SEDRO-WOOLLEY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The City of Sedro-Woolley is under new leadership.

The Sedro-Wolley City Council voted 4-2 on Wednesday, April 8, to approve JoEllen Kesti as mayor.

It came after former mayor Julia Johnson formally resigned from the position on April 3.

Kesti previously served as the Ward 2 seat on the city council since 2020. She says she’s ready to usher in a new era in Sedro-Woolley.

“For far too long, many have felt they didn’t have a voice or access to the same information. That changes today,” Kesti said after being sworn in. “Moving forward, we will be committed to transparency, open communication and ensuring everyone has what they need to make the best decisions for Sedro-Woolley.”

Her fellow city council member and former director of communications at Western Washington University Paul Cocke was also in the running but fell short.

Kesti will serve until the end of the mayor’s current term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2027.