ESA is pleased to welcome Stacy Bumback, who joins the firm as Senior Vice President and Regional Director in the Pacific Northwest. She will direct the operations and strategic growth and development of the region, with a focus on ensuring continued client satisfaction and empowering its nearly 100 employee-owners to develop their careers and have a positive impact on the Washington and Oregon communities in which they live and work.

With over 24 years in consulting, Bumback brings a vast array of experience to ESA—from a strong track record in business development and strategic planning to growing and nurturing her team in a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Bumback most recently served as the Environmental Science and Planning Business Unit Manager and Seattle Office Leader at Jacobs Engineering. Her team of 60 staff spanned multiple offices across Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. Prior to Jacobs, Bumback held management positions at AECOM as Environmental Department Manager overseeing staff across four offices in Washington and Oregon and as Cultural Resources Group Leader at Jones & Stokes/ICF.  

“We are thrilled to bring someone of Stacy’s caliber into ESA to build on the strong reputation the firm has developed in the Pacific Northwest over the years,” said Leslie Moulton-Post, ESA’s President and CEO. “I look forward to seeing how Stacy’s energy and enthusiasm amplifies the growth trajectory the region has experienced recently, as we continue to help our clients navigate critical topics like conservation planning, fish passage solutions, water supply, air and noise quality issues, cultural resources management, and public engagement in a post-pandemic world.”

In addition to her operational expertise, Bumback has a strong technical background in archaeology and cultural resources management, having led a number of large and complex environmental and cultural resources projects over her career. Of special note was Bumback’s role as program archaeologist for Washington’s SR-520 Bridge Replacement Program, in which she was responsible for designing and implementing the concurrent testing strategy for three alternatives; coordinating the key cultural milestones with the NEPA process, including the evaluation of 200+ historic buildings; evaluating a deeply buried pre-contact fish weir for the National Register; and facilitating effective communications with the Quinault Indian Nation and the Chehalis Indian Tribe. Most recently, she’s been working with the National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop tribal consultation policies in compliance with the January 26, 2021, Presidential Memorandum to strengthen nation-to-nation relationships.

“While I have spent a good part of my career leading environmental teams for large engineering firms, I am excited to return to an employee-owned, all-environmental firm. As a Western Washington resident and a parent, it’s important for me to be working for a company that prioritizes the environment and is preserving and restoring our region’s essential natural and cultural resources for future generations,” said Bumback. “Aside from being aligned with ESA’s mission and values, I know a number of people at ESA and have always been equally as impressed with their technical experience and innovation as I am with their strong character and collaborative spirit.”

Bumback holds a BS in Anthropology from Oregon State University and an MA in Cultural Resources Management from Sonoma State University. She is a Registered Professional Archaeologist and a member of the Society for American Archaeology, Society for Historical Archaeology, Association of Washington Archaeologists, Society for California Archaeologists, and the National Association of Environmental Professionals. Bumback will be based out of ESA’s Seattle office, but will work regularly from the firm’s Portland office.