About the Administrator for EPA's Region 10

Casey Sixkiller

Casey Sixkiller brings two decades of experience working at the federal, Tribal and local levels with demonstrated experience crafting practical solutions to complex policy problems.  He has led large, complex organizations, defended Tribal sovereignty and treaty rights, and secured millions in federal funding to meet local needs. 

Prior to joining EPA, Casey served as Deputy Mayor of the City of Seattle — the first Indigenous person in the city’s history — where he directed daily operations for the 18th largest city in the United States with an annual budget of $6.5 billion and 12,000 employees.  As Chief Operating Officer for King County, he managed nine department leadership teams, including Metro Transit (the 7th largest transit system in the US), public health, human and community resources, the regional wastewater and parks systems.  He brought lean management tools to advance continuous improvement, accountability and transparency. 

Through his work as a private consultant, Casey provided executive leadership and growth strategy to a broad client base, including local governments and Tribes, non-profits and businesses, translating vision into innovative strategies and measurable outcomes.  Casey started his career in public service working for then-U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott and later U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington.

An enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Casey helped launch the Cherokee Nation’s Washington Office in 2001, serving as the Nation’s lead advocate before Congress and federal agencies, advancing the Nation’s federal agenda.  Casey is an engaged community member with a deep commitment to racial and environmental justice and a fierce advocate for tribal sovereignty and Indigenous rights.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Casey is a graduate of Seattle Public Schools and Dartmouth College and is the proud father of three children.