=November 26, 2024|url=https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20241105/pierce/|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life== Mello is openly gay, and came out when attending college at the University of Puget Sound.<ref>{{cite news|last=Nagle|first=Matt|title=Ryan Mello seeks to be Washington state's first LGBTQ county executive|newspaper=Seattle Gay News|date=October 17, 2024|location=|url=https://www.sgn.org/story/151037|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> He and his partner, Sean, live in the Theater District of Tacoma.<ref name="county bio"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mello, Ryan}} Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Tacoma, Washington Category:County executives in Washington (state) Category:Year of birth missing (living people)