This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Silas Sanderson, P.E.

In this episode, we welcome Sharon Tapia, PE, PMP, Dams Practice Lead at GEI. She has worked in multiple capacities related to dam safety and business operations in California for over 30 years. She brings an understanding of all the disciplines associated with dams and dam safety, with expertise in hydraulics, hydrology, structural, geotechnical engineering, and risk evaluation. Sharon holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from University of California Davis. She has served on various national boards including the board of directors for ASDSO and FEMA’s National Dam Safety Review Board. She is also a past president of ASDSO.

Sharon, thank you for sharing your story and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Silas and Sharon discuss:

• Why Costco might be the best place to secure an internship
• Comparing a career in the public versus private sectors
• What to do at your first ASDSO Conference
• Making the transition from individual contributor to manager
• What it’s like to be a regulator for the largest state dam safety program in the country

We want to hear from you!

Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!

Get Involved with ASDSO

👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers
✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps

📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center

📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Nicole Chiles, P.E.

Today, Nicole welcomed Bill Bingham, P.E., who has led the design of more than 250 new dams and major rehabilitations with over 55 years of experience. Bill has also served on the peer review teams for 28 State Dam Safety programs and many others while he chaired the Peer Review Committee from 1989 to 2011 and afterwards.

Bill, thank you for your stories and advice!

Follow us as we explore more dam safety topics at damsafety.org

Get Involved!

Association Membership

In addition to free resources for the Dam Safety community, membership with ASDSO provides the following list of benefits and more! Follow this link to join! https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

• Member discounts on all training and products
• Unlimited access to full ASDSO conference papers
• Online member directory
• Miscellaneous surveys archive
• Journal of Dam Safety

Committee Membership

Consider joining one of the many ASDSO committees and Interest Groups. Find the full list at the following link: Committees and Interest Groups | Association of State Dam Safety

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Find upcoming training opportunities, including on-demand webinars, live webinars, seminars, and past content in the Training Center! Training Center | Association of State Dam Safety

ASDSO Toolbox

The ASDSO Toolbox (www.damtoolbox.org) is intended to be a one-stop shop for current guidelines and regulations of the dam safety industry. The content is growing, but we need your help to further the momentum! Consider volunteering as a moderator, proposing new content, or suggesting additional resources.

This program was copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials with All Rights Reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Brianna Crotty, P.E.

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Craig Findlay, Principal at Findlay Engineering, Inc. With over 45 years of experience in dam safety and geotechnical engineering, Dr. Findlay has served as lead engineer and consultant on a wide variety of dam projects including: FERC Part 12 Inspections, forensic investigations, and seismic and seepage analyses. He is a vital resource for sharing design insights and best practices for internal drainage systems and the long-term safety of embankment dams.

Dr. Findlay, thank you for sharing your story and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Brianna and Dr. Findlay discuss:

• Challenges of working for yourself versus an employer
• How FERC Part 12 Inspections have changed over the years
• The importance of following the data in dam safety and more specifically related to climate change
• A successful engineering skillset including selling services, speaking, and a willingness to be honest with your clients

We want to hear from you!

Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!

Get Involved with ASDSO

👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers
✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps

📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center

📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Silas Sanderson.

In this episode, we welcome Doug Johnson, Dam Safety and Water Resources Engineer at Schnabel Engineering. Doug is a civil engineer with over 40 years of professional experience. He recently retired as Regional Engineer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Division of Dam Safety and Inspections in the Portland Regional Office where he managed 18 staff and was the official responsible for dam safety and non-federal hydropower dams in 6 northwestern states. Prior to 2011, Doug was supervisor of engineering and dam safety for the Washington State Department of Ecology and oversaw dam safety in the State of Washington for 13 years.

Doug, thank you for sharing your story and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Silas and Doug discuss:

• The importance of taking advantage of coop or internship opportunities
• Comparing public versus private sector for an engineering career
• Why getting involved in professional organizations like ASDSO is a great way to see how others manage projects and solve problems
• The need for training in probability and risk concepts as the industry shifts toward a more risk-focused approach to dam safety

We want to hear from you!

Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!

Get Involved with ASDSO

👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers
✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps

📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center

📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Matt Marquis.

In this episode, we welcome Krey Price, Director of Surface Water Solutions. Krey is a civil engineer and project manager with international experience in water resources. Currently residing in Australia, Krey offers consulting services in computational modelling, engineering design, and project management in the water resources field, including flood mitigation, river and wetland restoration, stormwater management, fish passage, and dam decommissioning. His career includes 15 years developing hydraulic models for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He’s spent more than a decade teaching HEC-RAS to students around the world through the Australian Water School and other organizations.

Krey, thank you for sharing your story and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Matt and Krey discuss:

• The importance of taking advantage of coop or internship opportunities
• The importance of making connections through social media and in-person
• Why submitting abstracts and attending conferences to connect with others in the industry is so important
• Why you shouldn’t think that you’re so far along in your career that you can’t learn something new

We want to hear from you!

Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!

Get Involved with ASDSO

👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers
✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps

📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center

📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Matt Marquis.

In this episode, we welcome Bill Kappel, President and Chief Meteorologist of Applied Weather Associates. Prior to joining AWA in 2003, he served as an on-air meteorologist for 10 years at various television stations across the country. The focus of activity at AWA has been development of Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP), precipitation frequency development, and application of climate change projections related to numerous meteorological variables that affect critical infrastructure, specifically in the dam safety community. Bill has also been a guest instructor at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

Bill, thank you for sharing your story and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Matt and Bill discuss:

• The importance of taking advantage of coop or internship opportunities for students and not being afraid to reach out to others in the field to ask questions or offer help
• Finding something you are passionate about and that keeps you curious
• How the Puget Sound Convergence Zone inspired a young kid to pursue a career in weather
• What Bill looks for in a new hire; Be coachable, open to new ideas and experiences, and don’t be afraid to find new ways to solve old problems
• You can’t fake confidence; Whether in athletics or dam safety engineering, it has to be earned through practice and hard work and is built on fundamentals of the science

We want to hear from you!

Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!

Get Involved with ASDSO

👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers
✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps

📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center

📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Matt Marquis.

In this episode, we welcome David Griffin, Manager of the Safe Dams Program within the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. David joined the Program in 2014 after spending 15 years with the Georgia Department of Transportation, where he was responsible for highway design projects and maintenance, design, and construction of the state’s ports and waterways.

David, thank you for your stories and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Matt and David discuss:

• The design and function of ASDSO’s Committees and Interest Groups
• Don’t be intimidated to reach out and talk to and learn from others in the industry and consider presenting on a project or technical area at a conference
• Why David enjoys working for the State of Georgia Safe Dams Program
• Raising awareness for the ASDSO scholarship
• Getting involved with ASDSO early in your career and the benefits of active involvement in conferences and committees

We want to hear from you!

Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!

Get Involved with ASDSO

👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers
✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps

📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center

📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Matt Marquis.

In this episode, we welcome Paul Schweiger, Vice President and Manager of the Dams and Hydraulics Section at Gannett Fleming Inc. With 38 years of experience in water resources, Paul has a library of experience working on dam and flood control projects; coauthoring multiple technical publications that helped shape the dam safety industry and regularly conducts training through webinars and technical seminars on a variety of dam engineering subjects.

Paul, thank you for your stories and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Matt and Paul discuss:

• Deciding on when to pursue a Master’s degree
• Importance of internships or co-ops for gaining experience while still in school
• Modeling requires an independent gut check, so be prepared to defend the analysis
• Benefits of an open-door policy to cultivate learning and professional growth
• Getting involved with ASDSO early in your career and the benefits of active involvement in conferences and committees

We want to hear from you!

Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!

Get Involved with ASDSO

👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers
✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member

🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps

📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center

📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.