King County supports and thanks all who have served in the military or are currently serving in the Guard or Reserve. It is important for employers to value their military personnel and support them to take leave for military operations, while allowing for them to stay gainfully employed.

To highlight this, we have profiled a King County employee who is also currently serving in the Reserve. Elizabeth Inglese, a Visual Designer with King County’s Department of Information Technology (KCIT), shares her experience while serving as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Prior to starting her journey with King County, Elizabeth served on active duty as a graphic designer and strategic communications specialist in the Marine Corps for approximately 13 years. She served with various tours in California, New York City, and the Pentagon. Elizabeth joined the Marine Reserves following her active duty service, where she held several roles relating to strategic communications. She then started her current position as a visual designer with KCIT’s Design and Civic Engagement team in January 2018. In this role she works with customers from various King County departments to visually communicate their programs, initiatives, and projects to the public.

“We are the storytellers for the thousands of hard-working, behind-the-scenes employees of King County, ensuring we connect the County’s services and stories to all people living throughout the region who need those services and are impacted by them,” Elizabeth said.

Pictured: Elizabeth Inglese, second from right, with her supervisor and coworkers at the 2018 ESGR Award Ceremony.

While serving both King County and being a Master Sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserve, Elizabeth shares how she must stay on top of her military training and annual requirements. Her current Reserve unit is made up of small detachments throughout the West Coast, and as a result, she often needs to travel for her military duties. This includes service responsibilities such as medical readiness, marksmanship, fitness, educational requirements, and more. Elizabeth typically spends one weekend a month, two weeks a year, and occasional weeknights devoted to her military commitments.

“I’m not going to lie; it can be tough to have both a fulltime job and serve in the Reserves,” Elizabeth said. “It’s like they say, ‘Part time job, full time commitment.’”

Elizabeth shares her gratitude in having a supportive work team and understanding supervisor when it comes to fulfilling her military obligations. She gratefully relies on the 21 days of paid military leave offered as a King County benefit, in order to obtain absence from work. She also recognizes the unique perspectives service members bring to the workplace and is proud to work for an employer who understands this.

Pictured: Elizabeth Inglese, third from left, with members of her unit.

“I firmly believe that those of us who serve or who have served bring another element of character to our work teams, whether it be our dutifulness, diligence, or our diverse experiences,” Elizabeth said.

By working for King County, Elizabeth appreciates that she can share her military experiences with fellow employees, as well as acknowledge other service members who are currently serving while working at King County.

We honor and thank our Reserve and Guard employees for their continuous service, and all of our military personnel here at King County.