Judge Chess was appointed by the elected judges to her position with the Seattle Municipal Court. She is an experienced judge and attorney in criminal justice; healthcare; housing and education.

Prior to her arrival at the Seattle Municipal Court, she served as a Judge Pro Tempore in King County District Court for over twenty-two years. She was previously the Director of Labor Relations for Group Health Cooperative and Sr. HR Consultant for Providence Health and Services and Swedish Medical Center. For many years, she worked in the public education sector, first as Deputy General Counsel and Interim Executive Director of Human Resources for Seattle Public Schools specializing in employment and labor, special education, and student disability plans and later as the Executive Director of Human Resources and General Counsel for Tukwila School District. After receiving her B.A. from Purdue University and her law degree from University of Cincinnati College of Law, she worked as a staff attorney for The Public Defender Association in Seattle, WA. She also served as Deputy General Counsel and Interim General Counsel for Seattle Housing Authority. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, Federal Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, and Loren Miller Bar Association.

Judge Chess is committed to scholarship. She has been an instructor for establishments such as the Lake Washington Human Resources Association, Seattle Disability Management Employer Coalition, Foster Pepper LLC, College Success Foundation, YWCA’s Girls First Program, The Greater Seattle Chapter of Links’ STEAM program, Students of Color Career Conference, and Washington Council of School Attorneys. She participated in the Seattle School District’s Superintendent Leadership Academy. She is a graduate of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.

Judge Chess has engaged in countless years of continued volunteer service with local and national non-profit organizations. She is an active member of the Greater Seattle Chapter of Links, Inc., Seattle Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Seattle Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. She has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations such as Amara formerly known as Medina Children Services, Mediation Services for Victims and Offenders, Park Lake/White Center Boys and Girls’ Club. She was a Northwest Women’s Law Center legislation committee member. For several years, she participated as a judge for Seattle University School of Law’s Video Mentor Program/National and Local Moot Court Competitions and a professional mentor for law students at the University of Washington School of Law School.