People

Kerena Higgins, Senior Counsel, Education Team Leader

Kerena Higgins is a managing attorney within the Office of the Washington State Attorney General (AGO). She currently serves as Team Leader to the Bellingham attorneys handling Education, Labor and Industries, and Adult Protective Services work. Higgins has been an Assistant Attorney General in the AGO since 2001, beginning in the Tacoma Division. She has handled a wide variety of litigation and client advice matters over the years, including dependency and termination of parental rights cases, Labor and Industries litigation, and day care and foster care licensing-related litigation. In addition to her work with Western (since 2013), Kerena has been the AAG for Bellingham Technical College, Skagit Valley College, Whatcom Community College, and Educational Service District 189. She has also previously served as counsel to Peninsula College. Prior to coming to the AGO, Kerena worked for the Thurston County Prosecutor. She also worked for Washington State University in their grant and contract office. Prior to moving to Washington State, Kerena worked as a legislative aide for the US Senate Subcommittee on Education, Arts and the Humanities.

Sarah Reyes, Senior Counsel, Section Chief

Sarah Reyes serves as Section Chief for the Bellingham location of the Office of the Attorney General. She oversees a team of 27 in their roles representing state agencies and higher education institutions in Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan Counties. Sarah is a proud graduate of Western Washington University and completed her legal studies at Seattle University School of Law. Prior to joining the Office of the Attorney General in 2003, Sarah worked as a Legislative Coordinator for the Department of Social and Health Services, and served as an intern for the Washington State House of Representatives. Sarah’s legal background includes representing Labor and Industries, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Department of Social and Health Services, Employment Security and the Department of Licensing.

Jennifer Marion, Assistant Attorney General (AAG)

Jen Marion started with the Attorney General’s Office in 2024 but began practicing law over 20 years ago for the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition to representing WWU, she represents Skagit Valley College. She has also spent time as a wage and hour policy advisor, a communications professional, and a small business owner. Originally from Minnesota, she lived in Southern California for many years before graduating from San Diego State University and the University of Chicago Law School. She originally moved to Whatcom County in 2015 and is happy to now call Bellingham home.