Washington State Ferries Employee News

Watch the spring 2024 all-staff meeting recording from April 18.

Have an idea for this employee newsletter? Email WSFEmployeeComms@wsdot.wa.gov.

Employees volunteer with Sea Scouts program

Under the umbrella of Boy Scouts of America, Sea Scouts presents young people aged 14-21 with the chance to get their sea legs.

Volunteers prepare young folks for maritime careers, including positions on our ferries.

Cathlamet Chief Engineer Kristie Spadoni is a Sea Scouts alum and longtime volunteer with the Tacoma Sea Scouts since 2005. The program, established in 1923, allows participants to learn maritime skills aboard a 110-foot training vessel, the Doolin-Rogers.

Kristie says the most rewarding part is watching kids grow into strong, confident, young adults and leaders in the community.

Multiple Sea Scouts alumni have joined our workforce, ranging from deckhands to oilers. Many of them volunteer with the program to share their skills and insight with the next generations of mariners.

What’s New at HQ?

As director of marine operations, I bring a wealth of experience and a deep-rooted passion for our mission.

My journey with Washington State Ferries began in 1996 as a deckhand, progressing through the ranks as a licensed deck officer and port captain. This long-standing association with WSF gives me a unique perspective on our operations, challenges and potential.

Following a six-year hiatus to raise my family, I returned in 2023 to a WSF I had always envisioned – a place that truly harnesses the collective strength of our team. Under Steve Nevey’s leadership, the operations department was centered around cohesive leadership, effective communication and a collaborative culture that prioritizes the voices and expertise of our frontline staff. I am confident in our shared commitment to transformative change, which I detail in this podcast.

Our operations team is now aligned, paddling in the same direction towards a unified strategic goal. This cohesive effort marks a significant shift from previous years when disparate silos hindered our progress. Today, we collaborate not just within our team but across all departments, ensuring that our organizational focus remains paramount.

One of the cornerstones of our new approach is fostering robust two-way communication. It is imperative that voices at all levels are heard, and that decision-making is pushed to the lowest point of occurrence. Our boots-on-the-ground staff, who experience the day-to-day realities of our operations, are empowered to make real-time decisions. This empowerment is critical for timely, effective responses and fosters a sense of ownership and pride among our team members.

I am particularly excited about the addition of Deputy Director of Marine Operations Sarah Smith, who joined us in mid-June. Together, as female leaders, we lead the largest department within WSF, overseeing more than 1,200 employees. Our collaborative leadership aims to inspire, guide and support our team as we navigate the complexities of our operations.

Our shared vision is clear: to create a culture that values every team member’s contribution, encourages open dialogue and leverages the collective expertise of our staff. We are committed to continuous improvement and to leading WSF towards a future defined by excellence in service, safety and community engagement.

I am confident that with our dedicated team and this renewed leadership approach, we will achieve remarkable milestones. We are not just moving in the same direction; we are forging a path that exemplifies the best of what WSF can be — innovative, inclusive and unwavering in our commitment to serving the people of Washington state.

Employee Spotlight

For Deputy Director of Operations Sarah Smith, the most rewarding part of her new role is serving as an advocate and voice for our culture change efforts.

Sarah is deeply involved in this movement. With operations the first to roll out the culture change playbook in 2023, she is excited to see it now being shared across WSF.

In her newly established position, Sarah serves as Director of Operations Beth Stowell’s right hand and supports our operations management team. One big focus is getting the department to achieve our strategic goals: service excellence, improved communications and empowering people.

Serving as our human resource manager from November 2020 until June and supporting WSF functions since 2008 in her previous positions with WSDOT, Sarah has comprehensive knowledge of our policies and safety management systems.

While she hopes to bring a different perspective to this position, she knows there will be challenges, like learning all of the nuances about WSF that she hasn’t been integrated into in her previous roles.

“I have a lot to bring into this position and it will be an adventure seeing where the operations team and I are in the next few years,” Sarah said. “I’m lucky to have a team that is supportive and willing to always be just a phone call away.”

When she’s not working, Sarah loves being outside and near any water, as she grew up in San Diego and has spent her life by the sea. She also enjoys music, whether it’s learning to play the drums, going to concerts or people watching at karaoke.

Sarah also enjoys bowling and spending time with her family. She particularly loves watching her daughters grow into strong, caring and independent young ladies.

Customer compliments on display

You might have seen some new images flashing customer compliments on our digital displays aboard our vessels and in our terminals.

The graphics were made from the over 750 positive comments submitted as a part of the Washington State Transportation Commission’s 2024 Ferry Riders Opinion Group (FROG) Winter Performance Survey (PDF 2.4MB).

Great job to our awesome fleet for the care, kindness and service you show to our ferry riders.

They see it and appreciate it!

First-ever Seattle Pride Parade

What’s Up at WSDOT?

Wage increase reminder

A reminder that during the 2023 legislative session, most WSDOT employees received a general wage increase that took effect July 1. This increase will be reflected in July 25 paychecks.

More information is outlined in individual collective bargaining agreements.

Planning for the 2025-27 legislative session

WSDOT is preparing for the 2025-27 legislative session. As with previous years, we know this coming session is not going to solve all our budget shortfalls.

We have multiple high-dollar needs and so do other agencies. We are all competing for the same limited amount of state funding.

This means our agency is not only competing with others but we’re competing with ourselves to determine our top requests.

While we don’t set policy or the budget, we continue to share with legislators our top priorities which include:

• Operations and maintenance
• Safety
• Preservation
• Fish Passage
• Ferries 

In September, we will submit our agency request to Gov. Jay Inslee. He will announce his budget proposal in December and as a cabinet agency, we will support it. Gov. Inslee’s budget will go to the Legislature in January.

Once in office, our new governor will also have an opportunity to submit a budget. The Legislature will convene and pass a budget that the governor then signs by late spring.

Shared Values Coin recognition program

We continue to award Shared Values Coin to employees that demonstrate our shared values of serve, respect, growth, trust and navigate.

The Shared Values Coin can be awarded to anyone at any level who embodies WSF values through their actions and behavior.

The coin is a token of appreciation that symbolizes our collective commitment to the principles that define WSF.

Long-time service awards

Save the date! All-staff meeting Wednesday, Aug. 7

Our next all-staff meeting is at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7. On the day of the meeting, click this link to join.

If you have suggestions for meeting topics, email WSF Employee Communications. Most of the meeting will be devoted to answering your questions.

If you’re not able to join live, a recording will be posted at the top of our Ferry Tales webpage. That’s where you can currently view our last all-staff meeting.

Safety Matters

Air quality indicators are becoming more routine in nightly weather reports, weather apps, websites, newspapers and on smart watches.

With all these tools available, the Safety Office wants to highlight the importance of downloading apps like the AirNow app on your phones if you can.

Neglecting to protect yourself in poor air quality conditions can lead to immediate health issues and more serious issues with long term exposure. Monitoring the air quality and either wearing an N95 respirator or holding off on outdoor activities in adverse conditions can make a major difference in your personal health outcomes. 

Nautical Numbers

Here are some numbers that recap what we did in June:

1,833,318 total riders

• 814,147 drivers (with vehicle)
• 1,019,171 passengers and walk-ons

11,806 trips completed

63,270 service miles

98.0% trip reliability (based on scheduled trips)

234 medical priority loads/medevacs

10 lifesaving events

Welcome Aboard!

Recent terminal hire:

• William Nelson

Recent Eagle Harbor hires:

• Damien Khoo
• Kevin Pempeit

Recent HQ hires:

• Mark Hulen
• Varman Joesph
• Mahfuz Mahin
• Maria Mayorga
• Clinton Moore
• Sayed Mosawi
• Luis Rosas
• Damiel Ulmer

We’re Hiring!

Current job openings at WSF:

• Able Seaman
• Storekeeper
• Senior Field Inspector (TE3)
• Journey Locksmith
• Eagle Harbor Operations Manager
• Assistant Field Inspector (TT3)
• On-Call Oiler/Wiper

From Our Social Media Feeds

Posts with most views on our X and Facebook accounts in the month of June:

 

 

 

 

Have an idea for this employee newsletter? Email WSFEmployeeComms@wsdot.wa.gov.