“Never boring and doing something that’s critical”. WSDOT North Central Region Administrative Officer Shirley Sebastian described how she has gotten up looking forward to going to work for the past 32 years. “It doesn’t matter what you might have planned for the day, it’s always subject to change – that’s the nature of personnel.”

Shirley went to work for DSHS in Omak as a clerk-typist in 1979. A year later she joined the Accounting office staff at WSDOT in Wenatchee. Two years later she moved to the Personnel Department. By 1994, she assumed her current position as Administrative Officer.

How does one decide to spend their entire career in one location with one agency? Shirley says what WSDOT does is important by providing infrastructure that is critical to the economy of the state. Why personnel? “I can’t speak highly enough of the people I work with. Helping them fits with who I am.”

June 30 is her last day. She prefers a low profile, but grudgingly agreed to attend a retirement party scheduled by coworkers the day before. “It’s a huge change. I haven’t taken more than two weeks off at a time in 32 years. I’m looking forward to spending the rest of the summer with grandchildren (9 of them!) and for this fall, my husband Loren and I are planning some trips.”

Would she do it all again? “Yes, I’m very pleased with the choices I’ve made”.

Would she encourage someone else to do what she’s done? “Oh yes, It’s been a wonderful opportunity.”

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