Hello! My name is Mariya Kargopoltseva and I am the new Policy Analyst for the Coles Center for Transportation.

I was born in Russia, immigrated to the United States while I was still a young child, and was raised in our beautiful evergreen state. I bring nearly a decade of experience working with private sector executives, as well as lawmakers at the Washington State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. I am also an avid reader and writer, and am deeply passionate about civic literacy, engaging with and promoting sound public policy, and creating bridges between the public and lawmakers.

Coming from a former Communist country and having watched my parents thrive in a truly free-market society in the United States, I believe everyone should have the dignity to choose and work for the quality of life they believe is best for themselves and their families. This includes our choice in mobility and transportation.

Without freedom of mobility, we really don’t have freedom at all.

As traffic congestion in Washington continues to get worse, we desperately need a viable menu of the lowest-cost and most efficient options, so we can spend less time stranded on the road and more time at home with our families.

I look forward to researching, analyzing and advocating for policies that are proven to fix congestion and free people’s time and travel. My hope is to encourage open dialogue and understanding in a public forum, and ultimately promote integrity and equity in the government’s use of our transportation tax dollars.