December 2025 SEAOCC President's Message

Happy Holidays! As we head into the heart of the holiday season, I’m struck by how much good we have to celebrate. I’m nearly halfway through my term as SEAOCC President (it has flown by), and I’ve been reflecting on what consistently makes this organization special: the people. Serving in this role has genuinely reinforced my faith in our profession. Structural engineers are, as a group, remarkably capable and principled: smart, helpful, low-drama, productive, and honest. Most of all, we show up for one another. I say it often because it’s true: I’m deeply grateful for our volunteers and staff. SEAOCC runs on the time, expertise, and generosity of members who care enough to build something meaningful together. This is not an organization driven by transactions, rather it’s an organization with heart, and it’s worth joining and participating in because of the community behind it.

By the time you read this, our Holiday Party will have just wrapped up. I hope you attended and had the opportunity to meet SEAOC President Kelsey Parolini and SEAOC’s new Executive Director Krystinne Mica. They are a dynamic team, and I’m excited about what their leadership will bring to SEAOC and to our local organization. The future is bright.

Looking ahead, we have a full calendar of great programming and opportunities to connect:

• January is our annual joint meeting with ACI. We alternate years on speaker coordination, and this year SEAOCC is bringing the program. We’ll welcome speakers Anthony Giammona and Daniel Tunick of Nabih Youssef Associates from the Bay Area to discuss the new UCSF Helen Diller Hospital. This is a complex 15-story project at the base of a hillside in the heart of San Francisco. The project features dampers, precast connections, and SidePlate moment frames, all built on what feels like a postage stamp. It’s an exciting case study full of unique challenges.

• February brings a can’t-miss talk from one of our own board members, Lisa Hartley, who is joining us from Reno to discuss the topic we all work hard to avoid: failures, specifically snow-load failures. It’s a valuable opportunity to learn from real-world outcomes and sharpen our judgment.

• Also in February, we’ll tour the Simpson Strong-Tie Lab & Manufacturing Facility in Stockton. Simpson will provide food along with the tour, and I’m especially looking forward to it. I haven’t attended before, and it’s high on my wish list this year. Like a kid on Christmas Eve, I can’t wait!

In appreciation of everyone who contributes time and energy to SEAOCC, I’ll close with a lighthearted holiday poem. I hope it gives you a smile.

Twas the night before a SEAOCC meeting, when true to our style, The to-do list got longer, but we handled it with a smile. An agenda was polished, the sign-in stood straight, And Heather Caya, our executive secretary, ensured we didn’t “run late.” Leticia Valenzuela had our month’s minutes ready, And meanwhile ensured every Linked-In post stayed clear, clean, and steady. The bylaws sat nearby, with not too much flair, And Laura Rice guarding every “shall,” “may,” and “their,” With David Palmer close, his sharp steady gaze, Keeping committees from wandering into procedural haze. The budget looked merry, no numbers went rogue, Thanks to Kevin Logsdon, whose spreadsheets are in vogue. We checked what we’d built, from our learning all year, Because Daryl Santos kept the CEC humming with cheer; And Joyce Fuss, a Fellow with leadership deep, Made education feel welcoming, not boring and cheap. Standards were stacked with a confident glow, As Roy Lobo stood watch, “Yes, that clause has to go.” And if chaos broke out, or the earth shook its worst, Steven Hiner was ready, our Disaster Chair first; This year’s Fellow recipient, steady and strong, Keeping preparedness right where it belongs. From ATC corners, clear guidance to share, Came Ali Sumer with practical flair. And seismic questions? Loads that like to misbehave? Rachel Leung kept criteria crisp, cool, and brave. Young members were welcomed, no one left on their own, Catherine Moore made the YM Forum feel like home; With Francisco Rodriguez beside her, wearing two hats, Adding House Chair duties, we thank him for that!; And James Sweeney made reservations for diner inside, And the whole thing ran smooth from start to last slide. Then out went the message, no typo, no mess, For Kendall Johnson is on Comms, and Convention ’27 finesse, And Dave Miller amplifying what mattered most, Ensuring every member felt part of the holiday toast. The party! Oh, the party, twinkly joy in the air, Alban Gjongecaj organized like he invented “prepared.” And if laughter ran low, like a cue on a timer, Doug Mayer rolled in, the Trivia MC Shiner. The golfers stayed happy, no scramble went astray, As Nick Herskedal lined up the tournament that day. Then statewide, the leadership shone bright and so true: Krystinne Mica kept SEAOC running on cue; Kelsey Parolini, President, guiding the year, With Devon Lumbard, President-Elect, making policy clear. And right at our center, full of SEAOCC pride, Sonia Eliseo lifted the whole chapter’s stride. Then from the shadows, cape fluttering, with heroic appeal, Came Norm Scheel, Fellow, Structural Superhero of steel; Then Ryan Kersting arrived, service award shining bright, This year’s NCSEA honoree, a highlight of the night; With John Weninger, Fellow, steady and kind, And Krista Looza, Past President, wisdom refined. So here’s to the leaders, the doers, the friends, To standards and service that never quite ends. May your holidays sparkle, your new year be sweet, And your designs be elegant, with deadlines you meet!

With warm holiday wishes,

Sonia Eliseo