In a press announcement on Wednesday, January 21, Mayor Katie B. Wilson announced her decisions on the leadership of several departments, including naming Lylianna Allala as Acting Director for the Office of Sustainability & Environment.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the Office of Sustainability & Environment under Mayor Wilson’s leadership. I share Mayor Wilson’s commitment to building strong and inclusive partnerships and uplifting community centered solutions to ensure that Seattle’s climate action yields tangible benefits for all our communities,” said Lylianna. “I am immensely proud to lead this department of passionate people who have dedicated themselves to implementing innovative policies and programs that meet community needs and improve quality of life through clean air and water, healthy forests and trees, access to fresh foods, and inclusive pathways to careers that help Seattle reduce emissions and become more climate resilient. Caring for the environment must begin with caring for one another.”
Lylianna Allala has spent nearly 7 years with the City of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and Environment serving in the roles of Equity and Environment Manager, Climate Justice Director and most recently Deputy Director. In these roles she has provided strategic leadership and direction on the development and implementation of policies and programs that address the root causes and impacts of climate change, including citywide implementation of Seattle’s Equity and Environment Initiative, Seattle’s Green New Deal, and Seattle’s Climate Action Plan. Prior to joining the City of Seattle, Lylianna led climate & environmental policy & outreach for U.S Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. She began her career in trail building, habitat restoration and ecology focusing on upland and urban forests, and wetlands.
“It’s been an honor to serve as Interim Director during this year of transition. The OSE team represents the best in government, with an impactful year of action advancing climate leadership, increasing access to healthy food, and expanding access to trees and nature. I am particularly proud of our lightning-quick response to the federal government shutdown to ensure families had continued access to fresh and healthy food through Seattle Public Schools,” said Michelle Caulfield. “Lylianna’s leadership, strategic mind, and empathetic approach has shaped much of this progress, driving the growth of Seattle’s climate work. Her experience building partnerships and coalitions positions OSE to deliver on Seattle’s goals in a way that centers people and impact.”
Lylianna has a B.A in English from Winona State University, a holds certificate in Climate Change and Public Health from Yale University, Non-Profit Management from Georgetown University and Wetland Science and Management from the University of Washington. Lylianna is on the board of Seattle’s Short Run Comix & Arts Festival, and The Nature Conservancy, Washington. She is a co-creator of Growing Old, a podcast that explores what it would look like within the next 50 years for Seattle to become a place where both trees and humans grow old. In 2023, Lylianna was named on the Grist 50 list as a climate and justice policy leader to watch. She is a 2019 Henry M. Jackson Foundation Leadership Fellow, a 2024 participant of the Obama Foundation Leaders USA program and co-facilitator for the Obama Leaders Network Climate Community of Practice.
“I could not be more excited about the talent and expertise of the people who have stepped up to lead city departments, and I know that together, this team will be able to accomplish extraordinary things,” said Mayor Wilson. “I look forward to working with Quynh Pham at the Department of Neighborhoods, Amy Nguyen at the Office of Arts and Culture, Beto Yarce at the Office of Economic Development, Lylianna Allala at the Office of Sustainability and the Environment, Rico Quirindongo at the Office of Planning and Community Development, Mina Hashemi at Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Dr. Amarah Khan at the Office of the Employee Ombud. I am grateful to the outgoing department leaders for all of their contributions to the City over the years, and to the interim leaders for stepping up to aid my transition.”
For any media inquiries about this announcement, please contact OSE’s Communications Manager, Kristin Brown, at kristin.brown@seattle.gov.