Sono Hashisaki

Sono Hashisaki joined Washington Water Trust as a Board member in 2022. Founder of Springwood Associates, Inc., she has decades of experience working in ecological restoration planning, permitting, and mitigation monitoring, natural resource assessment, and ecosystem recovery. Since 2000 she has worked extensively with Tribes in western Washington providing community-based strategic planning and retreat facilitation services as well as project development, policy support, and intergovernmental coordination for salmon and ecosystem recovery. Most recently, Sono has been working to bring digital technologies to knowledge sharing and scenario development for environmental decision making across multiple jurisdictions and sectors under climate change and population growth.

An experienced manager, Sono has worked closely with municipal, county, state, federal, and tribal governments to develop collaborative partnerships and projects. She has provided planning, public involvement, meeting design and facilitation, and worked with elected leaders, boards, staff and community members. She has facilitated focus groups and public meetings, chaired regional and international conferences, and provided workshop development, event planning and project coordination. She has experience working on social justice issues and designs and facilitates meetings using conversational processes including Open Space Technology, World Cafe, Appreciative Inquiry, and Peacemaking Circles.

Sono is familiar with the diverse regulatory processes associated with protecting sensitive environmental resources. She has been involved with the development of local wetland protection programs and ordinances and has managed state water quality certifications, hydraulic project approvals, and federal Nationwide and Individual 404 wetlands permits. She has experience with the environmental aspects of stormwater management and has designed mitigation projects restoring wetland, riparian, and forested ecosystems throughout the Pacific Northwest. She is familiar with all aspects of project development including master plans, design development, construction documents, and bid and construction contract administration. She has prepared cost estimates, schedules and supervised construction management and monitoring.

Recognizing the challenges of leadership and workforce development, changing demographics and a clear need for life-work balance in today’s world, Sono works to increase both individual and organizational resilience on an ongoing basis. The power of invitation in Peacemaking Circles and Open Space Technology combined with embodied presencing create opportunities for the deep listening that is at the root of individual and collective wellbeing, creativity, and innovation.