Durkan forms ‘diverse, inclusive’ transition committee

Nov 14, 2017, 9:28 AM

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

MyNorthwest.com

Seattle Mayor-elect Jenny Durkan is touting the city’s “most diverse, inclusive transition committee” that will represent all of Seattle as she enters office. Its members offer insight into who the new mayor is bringing to the table to discuss Seattle policy, and what issues she is focusing on.

“Our transition team reflects the best of Seattle,” Durkan said. “To solve our affordability, housing, and homelessness crisis, we need urgent action and innovative ideas. These community leaders and policy experts from all parts of Seattle will develop key achievable policy recommendations to make differences not just in the short term, but which help build a progressive, innovative and inclusive city for the next generation.”

The transition committee is composed of more than 60 members. Co-chairs include former Deputy Secretary of the US Department of HUD and King County Executive Ron Sims; Transportation Choices Coalition Executive Director Shefali Ranganathan; and Plymouth Housing Executive Director Paul Lambros. The committee will have three meetings before the end of the year to develop short-term policy solutions for housing, homelessness, affordability, transportation, the economy, jobs, social justice and other issues. Ranganathan has also been named as Durkan’s deputy mayor.

Durkan is expected to take over leadership of the city once votes are official — likely by the end of November. She is entering office earlier than a mayor normally would. This is because Ed Murray resigned before the end of his term (the end of 2017). Council President Bruce Harrell was briefly mayor until former Councilmember Tim Burgess stepped in.

Before Murray left office amid multiple allegations of sexual abuse, there was a question as to whether he should step down. Some argued that the sudden absence of leadership would be bad for the city. Durkan’s transition committee aims to bring her administration, and the city, up to speed after the disruption.

Transition committee

A few notable names on the committee list include: Dr. Caleb Banta-Green with the University of Washington who was a member of the county’s opioid task force which recommended safe injection sites; Charlene Strong, chair of the Washington State Human Rights Commission; former Seattle mayors Charles Royer and Norm Rice; ACLU Executive Director Kathleen Taylor; and four union representatives.

The committee also includes members of Seattle’s business community such as: Dave Stewart, vice president of Vulcan; Eileen Sullivan, senior manager at Amazon; Jordan Royer with the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association; Louise Chernin and Linda Di Lello Morton with the Greater Seattle Business Association; and Maud Daudon with Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

Transition Committee Members:
Adrian Z. Diaz
Lieutenant, Seattle Police Department

Angela Stowell
United Way, Campaign Co-Chair and Co-Founder of Stowell Restaurants

Anne Lee
TeamChild, Executive Director

Asha Mohamed
Women’s Advocacy Center, Co-Founder

Behnaz Nelson
PTE Local 17, Executive Director

Bill Hallerman
Catholic Community Services of King County, Agency Director

Brianna Ishihara
Community Member

Caleb Banta-Green
University of Washington, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, Principal Research Scientist

Charlene Strong
Washington State Human Rights Commission, Chair

Charles Royer
Former Mayor of Seattle

Cherry Cayabyab
Community Activist

Colleen Echohawk
Chief Seattle Club, Executive Director

Dave Gering
Manufacturing Industrial Council, Executive Director

Dave Stewart
Vulcan, Executive Vice President and General Counsel

David Della
Former Seattle City Councilmember

David Rolf
SEIU 775, President

Diane Sosne
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, President

Eileen Sullivan
Amazon, Senior Manager, U.S. State Public Policy

Eileen V. Quigley
Clean Energy Transition, Director

Emilio Garza
The Washington Bus, Executive Director

Ezra Teshome
Community Leader

Gordon McHenry, Jr.
Solid Ground, President & CEO

Helen Howell
Building Changes, Executive Director

Jan Drago
Former Seattle City Councilmember

Jerry Everard
Capitol Hill and Belltown Business Owner

Jordan Royer
Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, VP for External Affairs, Manufacturing Industrial Council Board Member, and Washington CeaseFire Board Member

Jorge L. Barón
NW Immigrant Rights Project, Executive Director

Juan Cotto
El Centro de la Raza, President of the Board, and Board Member of Sound Mental Health

Kathleen Taylor
ACLU – Washington, Executive Director

Lauren McGowan
United Way, Sr. Director, Ending Homelessness & Poverty

The Honorable Leonard Forsman
The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, President and Suquamish Tribe, Chair

Leonard Smith
Teamsters 117, Director of Organizing & Strategic Campaigns

Linda Di Lello Morton
Greater Seattle Business Association, Board Member, and Terra Plata, Owner

Lisa Daugaard
Public Defender Association, Director

Louise Chernin
Greater Seattle Business Association, President & CEO

Lt. Kenny Stuart
Seattle Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local 27, President

Marcos Martinez
Casa Latina, Executive Director

Mariko Lockhart
National Coordinator, 100,000 Opportunities Initiative – Demonstration Cities, The Aspen Institute’s Forum for Community Solutions
Martha Kongsgaard
Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation, President

Marty Hartman
Mary’s Place, Executive Director

Mary Jean Ryan
Community Center for Education Results, Executive Director

Maud Daudon
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, President & CEO

Mohamed Sheikh Hassan
East African Community Leader

Monisha Harrell
Equal Rights Washington, Chair

Monty Anderson
Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council, Executive Secretary

Nicole Grant
M. L. King County Labor Council, Executive Secretary Treasurer

Norm Rice
Former Mayor of Seattle

Ollie Garrett
Tabor 100, President

Patrice Thomas
Rainier Beach Action Coalition, Strategist

Paul Lambros
Plymouth Housing, Executive Director

Riall Johnson
De-Escalate Washington, Campaign Manager