A Dam Conversation With...

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, P.E. 
In this episode, we welcome Preston Wilson, CEO of Resilient Solutions Consulting, focused on building community resilience and mitigating the impact of disasters by offering training and expertise to individuals and communities to help them prepare for emergencies and navigate crises with confidence. With over 20 years of federal experience, Preston is a compassionate and accomplished civil engineer with 15 years of field experience and specialized expertise in emergency management. He has assisted with or facilitated dam incident exercises nationwide and provided emergency management response during dam incidents across multiple states and U.S. territories.       
Preston, 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 Preston discuss:
Making tough career choices and the lasting impacts 
How resilience is defined in Dam Safety 
Overcoming imposter syndrome in emergency management 
Why we do what we do, and why it matters to our stakeholders
We want to hear from you!
Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [[email protected]] – 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 2026 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, 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 [[email protected]] – 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 [[email protected]] – 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 [[email protected]] – 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.