Cindy Ryu


Cindy Ryu is an American politician of the Democratic Party. She is a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 32nd district. She was the first Korean American female to be a mayor in the United States.

Early life, education and career

Cindy is a 50-year resident of Washington State and lived previously in South Korea, Brunei, and the Philippines. She has a Bachelor of Science in microbiology and an MBA in operations management from the University of Washington.

Political career

While serving as a Shoreline City Councilmember, Cindy was elected mayor in 2008, becoming the first female Korean-American mayor in the United States. Cindy was president of both the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and its Dollars For Scholars Chapter. She helped create Shoreline's Green Business Program.
Cindy was first elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 2010, and was reelected in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Cindy is the chair of the Housing, Community Development & Veterans Committee. She also chairs the Overseas Korean Politicians Council and is Vice Chair of Women In Government, a national organization of women state legislators.