To view and download the PDF version, Click Here.

State Leadership



President Heather Kline (SP)

Vice President Jared Plank (SW)

Treasurer Owen Kohashi (SE)

Secretary Jessica Jenness (SE)

Past President Tyler Winkley (SE)

Trustees

Emily Sackmann (SP)

Evan Olszko (SW)

Heather Kline (SP)

Matt Leslie (SC)

Jared Plank (SW)

Jessica Jenness (SE)

Owen Kohashi (SE)

Patrick Lindblom (SE)

Teresa Krell (SC)

Rainiers Baseball Game

SEAW SW Chapter will be hosting the AIA SWW chapter in a luxury suite at Cheney stadium. Come root on the Rainiers as they face the Salt Lake Bees. Suite opens 1 hour before game time and a full dinner and drinks will be provided. Sponsors will have the opportunity to support raffle prizes throughout the evening. This is quickly becoming a fun tradition for the SW Chapter as we wrap up the year. Please bring your coworkers, families, and friends! There will be limited space so please sign up early! We’ll see you there! Game begins at 6:05pm.

Date: Wednesday, May 28th, 2025

Time: 5:05PM 

Location: Cheney Stadium

2502 S Tyler St

Tacoma, WA 98405 

Pricing:

• SEAW & AIA Member | $35 per ticket (includes dinner and drinks)
• Non Member | $45 per ticket

SEA Northwest Conference

Author: Brian Parsons, Planning Committee Chair

Registration is open for the 2025 SEA Northwest Conference! We look forward to seeing you all in Spokane! Please see the links below for registration and hotel information. We are also excited to announce that CSi, Inc., will be hosting an unforgettable social event after the conference on Thursday evening that you won’t want to miss! More information to come soon.   

Date: September 25th - 26th, 2025

Location:

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Spokane City Center

322 North Spokane Falls Court

Spokane, WA 99201

Reserve your special SEAW room rate here at $170/per night!

Early bird rates have been extended through April 20th, 2025:

• SEA Members $575 $431
• Non Members $675 $506
• YMG* $300 $225
• One Day Members $325 $244
• One Day Non Members $375 $281
• Students $150

*Young Member Group registrants are SEA members of the age 35 and under.

Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities

There are limited sponsorships and only a few exhibitor tables remaining so purchase yours today!

Event Registration, Nametag & Lanyard Sponsor | Sold Out

Event Audio/ Visual Sponsorship | $4,000

Breakfast Sponsorship | $2,500

Lunch Sponsorship | $2,500

Coffee Break Sponsorship | $2,000

Additional Representative Registration | $400

Exhibitor Table Only | $1,500

Celebrate 75 Years of SEAW

at the Museum of Flight

Save the Date!

In celebration of the 75th Anniversary of SEAW, all SEAW members and their guests are invited to an anniversary event at the Museum of Flight!

Download the Flyer Here

City of Seattle’s Unreinforced Masonry

Program Updates

Author: Anand Mourougassamy, Seattle Chapter

As a thunderstorm brewed outside the large windows overlooking Lake Union at the charming Swedish Club, the setting felt appropriately dramatic for the topic at hand: the seismic risks and future of Seattle’s unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings. The venue was filled with industry professionals for the monthly Seattle Chapter Dinner Meeting, creating a buzz of engaged conversation and shared purpose before the presentation even began.

The speakers from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) shared not only technical insights, but a compelling story of long-term civic effort and thoughtful policy development. I was especially inspired by how the URM program balances engineering rigor with practical pathways — like the Alternate Method —which allows for realistic compliance while still prioritizing safety. The city is currently encouraging voluntary URM retrofits using the new minimum standard and has established a formal process to recognize previously completed retrofits compliant with the newly adopted seismic regulations. 

One of the key takeaways for me was how much groundwork has been laid behind the scenes: identifying and cataloging URM buildings, building a comprehensive public database, and developing a framework that considers affordability, historic value, and tenant displacement. It’s easy to think of seismic retrofitting as a purely structural problem, but this presentation reminded me how deeply interconnected our work is with housing policy, community resilience, and civic trust.

I was also encouraged to see how, in advance of mandatory retrofit requirements,the city is working toward creative funding mechanisms, like transfer of development rights (TDRs), streamlined permitting, and federal grant programs modeled after successful efforts in places like Berkeley, CA. There’s a clear understanding that safety doesn’t exist in a vacuum — financing, feasibility, and fairness are just as important as code requirements and engineering solutions. This event served as a timely reminder of the role we play not just as designers, but as stewards of public safety. 

With the 25th anniversary of the Nisqually Earthquake approaching in February 2026, this conversation feels more urgent than ever. As Amanda from SDCI emphasized, now is the time to build momentum for statewide action. House Bill 1810, that failed to advance out of committee this session, represents one such effort to prioritize seismic hazard reduction across Washington. This bill would have funded a study on improving affordability of retrofits through tax incentives and supported completion of the state’s inventory of URMs. We encourage everyone to read the bill and express support to their representatives in passing it next session. Whether by sharing knowledge, reaching out to legislators, or simply spreading awareness, we all have a role to play in moving this important work forward.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to Python Fasteners for sponsoring the event and making this kind of professional development possible. And a heartfelt thank you to the SDCI team (Kai Ki Mow, Amanda Hertzfeld, and Derek Ohlgren) for their time and hard work. The URM program represents an inspiring blend of technical excellence, policy innovation, and community care.

SEAW Seattle and ACI

Discuss Low Carbon Concrete

Author: Sebina Kalawadwala, Seattle YMG

Overlooking the serene Elliot Bay, Ivar’s Acres of Clams on Alaskan Way provided the perfect spot for cross organizational collaboration between SEAW and ACI members for their Joint Dinner Meeting at the end of February. The venue was filled with engineers, fabricators, contractors and college students! 

The topic that attracted such a diverse range of audiences was of immense relevance both to the industry and the world: ACI 323-24 Low Carbon concrete and the new Sustainability and Resilience Appendix in ACI 318-25.

The audience was fortunate to hear directly from Nathan Forrest (PE, ENV SP) and Shana Kelley (PE, SE), both of whom had directly served on the 323 Committee and the 318 Sustainability Subcommittee. In addition to hearing about the new code/appendix, the audience got an insight into the workings of the committee and a peak behind the curtain into how decisions got made. It was a unique and highly rewarding experience to not only learn about a new code but to also see how it came about. 

Students, contractors and other industry professionals network at the February Seattle Dinner Meeting.

Photo by Patrick Lindblom.

One of the key takeaways for me was to learn the intent behind the code, which helped me see it in a new light. Prior to this code, there was no formal pathway in ACI through which sustainability could be embedded in design. This code provides one. It gets sustainability to the front and center and implores the designer to think about it. The code was meant to be a beginning point and it certainly provides a strong foundation to be built from. I am looking forward to seeing what comes next.

SEAW Seattle Chapter Nominating Committee Notice

Author: Darrell Staaleson, Seattle Chapter

In accordance with SEAW Seattle Chapter Bylaws, Nominating Committee Selection Procedures & Names of Members Eligible for Candidacy, “The Committee shall be composed of (5) to (8) Member SE’s. The Nominating Committee shall report their nominations for office: one (1) name for President, at least one name for Vice President, and at least one name for each Director to be elected.”  

The Seattle Chapter Nominating Committee was formed by the Seattle Chapter President, Owen Kohashi. Darrell Staaleson was asked to serve as Chair.

Committee Members

Darrell Staaleson, Seattle Chapter Past-President (chair)

Chun Lau, Seattle Chapter Past-President

Tyler Winkley, Seattle Chapter Past-President

Jessica Jenness, Seattle Chapter Past-President 

Scott Douglas, Seattle Chapter Past President

Patrick Lindblom, Seattle Chapter V.P. (ex officio)

Owen Kohashi, Seattle Chapter President (ex officio)

Process

In accordance with our bylaws and tradition, the Nominating Committee Chair typically presents the Nominating Committee to the members present during the January Student Showcase Meeting and gives a summary of the Nominating Committee’s process and purpose to the Membership in order to help increase awareness of how SEAW Seattle Chapter works. SE Members attending are then asked to make nomination for SE members to serve on the Nominating Committee. If no recommendations are received from the Members attending, the President or Chair select the committee. SE Members attending are then asked to make nominations for leadership or board members from the floor for the Nominating Committee to consider. If no nominations are received from the Members attending, the committee selects the candidates. 

The Nominating Committee works to select candidates for officers from among those who have actively served on the Board of Directors and who have a good working knowledge of our association and have demonstrated leadership skills or potential. 

The Nominating Committee works to select members for the Board of Directors from a diverse cross section of our industry. We look closely at leaders coming from YMG and consider recommendations made from Principals and Senior Engineers at Firms. Additionally, the work of the Nominating Committee is done throughout the year by encouraging members to become involved and, as Teddy Roosevelt said, you lead and inspire “not by pointing the way. You lead by riding the horse!” The goal is to have the names of nominees before the committee meets.

Benefits

Benefits of service and leadership in SEAW: 

1. The State Board of Engineers considers Service in Leadership in SEAW to be a valuable part of our required professional development in Washington State. 
2. Interact and develop friendships with fellow engineers in the Seattle area, Pacific Northwest, and the national level. 
3. Gain experience in public speaking, running effective meetings, and presenting proposals, which makes you more valuable to clients and employers. 
4. And what you will come to see as invaluable – become an active part of our honored tradition of service in the structural engineering profession.

Notice of Nomination

In accordance with our Bylaws, 

1. The SEAW Chapter 2025 January Meeting: No presentation was made and there were no recommendations received from Members. 
2. The Seattle Chapter Nominating Committee met on March 24th, 2025, and discussed candidates for officers and for the Board of Directors and nominates the following members for election: 

• For President: Patrick Lindblom
• For Vice President: Kyle Johnson 
• For Board of Directors Position #1 (3) Years: Evan Jordan
• For Board of Directors Position #2 (3) Years: Alejandro Esparza
• For Board of Directors Position #3 (1) Year: Doug Smith
• For Board of Directors Position #4 (2) Year: Jerry Lee

Patrick Lindblom, P.E., S.E., is an Associate Principal in DCI Engineers’ Seattle office. He has more than 15 years of engineering experience in office, multi-use, hospitality, multi-family and retail buildings. His focus is on commercial development and he has successfully managed high-rise and Performance Based Seismic Design projects in California and Washington. Patrick has been a member of SEAW for more than 11 years and has been active in the Earthquake Engineering Committee (EEC) for nine years. He is SEAW’s liaison with the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC), and is a member of ACI, EERI, CTBUH, and NAIOP.

Kyle Johnson, P.E., S.E., is a Structural Engineering Discipline Manager at Coffman Engineers in theSeattle office. He has chaired the SEAW Outreach Committee for the last 4 years and is currently serving on the NCSEA Seismic Committee and the SEAW Seattle Board. Outside of the SEA organizations, Kyle is involved in the AIA Mass Timber Committee, NAIOP Programs Committee, andWashington State Society of Healthcare Engineers (WSSHE). As a Seattle native, Kyle strives to promote and grow the structural engineering industry in the local community. His work experience includes healthcare, life science, heavy and light industrial, commercial, hospitality and retail. He has experience with all the primary construction materials, including mass timber, and has a special expertise in steel design.

Evan Jordan, P.E., S.E., is Senior Design Engineer with Magnusson Klemencic Associates in Seattle. His project portfolio spans a variety of vertical construction market sectors across the country, including commercial offices, life science buildings, parking garages, and airport terminal structures, totaling over 4.2 million square feet. Evan became involved in the SEAWYMG and strove to improve organizational success through and immediately after the COVID era. He enjoys coaching younger members and continues his involvement in the YMG post-leadership positions. He currently co-chairs the SEAW Online Membership Platform Committee and seeks to improve SEAW’s organizational sustainability and effectiveness both internally and externally.

Alejandro Esparza, P.E., S.E., is a structural engineer with a passion for sustainability and development of the profession. Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Alejandro came to the United States in 2014 as a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Immediately after graduating, Alejandro took a job as a structural engineer in Seattle and has remained an active member of the structural engineering community in the city ever since. Early in his career, Alejandro became part of the YMG Board of Directors as the Social Chair, where he remained in that position for three years. During his tenure, the YMG got nominated for the best YMG in the nation twice thanks, in part, to the increased engagement from the young members with the new social events. Currently, Alejandro works at HDR, where he gets to work on a wide variety of projects such as mass timber laboratories, long-span trusses in transit centers, fast-paced data centers, and many others.

Jerry Lee, P.E., S.E., LEED AP, is a Senior Design Engineer and Associate at Cary Kopczynski & Co. in Bellevue. He moved from Los Angeles to Seattle where he soon joined SEAW and was active in the YMG. He has also served as a structural engineer mentor in the ACE Mentor Program several times. Jerry pursued structural engineering to work on high-rise projects and had the privilege to be a key participant in multiple performance-based design seismic projects on the West Coast. His experience is primarily with commercial projects, such as multi-family and mixed-use buildings utilizing post-tensioned and reinforced concrete. Jerry's background is rounded out with unique large scale civil projects, such as the Panama Canal Expansion.

Doug Smith, is the Structural Engineering Supervisor for Seattle City Light. He received his BSCE from the University of Washington in 2000 and is a licensed Structural Engineer in Washington and California.

Doug practiced in consulting for more than 20 years before joining the city, with a focus on new design, forensics, and specialty medical equipment. In his current role, he works to preserve historic structures and improve seismic resiliency for the utility’s equipment and facilities.

He has been active with the NCEES structural exam committee as a grader and writer for 15 years and has leveraged his ability to understand and interpret building codes into a successful hobby as a youth baseball and softball umpire. He is excited for this opportunity to serve SEAW and the amazing community of engineers that it serves and is comprised of.

Notice for Additional Nominations

The Members of SEAW Seattle Chapter are given notice that the Nominating Committee will accept additional nominations from the membership upon a petition of at least five member SEs received within ten days of this Notice.

Call for Elections

Ten days following the publication of candidates from the Nominating Committee in Equilibrium (or special announcement via email), the Nominating Committee will send the names of their Nominees and any Nominees submitted by the membership to the Elections Committee. Elections are called and directed by the Elections Committee which consists of three member SEs appointed by the President. This Committee shall warrant to the membership the proper conduct of the nomination and the elections in accordance with these bylaws. Elections shall begin not earlier than ten days after Notice of Nominations in Equilibrium.

Participate in the SEAW Southwest Chapter!

The SEAW SW Chapter Elections are coming up!

The Southwest Chapter is looking for its next Vice President. An elected member would serve one year as Vice President, one year as President, and one year as Past President. If you have your S.E. License in Washington and want to have a more active role in the Southwest Chapter events, planning, and policies, consider a self-nomination for the Southwest Chapter VP role.

We are also looking for our next YMG Chair. If you are interested in energizing our younger members or have ideas that you want to see implemented with the Chapter, consider volunteering for this role. The YMG Chair can select additional young members to help plan events and the Chair is encouraged to attend Southwest Chapter Board meetings.

Please reach out to the Evan Olszko (eolszko@pcs-structural.com) with your nomination or if you have any questions.

GCRC Finds Co-Chair,

Seeks Copy of 1999 Snow Event Report

Author: Scott Douglas, GCRC

SEAW’s GCRC (General Code Requirements Committee) held its second meeting March 11th. The following items were discussed:

• GCRC Committee Co-Chair – Herb Ahten agreed after the meeting to become the SEAW GCRC Co-Chair. 
• SBCC & IBC – Jon Siu stated SBCC Proposals for the 2024 IRC will open April 12 and close June 16. For 2027 IBC proposals the Group B Committee Action Hearing will be in Orlando from April 27 to May 6. Proposed changes to the Group B I-Codes can be found at: IBC-Structural Committee Action Hearings (CAH #1)
• Washington State Snow Loads – The Committee is looking at the ASCE 7 snow load criteria and determine if any wording to align with the SBCC 2024 Snow Load proposal is warranted. The committee is looking for a copy of the SEAW Report on the 1999 Puget Sound Snow Event and would appreciate anyone that has this publication to contact the GCRC Committee.
• Guard Loadings – A code change proposal to address this issue has been submitted for the 2027 IBC and ASCE 7-28. Richard Green will verify these proposals have been accepted for balloting. 
• Participation – All SEAW members, whatever their experience, are encouraged to become members of the SEAW GCRC. Please contact either of the GCRC co-chairs, Scott Douglas sdouglasscott@gmail.com, or Herb Ahten hahten@vercodeck.com to join and receive additional information and announcements on Committee activities and actions.

Next Meeting

Future meetings will be Tuesday May 13th and Tuesday June 10th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. The Tuesday May 13th meeting will be virtual via the following Zoom link.

Meeting ID: 843 8393 1970

Passcode: 526078

Recognizing 75 Years

of Snow Load Committee Work

Author: Ed Huston, SEAW

For the next few months, in our 75th Anniversary series, we will discuss some of the significant achievements from our committees. We are excited to first highlight the achievements of the SEAW Snow Load Committee.

Detailed analysis of snow loads started in Canada in the 1960s. The 1970 National Building Code of Canada contained a commentary addressing snow load requirements. The Structural Engineers Association of Oregon published Snow Load Analysis for Oregon in 1971. The Structural Engineers Association of Colorado then published Snow Load Design Data for Colorado. 

In 1975, SEAW published the First Edition of Snow Load Analysis for Washington, which was patterned after the National Building Code of Canada. In 1995, the SEAW Snow Load Committee, then chaired by David Golden and included Gregor Edwards, Una Zeck, and Joseph Scholze, of the Spokane Chapter, published the Second Edition of the Snow Load Analysis for Washington. 

There was a real need for these documents. The load standard for the United States was A58.1, the American National Standard Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures published by the American National Standards Institute, Inc. The 1982 edition of this document included a map of “Ground Snow Loads, pg, for the Western United States” that was mostly shaded black (not mapped) or grey (not appropriate in high country). The 1982 Edition of ANSI A58.1 was the last edition published. In 1988, the American Society of Civil Engineers assumed responsibility for this standard and published it as ASCE 7-88 (Formerly ANSI A58.1). The ground snow load map in ASCE 7-88 was the same map that the 1982 edition of A58.1 used.

Snow data in the US is collected by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and the National Weather Service (NWS). The SCS data is gathered by trained professionals and is accurately recorded in inches of water. SCS data typically comes from the mountainous regions of the state which are lightly populated. The NWS data is recorded in inches of snow by volunteers which often resulted in missing and inconsistent data. Reconciling the data from these two sources was a major task for the snow load committee and was more judgement than science. The committee had to convert the NWS snow depth data to actual ground snow loads prior to combining it with the SCS data. The second edition committee also reconciled the differences in the data for the different snow densities of the areas west of the ridge of the Cascades and east of the ridge of the Cascades. When it was published in 1995, the second edition of the Snow Load Analysis for Washington, was a cutting-edge publication. 

Four other snow related documents have been published by SEAW, two of them were published in association with other entities.

The example problems in the Second Edition were written in accordance with the procedures in the 1994 UBC. Another SEAW committee rewrote the examples to conform to the 2002 IBC, which utilized ASCE 7-02.

SEAW and FEMA published An Analysis of Building Structural Failures Due to the Holiday Snow Storms: Dec 1996 – Jan 1997 – Washington State in 1998. The storms highlighted caused over 1,800 roofs to collapse. 

In June of 2009, the Spokane Chapter published a Study of Structural Failures Associated with the Winter 2008-2009 Snow Event in the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Area.

In 2010, the WABO/SEAW Liaison Committee published White Paper 8-2010, Guidelines for determining snow loads in Washington State. This whitepaper was an expansion of SEAW’s very first White Paper published in 1999, spearheaded by Tom Kinsman.

Once again, as we review the history of SEAW, we hope to emphasize that SEAW has always been involved. We have always made a difference!

Disaster Prep/Response Committee Meeting

April 15th | 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Online via Zoom

SEAW Seattle & ASCE Joint Dinner Meeting

April 22nd | 5:30PM - 8:00PM | Ivar's Acres of Clams, Seattle, WA

Wind Engineering Committee

May 2nd | 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Online via Zoom

General Code Requirements Committee

May 13th | 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Online via Zoom

Disaster Prep/Response Committee Meeting

May 20th | 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Online via Zoom

SEAW Spokane May Social

May 22nd | 4:00PM - 6:00PM

SEAW SW Summer Social at the Rainiers

May 28th | 5:05PM - 7:05PM | Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, WA

General Code Requirements Committee Meeting

June 10th | 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Online via Zoom

19WCSI

September 15th - 19th | 19WCSI at University of California, Berkeley

SEAW Northwest Conference/ SEAW 75th Anniversary Celebration

September 25th - 26th | DoubleTree by Hilton, Spokane

75 Year Anniversary

October 23rd | Time TBD | Museum of Flight

For additional SEAW event dates and information, visit SEAW Calendar Online.

Welcome New Member!

Luis Madora-Rivas

Saint Martin’s University

Student – Southwest Chapter

Check out our job board for current employment opportunities.

Applying or Renewing your Membership in SEAW

SEAW is organized into the membership categories and their corresponding dues structures 

listed below. Select the membership category that best fits your status.

Your contact information is shared with our foundation, SEFW.

In order to “opt-out” please contact the association office. Click here for our privacy policy.

Please consider making a line-item donation to SEFW as part of your dues renewal. Special designation can be placed on the donation, so it can be applied to scholarships, disaster preparedness or research opportunities. SEFW fulfills its mission with the assistance of donations from individuals and corporations. More information on SEFW and its mission to promote structural engineering can be found at www.sefw.org. Thank you for your support!

Structural Engineers Association of Washington 

info@seaw.org | 206.338.7376 | www.seaw.org