The City of Lynnwood announced Thursday that Joe Faber has been selected as the new parks, recreation and cultural arts department director. The Lynnwood City Council unanimously confirmed Faber to assume the role of director immediately following a Nov. 25 executive session, the city said in a news release.
Faber has worked for the city for 26 years, starting as a teen coordinator after college, then developing and managing programs that included a teen volunteer program, a weekly late-night program and a summer camp. He was later promoted to special events and health and wellness supervisor, where he managed events that included the city’s Float Program, Civic Lights, the 4th of July Fireworks, Eggstravaganza and health and wellness classes.
After the Lynnwood Recreation Center’s remodel in 2011, Faber was promoted to recreation superintendent, where he supervised all aspects of the recreation division, including aquatics, customer service, recreation programs and 62-plus programs for older community members.
“Joel Faber has more than two decades of experience serving our community with our parks, recreation and cultural arts team. He has played a crucial role in the success of our recreation center as its superintendent,” Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell said in the press release. “His ability to lead, collaborate, communicate and strategize will be a tremendous asset in his role as our next director. I look forward to his leadership in this department’s next chapter.”
Faber’s appointment follows months of controversy about who would lead the department. After former Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Director Lynn Sordel retired from his position in March 2024, he recommended then-Deputy Director Sarah Olson for the position. But after Sordel’s departure, Frizzell instead appointed Faber as interim director.
Sordel openly criticized the mayor’s decision and alleged that Frizzell had unjustly excluded Olson from consideration for the role, despite endorsements from city department heads and staff. Olson resigned as the parks and recreation deputy director last August after 25 years of service.
During the council’s Oct. 28 meeting, councilmembers voted 1-4 against confirming Faber as the new director, with two abstentions, with some criticizing the process by which the mayor brought candidates forward.
A father of three boys, Faber enjoys spending his leisure time hiking with his wife and dog and playing racquetball at the recreation center. He holds a bachelor of science in leisure services from Central Washington University and is currently working toward an MBA at Western Governors University, which he expects to complete this month.
“I am humbled and excited for the opportunity to lead the parks, recreation and cultural arts department,” Faber said in the city press release. “Working alongside such a dedicated group of professionals is an honor, and I look forward to building on past successes and continuing to make Lynnwood the best place to live, work and play—where all are welcome.”
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