My background is varied. I growing up saw buildings being constructed, bridges, roads and it was my lifelong goal was to be a civil engineer. However, after I got out of grad school while I could have gone into construction there was another opportunity to do applied research where you’re using your engineering skills to solve state of the art technology issues. I stayed in that profession for 25 years and was able to solve some very unique issues. My primary focus was in the environmental and waste management areas. And at that time, the environmental area was just getting its own. It didn’t have all the regulations and statutes in place. So when they did become law, it was a steep learning curve to have a handle on those items and how it applied to your problem at hand.

I also had the good fortune to be selected as the lead judge for the state of Washington science talent search. And if you see young scientists when they look at a problem how they break it down, how they write about it, and then give a presentation. It was very fulfilling for me because we were in good hands. And this was before the STEM drive and so these kids did it on their own. I also have the good fortune of being the chair for the Washington State Solid Waste Advisory Committee, which gave advice to the Department of Ecology in dealing with solid waste within the state as a whole. I came a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2010. I still do work in that area pro bono.

As another activity that paralleled my professional life was getting involved in local government. I started out with the physical planning commission where I served for five and a half years, four years as chair. I then got elected to the city council for two terms and actually got to serve as mayor. And I also got involved on the state level having been elected a director for the Association of Washington Cities. And this most fulfilling because you can see individuals that are trying to solve issues common to the whole and the state and it was fulfilling when yo are able to solve those issues collectively.

I hit a personal crossroad in my life and I did a reflection on what do I want to do for the last third of my life professionally and how can I help the most people in that manner? And so, when I look at the necessity to learn the law in the environmental area to understand the law in local government, particularly the ____ planning commission on the city council, the solution to that was become an attorney. And so, in 1998 I chose to go back to school and obtain my degree in law. And then, as soon as I became admitted to the bar I opened my own law firm. And so, I don’t have the track record that some of the associates have but I was fortunate to understand the law, its makeup, and how to present that to people particularly in the courts. And that all became very powerful for me.

I, to my surprise was selected as a rising star by Washington State Super Lawyers. It was a nice accolade by my peers that I was doing the right things.