On Monday, July 15, Derica Escamilla took the oath of office to become the newest Lynnwood City Council Member. The City Council appointed Councilmember Escamilla to the Lynnwood City Council Position No.1, which was vacated in May due to the resignation of Councilmember Shirley Sutton.     

Councilmember Escamilla is a first-generation Mexican American, born in Moses Lake and raised in Southern Texas. She graduated from Texas State University in 2004 with a Resource and Environmental Studies degree and a certificate in Water Resource Management. 

For more than a decade, Councilmember Escamilla has called Lynnwood home and has significantly impacted the community in many ways. Since 2005, she has served on three City of Lynnwood Boards and Committees, including the Economic Development Advisory Board, South Lynnwood Neighborhood Co-Design Committee, and the City's Comprehensive Plan Update. Along with coaching basketball at the Alderwood Boys and Girls Club, Lynnwood Youth AAU Basketball Feeder Program and Lynnwood High School Boys Varsity and JV teams, she also served as the Cedar Valley Community School PSO Vice President for four years, where she still has an active role in serving that community.   

She is also the Chapter Development Chair of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and Women in Environment (WIE) organizations. She recently chaired the annual state conference for the Association for Learning Environments, a K-12 design professional organization.  

When asked about her approach to this new role, Councilmember Escamilla said she is committed to prioritizing the Lynnwood community members above all.   

"I promise to do right by my community and never falter based on politics; I will use my heart, research, open-mindedness, and experiences as my compass. I am honored, blessed, and humbled to serve my City. I look forward to starting my new role as Councilwoman Escamilla. Thank you, City of Lynnwood; I am ready to work. Let's do this!"