Lynn Peterson, Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation, announced the appointment of Lynne Griffith as Assistant Secretary for the Washington State Ferries Division.

She officially begins her leadership role next month with responsibilities including, guiding the ferries management team and all ferries employees to meet safety, operational and budgetary goals; and collaborating effectively with community and labor partners and other WSDOT divisions. Griffith will be the first woman to hold the position of Assistant Secretary for the Washington State Ferries Division.“I am very pleased Lynne is joining the WSDOT team and I want to thank Captain George Capacci for serving in the interim role,” said Secretary Peterson. “Our ferry system is an iconic symbol of the state of Washington and a vital link in our statewide transportation system. It will be in good hands with Assistant Secretary Griffith.”

Griffith has more than 35 years’ experience in the transportation industry in transit, airlines and rail, from entry level operations to executive management. Highlights of her background include: currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Pierce Transit and formally at C-TRAN in Clark County, and managing bus and specialized transportation for people with disabilities at one of the largest transit authorities in the United States, MARTA, in Atlanta, Georgia. “I am excited to work with the 1,700 men and women who are responsible for providing such an important transportation connection to Washingtonians,” said Griffith. “It is no small task to operate service reliably and safely on such a large scale, and I am looking forward to this opportunity.”

Also today, Secretary Peterson sent a memo to Governor Inslee with short- and long-term considerations to move the division forward under Griffith’s leadership. “Coming from an island community that relies heavily on WSF services, I personally understand and appreciate how this leadership role is important to keeping the economic engine of Washington running,” said Governor Inslee. “I am pleased someone as capable and experienced as Lynne Griffith is joining our team to make this system even better.”

Washington State Ferries operates 163,000 scheduled sailings annually, with a reliability rate of 99.5 percent year to date in 2014.