as Former Executive Director, Hilary Franz, takes leave of absence to run for  Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands

SEATTLE (April 20, 2016) Today Futurewise Executive Director, Hilary Franz, announced that she will run for Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands. She will take a leave of absence from Futurewise to focus on her campaign. 

Hilary joined Futurewise in 2011. bringing nearly 20 years of experience working on environmental. local government and public policy issues. Prior to Futurewise. Hilary represented local governments. non-profit organizations. and citizen groups on environmental law issues including the Growth Management Shoreline Management Endangered Species and State Environmental Policy Acts. 

Chris Wierzbicki, Futurewise Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed Interim Executive Director, effective immediately. 

"Hilary and I have worked together on many challenging planning issues, and she is a wonderful mentor. I'm looking forward to this opportunity to lead the innovative work of Futurewise and strengthen the relationships she has helped us build." said Chris. 

Chris has more than 17 years of private and public sector experience in engineering, regional planning and municipal management. Before joining Futurewise in October 2015, he most recently served in a leadership role at the King County Department of Transportation Road Services Division and as deputy director of planning at the City of Bainbridge Island. 

"This is an exciting opportunity for Hilary and a unique opportunity to advance the issues that Futurewise and our members care about. The Lands Commissioner plays a vital role in protecting the quality of our environment and sustainably managing our state's resources. We wish her the best of luck in this endeavor. And we have the utmost confidence in Chris to carry us through this transition period," said Jeff Eustis, founding board member of Futurewise. 

As the leading smart growth organization in Washington State. Futurewise protects valuable natural resource lands, ensures clean and healthy air and water, and promotes sustainable communities across our state. 

CONTACT 
Chris Wierzbicki
Futurewise Interim Executive Director
206.343.0681

Erin Tam
Futurewise Board President
206.295.7338