Redmond Archives - Page 5 of 5

Michael Mackin

“It is great to work in an environment where the people around you value what you say and do.”

Mandi is an accomplished planner and designer with over 30 years of experience. She’s worked in a wide variety of environments – across the US and abroad – at the nexus of land use, transportation, and placemaking.

She has been responsible for management, coordination, and design on a diverse mix of complex and multi-faceted projects, including research and analysis for the National Park Service, long range planning for cities and counties, as well as planning and design for transit oriented development. Those projects span multimodal transportation networks, streets and streetscapes, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, parks, plazas and other places of the public realm.

Known as a national expert in multimodal transportation, Mandi has been an invited speaker at many national, state, and regional conferences. She is an excellent communicator and facilitator, and her strong expertise coordinating with multiple government agencies, technical experts, tribal nations, regulatory decision makers, and other diverse interests has led to many successful projects. She enjoys working closely with communities, special interest groups, neighborhoods, and the public in bringing their visions to reality.

Chad Weiser

Growing up the son of a soil scientist, Chad developed a love of plants and the environment from an early age. This passion led him to become a Landscape Architect and the Principal Landscape Architect and Federal Practice Area Leader for Otak’s Redmond, Washington office. Since joining the company in 1999, Chad has greatly appreciated the numerous opportunities to work on a wide variety of different projects and practice groups, all which have strengthened his design and leadership skills. He is continually inspired by the new ideas his colleagues bring to the table and thrives when he is working on a challenging project.

Outside of work, Chad has been an active volunteer and board member on multiple organizations in his local community that support youth sports including the Thunderboard Little League, Somerset Swim Team, and the Newport Booster Club. His volunteerism has allowed him to support the growth of children, but has also allowed him to be more engaged with his own children’s activities. In addition, his love for the outdoors has led him to support conservancy organizations such as Yellowstone Forever and Yosemite Conservancy, both of which serve to protect the delicate ecosystems of these two iconic national parks.

Eva Ho

“Otak is an enjoyable workplace that brings people together.”

Danah Palik

“I love the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of areas of landscape architecture and to contribute in shaping public places.”

Kevin Kraxberger

“Over the years my Otak co-workers have become valuable friends.”

Russell Gaston

Russell is the Director of Water and Natural Resources (WNR) company-wide, working out of Otak’s Redmond office. A graduate of Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, he started his career working as a general civil engineer. It was here where he got the opportunity to work in several different roles, including as a structural engineer, site development engineer, roadway engineer, and a water resources engineer. After 5 years of trying various civil engineering specialties, Russell realized his true passion was for water resources engineering and decided to focus his career on those pursuits. Since joining Otak in 1997, Russell enjoys the opportunity to work with a diverse group of smart professionals on varying projects all benefiting the environment.

When he is not leading the WNR practice, Russell can be found outdoors camping, biking, riding quads and watching movies and sporting events. He participated in the South Sound Communities StormFest Educational program, a hands-on, one-day, outdoor stormwater and watershed science education program for middle school students. In addition, he has been a guest speaker at his local high school and at community college career fairs. When he is not volunteering and educating young minds, Russell also repairs hiking trails in the Puget Sound region.