Celebrating Pride and the fight for equality
A message from King County Executive Girmay Zahilay Team, Sunday, I joined hundreds of King County employees, families, friends, and even a few pets to march together in solidarity, unity, and celebration at the Seattle Pride Parade. Pride celebrates a rich history of resistance, courage, and joy. It grew from the fight for basic rights and dignity, led by people, particularly Black Trans women, who refused to accept invisibility or inequality. Their activism laid the foundation for the freedoms and recognition the LGBTQIA+ community continues to pursue today. From the bold acts… Read More
Dr. Susan McLaughlin confirmed as Director of King County Department of Community and Human Services
This month, the King County Council confirmed Dr. Susan McLaughlin as the Director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) after Executive Girmay Zahilay nominated her earlier this year. Since last December, Dr. McLaughlin has served as the Acting Director of DCHS. She has spent over 20 years in DCHS, including serving as the Health and Human Services Administrator and the Director of the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division. In her time with the department, she has overseen a wide range of programs for mental health and substance… Read More
Executive Zahilay recognizes Juneteenth, a day that carries both celebration and weight
On Friday, June 19, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay emailed all County employees in recognition of Juneteenth, its history and legacy. “For me, Juneteenth is a reminder that the pursuit of freedom, opportunity, and justice for African Americans did not end in 1865,” Executive Zahilay wrote in his email. “Today, we honor the generations of African Americans who continued that pursuit long after June 19, 1865. People who organized, advocated, worshipped, taught, created, mentored, served, and led in their communities in the face of relentless resistance.” Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when… Read More
Executive Zahilay, Mayor Wilson thank Councils for confirming Dr. Sandra Valenciano as Public Health Director
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson celebrated the appointment this week of Dr. Sandra Valenciano as the new Director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. The current acting director, Dr. Valenciano was confirmed by both the Metropolitan King County Council and the Seattle City Council on Tuesday, June 9. “Community health and wellbeing are central to everything we do at King County, and Dr. Valenciano has the experience, expertise, and commitment to lead this critical department into the future,” said Executive Zahilay. “She is a well-known… Read More
Sharing my first 2026 State of the County address with all of you
On Wednesday, June 10, I delivered my first State of the County address in front of a crowd of over 500 attendees including King County Council, King County department leaders and employees, local elected officials and residents at the Federal Way Performing Arts Center. My goal with this first address was to talk about some of what this administration has been working on, my goals for the future and my commitment to the work ahead with each of you. We are living through a period of tremendous change in King County where… Read More
King County Executive and Council honor Juneteenth
Executive Zahilay and the King County Council jointly proclaim Friday, June 19, 2026 as Juneteenth in King County. Together, they share how “Juneteenth is an important opportunity to reflect on the progress, achievements, and contributions African Americans have made and continue to make, and an occasion to look forward to the work that remains to reach full economic and social equity for the descendants of enslaved African Americans.” June 19, 2026 also marks the 161st anniversary of Juneteenth, which continues to be a profound symbol of freedom, resilience, and the ongoing journey… Read More
New one-stop employee Intranet site for the County’s new Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values
On Thursday, June 4, Executive Girmay Zahilay launched our new Vision, Mission, and Values for the Executive Branch. “Together, they define where we are headed as an organization, the role we play in serving our communities, and how we will work together internally to deliver on those external priorities,” says Executive Zahilay. To help employees learn more about the new Vision, Mission, and Values, King County has launched an intranet page. It’s a new one-stop-shop page with a collection of links and information called “Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values.” The page includes: Mission statement Vision statement ACTIVATE Values descriptions and key behaviors Executive Zahilay… Read More
WATCH: Executive Zahilay introduces our new Vision, Mission, and Values
Executive Zahilay today shared a new employee video where he introduces our new Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values. “ACTIVATE stands for: Accountable, Collaborative, Timely, Impactful, Value Employees, Accessible, Trusted, and Equitable,” Executive Zahilay explains in the video. “These values build on the strong foundation that already exists here at King County, while helping us meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. They define how we make decisions, how we work together, and how we hold ourselves accountable to the people that we serve.” The video also features Dr. Sandra Valenciano, Director of Public Health —… Read More
Executive launches new Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay today launched our new Vision, Mission, and Values for the Executive Branch. “Today, I am pleased to introduce our new Vision, Mission, and Values,” Executive Zahilay said in an email to all employees. “Together, they define where we are headed as an organization, the role we play in serving our communities, and how we will work together internally to deliver on those external priorities.” Our Vision Statement defines the future we are striving toward: a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient region where every individual and community is safe, connected, housed, healthy, and empowered… Read More
Executive Zahilay announces key amendments and regional partnerships to improve Sound Transit 3 system plan for King County
Yesterday, Executive Girmay Zahilay announced his sponsorship for new amendments to the ST3 system update plan that will advance critical transit projects in King County and improve accountability at Sound Transit. The Sound Transit Board is expected to vote on these amendments and updated plan on Thursday. In March, the Executive committed to regional collaboration to address the agency’s $34.5 billion funding shortfall while keeping projects affordable and moving forward. “Addressing a budget deficit of this size is incredibly challenging, and difficult decisions were always going to be necessary,” said Executive Zahilay. “Even so, we made meaningful progress to move all of King County’s projects forward, and… Read More
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