Larry Phillips, the chair of the Metropolitan King County Council here in Washington State, announced his intention not to seek reelection in Fall 2015. Larry, a board member of the Jackson Foundation, has shown outstanding leadership in our region. His role as an exemplary public official should be acknowledged.
For two decades Larry has been active in transportation, clean energy and jobs creation, providing a reasoned, informed and highly competent voice for our community. Always energetic and passionate about issues, Larry has been an important leader in conserving the natural resources of the Puget Sound that we all value.
We at the Jackson Foundation have been fortunate to have Larry associated with us as well. Two years ago Larry approached the Board with the idea of exploring the connection between climate change and national security threats, an emerging issue. Given the Jackson legacy in both environmental resource management and national security, this was a natural fit for us, and with Larry’s involvement, we have pursued this topic seriously. In June 2014 we partnered with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on a high-level symposium, “The Intersection of National Security and Climate Change,” which brought together 40 leaders from federal agencies, state and local governments, NGOs, business, and academia. Our report was widely disseminated. This past February we joined with the Center for Naval Analyses and its Military Advisory Board for an in-depth briefing to ensure that the military voice is being heard in the climate change and national security discussion and to advance the political process in the U.S. Later this spring we will convene other foundations nationally to inform them on the security implications of climate change. Larry was deeply engaged in these programs.
We know that Larry will remain active as a leader in our region, but we will miss his voice in his official capacity as chair of the Metropolitan King County Council.
Lara Iglitzin, Executive Director