Lisa Brown is departing her position as the director of commerce for Washington state, effective March 4.
Gov. Jay Inslee, who appointed Brown in Feb. 2019, called Brown an “exceptional leader” in a statement announcing her departure. He noted that she helped steer the state through the COVID-19 pandemic, administering funding for local governments, tribes, small businesses and nonprofits, youth development groups, people seeking housing and rent assistance, and others.
Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho said Brown helped the state weather the pandemic with strong advocacy for international trade. She forged international partnerships to promote the state’s aerospace, maritime, and clean tech industries, said Cho, and worked with the Port to promote the Korean-American business community.
Brown also launched the Small Business Resiliency Network, which provides business support services to historically marginalized and underserved entrepreneurs, business owners and nonprofit leaders.
“Lisa is a trailblazer in her own right who has shattered glass ceilings and looks for ways to clear the path for others to succeed, within the agency and among the communities that Commerce serves,” said Inslee. “Our state is better for her leadership.”
Brown’s previous experiences include representing the state’s 3rd legislative district in Spokane for 20 years and serving as senate majority leader. Brown, an economist, was also a chancellor at Washington State University and a faculty member at Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University. Brown has not revealed her next steps and the Commerce Department has not yet announced succession plans, according to a Commerce Department spokesperson.
