Hola SEAONC Members!
Well, the excitement of the World Cup might be over (I’m still recovering), but I hope that everyone is getting pumped up about heading to the annual SEAOC Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona on August 26-28, 2026. This raised-in-Western-Washington girl and current Bay Area resident (admit it, we’re spoiled by our weather) will likely remain in the safety of air-conditioned space and not risk venturing outside into the oven-like heat. But there are several things about the convention that always get me excited.
First, connecting with other structural engineers from around California and beyond. I love hearing stories of projects and jobsite experiences that are always so relatable. I gain knowledge from others’ lessons learned and how they have addressed similar issues that I am dealing with/have dealt with. I also gain resources that I know I can reach out to after the convention is over. And lastly, I gain a few new friends at each convention. I love seeing the human-side of structural engineers and getting to know more SEAOC members on a personal level.
Second, learning from all of the technical sessions. There are always so many awesome technical topics, so much so that deciding which ones to attend is difficult. I glean a few things each day from the sessions and also continue to be inspired by the work that our colleagues are doing. My imposter syndrome symptoms flare and I sometimes wonder if I belong at this convention. But then I see a fantastic spreadsheet that an engineer has developed, and I know that I am with my people. I am also always impressed by the young engineers presenting for the first time at a conference and admire their talent, confidence and bravery. Thank you to everyone who is speaking at a session!
Finally, working with other members of SEAOC leadership from around California. Yes, we meet virtually monthly but our longer in-person sessions at the convention feel more impactful and bring more connection. I look forward to continuing conversations about and development on the SEAOC Reorganization (stay tuned for updates to be shared both at the convention and in future SEAONC newsletters). I also look forward to learning about different strategies, methods and events the other Member Organizations have and thinking about how those could apply to SEAONC. Fun fact is that SEAONC’s now hugely successful Annual Trivia night was inspired by SEAOSC’s Trivia Night. If it hasn’t come through in my President’s message yet, you’ll soon figure out that I am a big fan of learning and I believe we can all continue to learn new things, no matter what stage of our career that we’re in.
You can still register for the SEAOC Convention via this LINK!
I hope that there’s a month soon where I can end this President’s message without mentioning a recent, tragic earthquake. Again, our thoughts go out to the people of the Kumamoto prefecture and let this earthquake, the structures affected by it, teach us about the seismic response of systems, materials, and connections.
I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming SEAONC events and/or the SEAOC Convention!
Sincerely,
Lisa Cassedy, S.E.
lisa.cassedy@hok.com