State House candidate Kristine Lytton has named Red Cross organizer Katie Drewel as her campaign manager.

Lytton, the top vote-getter in the Aug. 17 primary for the 40th District, Position 1 seat, said she was looking for someone that could deal with the many different tasks a campaign faces daily.

“After hearing her talk about her past experience in politics and her passion for local issues, there was no question Katie was my manager,” Lytton said in a press release.

Drewel’s involvement in politics extends beyond her degree. She began by waving campaign signs for her uncle, Bob Drewel, former Snohomish County Executive. She later served as a page in state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen’s office while in high school.

Drewel graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in political science and economics. From there, she became an active campaigner for the King County Library System bond measures alongside her dad, an Issaquah Library Board member. She’s also been active on Suzan DelBene’s campaign for the 8th District House seat, and she’s been active in fundraising for the Northwest Burn Foundation.

Following college, Drewel worked with the American Red Cross through AmeriCorps*VISTA. Her first emergency experience was in Louisiana during the 2008 hurricane season, helping to manage in-kind donations and transportation databases, and distributing meals to disaster victims. This experience translated well to the January 2009 Washington floods when she was the transportation manager for the Red Cross’ statewide relief operation. As an AmeriCorps member, her primary role has been as a community and business preparedness educator.

Asked what her Red Cross background will bring to the campaign, Drewel said, “I see my expertise in emergency management being directly transferable to navigating the Lytton campaign.”

Lytton, a Democrat and president of the Anacortes School Board, faces Republican Mike Newman, a Mount Vernon real estate agent, in the Nov. 2 general election.