After eleven years at the helm of Seattle CityClub, Executive Director Diane Douglas is departing the organization on November 1. Under her leadership, our budget and staff doubled and our audience grew to include over one million annual participants. Diane provided strategic vision to diversify our program portfolio, adding monthly Civic Cocktail public affairs forums, year-round Civic Boot Camp trainings, publication of the triennial Greater Seattle Civic Health Index, robust online engagement opportunities, and the launch of the Washington State Debate Coalition. Seattle CityClub now enjoys local, regional and national partnerships and recognition.
“Diane has cultivated a culture of success, collaboration and innovation at Seattle CityClub, and our organization has never been in a better place to transition smoothly to a new generation of leadership. Our Board is engaged and visionary. Our staff is talented and ambitious. Our fiscal position is strong.”
— Suzanne Walsh, Seattle CityClub Board of Governors President
Executive recruiter Herd Freed Hartz has been retained to support the Board’s search for a new Executive Director with the target of having a new leader in place in early 2019. Seattle CityClub’s Assistant Director, Allie Johnson, will serve as Interim Executive Director following Diane’s departure. “Learning from Diane these past six years has been an incredible privilege and joy. I am honored and eager to lead our talented team through this transition and into the next stage of CityClub’s dynamism and growth, alongside our beloved partners and supporters.”
Diane maintains, “Traveling around the country to represent Seattle CityClub, I’ve learned that not every community enjoys a nonpartisan convener that is an advocate, instigator, resource and booster of civic health. Call me biased, but I believe Seattle CityClub is one of Seattle’s jewels, and I’m thrilled to join the ranks of its many loyal fans and supporters.”