Advisory Board

Jim Waldo, Board Chair

Jim is a Partner at Gordon Thomas Honeywell (GTH).  He joined GTH as a Partner in 1980, after working for the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He focuses his practice on complex negotiations, project permitting and implementation, representation of public and private entities in multi-party negotiations, with an emphasis on environmental issues including natural resources, energy and tribal law.   He earned his law degree from Willamette University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Whitman College.

His commitment to the environment extends to his life outside the office.  In addition to serving on the board of directors of Urban Waters, he is a member of Ruckelshaus Center for Public Policy.  He also serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Washington Tacoma.

Bruce Martin

Bruce currently works as the Energy Resource Manager for WestRock Tacoma, having spent his career in Energy and Environmental Management. He describes his work as being at the crossroads of environmental performance and sustainable energy management.

“I enjoy the variety, to learn and be engaged in all there is to know regarding energy and environmental opportunities. Every day I get to be involved in new issues that will shape the future of our region.”

A Tacoma native, Bruce attended Wilson High School and studied Chemical Engineering and Pulp and Paper Science at the University of Washington. He’s worked in the Wood Products, Environmental Consulting, and Power industries his entire career.

Early in his career, during work for an environmental consulting firm in Portland he served multiple terms as Chairman of the Air and Waste Management Association’s Oregon Chapter, while also attending two years of law school in the evenings.

In time Bruce returned to the pulp and paper industry, working for various Northwest companies as Energy or Environmental Manager, while also serving on the Boards for various regional manufacturing trade groups, – the Northwest Pulp and Paper Association, Northwest Industrial Gas Users Association, Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities, Energy Action Northwest, and the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers. Most recently Bruce has been an active member on the Integrated Resource Planning stakeholder committees for both the Power and Water divisions of Tacoma Public Utilities.

Constance T. Bacon

Connie Bacon served on the Port of Tacoma Commission from 1998 through 2017.  She also served on the Board of Directors for the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Fuzhou Advisory Committee, Water Partners of Tacoma Board, the City of Tacoma’s Mayor’s Commission on International Relations, and the Port of Tacoma Endowed Chair at the University of Washington Tacoma.  She served two terms on the Washington Economic Development Commission.  Bacon also served as Vice Chair of the Port of Tacoma Audit Committee.  She is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum.  Bacon is a former Executive Director of the World Trade Center Tacoma and served eight years as special assistant to former Washington Gov. Booth Gardner.

She is a graduate of Syracuse University and earned a master’s degree from The Evergreen State College.

Dan Cheney

As one of the founders of the Pacific Shellfish Institute (PSI), Daniel served as its first Executive Director from 1996 through 2009, and he remains on the staff as a Senior Scientist.  He served as a principal investigator and lead scientist on a wide range of research studies.  These include examination of the environmental interactions related to shellfish production practices, work to develop methods to control Vibrio bacteria contamination and reduce the risk of consuming raw shellfish, assessment of heavy metal concentrations in West Coast shellfish along with determination of associated human health risks, and assistance in modeling shellfish contamination risks associated with stormwater runoff along with risks associated with interactions with both humans and wildlife.

Most recently Daniel has been engaged in reviews of manuscripts, projects, and proposals for a number of international publications and research funders (USEPA, Sea Grant, the Chilean government.).  Publications include scientific articles in journals both as an individual and in collaboration with others.  He co-authored a book for Washington Sea Grant describing shellfish and seaweed harvests of Puget Sound and recently collaborated with a large group of authors in the recently published book “Molluscan Shellfish Aquaculture: A Practical Guide” for a chapter on regulations, spatial planning, best practices, and certification.

Daniel received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Fisheries from the University of Washington, as well as a M.S. in Zoology from the University of Hawaii.  His decades of experience have spanned the globe, with projects ranging from the Middle East to Central and South America, the Caribbean, southeast Asia, and islands of the central and western Pacific, as well as the U.S. and Canada.

Derek I. Sandison

Derek I. Sandison was appointed Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) director in June 2015, where he continues to strengthen both Washington's food and agriculture systems nationally and internationally. In the agriculture industry and beyond, he has earned the respect of many for his solution-oriented approach and prioritization of relationships.

A lifelong Washington resident, Sandison has worked in the private and public sectors for over 48 years. Before his appointment with the WSDA, he served as director of the state's Office of Columbia River within the Department of Ecology. During that time, he developed and laid the groundwork for the future deployment of new large-scale water projects for cities, farms, and fish.

Sandison has a Master of Science in natural resource management and a bachelor’s degree in biological science, both from Central Washington University

Jim Parvey

Jim Parvey has 32 years of experience in civil and environmental engineering. He holds a bachelor's in civil engineering from the University of Washington. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Washington and an accredited professional with the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.  Jim has worked with the state, community groups, and others to develop rehabilitation programs and secure funding for the Murray Morgan and Hylebos moveable bridges. He has worked for both public and private enterprise. His project experience includes the Center for Urban Waters, the Cheney Stadium Renovation, the Hylebos Bridge Rehabilitation, the Murray Morgan Bridge Rehabilitation, and Broadway Local Improvement District.

At the City of Tacoma he manages the Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability where he works on improving the city’s overall environmental performance and livability.

John McCarthy

John McCarthy has been elected to four terms as a Port of Tacoma Commissioner, from 1983-1989, 1989-1992, 2018-2021 and currently, 2022-2026. In 2020, McCarthy held the office of president of the Port of Tacoma Commission and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. He is a former president of the Washington Public Ports Association and an honorary life member.

McCarthy worked as a longshoreman for nearly a decade while earning a bachelor’s degree in science with a minor in mathematics from Seattle University and a law degree from the University of San Francisco. McCarthy was a Pierce County District and Superior Court judge for more than 22 years before retiring in 2014.  He has been an attorney and member of the Washington State Bar Association since 1975.

In 2020, McCarthy was appointed to serve a second term on the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board by Gov. Jay Inslee. He currently sits on the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board, Urban Waters Advisory Board, and the Manufacturing Industrial Council for the South Sound.  

McCarthy was born and raised in Tacoma, where he continues to live today. He volunteers at Mount Rainier National Park, officiates high school football and was the first member of the Boys and Girls Club of South Puget Sound to be selected to their Alumni Hall of Fame.  

McCarthy is focused on job creation, expanding future trade opportunities, and the Port’s ongoing environmental stewardship of the Tacoma Tideflats. He worked extensively with the community to help guide development of the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, which will serve as a roadmap for the Port’s future projects and activities.

Kurt Beckett

Kurt Beckett is the deputy CEO of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. He oversees the organization’s internal operations, including port operational efficiencies, port infrastructure development, public affairs, finance and administration, human resources and legal.

Prior to joining the NWSA, Beckett served two years as deputy CEO of the Port of Seattle with management duties including capital development, police, public affairs and the office of social responsibility. He joined the Port of Seattle in November 2007 as the external affairs director and in 2010 was promoted to chief of staff.

As chief of staff, he led successful efforts to strengthen organizational performance and managed strategic issues and port-wide initiatives for the CEO and executive team. As external affairs director, he oversaw public affairs, government relations, tourism, and regional transportation, as well as worked closely with the port’s five elected commissioners.

Prior to joining the port, Beckett served as chief of staff for Sen. Maria Cantwell from 2004 to 2007, and as her deputy chief of staff from 2001 to 2004. From 1991 to 2000, he worked for Rep. Norm Dicks, including serving as district director for all 6th District operations.

Beckett has served on a number of policy committees and panels in Washington state, King County and the Puget Sound region. His successful track record with issues management crosses a broad range of industries, including international trade, aerospace and maritime, natural resources, economic development and clean energy.

He has a Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington.

LaTasha Wortham

LaTasha Wortham is the Regional Relations Manager for Tacoma Public Utilities.

LaTasha recently served as Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib's Chief of Staff. She worked with Congressman Norm Dicks for eight years and spent several years working with Congressman Denny Heck. She is an active and impactful member of the Tacoma community, also serving on the boards of Hilltop Artists and the Tacoma Urban League.

Heather Page

Heather Page is an Owner and Principal of Anchor QEA, a multi-disciplinary engineering, science, and environmental consulting firm. Heather is an environmental planner with 20 years’ experience in in managing and authoring environmental impact assessments, permit applications, and supporting documentation. Her passion is creating and executing multi-benefit flood studies, plans, and environmental review documentation for local and state agencies in Washington State. This includes engaging community, tribal, and stakeholders early in the process to determine objectives and actions that best meet the community’s needs and values.

Currently, she is managing technical studies and environmental review documentation for the Chehalis Basin Strategy, which is a program that addresses flood damage reduction and aquatic species habitat restoration actions in three separate counties within a 2,400-square-mile basin. She has also led and participated in multi-benefit flood studies, plans, and environmental review documentation for Pierce County’s Clear Creek Strategy Plan and King County’s Sammamish River Corridor Plan.

Heather holds an undergraduate degree in English from University of Washington and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration from Seattle University. She also participated as a faculty member for the Law Seminars International SEPA and NEPA seminar in 2020 and 2021.

Ray Corpuz

Ray retired from public service in September 2020.  He had served in local government for forty-eight years including twenty-nine years as a City Manager.  He was the City Manager for the cities of Tacoma, Washington, Seaside and Salinas, California.  He is currently is a Senior Advisor for the International City Managers Association(ICMA).  He is active in Tacoma with the Chinese Reconciliation Project and serves on the Advisory Board of the Asian Pacific Cultural Center.  He is also a member of the Organization and Outreach Committee of the Downtown Waterfront Alliance of Gig Harbor.

John Hines

Council Member John Hines was elected to Tacoma City Council in 2019. Born in Tacoma, he has lived his entire life in the City of Destiny. He currently serves as the Instructional Facilitator for Academic Acceleration for Tacoma Public Schools supporting advanced programs and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) in schools throughout the district. Prior to his position at Tacoma Public Schools, John spent ten years teaching high school social studies and AVID in Federal Way, in addition to coaching football. During that time, he became a National Board-Certified Teacher, served as the president of the Washington State Council for the Social Studies, and was nationally recognized as an Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Emerging Leader in 2013.  John’s long history of community service in Tacoma is demonstrated most recently as a Trustee for the Tacoma Public Library and as a board member of the YWCA of Pierce County.

He is a proud graduate of Seward Elementary, Stewart Middle School, Lincoln High School and the University of Puget Sound (UPS). While at UPS, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Politics, and Government and his Master of Arts in Secondary Education.  While at UPS, he played football, earning recognition as a member of the American Football Coaches Association All-American Good Works Team and served as an elected leader of the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound.
 
Council Member Hines currently serves in multiple leadership roles at a national, state-wide and regional level. He currently serves on the National League of Cities’ Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations (FAIR) Federal Advocacy Committee, the Association of Washington Cities’ (AWC) Large City Advisory Committee, and as a Pierce Transit Commissioner. On the Council he serves as Chair of the Government Performance and Finance Committee (GPFC) and as Vice-Chair of the Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability (IPS) Committee. In 2021, he earned his Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities.

John and his wife, Kelsey, currently live in the neighborhood of Silas High School with their two children. When not serving the residents of District 1, John can be found with his family outdoors hiking and kayaking, running (he has completed over 12 marathons including the 2011 Boston Marathon) or reading (he loves trivia and was a contestant on Jeopardy! in 2012).

John is passionate about serving the residents of District 1 with integrity, honesty, and dedication to solving the tough challenges facing our beautiful city and will advocate for excellent basic services to all residents of Tacoma.

Annette Bryan

Biography coming soon

Olgy Diaz

Biography coming soon

Catherine Rudolph

Catherine Rudolph serves as the Strategic Advisor for Economic Development to Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier. Her previous experience includes Government Affairs Director for the Tacoma Pierce County Association of Realtors, Executive Director of the Australia New Zealand American Society in Seattle, and a variety of marketing and research positions with technology firms. She holds a B.A. from St. Martin’s University and a Certificate in Executive Leadership from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.

She has served on the boards of Northwest Sinfonietta, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, and Tacoma Architectural Foundation.

Conor McCarthy

Council Member Conor McCarthy is a dedicated private attorney, devoted husband and father of two small children, and committed public servant. He formerly worked in the trenches with City and Tacoma Public Utilities staff for over seven years, first as an attorney and then as a manager. His combination of private-sector and municipal government experience, along with his passion for community service, makes him uniquely qualified to be an effective City council member. He is proud to serve the City as an at-large council member, recognizing the tremendous value and unique contributions from all of our different neighborhoods, business districts and residents.

Born and raised in Tacoma, Council Member McCarthy is a Lowell Leopard, Jason Lee Bobcat, and Stadium Tiger. He is proud of our City and dedicated to making Tacoma even better. While he loves our City, he recognizes that Tacoma continues to face significant challenges which we must work tirelessly to overcome. To that end, he is focused on fixing our road infrastructure, increasing job growth, helping local businesses thrive, improving public safety, supporting schools and students, and protecting the most vulnerable in our community.

Council Member McCarthy believes that good City government and exceptional public service can make a positive impact on the quality of life and opportunities for everyone in Tacoma. He is dedicated to working diligently to ensure that our entire community thrives.

Kate Snider

Kate Snider is Co-founder and Principal of Floyd|Snider, a Seattle-based multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental consulting firm with B-Corp certification. Kate is a professional civil engineer with over 26 years of experience in site engineering and site cleanup. Kate’s strengths and reputation are in management of complex project teams, agency negotiations, multi-party facilitation and strategy development for cost-effective remedial design coupled with design for future redevelopment and aquatic habitat restoration. She is also a certified mediator and has significant skills in facilitating diverse or multi-jurisdictional teams to reach solutions optimizing group objectives.

Kate has been one of the leaders in developing and implementing area-wide solutions to contaminated site management, both in upland and aquatic environments, including decades of work on the Thea Foss Waterway. Kate provided project management and facilitation assistance to the executive teams of Ports of Tacoma and Seattle in formation of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. Kate’s work addresses Puget Sound water quality through industrial stormwater management, sediment source control, and policy development. Kate has facilitated multiple multi-party workgroups associated with Washington State Department of Ecology regulatory policy development for stormwater permitting and low impact development requirements.

Kate holds an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering and a graduate degree in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Washington and Oregon. Kate also serves as Board President at the Whidbey Institute, a 108-acre home for transformative learning on south Whidbey Island.

Chad R. Wright

Since 2007 Chad R. Wright has served as the CEO of Marine View Ventures, Inc., the economic development arm of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, one of the largest Indian tribes in the Pacific Northwest.  As CEO he successfully restructured MVV, positioning it to be a market leader within Indian Country as the focus shifts from gaming to non-gaming business ventures.  He is a current Trustee at Charles Wright Academy.  His degrees include a B.S., Boston College, a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law and an M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.