Pierce County council confirms Maranatha Hay as communications director

Pierce County Council confirmed Maranatha Hay as director of the county's communications department on March 3, 2026, voting 7-0 on Resolution R2026-110.

The appointment, presented by County Executive Ryan Mello, followed a competitive cabinet search. Mello told the council his office received 111 applications for the role and 48 candidates met the minimum qualifications. He said Hay brings more than two decades of communications experience, noting she served most recently as communications director for the Washington State Department of Health and is a five-time Emmy winner.

"She understands the power of dynamic multichannel storytelling," Mello said, adding that Hay’s experience leading communications during emergencies convinced him she could help the county build public trust. Maranatha Hay told the council she would undertake a 30-day listening tour to gather qualitative feedback from communities and staff before recommending strategic changes.

Finance Director Julie DeMuth and council staff described the confirmation process and noted the committee of the whole reviewed the appointment and recommended a do-pass. Council members who spoke praised Hay’s public-health communications experience and flagged priorities such as language access and clearer cross-department messaging.

Hay said one early priority will be improving language access across county services so residents who do not speak English can navigate permits, benefits and emergency notices. She added the communications team will prioritize transparency and a public-facing performance dashboard.

With the resolution adopted, the council and executive will complete administrative steps to transition Hay into the role. Council members took photos after the vote and the meeting moved on to other business.