Sept. 18 is the start of Falls Prevention Awareness Week, which Executive Dow Constantine has declared for King County. Falls are the leading cause of injuries for people 65 and older in King County, but they are largely preventable. This week, join county programs and community partners in raising awareness on how to reduce fall risks for our friends, family and ourselves. Learn more here.
Lorre Wijelath named Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
KCIT is pleased to announce that Lorre Wijelath has been selected for the permanent leadership role of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).
Lorre has served as the interim CISO for the past 11 months and was selected for the permanent position after a competitive recruitment process.
Lorre joined King County in 2020 as a member of KCIT's Security and Privacy team. Since then, Lorre developed King County's first data privacy program, responded to critical security incidents, and led significant enterprise initiatives to improve cybersecurity. Previously, Lorre worked with the federal government to protect health information security and privacy, as well as a Seattle-based national healthcare company.
“It is inspiring to work with such an amazing group of professionals who bring passion, enthusiasm, and a deep commitment to keeping King County secure, “ Lorre said. “I look forward to partnering with colleagues across King County to continue strengthening our awareness around the importance of cybersecurity within our community.”
Announcements
Metro wants to hear from people with disabilities about their mobility needs
Mobility for people with disabilities has always been a vital part of Metro’s mission and we work hard to remove barriers. Metro is currently developing a plan to further improve accessibility within our programs, services and activities. Our goal is to make it possible for everyone in King County to ride with us and get to the places they need to go.
We invite you to complete our community survey by Oct. 15. Scroll down to learn more about Metro’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan. Your input about your experiences riding Metro and your ideas for enhancing our programs, services and activities for people with disabilities are highly valued. Read more.
Youth learn and develop community leadership skills through Metro Transit Equity Internship Program
This July, King County Metro hosted its second annual Youth Transit Equity Internship. The program provides a unique group learning and skill-building opportunity for young people interested in public transit and community leadership. Throughout the program, the Transit Equity Interns become peer ambassadors of transportation resources, explore career pathways within Metro, and build skills and knowledge of transit, urban planning, climate justice, and local government! Read more.
Integrating health care systems to support and care for people with substance use disorders
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are complex conditions that continue to impact people from all walks of life. Like many communities across the nation, King County residents are seeing a rise in substance use disorders and overdoses, particularly with the tragic impacts of the fentanyl epidemic being felt across our communities.
This summer, the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) published a blog series focused on what residents should know about King County’s SUD response. You can read more here:
For more information, including who can register to vote, visit the King County Elections Register to Vote website.
Upcoming VMAG meeting, Sept. 20
The King County Veterans and Military Affinity Group (VMAG) will hold their monthly meeting Sept. 20. This month’s meeting will feature a presentation by the Seattle Stand Down, which provides a community of peace, hope, and dignity for all who have served based on the acknowledgement that every Veteran counts and never stands alone in their time of need. This month’s meeting will be held on Teams and is open to all King County employees.
Wednesday, Sept. 20 at noon. To be added to the meeting invite send an email to vet.milag@kingcounty.gov.
Why Tracking Works and How to Actually Like It webinar, Sept. 21
Ready to build healthier habits? Tracking your food and exercise can help. If you ever find yourself with a sense of dread when it comes to tracking, join WeightWatchers’ (WW) head of Behavior Change, Dr. Allison Grupski, and Sophie Webb, WW Coach, for a conversation about why tracking works and how you can actually find ways to, dare we say, like it.
Balanced You has partnered with WeightWatchers to provide this webinar to employees.
King County employees receive MS Office discount and discounted tickets to UW Husky “Superhero Day” Sept. 23
King County employees can take advantage of a variety of discounts on MS Office 365 products. Employees can enter their email address on the the Microsoft Workplace Discount Program website to get started.
The University of Washington (UW) Husky football team invites all King County employees to attend the first conference game of the season against the California Golden Bears on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.Employees can purchase discounted tickets here. This game is themed "Superhero Day" and will pay tribute to the true superheroes of Seattle - first responders, teachers, healthcare workers, city and county workers, and others.
Learn the latest and greatest in rodent prevention and control, Sep. 25 - 27
Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Rodent Program is partnering with the City of Seattle, Seattle Center, and the Washington State Pest Management Association to bring you a three-day training on the latest and greatest in rodent prevention and control. The 2023 Pest Coast Workshop will be held Sept. 25 through 27.
This year’s workshop topics include non-toxic control options, sanitation and exclusion, and updates on the latest rodenticide regulations. We will also be doing a full day in the field working side by side with pest control industry professionals and our expert speakers for a hands-on training at the Seattle Center tacking real issues in the environment, indoors, and with food service establishments. This training is great for any agency that manages properties, parks, housing, wastes, facilities, libraries, P-Patches, public utilities, code enforcement, roads, transit, transfer stations, and energy.
Mental Health First Aid Essentials 101 seminar, Sept. 26
The Mental Health First Aid Essentials 101 seminar provides a high-level introduction to workplace wellbeing and reinforce the principles of Mental Health First Aid to foster peer support and engagement. The session includes information on best practices in the workplace and guidance on how to support each other and ourselves during this crisis, with a focus on the impact of trauma, the importance of team engagement, self-care, and mindfulness. This seminar is a 90-minutes introductory course.
This seminar covers the latest topics in workplace mental health. They are a great way to continue learning and address specific areas of concern. Participants come away with actionable strategies to foster wellbeing.
Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Register here.
If the participant would like to continue their education in this area after the Essentials class, they can then follow up individually with one of the standard Mental Health First Aid@Work courses or the certification class. Email BalancedYou@kingcounty.gov for more information.
Training Spotlights:
Equity and Leadership Webinar – Online – Created in partnership with the Office of Equity, Racial, and Social Justice, Equity and Leadership is designed to support participants’ ability to recognize the role that race and racism have on disparities in our workforce and to understand the responsibility for people leaders to create racially equitable work environments for their teams.
Building Gender Inclusive Spaces for Managers and Supervisors – Online – In this workshop, participants will gain a foundational understanding of gender identity, terminology, and transgender history, learn best practices to create a gender inclusive workplace, and understand their role as managers and supervisors in supporting transgender and non-binary employees in the workplace. Participants will have the opportunity to move through real-life scenarios, apply their understanding of pronoun use, and develop strategies to advance gender equity at King County and in their teams.
Job Type: Multiple job types-career service and/or temp
Job Number: 2023JS20045
Department: DAJD-Adult/Juvenile Detention
Division: KCCF
Opening Date: 9/19/2023
Closing Date: 10/2/2023 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: Z3: KC Personnel Guidelines
The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is accepting applications from skilled and service-driven professionals to establish an eligibility list which will be used to fill Administrative Specialist II positions, as needed, within the Department. Administrative Specialists II are responsible for a wide variety of administrative and clerical duties focused on supporting the needs of DAJD, while delivering exceptional customer service and support to customers, employees, and jail residents. Incumbents will have direct contact with residents, detainees and defendants, volunteer service partners, Correctional Officers, and the general public.
