Apr 22, 2026

Middle of Six

Carrillo-Rush

Kaneko

Middle of Six, a marketing consultancy specializing in construction, architecture, and engineering, has hired Hana Kaneko and Vanita Carrillo-Rush as marketing strategists.

Kaneko brings over six years of AEC marketing experience with a strong background in strategic communication, proposal management and storytelling. She has worked with multidisciplinary AEC firms offering architecture, interior design and engineering services. Kaneko is an active member of the SMPS Seattle chapter, where she serves on multiple committees and is a co-facilitator of the Multiply Mentorship Program for 2026.

Carrillo-Rush has 14 years of marketing experience and came to Middle of Six from the Portland-based architecture firm Scott Edwards Architecture, where she managed the firm's marketing communications efforts. Carillo-Rush's experience includes collaborating with technical staff to write pursuit and website content, developing thought leadership initiatives, creating digital marketing campaigns, and leading narrative-driven project photography. Carrillo-Rush has been an active member of SMPS Oregon since 2018 and currently serves as the Communications Committee chair.

Benton & Franklin Counties Superior Court

Howell

Gov. Bob Ferguson has appointed Commissioner Andrew Howell to the position of Benton & Franklin Counties Superior Court Judge. Howell's appointment, effective June 1, fills the position Judge Diana Ruff's resignation will vacate.

Howell is a career public servant who has served in his current role as a Benton & Franklin Counties Superior Court Commissioner in Pasco since 2022, where he presides over a wide range of civil and juvenile criminal dockets. He serves on several judicial committees, including Law Day and family, juvenile and criminal law.

Prior to becoming a court commissioner, Howell spent over a decade at the Benton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, including six years as its Juvenile Division's Chief Deputy. He also spent five years prosecuting a wide range of felonies, specializing in complex cases, among other roles within the office.

Howell earned his bachelor's degree from Creighton University and his law degree from the University of Montana School of Law.

Reid Middleton

Moehrle

Patdu

Huang

Reid Middleton has hired Astrid Huang as marketing coordinator. Huang has been in the AE industry for one year. Paulyn Patdu was hired as a project administrator and brings 10 years of experience. Matthew Moehrle was hired as a designer I for the structural engineering group.

Ethos Civil

Chin

Spiller

Babb

Dowd

Crum

Ethos Civil brought on Zachary Crum, Brent Dowd and John Babb as shareholders in March, and hired David Spiller and Caleb Chin to their Tacoma office.

Crum has 15 years of experience and has been with the firm since 2023. He manages the firm's Spokane office. One of his current projects is the Neah Bay New School Campus in Cape Flattery, in Clallam County. Dowd has been with the firm since 2023 and has 10 years of experience. The Clover Park Technical College Aviation Shelters is among his current projects. Babb has six years of experience, having been with the firm since 2023. One of his current projects is Tacoma Fire Station 7.

Chin is a professional engineer with four years of experience. His most recent role was at Mott MacDonald which involved construction engineering services for the Federal Way Link light rail extension project. Chin is serving as a civil designer for the Enumclaw New Elementary School #6 progressive design-build project.

Spiller is a professional engineer with over 25 years of site civil experience, having spent the majority of his engineering career at Hatton Godat Pantier, where he contributed to a variety of K-12 and residential plat projects. Spiller is experienced with construction administration services and is serving as a project manager for the Tacoma Power Administration Complex Parking & Storage Improvement progressive design-build project.

Apr 21, 2026

King County Superior Court

Scheinman

Gov. Bob Ferguson has appointed attorney Tenaya Scheinman to the King County Superior Court. Scheinman's appointment, effective May 1, fills the position that Judge Jim Rogers' retirement will vacate.

Scheinman is a career litigator with more than 20 years of experience. Since 2024, she has been an attorney at the King County Inquest Program in Seattle, where she presents evidence to juries investigating the facts and circumstances of deaths involving law enforcement. She also serves as a judge pro tempore in King County District Court, Snohomish County District Court and Edmonds Municipal Court.

Before joining the King County Inquest Program, Scheinman served for 16 years as a public defender in King County, where she was named a Senior Attorney in 2017. As a public defender, she represented hundreds of clients in a variety of criminal proceedings, trying over 35 cases to juries and dozens of bench trials. She started her career litigating complex securities fraud cases at the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Seattle.

Scheinman earned her bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College and her law degree from the University of Virginia.

Soutwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines named Seattle as one of a select group of West Coast cities launching its first-ever Sip and Ship program — a perk designed to make bringing wine home as easy as checking a bag. Starting April 24, customers can check one case of wine (up to 12 bottles) at no cost from Seattle. To participate, wine must be packed in a standard wine shipping box or wine suitcase that meets checked bag requirements.

Apr 17, 2026

Highline College

Chachere

Gov. Bob Ferguson recently appointed Lorraine Chachere to the Highline College Board of Trustees.

Chachere is the Economic Development Specialist for the City of Burien, which allows her to focus on ways to improve the quality of life for people by expanding their opportunities. She said she would bring that same commitment to Highline as a trustee.

Highline College Interim President Dr. Jamilyn Penn remarked that Chachere's extensive experience in economic development will be instrumental in cultivating a culture of innovation and progress at Highline.

Chachere said being a first-generation college graduate inspired her to apply for the trustee role. “I have experienced firsthand how access to education can transform lives and expand economic opportunities.”

Prior to joining the Board of Trustees, Chachere was a panelist at the 2024 and 2025 Leadership Summits at Highline College and attended fundraising events for the Highline College Foundation. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Burien/White Center, has volunteered at the White Center Food Bank, and is also a board trustee for the Highline Schools Foundation.

Apr 16, 2026

UserTesting

UserTesting, a provider of customer insights for the enterprise, announced the appointment of Ryan Roland as Chief Financial Officer. In this role, he will lead UserTesting's global finance organization, including accounting, financial planning and analysis, and information technology.

Roland joins UserTesting from Overjet, where he served as Chief Financial Officer and helped scale the company's financial operations during a period of rapid expansion. He has also held senior finance leadership roles at AKASA, an AI-first healthcare technology company, as well as Honor, Teespring, Jive Software, and SAP SuccessFactors.

“Our customers rely on us to help them avoid building the wrong things, and as AI accelerates how quickly products and experiences are created, the demand for what we offer is only increasing,” said Eric Johnson, CEO of UserTesting. “Ryan brings the experience we need to scale thoughtfully so we can meet that demand without compromising quality.”

Sound Credit Union

Sound Credit Union celebrated its partnership with Junior Achievement of Washington (JA) with a ribbon‑cutting ceremony recognizing the grand opening of Sound's educational storefront located in the BizTown section of JA's Auburn campus.

The new storefront is designed to give students hands‑on experience with real‑world financial concepts by simulating the operation of a financial institution. Through interactive roles such as CEO, CFO, Member Service Representative, and Community Relations Officer, students learn how a credit union functions while developing leadership and decision‑making skills.

As “consumers” within the BizTown experience, students practice essential financial habits, including saving money by “paying themselves first.” They also learn how credit scores—much like report cards—impact access to financial tools such as auto loans, home loans, credit cards, and even employment opportunities.

“This storefront gives us a meaningful opportunity to expose youth across Washington state to financial education in a fun and engaging way,” said Don Clark, president and CEO of Sound Credit Union. “Our purpose at Sound aligns perfectly with Junior Achievement's. We are both committed to equipping students with the tools and confidence they need to succeed financially, while also building leadership skills they can carry into their future.”