Maria Langlais is a policy advisor with Aging and Disability Services, which sits within HSD as the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for Seattle and King County. In this role, Maria leads policy and advocacy strategies with local, state, and national partners — all around the goal of making Seattle and King County a great place to grow up and grow old. 

After 30 years with ADS and HSD, Maria is retiring this summer. We asked her to share some reflections on her time with the City and her advice for colleagues. 

What drew you to ADS and HSD? What’s made you stay all these years?

I started as a temp in 1993 in the Mayor’s Office for Seniors, in what was then the Utility Credit Program for Seniors and People with Disabilities. After a year, I returned to a previous role with Sound Generations. I then bounced around a few other City jobs before finally landing at ADS and starting a permanent role with the division in 1997.

Coming from Sound Generations, I was already working in the aging network, so I had a strong understanding of what that work was, and why it mattered. Coming to ADS was an opportunity to shift from direct service to policy work. 

When I came on, the state was just starting to implement the long-term care Medicaid case management program in AAAs. Now, we have WA Cares. These programs are always evolving and changing, and the federal rules and policies are always evolving and changing, so there is never any shortage of things to pay attention to. 

What’s one of your most memorable moments or accomplishments looking back on your time with HSD?

Navigating the pandemic. It was the most intense and stressful, yet also the most meaningful work. We had to pivot immediately to get folks services, make sure they had access to food and other basic needs, and shift our entire focus to what needed to be done in the moment. 

When it came time to get folks vaccinated, that was one of the first times in my career where older adults were at the top of the list in terms of prioritizing their needs and well-being. Older adults were the ones most impacted by COVID-19, and older adults of color were disproportionately impacted. The question was, how are we leveraging our resources in King County to address the need?

Seeing the collaboration and urgent action across the City and County to get everyone, especially older adults, vaccinated showed what’s possible. In those moments of crisis, you’re able to put things into action immediately. 

Do you have any advice to those just starting their careers at HSD? 

Try as many things as possible. Take risks in terms of what you can do in your role. Don’t ever assume there’s only one way to do things. Get to know your colleagues, both in HSD and across City departments and the agencies we work with.