Jan 29, 2026

Dorsey & Whitney

Busacker

Bret Busacker has joined Dorsey & Whitney as a partner in the Benefits & Compensation group in Boise. Busacker represents private and public businesses in addressing corporate, governance, and benefits issues. He has significant experience addressing complex employee benefits issues for many types of businesses in a variety of industries. His subject matter expertise includes health and welfare plans; qualified and nonqualified plans; cash and equity-based compensation arrangements; and benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions. Busacker joins Dorsey from Holland & Hart, where he was a partner. He received his J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, his M.B.A. from Washington State University, and his B.A. from Brigham Young University. Dorsey & Whitney has locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.

NWCCA

Sumsion

Knutson

Henricksen

Kahler

Orlosky

Mehrer

Reichenbach

The Northwest Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association has elected its officers for 2026, including Robert Orlosky of Olympic Interiors as board president. Other officers are vice-president James Kahler of Northwest Partitions, and Don Henricksen of D.L. Henricksen as secretary-treasurer. Directors are Greg Knutson of G.K. Knutson, Nathan Sumsion of Western Partitions, Shawn Reichenbach of Performance Contracting, and immediate past-president Kurt Mehrer of Mehrer Drywall. The NWCCA mission is to provide exceptional member services, harmonious labor relations through unified employer representation, and the advancement of industry standards to empower and strengthen signatory wall and ceiling contractors' businesses.

Unexpected Productions

Beeman

Seattle improv company Unexpected Productions has named Tony Beeman as its new artistic director. Beeman steps into the role after serving as assistant artistic director and as a longtime company member. Over the past 25 years, Beeman he has performed, directed and taught improvisational theater locally and internationally, and is known for work that emphasizes ensemble storytelling, poetic language, and genre-driven theatricality. Seattle audiences may recognize him from his long-running portrayal of the Three Ghosts of Christmas in A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol, a role he has performed for more than 15 years, or from his annual turn as Edgar Allan Poe in Poe Unexpected. Behind the scenes, Beeman has created, directed or co-directed more than 30 full-length productions for Unexpected Productions. As artistic director, Beeman aims to build on the foundation laid by his predecessors while expanding whose stories are centered on stage. For 43 years, Unexpected Productions has focused on the art of storytelling, incorporating audience suggestions and weaving them into compelling stories. Unexpected Productions performs 10 shows a week at the Market Theater in Pike Place Market, and has a growing presence in Georgetown and Issaquah.

Jan 28, 2026

ALSC Architects

Stoicheff

Halstead

Gogoleva

Kershner

ALSC Architects has hired John Kershner as a project designer. Kershner has more than 15 years of experience spanning historic preservation, multifamily residential, and affordable housing in Chicago, Maryland, and now Washington state. At ALSC, he contributes to design development and production within the sports and recreation and K-12 education studios. Kershner has earned awards for preservation excellence on historic projects in Chicago, and design recognitions for projects completed in Maryland. Kershner has a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree from Andrews University in Michigan.

Ksenia Gogoleva was hired as an interior designer to bring her international experience to custom residential work and design-build projects. Gogoleva will be guiding the function and aesthetics of interior spaces, including the selection and coordination of materials, finishes, and fixtures, and the development of construction documentation. Gogoleva hails from Russia and launched her U.S. career with California Closets before joining a custom design-build firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. She worked with Uptic Studios in Spokane, specializing in high-end residential projects and interior solutions. Gogoleva earned a bachelor's degree in industrial design from Izhevsk State Technical University (Russia).

ALSC Architects also hired Matthew Halstead as part of its technical staff. Halstead brings experience with historic preservation and renovation, single- and multifamily housing, and commercial architecture, along with design and documentation. Halstead's past work includes contributing to Team Massachusetts' 4D Home for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon (2011), and participating on Hampshire College's R.W. Kern Center student union, which was designed to align with Living Building principles. Halstead earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts with a minor in architecture, and a Masters of Architecture from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Rob Stoicheff was also hired by ALSC, bringing 30 years of experience designing, coordinating and detailing projects across the Inland Northwest. During his career, Stoicheff has contributed to a wide range of residential, commercial, and public work, including car dealerships, lake homes, the Gozzer Ranch Clubhouse, and the Coeur d'Alene Public Library. He has focused on educational projects, planning and designing many of the regional schools serving Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Spokane and the Tri-Cities. Stoicheff earned his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Idaho.

Parametrix

Burn-Roy

Caputo

Parametrix recently hired Christy Caputo as the firm's first safety manager, a role on the corporate management team. She joins as senior safety manager, bringing 17 years of experience in safety management to the firm. She will be responsible for leading workplace safety initiatives, developing and implementing safety programs, ensuring regulatory compliance and promoting a culture of safety. Her previous experience includes CORT Business Services, where she served as safety director. In this role, she developed safety protocols and initiatives, managed the firm's safety manual, and kept up to date on state and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and department of transportation regulations.

Kelli Burn-Roy has joined the Parametrix Board of Directors. Burn-Roy is a senior executive, consultant and board member with over 40 years of experience across the transportation, water and climate sectors. She currently serves as a board member and a senior consultant at Wade Trim. Burn-Roy has held leadership roles at CDM Smith, including public sector president of the West and Central U.S., president of technical services, board member, and national chief strategy officer. She has also served as a board member at the University of Southern California Center for Sustainable Cities and Advancing Women in Transportation.

G3 builders

Downing

G3 builders named Bret Downing as its new president. With more than three decades of construction industry experience, Downing specializes in partnering with owners during preconstruction to develop efficient and goal-oriented solutions. His career includes notable projects for The Museum of Flight, Seattle Preparatory School and Northwest University, as well as large-scale commercial projects for Amazon and Microsoft, In his new role, Downing will continue to strengthen client relationships and expand the G3 team. Founded in 2017, G3 builders is a commercial general contractor specializing in complex and challenging projects and tenant improvements in the greater Seattle area.

Ballard Spahr

Anderson

Kimberly M. Anderson, a tax attorney who worked for the state Department of Revenue for over a decade, has joined Ballard Spahr's Business and Transactions Department and Tax Group as counsel in the firm's Seattle office. Anderson joins a national tax practice of more than 30 attorneys. Members of the Tax Group help clients plan to minimize their tax burden and to maximize the benefits of tax credits, deductions and exemptions. In her capacity as a member of the State and Local Tax Team, Anderson will work alongside team co-leaders Brett Durbin and Aaron C. Johnson, both also based in Seattle. In January 2025, Ballard Spahr combined with Lane Powell, adding more than 150 new attorneys to the firm, as well as offices in Anchorage, Portland and Seattle.

Dept. of Commerce

Clifthorne

Gov. Bob Ferguson has appointed Sarah Clifthorne as interim director of the state Department of Commerce following the departure of Director Joe Nguyen. Nguyen was one of Gov. Ferguson's first appointments to his executive cabinet, and served as director for one year. Prior to joining the department, Nguyen was elected to two terms as a state senator, and worked in the finance and tech sectors. He departs the agency to join the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce as president and chief executive officer.

Clifthorne has served as deputy director at Commerce since February 2025. Over the past year, she provided strategic leadership across more than 400 programs within the department. In her new role, Clifthorne will work closely with the agency's chief operating officer, chief of staff and the executive leadership team to help with the transition process. Clifthorne comes with nearly two decades of public service experience, including a staff leadership role in the Washington state Senate.