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Summary
Rhonda Lewis was unanimously selected by the King County Council for an interim appointment to District 2. She becomes the first Black woman ever to serve on the Council, and creates the first majority of women in the Council’s history. At the same meeting, the Council unanimously approved Executive Zahilay’s slate of nominations to the Sound Transit Board of Directors.
Story
Today, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay celebrated the unanimous appointment of Rhonda Lewis to the King County Council for District 2, replacing him in the seat he vacated last month.
After an interview process at today’s meeting, she was selected by the Council from a list of three people transmitted by the Executive last week. Rhonda was immediately sworn in after her appointment.
On the District 2 appointment, King County Councilmember Rhonda Lewis makes history as the first Black woman to ever serve on the Council. Her appointment also creates the first ever majority of women on the Council in its history. She has vowed to be a “caretaker” councilmember and not run for the seat in 2026, ensuring that District 2 voters will select the permanent office holder. Her full bio is below.
“I am filled with gratitude and excitement as Rhonda Lewis becomes a member of the King County Council. She makes history today as the first Black woman to ever serve on the Council, but the true victory here is that she will bring a career of deep experience in county operations and service delivery to represent District 2 residents over the next year,” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. “District 2 is in incredibly capable hands, and I have full confidence that Rhonda and her team will ensure no gap in constituent services between now and when the next permanent Councilmember takes office in November 2026. She will be an essential partner over the next year as our administration continues the first Executive office transition since 2009.”
“I am honored to have been selected by the King County Council to join them over the next year and finish out Executive Zahilay’s term representing District 2,” said King County Councilmember Rhonda Lewis. “We have many challenges and opportunities over the next year as the King County Council works to address important issues that District 2 residents care about, like affordability and housing and homelessness. I look forward to partnering with my new colleagues and Executive Zahilay to meet these problems head on and do everything we can for District 2 and everyone else across the region.”
The Council interviewed Lewis and Zahilay’s two other nominees, District 2 residents Cherryl Jackson-Williams and Nimco Bulale. All three have long records of service to communities throughout District 2. They have worked in a variety of roles supporting families, young people, small businesses, and neighborhoods in the district. Their collective experiences reflect the deep community roots that Executive Zahilay prioritized for the appointment.
“This is a historic moment for King County, and I’m humbled to be in the company of well qualified, ethically sound leaders whose dedication to District 2 is unmatched,” said District 2 nominee Cherryl Jackson-Williams. “While constituents love me as their community champion, they believe that Rhonda Lewis has the right recipe of public sector experience to align with the role of the District 2 caretaker. I couldn’t agree more.”
Executive Zahilay was first elected to represent District 2 in 2019 and was reelected in 2023. The term that Councilmember Lewis is completing is a shortened one, only three years, to align with the voter-approved changes to King County’s elected offices as they move to even-year elections. The appointment will last through results certification in November 2026, when the winner of the election will be sworn in to the next full four-year term.
At the same meeting, the King County Council approved Executive Zahilay’s slate of nominees to the Sound Transit Board of Directors. He thanks the Council for their partnership and approval of the nominees. Read more about the new Sound Transit board members here and read Executive Zahilay’s social media post here congratulating the appointees and thanking outgoing board member Mayor Nancy Backus.
King County Councilmember Rhonda Lewis bio:
Rhonda Lewis was appointed to the King County Council in December 2025. She brings extensive local government knowledge and deep expertise in public service. Her career spans multiple leadership roles across city and county government, with a consistent focus on equity, community engagement, and operational excellence.
Rhonda served as City Administrator of Tukwila, where she directed operations for a city serving a daytime population of over 100,000 people. During her tenure she established the city's Office of Human Services, significantly expanding services for children, families, and seniors.
At King County, Rhonda served as Chief of Operations for King County Executive Dow Constantine, overseeing nine departments with approximately 12,000 employees. In this role, she directed the creation of King County's first Zero Youth Detention Strategic Plan and led the development of the county's inaugural Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. She subsequently served as Equity and Social Justice Director for Public Health Seattle-King County before serving as Chief of Staff to then-King County Councilmember Zahilay in his District 2 office.
Rhonda is an alumna of the University of Central Oklahoma, holding a Bachelor's degree in Business Education and a Master of Business Administration. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School's Women in Power Intensive program.
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