By KIRO7 News Staff
As part of Seattle’s search for a permanent director for the Seattle Department of Transportation, mayor Bruce Harrell has named a committee of transportation leaders and community partners to help lead the effort, Harrell’s office announced Friday.
According to the mayor’s office, the search committee will have experts including former and current SDOT employees, government partners, advocates, and economic development and community leaders.
“Seattle deserves a transportation system that is safe, reliable, and equitable, and our SDOT Director is instrumental in implementing that vision,” Harrell said in the release. “We have an opportunity to appoint a champion for innovative thinking and back-to-basics fixes, a collaborator who builds bridges – and repairs them. I’m thrilled by the quality of candidate this position will attract from around our community and the country. I encourage everyone interested, qualified, and ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work to apply.”
Members of the search committee include:
- Genesee Adkins, former SDOT Chief of Staff
- Cassie Chinn, Wing Luke Museum
- Dr. Anne Goodchild, UW Urban Freight Lab
- Amy Grotefendt, Transportation Lead, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
- Matt Howard, SDOT
- Alex Hudson, Transportation Choices Coalition
- Rob Johnson, NHL Seattle Kraken, former Councilmember
- Steve Kovac, IBEW Local 77
- Lee Lambert, Cascade Bike Club
- Geri Poor, Port of Seattle
- Rizwan Rizwi, Muslim Housing Services
- Monisha Singh, Chinatown International District Business Improvement Assoc.
- Yordanos Teferi, SDOT’s Transportation Equity Workgroup
- Terry White, King County Metro
- Yu-Ann Youn, SDOT’s Transportation Equity Workgroup, UW student
The position of SDOT Director will open for applicants on April 12. The search committee will begin considering candidates next month before making a final selection this summer.
“This search committee is going to play an integral role in our hiring process, both identifying and evaluating candidates,” Harrell said. “These extremely qualified local experts understand the transportation challenges facing our City and region and the opportunities we share to build something better. Their service in this role will put us on the path towards a more equitable, sustainable, and livable Seattle.”