Newcastle Council Members

Sun Burford serves on the Newcastle City Council, where she has prioritized inclusive values and civic transparency. Her support for raising the Pride flag at the May 20, 2025, council meeting reflected a core commitment to LGBTQ+ visibility and community solidarity.

Burford’s work continues to emphasize compassion, shared responsibility, and policies that uplift all residents. She remains a dedicated advocate for a Newcastle that celebrates its full diversity.

Ariana Sherlock lives in the Hazelwood neighborhood with her husband Ryan, their children Adelai and Liam, and their rescue dog Fid. Since relocating from Portland, Oregon, to Newcastle in 2013, they have embraced the community and its many amenities, finding a perfect home near Donegal Park and the public library. Ariana has been an active member of the Newcastle City Council since 2020 and was re-elected in 2023, currently serving the second year of her second four-year term.

As a personal chef, Ariana's culinary skills are regularly featured in the monthly community magazine Newcastle Living. She has also served as the president of both the Hazelwood Elementary School PTSA and the Hazelwood Community Association. Her vote to raise the Pride flag at City Hall on May 20, 2025, is part of her broader commitment to an inclusive and responsive local government. She continues to advocate for a city that reflects and supports the full diversity of its residents.

Tom Griffin has been a resident of Newcastle since November 1978, settling in the community well before it was officially incorporated. Now serving his first term on the Newcastle City Council, Tom was elected for a four-year term beginning in 2020. As a Certified Public Accountant, he has extensive experience in budgeting and all phases of accounting, having worked in both CPA firms and private industries where he managed accounting departments and served as CEO. He has also taught accounting and income taxes at Renton Technical College and continues to practice tax accounting.

Despite his long-standing community presence, Griffin once again voted against raising the Pride flag during the May 20, 2025, council meeting. His decision stands in contrast to the growing expectation for civic leaders to foster visibility and belonging for all residents.

Jim Quigg was appointed to the Newcastle City Council on January 7, 2025, following a competitive process. He has lived in Newcastle since 2013 and served in various leadership roles, including as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission and President of the Vineyard Homeowners Association. He has also helped organize cherished local traditions like the Lake Boren Egg Hunt. Professionally, he brings over 25 years of experience in negotiation and leadership at T-Mobile.

While he will serve on the council through 2025, Quigg’s vote against raising the Pride flag during the May 20, 2025, City Council meeting has disappointed residents who see visibility and inclusion as core values. The vote calls into question whether his leadership reflects the full diversity of Newcastle.

Pratima Lakhotia has been a Newcastle resident since 2013, moving here with her husband and daughter to enjoy the city's proximity to work and its abundant natural beauty. Originally from India, Pratima moved to the United States in 2000 to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration in Finance and decided to make America her home. She is currently serving her first term on the Newcastle City Council, having been elected for a four-year term starting in 2022.

Pratima brings over 20 years of experience in financial management, business analytics, strategy, and budgeting, having worked at various Fortune 500 companies such as T-Mobile and Microsoft. She also runs a nonprofit, Teenswhocare, with her daughter, engaging over 2,100 high school volunteers in community service. At the May 20, 2025, City Council meeting, she voted in favor of raising the Pride flag at City Hall. This action echoes her belief in visibility, equity, and a city that welcomes everyone.

Paul Charbonneau, elected to the Newcastle City Council in 2021, is the youngest-ever councilmember and the first to have grown up in the city. A graduate of Hazen High School, Paul has been actively involved in the community as an Assistant Coach for the Boys & Girls Wrestling team since 2017 and helps referee local wrestling meets. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and Public Health from Occidental College, where he served as Student Body President and competed in NCAA Football and Track & Field.

Paul's dedication to public service is evident through his selection as a national public policy fellow in 2019 under the PPIA program at the University of Michigan's Gerald Ford School of Public Policy. He mentors current fellows at the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and is a certified peer counselor. Paul has led mental health education programs and served on the boards of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for Eastside King County and NAMI Washington. At the City Council meeting on May 20, 2025, Paul voted in favor of raising the Pride flag, further demonstrating his support for an inclusive and connected community.

Robert Clark has been a Newcastle resident since 2006, living in the Hazelwood community with his wife, Kelly, and their puppy, Picard. He has built a long career at Nucor Steel in West Seattle, where he currently serves as the plant electrical engineer. Clark holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and previously served in the U.S. Navy for ten years. He is an active participant in veterans' organizations, including the VFW and American Legion, where he serves as part of the honor guard at Tahoma National Cemetery.

His policy record includes efforts to eliminate DEI language, deny climate change, reject cultural recognition initiatives such as Hindu Heritage Month, and statements denying the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. On May 20, 2025, he voted against raising the Pride flag at City Hall—one of several decisions viewed as misaligned with Newcastle’s aspirations for a more inclusive and equitable future.