DRS Leadership
Kathryn Leathers
Governor Bob Ferguson appointed Kathryn Leathers to serve as the Director of the Department of Retirement Systems in January 2025. In addition to her role as Director, Kathryn serves as an ex officio member of the Washington State Investment Board, the Pension Funding Council, and the Select Committee on Pension Policy.
Kathryn brings extensive public service experience to her role. Appointed by Governor Jay Inslee as General Counsel for the Office of the Governor in 2017, she provided critical legal and strategic advice on statewide issues. Before that, Kathryn served as Senior Counsel to the Washington State House Democratic Caucus, where she supported legislative efforts and policy development. She also spent nearly five years advising the Washington State Bar Association on legislative
affairs and over five years delivering non-partisan legal counsel to both Democratic and Republican members of the House of Representatives.
Earlier in her career, Kathryn clerked for a superior court judge in Alaska, prosecuted criminal cases in King County, and worked in complex civil litigation at Preston, Gates & Ellis (now K&L Gates).
A lifelong learner with a global perspective, Kathryn grew up in a military family, living abroad and in various U.S. states before settling in Gig Harbor in 1981. She graduated from Gig Harbor High School in 1983, earned a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University in 1987 and obtained her JD from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1993.
Organizational chart
Kathryn Leathers, Director
Leadership Team Members
- Administrative Services
- Budget &Performance Management
- Communications
- Executive Assistant
- Human Resources
- Information Services
- Legislative and Community Relation
- Member Experience
- Member Operations
- Project Management
- Risk Management
Special Reporting Requirements to the Director
- Appeals
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Internal Audit
