FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Jan. 26, 1996

Curreri to leave Governor's Office

OLYMPIA - Gov. Mike Lowry today announced that Cynthia Curreri, his deputy staff director, will leave the office in early February to join a national effort for inner-city children.

Curreri, 57, has been named deputy director of the Robert Wood Johnson Initiative for Securing the Health and Safety of Urban Children, which will operate out of the University of Washington. The new job will allow Curreri to spend more time with her family in Seattle.

"I will miss Cindy's work on behalf of this office very much," Lowry said. "Her help in coordinating our work with the executive agencies has been excellent. I'm positive she will be a tremendous asset to this new project working for the safety of children, and I also wish the best for her family, which has been troubled by health issues recently."

Prior to joining the Governor's Office in 1995, Curreri was Ellensburg city manager for three years. She has also served as deputy mayor of Seattle and both deputy executive and budget director of King County.

The urban children initiative is a project to concentrate collaborative services in several inner-city areas around the country for up to 10 years. The services will focus on addressing issues such as violence, substance abuse, mental and emotional distress, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and infant mortality.

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For more information, contact the Governor's Communications Office at 360-753-6790.