The People Leader Award recipient is Hedda McClendon, COVID Emergency Services Director for the Department of Community and Human Services. This award honors a leader below the department or division leadership level who directly manages staff.

In an incredibly challenging year, Hedda led operations at two high-volume COVID-19 vaccine sites, King County’s Isolation and Quarantine System Sites, and the White Center Cooling Center, and oversaw the Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program. Watch the video to learn how she inspired multi-departmental teams to produce big results with her leadership, partnership, and information-sharing – and supported and cultivated new leaders, including rising leaders of color, in the process. Watch the video presentation here.