Council Member John Hines

Background

Council Member John Hines was elected to Tacoma City Council in 2019 and reelected in 2023. Born and raised in Tacoma, he was proud to serve as the City of Destiny’s Deputy Mayor in 2024. In addition to his role on the City Council, he currently serves as the Instructional Facilitator for Academic Acceleration for Tacoma Public Schools, supporting Advanced Programs, High Capable and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) in schools throughout the district. Prior to his position at Tacoma Public Schools, John spent ten years teaching high school social studies and AVID in Federal Way, in addition to coaching football. During that time, he became a National Board Certified Teacher, served as the president of the Washington State Council for the Social Studies, and was nationally recognized as an Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Emerging Leader in 2013. John is passionate about community service and has served as a Trustee for the Tacoma Public Library and as a board member of the YWCA of Pierce County.

He is a proud graduate of Seward Elementary, Stewart Middle School, Lincoln High School and the University of Puget Sound (UPS). While at UPS, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History, and Politics and Government, and his Master of Arts in Secondary Education. While at UPS, he played football, earning recognition as a member of the American Football Coaches Association All-American Good Works Team and served as an elected leader of the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound.

Council Member Hines currently serves in multiple leadership roles at a national, state-wide and regional level. He serves on the National League of Cities’ Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations (FAIR) Federal Advocacy Committee, the Association of Washington Cities’ (AWC) Board of Directors, and as a Pierce Transit Commissioner as a member of the Safe Street Board. On the City Council, he serves as Chair of the Government Performance and Finance Committee (GPFC) and as a member of the Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability (IPS) Committee. In 2023, he earned the AWC Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership in 2023, which recognizes elected officials from towns and cities who have continued to strive for excellence and developed leadership skills.

John and his wife, Kelsey, currently live in the neighborhood of Silas High School with their two children and rescue dog, Atlas. When not serving the residents of Tacoma and District 1, John can be found with his family outdoors hiking and kayaking, running (he has completed over 12 marathons including the 2011 Boston Marathon) or reading (he loves trivia and was a contestant on Jeopardy! in 2012).

John envisions a Tacoma that is safe, inclusive, and vibrant and is dedicated to serving the residents of Tacoma and District 1 with integrity, honesty, and dedication. He has been an integral leader in advancing efforts aimed at keeping Tacoma beautiful, ensuring excellent service provision, bolstering community safety, and spurring economic growth and opportunities for all. He believes that by coming together, rolling up our sleeves, and getting to the hard work of community building, we can craft the city we believe is our destiny.

Interviews with Council Member John Hines

• Tacoma City Council Deputy Mayor Hines – Cityline – November 28, 2024 – YouTube
• Tacoma Council Member John Hines – Cityline – November 10, 2022 (youtube.com)
• Tacoma City Council featuring Council Member John Hines – Cityline – July 7, 2022 (youtube.com)
• Tacoma Council Member John Hines – Inside Tacoma – January 16, 2020 (youtube.com)

District Map