The Employee Engagement Strategy (EES) Program at Public Health – Seattle and King County has recently undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving into a dynamic collective known as the EES Troupe. The Troupe brings together participants from various divisions and departments throughout King County, with the aim of fostering effective employee engagement and strengthening collaborative strategies.

The EES Troupe has been working diligently to create a robust working environment that promotes teamwork, innovation, and productivity among colleagues internally. By encouraging employees to work together and leverage their diverse expertise, the Troupe aims to cultivate pathways and a space where individuals thrive and contribute to the King County’s workforce development objectives and Equity, Racial, and Social Justice goals.

Beyond internal collaboration, the EES Troupe has also been actively forging partnerships in the academic and community sectors, making a significant impact externally. One of the Troupe’s key focuses is on providing valuable opportunities for students ranging from middle school to college-age. These experiences include internships, work-study programs, job shadowing, and more. By offering exposure, knowledge, and understanding of the importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) academics and career pathways, the Troupe aims to empower students throughout King County to pursue meaningful and fulfilling futures.

Pictured from left to right is Greg Wilson, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Lynelle Golden, Dean, Bastyr University, Devin Byrd, President, Bastyr University, Jamey Wallace, Chief Medical Officer, Bastyr University, and Nicole Francois, President, Market Well.

Greg Wilson, Program Manager within the Environmental Health Services Division at Public Health – Seattle and King County, expressed his enthusiasm for the vision.

“Through the EES Troupe, we aim to create a collaborative ecosystem where employees feel empowered and supported in their work, while also investing in the next generation of STEAM professionals,” he said.

He emphasizes that by leveraging the skills and passions of fellow King County colleagues, the Troupe is forging key alliances internally through employee engagement and external community partnerships, to establish a lasting impact on both King County and the community.

“It is important to provide opportunities for young people in our community and encourage their interest in a variety of educational fields.”

The efforts of the EES Troupe have garnered recognition from both employees and community members. Colleagues have expressed increased morale, satisfaction, and motivation within their work environments, while students have benefited from hands-on experiences and a deeper understanding of potential career pathways.

The EES Troupe’s partnerships extend to esteemed academic institutions, including K-12 School Districts, collaborations with Seattle University, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Bellevue College, The University of Washington and beyond. Ultimately, these affiliations aim to develop more healthcare professionals, provide continuing education, and support the education and graduation of nurses who can serve patients at King County hospitals and health centers.

Pictured Faisal Khan, Director, Public Health – Seattle & King County (right) and Devin Byrd, President, Bastyr University celebrating this recent partnership.

Greg and the EES Troupe have also developed a thriving relationship with Bastyr University to support this work. This includes Greg serving on the Community Advisory Board for Bastyr, where he was able to support the university to become one of only three institutions, and the only private university, in Washington State to have an accredited Masters in Public Health (MPH) program. This work has also resulted in a recent collaboration among key Public Health and Bastyr leadership designed to expand the Master Affiliation Agreement in place.

“This connection with Bastyr and their MPH program not only develops a new partnership for the EES program, but also allows Bastyr students to be directly involved in making a difference within the community,” said Robin Fenn, Bastyr Chair and Professor of the Department of Public Health, and Advisory Board Member.

“During the pandemic, Greg worked with his division and an interning MPH student to create a tool to assess the cultural and linguistic adequacy of COVID-19 related materials that were being shared with vulnerable LatinX communities in King County,” explains Nicole Francois, President Market Well Consulting. “This dedication to initiatives and programs that improve the health of our communities has been and remains invaluable.”

Greg adds that “Developing healthy communities means developing healthy individuals who are eager to learn and capable of envisioning a great life for themselves and a better world for us all. It means meeting students where they are and building their confidence to help them cultivate a vision for their lives, passion for learning, and offering them avenues to be contributing citizens.”

Pictured: Greg Wilson, far right, with members of the EES Troupe and the Highline School District Superintendent, Ivan Duran, and Museum of Flight Leadership.

The EES Troupe has also organized field trips and inspiring events such as a visit to The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Bellevue Botanical Gardens, The Museum of Flight for students from the Highline School District, South Seattle and beyond.

“By successfully sustaining our Internship Program, I am most grateful to all that our objective to inspire youth, our future leaders for tomorrow, was accomplished,” said Greg. “

Greg looks forward to expanding the Troupe and highlighting the advances of both community partners and King County employees.

“King County government does a lot to foster healthy communities. Through our individual work, and in our work groups, we often don’t get to see the depth and breadth of the good work our organization accomplishes.”

“I want my colleagues to know we are the sum of our contributions and that we are building neat outcomes in King County today and for tomorrow.”

Pictured: Highline students at the Museum of Flight and Highline Schools Foundation Executive Director, Fred Swanson.

The EES Troupe will continue facilitating events and programs throughout the year nurturing K-16 academic institutions, reinforcing the principles of the King County Equity & Social Justice Ordinance, and sustaining awareness for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities by serving as stewards throughout King County who recognize that racism is a public health crisis.

To learn more about the EES Troupe and how to get involved, please contact Greg Wilson at Greg.Wilson@kingcounty.gov.

Public Health – Seattle and King County is a leading public health organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the health and well-being of all residents in the Seattle and King County area. With a strong focus on community engagement, it strives to address the health needs of diverse populations through innovative programs and effective partnerships.