May 13, 2026

Reid Middleton

Bishop

Stapleton

Matsumoto

Crocker

Hammer

Reid Middleton has appointed Corbin Hammer as president, Paul Crocker as chief operating officer, Brian Matsumoto as group director of structural engineering, and Seth Stapleton and Erik Bishop as principals working in the firm's Everett headquarters.

Hammer joined Reid Middleton in 2002 as a structural engineering intern before advancing to structural group co-director. His experience includes leading fire station design across the Pacific Northwest, seismic evaluations and consulting, and federal/military work across the U.S. and internationally.

Crocker joined in 2004. His leadership, supported by strong organizational and technical skills, contributed to him becoming structural group co-director with Hammer in 2018.

Matsumoto has been with the firm since 2014. He's a client-focused leader who excels at building enduring relationships.

Stapleton has 20 years of structural engineering and project management experience and joined the firm in 2017. He has expanded the firm's structural projects for King County, federal agencies, school districts, and housing and mixed-use developments.

Bishop has been with the firm for 15 years and continues to champion its seismic resiliency efforts, leading numerous seismic evaluation, upgrade, and response plan projects for federal/military, private and healthcare clients.

Architects West

Valentine

Marcus Valentine, a principal with Architects West, has successfully completed the Design-Build Institute of America's comprehensive education and certification testing program to become a nationally certified Design-Build Professional.

Over his 16 years with Architects West, Valentine has focused on serving municipal clients, leading projects ranging from city halls to fire station facilities. His work emphasizes functionality, community impact, and long-term value for public-sector clients.

In addition to municipal work, Valentine has partnered with several Native American Tribes throughout the Northwest, contributing to a wide range of project types that support cultural, civic and community needs.

City of Tacoma

The city of Tacoma's Equity in Contracting (EIC) Program is holding a workshop and Q&A session with the state Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE) on the business certification process. The virtual event will be held from 9-10 a.m. on May 18.

Topics include: an overview of the city's EIC Program; federal and state certification; tips on how to successfully complete an application; what documentation is required; what to bring for the follow-up OMWBE Certification 201 workshop; and guidance on becoming a certified business and unlocking new contracting opportunities.

This workshop is the first in a two-part series. The OMWBE Certification 201 workshop will be offered in a hybrid format on May 28, from 9-11 a.m. Event details are available at http://makeittacoma.com/events, or contact Linda Cerna at lcerna@tacoma.gov or (253) 453-9488 for more information.

May 12, 2026

County Department of Natural Resources and Parks

McBroom

Taylor

King County Exec. Girmay Zahilay announced that John Taylor, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP), has accepted an appointment as the new CEO of the Cascade Water Alliance, a partner organization that contributes to safe, clean, reliable water supply in the Central Puget Sound region. Taylor will begin his new role May 29.

Mo McBroom — who has served as deputy director for DNRP since 2020 — has been appointed interim director.

The department completed major projects during Taylor's tenure, including King County's largest-ever floodplain restoration project, a unique onsite battery system that provides reliable power to West Point Treatment Plant, and the renewal of the King County Parks Levy.

Taylor was appointed DNRP director in February 2024 after serving as the first director of the King County Department of Local Services. He previously served as a member of the department's leadership team, and was one of the architects of the Land Conservation Initiative, a partnership protecting urban greenspace, forestland, farmland, river corridors and natural areas while increasing access to the outdoors.

The next director will lead a workforce of 2,300-plus employees. DNRP restores habitat, reduces flood risks, builds and operates major infrastructure that protects Puget Sound, transforms waste management to cut carbon emissions, and expands and enhances regional parks and trails.

May 08, 2026

City of Lynnwood

Harrell

The Lynnwood City Council has confirmed Monisha Harrell as the city's next assistant city administrator. The confirmation comes after a nationwide search to fill the position within the City's Executive Department.

Harrell is a senior leader with extensive experience in nonprofit governance, public policy, and organizational management. She has held executive roles in local government, including serving as director of the Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice for King County and as senior deputy mayor for the city of Seattle.

Harrell has also led complex organizations and initiatives focused on civil rights, education and community impact, including serving as board chair of Equal Rights Washington and in national leadership roles advancing LGBTQ equality.

She holds an MBA from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and a bachelor's degree in film studies from Columbia University.

May 07, 2026

Lorenz Private Trustees

Bitterman

Lorenz Private Trustees has appointed Heidi Bitterman, J.D., C.T.F.A., as a private trustee, serving clients across Washington, Oregon and California. Bitterman, a licensed California attorney who maintains her bar status, brings nearly two decades of experience in trusts and estates, fiduciary administration and multigenerational wealth advising.

Bitterman's background spans leadership roles in both legal and financial institutions. As vice president and client advisor at The Whittier Trust Company of Nevada, she advised ultra-high-net-worth families and provided strategic guidance in estate planning, trust administration, philanthropy, investment management, and complex family governance. She previously served as Estate Settlement Market Director for Bank of America. Earlier in her legal career, she established a trusts and estates practice within a family law firm, managing comprehensive estate planning, probate and trust administration matters.

Bitterman serves on the board of directors for the East King County Estate Planning Council; co-chairs the University of Southern California's Seattle Regional Alumni Network; and is a trustee of Path 2 Healthy, a nonprofit dedicated to holistic health and wellness.

Lorenz Private Trustees provides professional fiduciary services, including trust administration, estate settlement and related support for individuals and families across the country.

Puget Sound Partnership

Puget Sound Partnership is holding an Adaptive Management Forum for Salmon Recovery, May 19-20. Titled “Swimming Upriver: Learning from Our Setbacks to Adapt and Move Forward,” the two-day virtual forum will bring together practitioners, planners, decision-makers, scientists, and implementers from across Puget Sound watersheds to connect, share lessons learned, and explore how adaptive management can strengthen implementation efforts across the region. Through case studies, emerging science and facilitated discussion, the forum is designed to create space for peer learning, reflection and practical takeaways that participants can apply in their own work. Sessions are from 8:30 a.m .to 12:30 p.m. on Zoom. Register online here: https://tinyurl.com/ye6h3khc

May 06, 2026

PLS Engineering

Lang

Underland

Murray

David Murray has joined PLS Engineering in Vancouver as a junior survey lead. Murray brings a strong background in surveying, including construction staking; ALTA; boundary, topographic and site plan surveys; and line staking. In his prior roles he assisted lead surveyors with field operations, completed topographic and site plan surveys and maintained equipment and supplies to ensure his teams were well-prepared for each new project. Murray holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in surveying and geomatics from Clark College.

Evan Underland recently joined the PLS land survey team bringing valuable hands-on field experience. He began his career as a survey technician and advanced to the role of survey lead with a previous employer. In that capacity, Underland led boundary and topographic surveys, directing small two- and three-person crews. Underland has passed the fundamentals of surveying exam and is a graduate of Clark College, where he earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in surveying and geomatics.

Evan Lang joined the PLS survey team in 2018 as a survey crew lead. In 2021 he was promoted to assistant survey manager. In April, Lange received his certification as a professional land surveyor in the state of Washington.

Jackson | Main Architecture

Smith

Jackson | Main Architecture hired Caitlin Smith as office administrator in its Seattle office. Smith brings experience supporting operations and executive leadership across the manufacturing and healthcare sectors, with a focus on process improvement, coordination and administrative efficiency. In her role at JMA, she will support day-to-day operations and internal initiatives across the firm.

Ballard Spahr

Beth Ann Lennon has joined Ballard Spahr's Litigation Department and Labor and Employment Group as partner. An accomplished labor and employment law attorney with 15 years of experience, Lennon is resident in the firm's Denver and Portland offices.

Lennon divides her practice between employment counseling and litigation. She regularly assists clients with the complex legal questions they face as employers, drafts policies and contracts, assists with internal investigations and M&A due diligence, and provides guidance and representation in agency actions and litigation throughout the country. Lennon represents clients across industries, including construction, hospitality, manufacturing, media, sports and technology.

As a member of the Labor and Employment Group, Lennon joins a coast-to-coast team of more than 50 attorneys. The group is noted for its thought leadership, including the Best Practices for Best Employers Labor and Employment Seminar, which has for over four decades been an indispensable resource for employers in the Pacific Northwest.

Ballard Spahr LLP is an AmLaw 100 law firm founded in 1885, headquartered in Philadelphia, with over 700 attorneys across the U.S. In 2025, Ballard Spahr combined with Lane Powell, adding offices in Anchorage, Portland and Seattle.