Durkan Names 3 Candidates For Top Seattle City Jobs

SEATTLE, WA — Mayor Jenny Durkan named three candidates for key department head jobs on Thursday, just as another department head announced his departure.

Durkan nominated Jesús S. Aguirre as superintendent of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Aguirre held that post under Ed Murray between 2015 and 2018. For leader of the Office of Economic Development, Durkan has poached Bobby Lee, who's in charge of Portland's economic development office.

Finally, the nominee for director of the Office of the Employee Ombud, which Durkan created in 2018, will be Dr. Amarah Khan. She is the director of equity and inclusive practices for the Renton School District. Khan will oversee a department that deals with issues like employee harassment and workplace misconduct.

"Change won’t happen overnight, but city employees will always have my impartial and honest support. I look forward to being in service to a great community," Khan said in a statement.

Office of Housing Director Steve Walker announced Thursday that he's stepping down from the job effective sometime this summer.