DPD’s Lorinda Youngcourt elected to national steering committee
Congratulations! Lorinda Youngcourt, the King County Director of the Department of Public Defense, has been elected to the Steering Committee of the National Association for Public Defense. The Steering Committee is comprised of member-leaders who have risen to distinction through their contributions to the National Association for Public Defense NAPD. It guides the organization with a primary goal of shaping it into a self-sufficient and self-governing entity. Lorinda was a unanimous electee, and her term is effective as of January 18.
PSB deputy director receives rare boats and chance of a lifetime
Recently Michael Jacobson, the Deputy Director for Performance and Strategy with the County’s Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget (PSB), was highlighted in a radio and online piece by KNKX. The piece, entitled “Almost 30 years In The Making, A Seattle Man Gets Ahold Of Two Boats From Taiwan,” shared Michael’s passion for the tatala, an indigenous boat from Taiwan. “It is made up of 21 pieces of wood that have been very carefully custom carved to fit together. There’s pegs holding these pieces of wood together. You see the puzzle shaped nature of this. There’s no… Read More
‘Tools to not only succeed, but to soar;’ Bus driver’s art honors Metro, MLK Jr.
Crossposted from Metro Matters To say that Heidi Barack loves working for Metro calls for all caps. She LOVES working for Metro! “I’ve never felt so welcome, or worked in a place where people wanted so much for me to succeed,” she said. Heidi is a transit operator and the artist behind two Martin Luther King Jr. portraits on display in the Metro General Manager’s Office. She was inspired to use bus transfer slips to create the portraits. “King County’s Martin Luther King Jr. logo is something we all stand for.” Heidi… Read More
Executive Constantine names Casey Sixkiller as Chief Operating Officer
In naming Casey Sixkiller to his senior leadership team, King County Executive Dow Constantine added an experienced leader and public policy expert with strong ties across the region. Sixkiller is founder and managing partner of his own public affairs firm in Washington, D.C. “I am thrilled to have Casey join our team. His background and experience will bring a new perspective to our senior leadership, and help us fulfill my agenda for an inclusive, equitable, and prosperous community,” said Executive Constantine. “As one of King County’s advisors in the other Washington, Casey provided insight and strategy… Read More
Employee receives workplace support, creates amazing video project
Valuing King County employees means listening to their concerns and providing opportunities. When employees are interested in advancing their careers, it’s important to be attentive to their needs and together discover a way to address them. The Investing In YOU initiative helps identify the tools and support employees’ needs to innovate, achieve their career goals and ultimately do their best work. One such employee is Paul Israel, a Parks Specialist with the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP). Working outside, Paul’s usual duties involve everything from playground installation and culvert replacement, to standard maintenance… Read More
Kudos! Welcome to the new King County Sheriff, Mitzi Johanknecht
Pictured here is new King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht, with Judge Laura Inveen, being sworn in Tuesday morning at the King County Courthouse. It’s official! Please join us in welcoming Mitzi Johanknecht as our King County Sheriff!
Chief deputy of King County Sheriff’s Office featured in national magazine
Chief deputy Jim Pugel is featured in a recent article by the Pew Charitable Trusts entitled Law Enforcement Veteran Offers New Perspective on Policing. “I was taught to catch the bad guys and put them in jail and then go out and do it all over again.” The article discusses criminal justice reform, recidivism rates, the LEAD program here in King County and how real-world consequences changed Jim’s thinking about crime and punishment. Read more at the Pew Charitable Trusts.
King County’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Unit (ARFF)
King County International Airport is one of the busiest non-commercial airports in the world. Meet some of the Sheriff’s Deputies, Fire Fighters and Certified Emergency Medical Technicians – members of the King County Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Unit – who work 24/7 to keep the airport and its users safe. Click image above to play video
From King County intern to Deputy Prosecutor
Crossposted from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Facebook Deputy Prosecutor Anela Ramic’s earliest memories are of her parents sitting her down with an Etch A Sketch to teach her the English alphabet before she started preschool in the United States. “My parents barely spoke English, and I didn’t know how to write anything, so it was just hours and hours of me crying, and them crying, but they were trying to show me the basic letters because that’s how it was in their country. You learned how to read and write before… Read More
New employee grateful for fresh start after hurricane
The Bellevue Reporter recently featured Rafael Muñoz-Cintrón who, with his family, left the devastation caused to Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria, to begin a new life in Bellevue. Less than two months after arriving in King County, Rafael successfully applied for a Legal Secretary position with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. “We thank God every day we were able to get on our feet so quickly,” Rafael Muñoz-Cintrón said in the article. Read more at the Bellevue Reporter.
Employee News 