Connie Anderson is joining the Port of Port Townsend as its director of Finance and Administration beginning in early 2024.

She will replace Abigail Berg, who has guided Port finances since 2015 and is retiring in February, 2024.

Anderson comes to the Port from across town. Since March 2022, she has been the City of Port Townsend’s director of Finance and Technology Services.

Prior to that, she spent 16 years with the City of Sequim in various administration and finance roles, including as the city’s finance manager. When she came to Port Townsend City Hall in March 2022, she was Sequim’s deputy director of Administrative Services.

“I’m excited for Connie to join the Port’s team,” said Port Executive Director Eron Berg. “She will take on a mission critical role for us, following Abigail’s retirement. Connie’s experience in local government, both in Sequim and Port Townsend, will serve the Port and Jefferson County community well.”

City Manager John Mauro of Port Townsend said he was sorry to lose Anderson but glad her new destination was the Port.

“We’re sad to say goodbye to Connie, but also happy that she’s able to stay in and serve our community, working with one of our closest agency partners,” he said. He added that thanks to many City-Port partnerships, “we’ll still be able to enjoy her honesty, financial acumen and collaborative spirit as we work together.”

While with the City of Port Townsend, Anderson was credited by Mauro with leading the financial sustainability initiative, a major project that involved working with all city departments, doing a thorough analysis, “building trust and financial acumen with the City Council, and producing a report that will guide decision-making for many years.”

Berg said he’s looking forward to Anderson bringing those same skills to her new role at the Port. While the Port is a smaller organization than the city - with fewer than half the city’s 107 employees - Port finances are complex and also involve high levels of state and federal oversight.

Anderson decided to shift from the City to the Port due to the opportunity to work within the Port’s unique role.

“Ports are all about economic development and providing access to land, to air, to water, and I’m interested in how all that fits together,” she said. “I look forward to learning about Port business and Port government.”