Kelsey Knowles, of Bellevue, has been appointed as the University of Washington’s student regent by Gov. Chris Gregoire. The appointment is for one year.

Knowles is a 2001 graduate of Newport High School. Her parents, Sue and Gordy Knowles, are Bellevue residents.

Knowles, a master’s degree candidate in the Evans School of Public Affairs, expects to receive her degree in June 2012. She a bachelor’s degree in political science from the UW.

She served as president of the Associated Students of the University of Washington in 2004-5. She worked in the office of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in Washington, D.C., from 2005-7; she served as deputy scheduler and assistant to the chief of staff from 2005-6, and as a legislative aide from 2006-7. She was a legislative assistant in the office of U.S. Rep. Adam Smith from 2007-10.

Most recently, she worked as the program coordinator for National Education for Women’s Leadership Puget Sound, which is run by the UW Women’s Center. She also served as senator in the UW Graduate and Professional Student Senate, and an office in the Evans Student Organization, this past year.