Sean Catanese has managed King County, Washington’s enterprise risk management program since 2014. King County is the nation’s 13th most populous county. King County government includes more than 16,000 employees serving 2.3 million residents with mass transit, public health, and criminal justice, among many other vital services. Sean was recognized as the 2023 Public Risk Manager of the Year by the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA). Within PRIMA, he serves on the Enterprise Risk Management teaching faculty, as Chair of the Education Committee, and on the board of the Washington Chapter. He is a regular contributor to works developing the profile and understanding of ERM, with a specific focus on how public sector agencies can engage its concepts and improve their performance and decision-making with its help. Sean has developed King County’s ERM program from a nascent concept into a highly-sought resource in the toolbox of decision makers across the county’s agencies and well beyond. He has led projects to modernize the county’s risk management information system, address persistent and emergent risks in innovative ways, and create customer service policies to ensure transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse claimants are served with respect while ensuring their safety and privacy. Prior to joining King County in 2014, Sean spent several years as an analyst and senior ERM consultant, serving a wide range of clients in public and private higher education, public safety, and municipal government, among others.
