Her calculations changed, however, when the Washington State Redistricting Commission created an open seat by redrawing the boundaries for the 14th Legislative District, sending her Republican colleague Chris Corry to the 15th District.

“They had to twist my arm because politics can be a combat sport,” said Manjarrez, a 1983 CWU alumna who served as chair of the Yakima County Republican Central Committee for four years before throwing her name into the hat for the 2024 election cycle. “But I have built a lot of close relationships throughout the Yakima Valley over the years, and I felt like I would be able to represent their needs well.”

Manjarrez was elected in November 2024 and now serves one of the state’s largest districts, spanning parts of four counties — Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, and Franklin. Having just completed her first legislative session, she admits that she’s still learning all the ins-and-outs of being a state lawmaker.

But if her first few months in Olympia are any indication, she feels like she’s up to the challenge.

“It’s definitely been a learning experience,” Manjarrez said. “I got to serve on three committees, and I’m beginning to learn how the whole process works. My biggest takeaway was that we have a great caucus that really cares about the people of this state. We’re a really good team.”

Manjarrez is a fourth-generation farmer and lifelong resident of Wapato, a small agricultural community about 10 miles southeast of Yakima. She and her husband, Mark (’85), grow apples through their business, M&M Orchards, and she also owns a Yakima accounting firm with her daughter, Katherine Michelle De Leon (’13), called Manjarrez and De Leon P.S.

Even back in high school, Manjarrez had her sights set on becoming an accountant. She knew she didn’t have to go far from home to get a quality education, so she decided to make the short trek up to Ellensburg.

She always planned on returning to the Yakima Valley, and having CWU so close to home made her decision that much easier. Years later, her daughter followed a similar path.

“I never thought my daughter would follow in my footsteps and get her accounting degree from Central,” said Manjarrez, who started the business in 1998 and welcomed De Leon as a partner in 2018. “Everything has worked out really well for us. We love serving other small business owners in the valley, and I’m very proud of what we have built.”

After more than 25 years as a business owner — plus 10 years as the chairman of the Wapato Chamber of Commerce and eight years with the Yakima County Republican Central Committee — Manjarrez decided that the timing was perfect for her to represent the 14th District. After only a few months on the job, she hopes to be around for a while.

“I want to take this job as far as I can,” she said. “As long as I can be effective, I plan to keep running.”