Join us for a lunch and learn highlighting the Adopt-a-Downspout program and other innovative stormwater initiatives that are advancing climate resilience in our region. Hear from leaders at WSDOT, Stewardship Partners, and The Nature Conservancy as they discuss cross-sector collaboration, funding pathways for municipalities, and on-the-ground projects in Bellevue, including the recently installed Boxes of Rain beneath the I-405 to I-90 HOV on-ramp.
The program will conclude with an optional site visit to view the Rain Boxes in action; attendees should plan to drive or carpool for this portion. Bring rain gear and prepare to join in the field even if it is raining. Then you will get to see the Box of Rain in action. The installation is under an on-ramp so we will have some cover.
What to Expect:
Meet the Speakers
Kate Sievers | Project Manager for Nature Based Solutions: Kate Sievers (she/her) is an environmental engineer with The Nature Conservancy. She provides technical, project-based leadership and support to design, test and implement nature-based solutions that address challenging societal and conservation issues. Prior to working in conservation, she served in the US Air Force as a Bioenvironmental Engineer for 10 years.
David Burger | Stewardship Partners: David brings 20+ years of experience in community-based salmon recovery and nonprofit leadership. As executive director of Stewardship Partners, he works with landowners and stakeholders to restore fish and wildlife habitat while supporting economic viability.
Tatiana Driesbach | Stormwater Retrofit Outreach and Innovation Lead WSDOT & Tony Bush | Stormwater Branch Manager WSDOT
Both Tatiana Dreisbach and Tony Bush have worked in Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) Environmental Services Office since the early 2000s. They both worked for many years in WSDOT’s Wetland Program. Tony managed the Wetland Program before moving to WSDOT’s Stormwater Branch, as the Stormwater Branch Manager in 2022, where he manages WSDOT’s programs on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, Stormwater Science, Monitoring & Research, Stormwater Features Inventory, Stormwater Retrofits, and WSDOT’s environmental stewardship related to statewide water quality. Tatiana worked as the Wetland Assessment Lead before moving to the Stormwater Branch in 2023 as the Stormwater Retrofit Outreach and Innovation Lead. Together they are working on WSDOT’s stormwater retrofit program and prioritizing where to improve water quality and quantity, benefit salmon and other species and habitats, consider environmental justice and tribal rights and interests, and incorporate best available science into WSDOT stormwater retrofit planning decisions.
