About Us > Meet the Director

Ted Sturdevant, Ecology Director

Ted Sturdevant was appointed director for the Washington State Department of Ecology in November 2009. The Department of Ecology is the state’s primary environmental agency, with programs addressing water quality and quantity, air quality, solid, hazardous and nuclear waste, oil spill prevention and response, and shoreline and wetland protection. Ecology has approximately 1,500 employees and an operating budget of $446 million.

Prior to becoming Ecology director, Sturdevant spent seven years as the agency’s director of Governmental Relations and leading Ecology’s initiative to reduce toxic threats. Before joining Ecology’s senior management team in 2003, Sturdevant led Gov. Gary Locke’s external affairs team. He also served in a variety of staff positions in the Oregon legislature and worked on several state and national political campaigns in Oregon and Washington State.

Ted is married and lives in Olympia. He enjoys kayaking, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities.