Karen Goon Hired as Port of Seattle Deputy Executive Director

The Port of Seattle has hired Karen Goon as its new deputy executive director, replacing the current, retiring deputy, Dave Soike. Karen will report directly to Executive Director Steve Metruck. She starts work at the Port of Seattle in mid-July.

Goon has decades of administrative and leadership experience throughout the Puget Sound region. Prior to joining the Port of Seattle, Goon served as Kitsap County Administrator since 2014, reporting directly to the County Board of Commissioners; serving in a number of administrative roles in Pierce County government from 1996 to 2014, including portfolios in Transportation and Public Works & Utilities.

The Deputy Executive Director is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and works with all departments to move all Port initiatives forward. Her duties will include overseeing the Port’s continuous process improvement efforts, Strategic Initiatives, Engineering and Construction Services, Port of Seattle Police, and Central Procurement Office Departments.

“After conducting a thorough search amongst dozens of candidates throughout the country, Karen’s qualifications stood out in terms of the breadth and depth of her experience in the Puget Sound region,” said Steve Metruck, Port of Seattle Executive Director. “I look forward to Karen joining our leadership team. She brings decades of public service knowledge and experience that will help us deliver for the people of King County and the Port of Seattle’s customers across the state.

Goon holds a Juris Doctorate from Seattle University School of Law, a Master’s Public Administration from Seattle University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Seattle University.