County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office chief of staff resigns
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, January 6, 2026
In a letter to then-Grays Harbor County Prosecuting Attorney Norma J. Tillotson dated Dec. 4, Cielia J. Thurston tendered her formal resignation from her position as chief of staff/deputy prosecuting attorney for the county effective on Dec. 31.
“It has been an honor to support the mission of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and to work alongside dedicated, passionate professionals who care deeply about justice, accountability, and community safety,” Thurston wrote. “Working in public service — especially in this office — has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my legal career. I have valued the collaborative spirit within the office, the commitment of our legal and support teams, and the shared efforts to uphold fairness and integrity in our justice system. The relationships and experiences I have gained here will stay with me for a long time.”
Thurston had been with the Grays Harbor County Prosecuting Attorney’s office since Sept. 2021 and had served as chief of staff since May 2023. Previously, Thurston was a deputy prosecuting attorney with the city and county of Honolulu. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s William S. Richardson School of Law in 2017.
Tillotson, who was named as Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor in 2018 and was appointed as Prosecuting Attorney in March 2021 and won the 2022 election, resigned effective Dec. 31 as well. On Dec. 31, the Grays Harbor Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held a special meeting and named Senior Deputy Prosecutor – Civil Division Georgia A. Stearns as acting prosecuting attorney. Stearns will serve as acting prosecuting attorney until the BOCC selects an interim from three nominees put forth by the Grays Harbor Democrats. That list of nominees is expected Friday, Jan. 9.
Whoever the BOCC appoints as interim prosecuting attorney will be required to declare their candidacy and participate in the primary and general election process. May 4–8 is candidate filing week for the 2026 election. The 18-day primary voting window opens on July 17 and primary day is Aug. 4. The general election’s 18-day voting period begins on Oct. 16 with election day set for Nov. 3.
