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[Watch] AIA Oregon Panel on “Paths After Licensure” Hosted at Otak Portland Office

As an aspiring architect, what options are there to pursue after licensure, and how do you reach the point of earning it in the first place? These central questions were explored during a recent panel hosted by the Oregon chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as part of their Emerging Professionals series.

Graphic with info on the AIA 'Paths After Licensure' panel hosted at the Otak Portland office, including speaker details.

The event—titled, Paths After Licensure—brought together five accomplished architects from across the region to share their journeys, challenges, and insights with a room full of early-career professionals and students.

Panelists

Hosted at the Otak headquarters in downtown Portland, the panel provided young professionals in the architecture field with personal insights on the path toward professional licensure and the many career options that follow. A diverse set of professional backgrounds on the panel touched on topics across the full journey of professional development as an architect, from first interest through lasting ambition.

Including a Q&A with the live audience, the conversation covered several key areas:

  • Initial interest and first steps
  • Focus on sustainability and mitigating climate change
  • Life in the private vs public sector
  • Participation in academia and internships
  • The value of mentorship and luck
  • Intangibles of the field

A full look at the event can be found below.

Four Otak Projects Recognized at the 2025 DJC Oregon Awards

 

 

Celebrating their 24th year, the annual DJC Oregon Awards took place this June, recognizing 53 ‘Top Projects’ from across the Pacific Northwest. Among the honorees were four Otak projects whose improvements to their community ranged from water quality and public facilities to affordable housing.

This year’s recognized work showcased the breadth of our multidisciplinary expertise, with contributions from our architecture, structural, survey, and owner’s representative teams. Learn more about the new additions to our collection of award-winning work and their broad benefits to the region below.

Wecoma PlaceImage of Wecoma Place with project name and title.

For a community displaced by wildfires, Wecoma Place is an affordable housing project that adds 44 residential units to the community of Lincoln City, Oregon. Our architecture team designed the building to emulate the enduring nature of the area’s coastal landscape.

 

See the Project

 

 

Salmon Creek Water Treatment Plant OutfallAerial view of the site for the Salmon Creek Water Treatment Plant Outfall with project name and title.

After nearly 55 years of service, an outfall to the Columbia River from the Salmon Creek Water Treatment Plant was decommissioned and replaced. The new outfall was designed to cross numerous obstacles including infrastructure, property, and natural barriers. The survey and mapping team utilized a comprehensive set of tools, from traditional ground surveying to UAV aerial photogrammetry and a bathymetric drone to make construction of this essential public asset possible.

 

See the Project

 

 

Multnomah County Holgate LibraryImage of the Multnomah County Library Holgate building with project title and location.

As part of a larger bond program, the Multnomah County Holgate Library triples the size of the original facility while also representing the most energy-efficient library ever built in the county. Supporting one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region, extensive public engagement led to a design that reflects those diverse communities through a variety of features including signage, color patterns, and art installations throughout. Our owner’s representative team has led overall program management for the entire $380M program.

 

See the Project

 

 

Lieser Road Bridge RepairView of the Lieser Road Bridge with project name and location.

The Leiser Road Overpass crossing State Route 14 in Vancouver had a history of vehicle impacts on the low chord of the bridge girders. After an oversized load hauling a wind turbine struck the overpass causing significant damage, Tapani partnered with Otak’s structural group in working with WSDOT to repair the bridge. That work included replacing one girder, repairing 5 others, and repouring the deck and guardrail over the replaced girder. Otak provided a shipping and lifting analysis for the precast concrete girder, as well as designing temporary shoring for the girder and deck forms.

 

 

 

Craig Recob Joins Otak as Chief Financial Officer

Graphic introducing the new hire of Otak CFO, Craig Recob.

Otak welcomes the leadership of Craig Recob, instituting a client-centered approach that melds people, brainpower, and technology to support big ideas.

We’re happy to announce the addition of Craig Recob as chief financial officer, with an eye on expanding our market presence and building client relationships of the highest quality.

“Craig brings a strong strategic financial lens that will be instrumental as we continue to grow and evolve. His deep experience in scaling operations and guiding organizational finance will help us make smarter, more agile decisions across the board.”

– Scott Dreher, Chief Operations Officer

Craig has more than 30 years of experience across a variety of industries, including the AEC space. On the way to joining Otak, Craig was chief financial officer at Farallon Consulting LLC where he guided the growth of their primarily west-coast based environmental consulting practice. There he was instrumental in building teams, establishing business systems and processes, and growing the firm via acquisition. Prior to that, Craig cut his teeth in the technology sector, holding senior finance positions at Voyager Capital, Intellectual Ventures, Kymeta Corporation, and L4 Digital. It was in these roles that he gained an appreciation and deep interest in entrepreneurial spirit and placing an emphasis on people’s ideas. After leading creative financial solutions at these companies, it’s that same energy that he hopes to bring to the growth of Otak, across its diverse set of markets and revenue streams.

“It’s about plugging into new ideas and melding technology with professional services for more efficient and optimized delivery. I’m excited to bring those worlds together.”

– Craig Recob, Chief Financial Officer

For Craig, it all comes back to the old mantra of being “on-time, on-budget, and within scope.” By melding technology and professional services, he’s excited to find new, creative ways to meet that principle for internal and external stakeholders alike. Being comfortable with taking risks, optimizing business processes, and leveraging tools that deliver data more efficiently to teams in a way that enhances decision-making is all part of his client service mentality. His vision also includes testing different approaches to pricing and project delivery, all in the name of efficiency, client satisfaction, and growth of revenue and operating income.

We look forward to the impact Craig will bring to the organization and our work improving communities.

Otak Recognized with 2025 OAME Professional Technical Company of the Year Award

Image of Jon Yamashita speaking during the 2025 OAME Luncheon and awards event.
OR & SW WA Regional Director, Jon Yamashita (center), speaking during the 2025 OAME Luncheon.

The 37th annual Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) Trade Show and Luncheon recently took place and included recognition of Otak as Professional Technical Company of the Year. A theme of, “Uniting for Progress, Building for Tomorrow,” accentuated the event. Jon Yamashita, Regional Director for Oregon and SW Washington along with several members of the Otak team were on hand to accept the honor.

“[This award] is given to a distinguished member, partner, friend, or advocate who has made an exceptional contribution to advancing the mission of OAME and supporting our goals within the community.”

– Summer Fowler, Chair of the Board, OAME

This year’s event included a trade show with 133 booths exhibiting small businesses, public agencies, professional services, and educational providers. An estimated 900 attendees were present at the luncheon which featured City of Portland Mayor, Keith Wilson, and a keynote presentation by Secretary of State Tobias Read, with a focus on how we work together to build a stronger more resilient future.

Supporting the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME)

With an overarching mission to promote and develop entrepreneurship and economic development for ethnic minorities in the Pacific Northwest, OAME has operated as a non-profit support system for growing businesses since it was founded in 1987. It’s Professional Technical company of the Year Award aims to recognize, “leadership, dedication, and impact that exemplify the values we champion and the excellence we strive to achieve.” Otak regularly partners with members of the organization in our work in addition to attending various events it holds throughout the year. Each instance represents another opportunity to advance mutual goals aimed at supporting small businesses and delivering completed projects of the highest quality.

In line with our core mission of improving communities, our firm is proud to continue its more than a decade of support for this organization.

Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2024

Outlining priorities around making a positive impact on the people and places the organization is involved with, Otak’s 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report provides an annual update on our contributions and progress. Altogether, it represents a continuation of a commitment that reflects our core values as a firm and a belief that great design is about more than aesthetics, it’s about shaping the future of communities.

Explore this year’s Corporate Responsibility Report to gain a better understanding of how Otak is not only envisioning a better future, but building it.

Redmond Stormwater Trunk Extension and Water Quality Facility Wins Silver at ACEC WA EEA Awards

A group photo of the NE 40th Stormwater Trunk Extension and Water Quality Facility project team with client.
The Otak project team and client at the 2025 ACEC WA Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet.

This year’s American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Washington Awards Banquet celebrated a variety of projects from the region that improve communities through innovative engineering solutions. We’re proud to share that Otak’s NE 40th Stormwater Trunk Extension and Water Quality Facility project was honored with a Silver Award for Successful Fulfillment of Client/Owner Needs, highlighting the exceptional work and the dedication of our stormwater planning and environmental teams to collaborate closely with our client partners.

In further developing the City of Redmond’s stormwater infrastructure, this project stood out for a design that ensures water quality for people and natural habitat alike, while encouraging investment in the redevelopment of the area.

About Phase 1: Street Stormwater Trunk Extension

Redmond’s proactive approach to stormwater management included extension of a stormwater trunkline to a new direct outfall into Lake Sammamish to accommodate future redevelopment without the need for large on-site flow control facilities. This allows for higher density in a growing urban area around the new Redmond Technology Light Rail Station.

See the Project

About Phase 2: Water Quality Facility

At the upstream end of the trunkline basin, the NE 40th Street Water Quality Facility was established to treat highly polluted runoff from 19 acres of a high-traffic roadway area. The new retrofit treatment site includes a unique leaf-shaped biofiltration facility that is viewable by pedestrians and transit center users at a gateway node within the city.

See the Project

Congratulations to our team, client, and project partners for their hard work and dedication! We look forward to continuing our mission of delivering innovative and sustainable built solutions.

Graphic with project images and an overview of the NE 40th Street Stormwater Trunk Extension and Water Quality Facility.

Two Otak Leaders Honored at DJC Women of Vision 2024

The Daily Journal of Commerce (DJC) Oregon’s annual event brought together members of the AEC industry to recognize the many accomplishments of women in the field. This year, the DJC Women of Vision Award was received by Kristen Ballou and Sarah Oaks.

Their recognition adds to a growing list of women at Otak that have been honored over the past several years:

  • 2023 – Saretta Tillmaand, Amanda Owings, Margaret Steinhilber
  • 2022 – Millicent Williams
  • 2021 – Tanya Boyer, Rachel Laura, Cathy Kraus
  • 2020 – Serah Breakstone, Tina Keller, Angela Khosa-Marangwanda
  • 2019 – Ashley Cantlon, Amy Scheckla-Cox, Teresa Huntsinger

Learn more below about each and catch a glimpse of what their peers had to say as part of the nomination process.

Meet the Honorees

Kristen Ballou, Senior Civil Engineer

Kristen Ballou speaking during her acceptance of a 2024 Women of Vision Award.

While designing transportation and utility improvements for communities across Oregon, Kristen Ballou has spent the past 24 years at Otak.

“The successful on-time and on-budget completion of Kristen’s projects was a huge part of the success of the overall Tualatin Transportation bond Program and a huge asset to our city.  The success of this program led to voter approval of a similar program for improvements in parks.”

– Mike McCarthy P.E., City Engineer, City of Tualatin

As a senior engineer, Kristen’s most significant accomplishments involve managing and designing detailed projects that provide multi-modal improvements and increased livability to local communities. An emphasis on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines is consistently part of her approach. This includes streamlining development of CAD labeling for ramp design now used by engineers across the organization.

Kristen has also been an active member of the American Public Works Association (APWA), a regular volunteer with the Beaverton School District Art Literacy Program, and a mentor to junior engineers and designers.

 

Sarah Oaks, Director of Otak CPM

Sarah Oaks holding her Women of Vision Award.

Beginning her career as an AmeriCorps Volunteer at Portland Public Schools (PPS), where she was a founding member of the Office of School Modernization, Sarah Oaks now provides leadership for Otak’s work in comprehensive project management.

“Sarah maintains a sense of stewardship alongside a strong lens of investment in people and culture. She routinely evaluates business growth from a perspective of how to support pathways for professional development of staff, creating a culture of excellence and attraction that people want to continue to be a part of.”

– Shawn Klinkner, Senior Project Manager, PM/CM, Otak

As her career has progressed, she’s continued volunteer and mentorship work with industry groups like the ACE Mentor Program. She has also kept a strong focus on public work, supporting numerous school bonds and central city revitalization efforts. In growing Otak’s PM/CM portfolio across multiple market segments, Sarah has also led a variety of internal initiatives around professional development. From supporting an international exchange program to the implementation a mentorship program, Sarah’s impact has led to stronger ties within Otak’s areas of expertise and has ushered significant growth of individual team members.

 

Leading the Next Generation of Stream Restoration Professionals with Gary Wolff

Graphic showing Gary Wolff speaking with logos of course co-sponsors. In leading the next generation of stream restoration professionals, Gary Wolff (Otak Senior Hydraulics Engineer) taught a four-day-course this fall on, “steady open channel flow modeling emphasizing stream restoration applications.” It’s part of a stream restoration certificate program at Portland State University and is something he’s been lending his expertise to for the better part of the past decade.

“I love to teach and mentor young people because I’ve been in the business for over 40 years, and it’s a big benefit to our business and the work we do because it increases its exposure.”

– Gary Wolff, Senior Hydraulics Engineer

As a member of our environmental team, Gary has worked on countless projects aimed at restoring streams to their natural state, including aquatic habitat and fish passage. A large part of those efforts has centered around being an industry leader in the application of the Hydrologic Engineering Center – River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) hydraulic modeling software, which he provides insight into as part of this program.

What is the Stream Restoration Certificate Program?

Infrastructure development throughout history has often changed riverine systems from their natural state. Consequently, negative impacts to the natural environment, property, and habitat have been a common result. With growing knowledge around these impacts, efforts are increasingly being made to restore streams to their more natural state, adding resilience to both the environment and surrounding communities.

Co-sponsored by Portland State University and River Restoration Northwest, the Stream Restoration Certificate program positions prospective environmental engineers to better design future stream restoration projects. The ability to model the river and stream systems as part of these projects is a significant piece of that puzzle, and it’s the focus of Gary’s course. As an introduction to the one-dimensional capabilities of the HEC-RAS software, Gary’s course gives river restoration practitioners with backgrounds in geoscience, the life sciences, and engineering the ability to make reliable interpretations of the outputs from these models. Designed as a hands-on experience with the software, it covers modeling for a variety of situations commonly encountered when restoring rivers. This includes a focus on hydraulic modeling of streams with added habitat features (e.g. large wood, boulders), as well as floodplain permitting applications.

 

See Our Stream Restoration Work

National Public Works ‘Project of the Year’ Awarded to 30th and Colorado Underpass at APWA 2024

The 30th and Colorado Underpass project team accepting the National Public Works Project of the Year Award.
Kevin Dooley (second from left) and other members of the 30th and Colorado Underpass project team accepting the APWA Public Project of the Year Award.

During this year’s American Public Works Association (APWA) event in Atlanta, GA, the 30th and Colorado Underpass was awarded National Project of the Year for its place as a public infrastructure project that promotes excellence in design. After opening a year ago, the project has successfully added safety improvements to a previously dangerous intersection while also advancing the City of Boulder’s multimodal transportation goals.

“This year’s award recipients have shown what happens when you fulfill your commitment to making your community a better place.”

– APWA President Gary Losier, PEng.

The project was also featured during the annual National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) 2023 Designing Cities Conference which was hosted in Denver. Site visits across the area showcased projects that improved access to quality transportation infrastructure, with a particular focus on progressive multimodal networks. Led by our Colorado transportation and structural engineering teams, the 30th and Colorado Underpass joins our list of award-winning work.

About the 30th and Colorado Underpass

Panoramic view of the 30th and Colorado protected bike intersection and underpass.At the heart of an essential transportation corridor for the University of Colorado, Boulder campus, the 30th and Colorado Underpass represents the city’s first-ever fully protected intersection. The design places an emphasis on multimodal infrastructure and pedestrian safety. Highlighting lighting, landscaping, and public art features aimed at seamlessly integrating it with the urban fabric.

See the Project

 

Elevating Jon Yamashita to Regional Director of Oregon and SW Washington

With the recent appointment of Jon Yamashita as new Regional Director of ORSWWA, Otak proudly continues a streak of promoting key leadership roles from within.

We’re happy to announce the promotion of Jon Yamashita to regional director of Oregon and SW Washington.Headshot of Jon Yamashita

The appointment represents fresh leadership from a familiar face. With more than 30 years in the industry, Jon has led the Otak survey and mapping team for the better part of the past decade, making him well versed in the importance of precise tools in successful projects. Jon’s expertise covers a comprehensive range of surveying while his knowledge and commitment to precision has made him an invaluable asset on the way to completing countless projects. These qualities, along with his ability to empower teammates with the training and tools needed for effective work, provide a strong foundation for the leadership Jon now brings to the entire region.

“I aim to ensure everyone understands their part of our larger goals – I want to clear the way for folks to do their best work, so we leave with a sense of accomplishment, every day.”

– Jon Yamashita, ORSWWA Regional Director

The opportunity to make a significant positive impact on people’s enjoyment, fulfillment, and sense of purpose at work is what excites Jon most about the role. With the bigger picture in view, he aims to remove roadblocks so people can go about their work with a greater sense of focus. The goal is to ultimately go home with a feeling of accomplishment, every day. In the wider community, Jon is no stranger to impacting and developing purpose, serving as board chair for the Leadership Clark County program for the last three years after completing the program himself and participating on the board over the last decade.

“Jon’s strength as a leader inspires confidence in everyone he works with. He builds trust with both our clients and staff, bringing high energy and accountability to the Otak leadership team.”

– Scott Dreher, COO

In line with company goals, Jon envisions the continued strengthening of collaboration between business units. Recognizing Otak’s multidisciplinary strength, he looks to build on the firm’s ability to bring a truly integrated team to each project that caters directly to client goals. This includes providing a unified set of strategies around how work is selected, pursued, won, managed, and executed. As that strategic approach leads to success, Jon is excited for greater opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate the results.