Harrell names Adiam Emery Interim SDOT Director

Adiam Emery is moving from Deputy Mayor to Interim SDOT Director, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced. She will take over the top transportation role February 4 when Greg Spotts departs as he announced in December.

Starting as an engineering intern, Emery held several roles within SDOT before joining Mayor Harrell's executive team with a focus on transportation issues. Harrell credits Emery with being an architect of the $1.55 billion Keep Seattle Moving levy, which voters approved in a landslide in November.

In addition to already playing a transportation policy role for the mayor, Emery has previously served as the director for SDOT's Transportation Operations division. Mayor Harrell has not yet announced a search for a permanent SDOT Director.

From Mayor Harrell's press release:

Over the last three years working in our office - and nearly 30 years at SDOT from intern to division director - Adiam Emery has proved to be one of the Seattle's most effective advocates for transportation safety," said Mayor Harrell. As one of the lead architects of our voter-approved Keep Seattle Moving transportation levy, there's no one I trust more than Adiam to lead its implementation and champion programs and projects to create safety and solutions for all transportation users - no matter how they get around. I want to thank Director Spotts for his service, positive energy, and strategic vision, and wish him all the best as he seeks to be closer to family."[...]

I first started working for the City as an intern after graduating from UW, and after decades of different roles with the Department of Transportation I am overjoyed to be returning as Interim Director," said Adiam Emery, Interim Director for the Seattle Department of Transportation. SDOT has been a second home for me, and I would not be where I am today without the opportunities it provided or the outstanding individuals there who have been colleagues, friends, and mentors to me over the years. I am fully invested in our commitment to safety, equity, and sustainability in transportation and am excited by the opportunity to amplify the outstanding work people in this department do every day. I look forward to delivering projects as part of our voter-approved transportation levy, better connections to make it easier and safer for people to get around, and improved programs to better serve Seattle's diverse communities." [...]

Adiam Emery is a dedicated public servant with over 30 years of experience working for the City of Seattle. Since January 2022, Emery has served on Mayor Harrell's Executive Team, most recently as deputy mayor. Throughout her tenure in the Mayor's Office, Emery has led several transformative initiatives, including advancing transportation safety, securing the passage of the $1.55 billion transportation levy, adapting the six-year Park District Budget, restoring Seattle parks, relaunching the Park Rangers program, and advancing the One Seattle Climate Action Plan. She has also championed major investments in youth mental health and mentorship while strengthening support for Seattle's immigrant communities.

Originally from Ethiopia, Emery came to the United States as part of the African Diaspora to pursue an education. After earning a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Washington, she began her career with the City as an engineering intern. Over the years, she has risen through the ranks at SDOT, serving as a transportation engineer, manager of the Transportation Operations Center, and division director for Transportation Operations.