Seattle Mayor Ed Murray recently announced the hiring of Benton Strong, who currently serves as Managing Director of Communications at the Center for American Progress (CAP), a respected think tank in Washington, D.C., as his new Communications Director.
“I am pleased to add the talents and deep experience of Benton Strong to our senior team in the Mayor’s Office,” Murray said. “He is one of the best and brightest, and will play an instrumental role in moving the City’s progressive agenda forward.”
Strong, a Seattle native who grew up in Yesler Terrace before earning a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Washington, is a skilled and experienced communications professional. Previously, he served as National Press Secretary for the Climate Action campaign, and as Communications Director for the Washington State Democrats during Gov. Jay Inslee’s gubernatorial race in 2012.
“I am really happy to be returning home to Seattle to join the administration of Mayor Murray,” said Strong. “Mayor Murray has demonstrated time and again that he knows how to bring disparate interests together to build consensus around solving important issues. I look forward to helping further those efforts.”
Strong will return to Seattle and start work with the City on August 1. In the interim, Jeff Reading, who served as Mayor Murray’s first Communications Director, will provide communication staff support on an eight week, part-time contract through Strategies 360, the public affairs firm where he is Vice President of Communications.
Strong will be paid a salary of $135,000 per year.
