Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers today announced the appointment of Kelly Snyder as Snohomish County’s new Public Works Director. Kelly will take the helm on January 21st. She succeeds the former director, Steve Thomsen, who retired in December after thirty-three years with the county.

“Kelly Snyder is the leader we need for our Public Works Department to help us chart the course as we reach one million residents by 2040,” said Executive Somers. “Kelly’s mix of private and public sector experience and her innovative nature will be important assets in helping to address traffic congestion, maintain safe roads, protect and restore our natural environment, and ensure that our infrastructure keeps pace with our population growth. We are excited to have her join our Snohomish County team and look forward to working closely with her on these complex issues and more.”

Kelly served most recently as an Assistant Vice Chancellor at the University of Washington-Bothell, where she oversaw a wide range of responsibilities including leading the campus expansion and community development team, managing campus facilities, and overseeing government and community relations. She served the State of Washington as the Director of the Public Works Board within the Department of Commerce where she managed $2.5 billion in funding for infrastructure projects across the state. Prior to her career in public service, Kelly was a co-owner and principal in a civil engineering firm for thirteen years.

“I am excited to assume leadership of Snohomish County’s Department of Public Works at this critical time,” said Kelly. “From building and maintaining roads, to ensuring we have clean water, to handling the county’s solid waste, the work of this department touches everyone’s life in the county. I look forward to building strong partnerships and collaborating across the county, region and state. I will work hard to improve our service to the public, ensure we are being good stewards of public funds, and build upon the great legacy of my predecessors and the staff.”