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January 28, 2026

Dept. of Commerce

Clifthorne

Gov. Bob Ferguson has appointed Sarah Clifthorne as interim director of the state Department of Commerce following the departure of Director Joe Nguyen. Nguyen was one of Gov. Ferguson's first appointments to his executive cabinet, and served as director for one year. Prior to joining the department, Nguyen was elected to two terms as a state senator, and worked in the finance and tech sectors. He departs the agency to join the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce as president and chief executive officer.

Clifthorne has served as deputy director at Commerce since February 2025. Over the past year, she provided strategic leadership across more than 400 programs within the department. In her new role, Clifthorne will work closely with the agency's chief operating officer, chief of staff and the executive leadership team to help with the transition process. Clifthorne comes with nearly two decades of public service experience, including a staff leadership role in the Washington state Senate.




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