The City of Mercer Island announced on Tuesday, Feb. 12, that it will be hiring the first sustainability and communications manager for the city.

Ross Freeman will begin the post on April 1.

“The city is very fortunate to have recruited and hired a candidate with Ross’s strong background in both sustainability and communications,” said Deputy City Manager Noel Treat. Freeman was chosen from a pool of more than 160 candidates.

Freeman has spent the last five years working as the Stevens Pass ski area’s first ever environment and sustainability manager, developing a companywide sustainability program with 1,000 staff and over 400,000 guests per year.

He has an master’s degree in conservation biology and sustainable development from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and worked for six years as a staff scientist, policy analyst and outreach specialist with the Northwest office of American Rivers. Freeman is a Seattle native and outdoor enthusiast.

The city decided to hire a new sustainability and communications manager after the Sustainability Policy Task Force last year. The final report encouraged the city to hire an employee to focus and coordinate the local sustainability efforts.