Crossposted from DES Express  Walt Lowry was hired last fall to lead the Facilities Management Division’s Customer Care Team and improve its processes. Now fully staffed, the team juggles dozens of work orders daily, while developing process improvement strategies.  “There’s never a dull moment in Facilities,” Lowry cracks. “All of our buildings are old. They’re handing out work orders like they’re playing cards. We deal with moves, clogged toilets, dead batteries, flags, leaks, broken windows, elevator issues and inspections, and anything else staff can think about for building needs.  Read more from DES… Read More

Crossposted from DES Express Within just minutes at the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, Security Officer Kim Brown helped a handful of customers. He escorted a woman and her young child from outside a closed courtroom to the proper room for their appointment. While giving a tour, he overheard a couple who sounded lost and offered his services. He quickly answered another question from someone who stopped at the Information Desk. He gives cookies to crying kids and helps start employees’ dead car batteries. It’s all in a day’s work for Brown, who… Read More

Crossposted from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Facebook  It’s tough to do an interview about Colleen McIngalls because she just wants to talk about how great her Protection Order Advocacy Program team is.  Colleen arrived at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) a little more than two years ago. Prior to joining the PAO, she spent 11 years at Victim Support Services, serving her last three years with the organization as Director of Victim Services. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Seattle University in the Masters in Criminal Justice Department and teaches… Read More

Crossposted from the DES Express  Susan Broome knows a little something about being a high performer. She was a sweep rower in the 1988 Summer Olympics, competing against the world’s best in Seoul. “Broome” is also a suitable aptronym – a name perfect for her role.  “People always get a kick out of that,” she said.  Broome was in the premier boat in the Women’s eight in the 1988 Olympics. As a sweep rower on the port side, she was among the top four rowers in the U.S. Broome also competed at… Read More

By Leslie Brown, Department of Public Defense At a recent sentencing of a client represented by the Department of Public Defense (DPD), the judge heard a compelling story about the father of two at the table before him – but not only from his public defender. He also watched a 20-minute video, a film that showed how much the man was loved and supported despite addictions that had led him down a troubled path. His mother spoke about his empathy. His best friend said he’d offer him a job. His fiancée discussed… Read More

Crossposted from GIS & You At the State of Washington GIS Day event in Olympia last week, King County’s Peter Keum was awarded the first ever ‘Government Helping Government GIS Recognition Award.’ The award recognizes extraordinary GIS professionals who work for a government agency, but who go beyond their normal duties and outside their normal working days and hours to help other government agencies in Washington State. Peter was nominated by his peers for volunteer activity that included organizing user groups, promoting the use of drones for spatial data collection by government agencies, and supporting Native American… Read More