Aug 06, 2025

ALSC Architects

Aitchison

Cousins

Stepp

ALSC Architects has hired Braden Stepp. As a new project architect he will lead design efforts and oversee technical documentation from conceptual design through construction documents. His early career experience includes tenant improvements for CollinsWoerman and working in mass timber manufacturing and integration across various project types for Vaagen Timbers. Most recently Stepp worked for Uptic Studios where he designed custom homes. Stepp earned a Master of Architecture degree from Washington State University in 2020.

Ula Cousins has been hired as an interior designer, offering a decade of international experience in landscape and interior architecture. Cousins owned and operated her own design studio in Poland where she designed public spaces, kindergartens, hotel rooms, playgrounds, and bike trails. Cousins holds a master's degree in landscape architecture from the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences and a postgraduate diploma in interior architecture design from The Strzeminski Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz, Poland. She also studied Spatial Planning at the Faculty of Architecture of the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland

Sarah Aitchison has joined the team as an architectural intern providing project architect support, especially in sustainable and high-performance design. She works in design and drawing production, currently focusing on K-12 work within ALSC's High Performance Studio. Aitchison has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Alfred State College, New York, and began her career at small firms focused on high performance residential retrofits, deep decarbonization projects, and new construction - including Passive House certified and Zero Energy Ready buildings - and contributing to K-12 educational projects for Chicago Public Schools.

PACE Engineers

Schulte

PACE Engineers has hired licensed professional land surveyor Taylor Schulte as a new principal surveyor. Schulte has 21 years of technical and leadership experience. He has managed complex survey projects across the Pacific Northwest, focusing on public improvements for local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private development projects. His expertise includes managing boundary mapping, topographic surveying, 3D laser scanning, construction staking, condominium surveys, and ALTA surveys. Schulte co-authored the 2024 survey chapter of the 5th Edition of the Washington Real Property Deskbook by the Washington State Bar Association. Schulte is licensed in Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota.

Fora Landscape Architects

McKenney

Harvey

Jala

Force

Boyd

Fora Landscape Architects recently promoted Evan Boyd to associate, and hired Pamela Force, Fred Jala, Myles Harvey, and Kaia McKenney.

Boyd focuses on mixed-use, educational, and parks projects throughout the region. Notable work includes the new Smokey Point Community Park in Arlington, Expedition Elementary School with the Bethel School District, and the Costco Wholesale Issaquah Headquarters Campus.

Force joins the team from Ohio by way of Texas and having worked in both playground design and landscape architecture creating inclusive, accessible spaces.

Jala brings 30 years of landscape architecture experience in the Pacific Northwest. His work spans a wide range of projects from residential gardens to large campuses.

Harvey is a licensed landscape architect with over 15 years of experience working with a diverse set of project types including early learning facilities and campus environments for leading technology clients. Harvey has extensive BIM experience.

McKenney has been working this summer at Fora as a LAF Ignite Scholar intern. McKenney's research explores the effects of urban redevelopment and displacement, and the intersection of landscape architecture in the downtown district of her Midwest hometown.

Jul 30, 2025

Daily Journal of Commerce

Milligan

The Daily Journal of Commerce hired Nina Milligan in July to serve in a part-time, temporary position as a journal staff reporter, focusing on architecture and engineering content.

Milligan brings expertise in both communications and construction industries. For over eight years, Milligan served as communication manager for the large master planned community, Issaquah Highlands. In that role she oversaw all media platforms, including a monthly print publication called Connections. Milligan focused her reporting on land use development, sustainability, real estate and civics.

Milligan has served the city of Issaquah on many boards and commissions, including the Urban Village Development Commission, Transportation Advisory Board, Planning Policy Commission, and on the City Council.

For the last three years, Milligan worked for the Seattle and Portland-based residential developer and construction technology innovator, Green Canopy NODE. As project manager, Milligan brought midsized multifamily projects from intake through feasibility, contracting, and design.

Milligan joins the DJC team to cover for Emma Lapworth, the DJC's architecture and engineering editor, who is set to go on maternity leave in September.

PLS Engineering

Ayers

French

Maiden

PLS Engineering hired Ashton Maiden to join its Vancouver team. Maiden has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Oregon State University. Maiden's past work focused on water and wastewater projects, research in standards and regulations, analyzing submittals and permits, and creating a survey grid. He provided pre-design work on a wastewater treatment plant and was responsible for weekly on-site project visits.

Maiden has hands-on construction experience as an intern laborer and a masonry laborer. He is skilled in AutoCad, SAP2000, Civil 3D and Bluebeam programs.

PLS also engaged return summer interns Alexander (Zander) French and Madeline Ayers for another year to support a variety of projects.

Farallon Consulting

Lee

Farallon Consulting announced the appointment of Yong Lee as its new chief financial officer.

As CFO, Lee will oversee all financial operations at Farallon, working closely with the leadership team to align financial strategies with business objectives and maintain the company's financial health and stability.

Lee holds a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy and an MBA in Finance from the University of Washington. Prior to Lee's corporate career, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army Special Forces. Lee previously served as a CFO at both a professional services firm and a manufacturing firm.