September & October 2026 SEAOSD President's Report

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your SEAOSD President for the coming year. I am grateful for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Jeremy Callister, who will continue to share his experience and leadership as Past President. I am also pleased to welcome our new Vice President, Alvaro Celestino; Treasurer, Tracie Bockhorst; and Directors, Toby Knight and Matt Hamby.

I would also like to recognize our departing Board members. Steve Kerr has served SEAOSD for many years in numerous capacities and continues to exemplify what volunteerism and dedication to our profession are all about. My sincere thanks also go to Laith Quntar for his service as Treasurer, and to Gaetano Bologna and Brook Tracy for their contributions as Directors.

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to travel across the country and internationally, and I was once again reminded of the remarkable accomplishments of our profession. We live in a time of significant change, from the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence to evolving generational expectations and new ways of working. These transitions bring challenges, but also exciting opportunities.

At the same time, earthquakes such as those recently experienced in Venezuela and Colombia remind us of the critical role structural engineers play in protecting our communities. I encourage you to join us on October 20^th for our first technical event of the year, featuring a discussion of the Venezuela earthquakes and the lessons we can learn.

As many of my predecessors have said, our committees are the heart and lifeblood of SEAOSD. The Younger Member Forum (YMF) and Structural Leadership Committee (SLC) have already kicked off their activities, with many more events and opportunities to connect ahead. I encourage everyone to get involved!

Another important transition on the horizon is the proposed SEAOC reorganization. Some of you may have heard about these discussions, while others may not. We will be sharing more information in the coming months and, most importantly, seeking your input as we consider the future of our organization.

Change is inevitable, but how we respond to it is what defines us. I look forward to working with all of you to strengthen SEAOSD, support our profession, and continue building a vibrant engineering community.