I posted this in the FTC thread but I think it deserves it own space. Interesting read.


From: Susewind, Kelly (DFW) <Kelly.Susewind@dfw.wa.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 10:02 AM
To: Susewind, Kelly (DFW) <Kelly.Susewind@dfw.wa.gov>
Subject: WDFW Director’s Office structure

WDFW Colleagues:
As I near the close of my tenth month as your director, I continue to be impressed by the breadth of our mission and the quality of the work that you all accomplish. I learn something new every day. I hear stories from our external partners about how we interact and affect their quality of life. I continue to be thrilled to be leading this agency, an agency that does so much for fish, wildlife, and the citizens of the state.

I’ve taken some time to assess our challenges, our leadership team, and how that aligns with my own strengths and weaknesses. I have taken time to get to know the agency, and understand what works well, and where our vulnerabilities are.

I am writing to share an update on changes I am making in the Director’s Office that reflect that thinking and will go into effect next month.

After 12 years as your Deputy Director, I have asked Joe Stohr to serve as the Assistant Director (AD) of our Technology and Financial Management Program and also lead our Modern Workforce Initiative. I want us to have 21st century technology, work spaces, records management, and workforce policies that attract and retain talent. Joe will lead this important initiative and set us up for success.

Amy Windrope, our Region 4 Director, served as the Acting Deputy Director during the spring of 2018. Her energy, passion, and ability to connect with and lead staff is admirable. She has been with the agency since 2011 and she excels at bringing programs together to solve tough natural resource challenges. I’ve asked her to serve as the Deputy Director. She’ll start in this new role next month. She’ll also be the lead for coordinating our executive management team. I plan to ask regional program managers to serve as the Acting Region 4 Director on a rotational basis while the recruitment for a permanent replacement is underway.

An area where I think we need additional emphasis is working across programs to enhance our delivery of conservation outcomes. I’ve asked Jeff Davis, currently the Habitat Program Assistant Director, to serve as the Director of Conservation. He will be our lead for establishing a conservation vision and working across programs to support implementation. In this new role, Jeff will also serve as the executive sponsor of our strategic planning effort and will lead the Lean Transformation Office. I’m going to appoint Margen Carlson as the Acting AD of the Habitat Program while we recruit for this vacancy. She is a great leader, has helped in building the program and has a solid grasp on the operations and policy issues. I am confident that she will excel in this role.

Another area where I want to invest additional emphasis is the co-management of fish, with a focus on salmon. I’ve asked Ron Warren, the Fish Program Assistant Director, to be a new Director of Fish Policy. In this role, Ron will lead our work with US v Oregon, US v Washington, and coordinate our Commission’s fish and hatchery policies. This additional capacity will allow a new Fish Program Assistant Director to focus on implementation of the program. I have appointed Kelly Cunningham, the Deputy AD of the Fish Program, to serve as the Acting AD while we recruit for a permanent AD. Kelly has been with the Fish Program since 2012. He is a solid member of our executive management team, lives and breathes fish, and is a strong champion of staff.

Nate Pamplin who is currently our Policy Director will continue in his role, although I’m changing some of the portfolio of his work. We’ve recently centralized budget management in the agency, and I’m moving that newly created work unit from TFM and placing it under Nate. Nate will continue to oversee state and federal legislative affairs and public affairs, but as indicated above, the work he was previously doing associated with strategic planning and executive management coordination are being moved to Jeff and Amy, respectively, to free up some of his capacity to be our executive lead on budget.

As you’ve read, there are a lot of changes coming. I recognize that it is challenging to make these changes while balancing a budget with a significant shortfall. The changes I’ve proposed create two new FTEs. I have also done the calculus. If we don’t address key areas, like making strong improvements on salmon co-management, improving our conservation focus, and working across programs, we will continue to struggle to dig out of what seem to be perennial lean budget years.

There are many more details to sort through to implement the plan I’ve described. I wanted to share my latest thinking, and initiate some of these structural changes. I’m excited about the new team in the Director’s Office that will be able to help partner on our high priority areas.

Please congratulate those in their new positions and support the acting positions while we fill the vacancies created.

Sincerely,

Kelly
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Dazed and confused.............the fog is closing in