Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation Roger Millar announced the appointment of Amy Scarton as assistant secretary for the Washington State Ferries Division on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

She officially begins her leadership role next month with responsibilities including, guiding the ferries management team and all ferries employees to meet safety, operational and budgetary goals; and collaborating effectively with community and labor partners as well as other WSDOT divisions.

“I am very pleased Amy will be leading our strong team at Washington State Ferries,” said Secretary of Transportation Millar. “Amy’s national experience managing programs and projects across all transportation modes, combined with the top-notch crews, will help ensure the ferry division remains on course.”

Scarton currently serves as the WSDOT assistant secretary for Community and Economic Development. She is replacing Lynne Griffith, who is retiring on Jan., 31. Amy has worked in the transportation industry both in Washington State and Washington DC. Highlights of her background include: senior roles in both the Obama and Bush administrations at U.S. Department of Transportation; legal counsel to former Chairman James Oberstar of the U.S. House of Representatives Highway and Transit Subcommittee; and managing the WSDOT offices that support the agencies’ rail, freight, aviation, local programs, planning, and public transportation activities.

“I’m excited to join the crew of Washington State Ferries,” said Scarton. “First, I want to acknowledge Lynne Griffith and all WSF crewmembers. They have done remarkable work, from reducing missed sailings to saving the lives of dozens of people every year. I know there will be challenges ahead, and we will keep our focus on maintaining our strong safety record and improving service reliability.”

“As a lifelong user of our iconic ferry system, I know how critical it is to keep the vessels running on time and the challenges of maintaining the fleet,” said Governor Inslee. “I thank Lynne for her capable leadership and helping lead important improvements at WSF, and I am pleased someone with Amy Scarton’s experience can take the helm at ferries and build on the team’s recent successes.”

Washington State Ferries, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries 24 million people a year through the most majestic scenery in the world.