2025 Annual Meeting, CLE, & New Commissioner Seminar Presentations
Annual Meeting | Continuing Legal Education | New Commissioner Seminar
Marriott Tacoma Downtown
November 18 – 21, 2025
Annual Meeting Agenda
CLE Agenda
New Commissioner Seminar Agenda
Tuesday, November 18
New Commissioner Seminar
What is a Port District & What Powers Does it Have?
Eric ffitch, WPPA; Tim Schermetzler, CSD Attorneys at Law (WPPA General Counsel)
What is the Role of a Port Commissioner at their Port?
Frank Chmelik, WPPA Life Member (and former WPPA General Counsel); Eric ffitch with Cmrs. Glen Bachman, Port of Everett and Jack Ng, Port of South Whidbey (WPPA Executive Committee President and Vice President)
Open Public Meetings & Public Records Training
Lisa Lowe, Schwabe (Chair, WPPA Legal Committee)
Public Procurement 101
Dawn Egbert, Port of Vancouver (WPPA Procurement Working Group Co-chair) with Tim Schermetzler, CSD Attorneys at Law
Knowing the Waters: Legal Guidelines with WPPA General Counsel
Tim Schermetzler, CSD Attorneys at Law
Continuing Legal Education (CLE)
Legal Ethics for Port Attorneys
Colin Folawn, Schwabe
Selected Prevailing Wage Topics
Peter Ruffatto, CSD Attorneys at Law
2025 Personnel Legislation Roundup
Stephanie Berntsen, Schwabe
Wednesday, November 19
Committee Meetings
Legal – View agenda here
- 2025 Legislation for Procurement
Lisa Lowe, Schwabe - Contractor Safety & Supplemental Bidder Responsibility Criteria
Josh Dennis & Paige Spratt, Schwabe - New Case on Streaked Horn Larks & Endangered Species Act
Lawson Fite, Scwabe
Trade & Transportation – View agenda here
Marina – View agenda here
- North of Falcon Process: Balancing Stakeholder Perspectives for Responsible Salmon Fishery Management
Kelly Cunningham, Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife - Electric Opportunities: Marina Shore Power’s Future
Trevor Burgess, VoltSafe
Economic Development/Environment – View agenda here
- Mitigation Banking: A tool for economic & environmental development. What is it? How is it working in Washington? What are the challenges?
Dan Berlin, Principal, Anchor QEA
Francis Naglich, Principal/Founder/Senior Wetland Biologist,
Ecological Land Services
David Morgan, CEO, Wapato Valley Mitigation & Conservation Bank - Shoreline Management Act: Updates & why it’s important for shoreline development
Shane Phillips, Vice President, Senior Civil/Coastal Engineer, Moffatt & Nichol & Molly Lawrence, Partner, Van Ness Feldman
Aviation – View agenda here
Communications – View Agenda Here
Keynote Speaker
Derek Sandison, Director, Washington State Department of Agriculture
Update on Washington’s Agricultural Industry
General Session
Communicating Washington’s Maritime History
Jennifer Ott, Editor in Chief, HistoryLink
Alex Gradwohl, Program Director, Maritime Washington National Heritage Area
Washingtons Budget Revenue and Tax Update
Emily Makings, WA Research Council
Grant Forsyth, Avista
Thank you to our members who participated in the Associate Member Reception!
- Enduris
- Moffatt & Nichol
- PND Engineers
- FMSIB (Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board)
- GRI
- AKS Engineering
- Gibbs & Olson
- Reid Middleton
- Facet
- Integra
- NoaNet
- Dalton, Olmsted & Fuglevand (DOF)
- Haley & Aldrich, Inc.
- MacDonald Miller
- Security Solutions
- KPFF
- MAKERS architecture & urban design
- Washington State Department of Agriculture
Thursday, November 20
Legislative Report
Legislative Report
Diahann Howard, Port of Benton Executive Director & Legislative Committee Chair
WPPA Legislative Staff
General Session
Energy: Gas-Electric Coordination Effort
Dan Kirschner, Chief Executive Officer, NWGA
Steve Taylor, Director of Regulatory and Regional Affairs, Cowlitz PUD
Rail – Industry Update WSDOT Rail Plan & Other Rail Issues
Jason Beloso, Freight & Rail Planning Program Manager, WSDOT
Ross Lane, Assistant Vice President, Government Relations, Genesee and Wyoming, Inc.
Darkhan Mussanov, Rail Facility Planning Practice Lead, DB E.C.O North America
Keynote Panel
Port Industrial Symbiosis
Moderated by Carly Michiels, WPPA
Speakers:
Kyle Gitchell, Circular Economy Development Director, Washington State Department of Commerce
Stephen McFadden, Deputy Executive Director, Economic Development Division, Port of Pasco
Nick Rohrbach, Construction Project Manager, CDRPA
Eron Berg, Executive Director, Port of Port Townsend
Port Reports
Roundtable Discussions 2.5
- Table 1: RCO Boating Program Resources
Nick Norton, Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office
Boating Facilities Program FACT SHEET
Boating Facilities Program Review
- Table 2: Supply Chain Federation
Sarah Wiltfong, Chief Public Policy and Advocacy Officer, Supply Chain Federation
- Table 3: Connecting With Your Community Through Port Tours
Leslie Barstow, Port of Tacoma
Friday, November 21
Awards Breakfast
