2026 Annual WASLA ConferenceFEATURED SPEAKERS: David Troutt and Jonathon Kusa
Speaker Bio: Lunchtime Keynote Speaker David Troutt, Natural Resources Director at Nisqually Indian Tribe David Troutt has served as the natural resources director for the Nisqually Indian Tribe since 1987. He has been the chair of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council since 2012 and has served on the Puget Sound Partnership’s Ecosystem Coordination Board since 2007. David also serves as chair of the Nisqually River Council and president of the Nisqually River Foundation. In his role as the natural resources director for the Nisqually Indian Tribe, he heads a diverse department focused on salmon, shellfish, wildlife, and the environment in general. Throughout his career at the Nisqually Indian Tribe, he worked closely with the late Billy Frank Jr., the tireless advocate for tribal treaty rights and environmental stewardship. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington School of Fisheries, and he lives in Steilacoom with his wife and his sons.
Speaker Bio: Morning Keynote Speaker Jonathon Kusa - President and CEO of Inter-Fluve Jonathon is a professional engineer with more than 25 years of experience and has served as President and CEO of Inter-Fluve since 2013. He leads a nationwide team of over 80 engineers, scientists, and technicians, and is deeply committed to restoring rivers, streams, and estuaries. Since its founding in 1984, Inter-Fluve has completed more than 2,900 projects across North America, uniquely focused on restoring aquatic and riparian environments. Jonathon’s current work includes the Lower Port Lands Project in Toronto, the Lower Kennebec Dam Removals in Maine, and the naturalization of the Lower Los Angeles River in Paramount and Compton. His technical expertise spans surface water, erosion control, transportation, wastewater, site development, and ecological restoration. He is also adept at facilitating public engagement for complex restoration efforts. Jonathon’s broad engineering background enables him to guide multidisciplinary teams and develop creative, practical solutions to restoration challenges, particularly in urban settings. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling with his family, playing volleyball, fly fishing (enthusiastically, if not expertly), and walking his Old English Sheepdog. |
