Deputy Mayor 1/6/20-12/31/23
Councilmember 1/1/18-12/31/25
Councilmember Jared Nieuwenhuis was first elected to the council in November 2017, for a four-year term starting in January 2018. His focus is on neighborhoods and results-oriented local government. He was chosen deputy mayor in January 2020 and again in January 2022.
Jared represents the council on the King County Growth Management Planning Council, the Association of Washington Cities Federal Legislative Priorities Committee and the Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee. He is council liaison to the Transportation Commission.
In his professional life, Jared manages marketing and communications for entertainment software publisher North America at Kalypso Media Group. Jared is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, pursued graduate studies at Brown University and is a graduate of both the Advance Bellevue and Bellevue Essentials community leadership programs.
Before joining the council, Jared served on the Bellevue Parks & Community Services Board. He has also served on the following other boards: Lifewire (which helps domestic violence victims), The Sophia Way (which helps women experiencing homelessness), the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce’s public affairs committee and the Lake Hills Neighborhood Association.
Awards Jared has received include the 2025 David B. Brumer Award (StandWithUS NW), 2023 Civic Leader of the Year (Bellevue Chamber of Commerce), 2023 Tikkun Olam Award for Public Service (Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle), 2023 Hakarat Hatov Award for combating antisemitism in Washington State (Seattle Jewish Chapel, Seattle Sephardic Brotherhood and Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath), 2022 Eastside's Most Influential People (425 Magazine) and 2022 Building Bridges Across the Nations Award for Public Service (Washington State India Trade Relations Action Committee).
Jared is the son of Dutch parents and an immigrant from Canada, and has a personal understanding of the value of diversity and the important role it plays in Bellevue’s continuing efforts to be a more inclusive city. He and his wife Lori live in the Lake Hills neighborhood with a young daughter.
An avid cyclist, Jared enjoys riding through Bellevue’s neighborhoods while taking in the city’s unique characteristics, and spending time with the family at Downtown Park. He has lived in Bellevue since 2001.
Council Assignments and Appointments
- Eastside Transportation Partnership
- Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board Alternate
- Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee
- Association of Washington Cities Federal Legislative Priorities Committee
- King County Growth Management Planning Council
- Bellevue Convention Center Authority
- Transportation Commission Liaison
Past Council Assignments and Appointments
- Puget Sound Regional Council Economic Development District Board Alternate
- Puget Sound Regional Council Growth Management Planning Board Alternate
- Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board Alternate
- Eastside Human Services Forum Executive Board
- Human Services Commission Liaison
- King County Domestic Violence Initiative Regional Task Force
- East Bellevue Community Council Liaison
- Cascade Water Alliance Finance and Management Committee
- Cascade Water Alliance Public Affairs Committee
- Cascade Water Alliance Resource Management Committee
- Probation Advisory Board Liaison
- Environmental Services Commission Liaison
- Wilburton-Grand Connection Citizen Advisory Committee Liaison
Community Service
- Parks & Community Services Board, 2016-2017
- LifeWire, Board of Directors, 2015-present
- Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, chair, public affairs committee, 2015-2018
- Lake Hills Neighborhood Association, board member, 2016-2018
- The Sophia Way, board member, 2012-2015
Employment
- Kalypso Media Group, Marketing Director, 2020-present
- HeR Interactive, Bellevue, Director of Marketing, 2010-2020
- JN Consulting, Bellevue, Founder and Principal, 2008-2010
- Sandlot Games, Bothell, Vice President of Marketing, 2007-2008
- Vidiator, Bellevue, Director of Marketing Communications, 2006-2007
- Dijji Corporation, Seattle, Director of Marketing Communications, 2005-2006
Education
- University of Washington, Certificate of Business Management
- Brown University, Political Science, Graduate Studies
- University of Wisconsin, Bachelor of Arts, International Relations and Political Science