King County Executive Dow Constantine this week appointed John Taylor as the new director for the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, selecting a proven leader to reinforce King County’s reputation as a trusted environmental steward and manage one of the largest metropolitan natural resource agencies in the country.

Taylor has served as the inaugural director for the King County Department of Local Services since 2018 when Executive Constantine established the agency to better serve the nearly 250,000 residents who live in unincorporated communities. He previously served as a member of the leadership team at the Department of Natural Resources and Parks where he led a landmark accord signed by Executive Constantine that has restored salmon habitat, strengthened the local agricultural economy, and reduced flood risks.

“John brings the strengths and talent we need to build on King County’s reputation as a trusted environmental steward: Outstanding leadership skills, a lifelong commitment to protecting and restoring the natural environment, and the proven ability to produce lasting, measurable results for all living things that make King County home,” said Executive Constantine. “He will succeed as he has for five years as a highly effective member of my Cabinet, by upholding our values to create a more resilient, sustainable, equitable King County for this generation and for all those who will come after us.”

“I am grateful and excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead one of the nation’s premier natural resource agencies, one that has the talent and expertise needed to achieve ambitious goals,” said Taylor. “Executive Constantine has provided clear direction that he wants to build on the momentum King County has made in recent years to produce better results faster for people, salmon, and orcas, and that’s what we will accomplish with our employees and partners.”

You can read the full news on John’s new role release here.

And please join us in thanking John for his leadership and commitment to serve the unincorporated areas. Good luck!