March 1, 2023

After years of working on projects in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and Montana, we are thrilled to announce the opening of Kittelson’s Spokane office. Our new Inland Northwest office joins Portland, Bend, and Boise as part of our Northwest Region providing public and private clients with transportation planning, engineering, and research services.

Local Staff, Fresh Ideas, National Presence 

At Kittelson, we work collaboratively on projects across the country, and we often take on projects that are hundreds of miles from the nearest physical office. So, what drives us to establish a new office location? Quite simply, it’s our people. “Follow our people” is Kittelson’s growth mantra, and in this case, we’re following three team members who have relocated over the past year and are excited about expanding our footprint in the Inland Northwest (read more about them below!). 

Our Spokane team brings a local perspective that is complemented by Kittelson’s national expertise in transportation engineering, planning, and research. Kittelson operates as one firm in many locations: we all see ourselves as part of the same team. This means the new Spokane office has full access to Kittelson’s national experts in research and emerging technologies-leaders who are driving cutting edge research and implementation, from authoring NCHRP 1036, Roadway Cross Section Reallocation: A Guide, to helping state and local agencies capitalize on available funding and prepare for technologies of the future. 

Recent Work from Spokane 

We’re excited to channel our national and Pacific Northwest experience to support projects in Spokane, but ultimately, it’s the opportunity to listen, learn, and provide customized solutions on the local level that having an office here enables us to do. The good news is, we’ve been developing that local know-how through years of already working in the Inland Northwest! Here are a few recent projects in which we’ve been honored to play a role: 

Meet the Spokane Office 

Wende Wilber brings 30 years of experience helping clients achieve their goals through strategic and collaborative problem-solving. Wende’s management skills have been instrumental in delivering a range of projects, including statewide transportation and freight plans, safety/vision zero plans, policy setting for emerging technologies, and complete street projects. She is well-regarded for her project management, facilitation, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills at all levels, from private individuals and boards and commissions to government representatives. 

Wende recently moved back to her hometown of Spokane after working for Kittelson out of Anchorage, Alaska. For her, opening a Spokane office is coming home in more ways than one. 

“Way back when, I worked on a community plan to develop a railroad site into a mixed-use residential community. I am now living in that community!” says Wende. “I started my career in Spokane and couldn’t be more excited to continue my career here.”

"I started my career in Spokane and couldn't be more excited to continue my career here."

- Wende Wilber, Senior Principal Planner

 

Fred Wismer has served on public agency projects in managing and leading roadway design projects for over a decade. His exceptional civil 3D skills have served the public and private clients by communicating transportation designs through 3D visualization techniques. A stalwart member of our Portland office for many years, Fred and his family are excited to make this move and help Kittelson continue to grow in the region. 

Steve Rhyne is a Visual Communication Specialist who focuses on geospatial data analysis, 3D visualization, and infographic creation to support complex planning, design, and forensic engineering projects. Steve works closely with clients to develop visual communication and analysis strategies that support clear, concise, and compelling project communication. Steve continually pushes our teams to raise the bar and develop new techniques to help further visual communication practices-whether that’s virtual reality, animation, drone footage, or something we haven’t yet thought of. Steve moved from our Boise office and lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Join Our Growing Team 

We’re just getting started in Spokane and are excited to add more team members from inside and outside the firm to join the new office. If you want to be part of a team that’s channeling national expertise in emerging technologies and research to meet the needs of public and private organizations in the Spokane region, we invite you to visit our Careers page to learn more about working with Kittelson and reach out to Wende Wilber to start a conversation!