Profiling amazing women working throughout King County: Diane Gimenez, Utility Laborer, King County Metro

Diane Gimenez, Utility Laborer, King County Metro How did you get your start in utilities? I started with Metro back in June 1995. When I started I was a maintenance worker, and then I moved to become a utility laborer in 1998. I took the job because it looked like it would be challenging. You were outdoors and I liked working outside. Then in 1998 I put in an application to get my CDL (Commercial Driver’s License). It was a good opportunity to move up and get another position within the County. Do… Read More

Getting creative: Local 17 supervisor uses visual mapping to engage employees in the decision-making process

This article original appeared in the PTE Local 17 Insight Magazine. We have been given approval from L17 to use this article. When Local 17 member Keith Siebler started working at the Auburn Public Health in King County nearly five years ago, he encountered a few conflict situations between employees. And while it’s not unusual for supervisors to manage conflict, Siebler wanted to come up with a creative and productive way to address some longstanding issues. As a Public Health Administrative Support Supervisor (PHASS), Siebler supervises Administrative Support staff and is in… Read More

A promising local solution to ensure a fair shot at local jobs

Crossposted from Best Starts for Kids Blog   Earlier this month, staff from King County’s Natural Resources and Parks were busy getting ready for the upcoming spring and summer season when Pacific Northwesterners experience our parks in full force. This time of year also marks hiring for important jobs to ensure our parks are ready for the season. This hiring event took place at the local community center in White Center. The event is part of a purposeful effort to address the growing disparities we see in our region between those that have opportunities to… Read More

Women’s History Month Celebration March 24

Please bring your lunch and join us in County Courthouse Room E-942 for our second annual “Women’s History Month Celebration.” This event is part of the Legislative Branch Equity and Social Justice Committee’s Lunch and Learn series, co-hosted by the King County Women’s Advisory Board. Friday, March 24 from noon to 1:30 p.m. King County Courthouse Room E-942 The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Councilmember Kohl-Welles. Click here or on the image below for more details and information about the guest speakers. If you would like more information about this… Read More

Bus operator takes passengers on multi-lingual, multicultural experience 

Bus driver Kathy Maddux cares about her riders. She wants them to enjoy the time on board her bus as they drive together around the city. In late December 2016 she used a car window marker to make them feel especially welcome, by writing write fun messages to her riders on the windows. Just an afterthought after finding the non-permanent marker in her daughter’s backpack, the messages Kathy wrote were simple and thoughtful. “The first day I did it, I wrote ‘Happy January’ facing the inside of the bus, and ‘Feliz Enero,’… Read More

Nominations needed for Administrative Professionals Day, April 26

The Administrative Professionals Recognition Program is seeking nominations to recognize employees who embody the attributes of excellence and innovation. For information about eligibility and to nominate an employee before Wednesday, April 26, visit the Administrative Professionals Program website. Also, save the date for the upcoming celebration to honor this year’s award recipients to be held Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at King Street Center, 8th Floor Conference Center. If you would like more information about this event, contact Paige Myers at 206-477-4551 or paige.myers@kingcounty.gov.

The changing face of Capital Project Management

Crossposted from Clean Water Stories King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) is facing the same workforce challenges that confront many clean water utilities across the United States.  Hard working senior employees throughout our organization are retiring. We need to recruit new employees and help them onboard to a career protecting public health and our environment. The passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 sparked the beginning of many wastewater careers.  A costly and damaging fire on the Cuyahoga River in Ohio triggered an amendment of the 1948 Federal Water Pollution Control… Read More

Profiling amazing women working throughout King County: Eden Rogland Peak, KCIT IT Senior Applications Developer

This article is featured courtesy of Jamie Holter, Communications Manager, Department of Information Technology Eden Rogland Peak, KCIT IT Senior Applications Developer How did you get your start in IT? I spent a year after getting my Humanities B.A. working for AmeriCorps and at the end of my service I chose to use the education stipend I earned on computer classes at South Seattle College. At first it was just for fun but I was inspired by some great teachers and decided to go ahead and finish the Software Engineering program. That… Read More

Texas-bound employee volunteers with refugees and immigrants 

Megan Holmes, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, has roots in public service. Growing up, her parents worked with children who experienced trauma in Belfast, Northern Ireland and her mother traveled to the Soviet Union to work with teachers. Megan herself spent six months as a volunteer in Guatemala in 2005. In her work with King County she pursues this passion every day as a senior social worker with the Child Care Health Program. Here she helps children develop the social and emotional skills needed to build positive relationships. Her role also takes… Read More

Women’s History Month Celebration March 24

Please bring your lunch and join us in E-942 for our second annual “Women’s History Month Celebration.” This event is part of the Legislative Branch Equity and Social Justice Committee’s Lunch and Learn series, co-hosted by the King County Women’s Advisory Board. Friday, March 24 from noon to 1:30 p.m. King County Courthouse Room E-942 The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Councilmember Kohl-Welles. More details and announcement of the guest speakers coming soon. If you would like more information about this event, contact Lauren Vlas at 206-477-0943 or lauren.vlas@kingcounty.gov. Additionally, the… Read More