Cabot Dow

Cabot Dow is President of Cabot Dow Associates, Inc. He offers extensive experience representing public and private sector clients in the full spectrum of compensation, workload assessment and collective bargaining matters, including negotiations, mediation and arbitration proceedings.

Mr. Dow graduated from Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota with Bachelor’s Degrees in Industrial Psychology and English, with honors. Subsequently, he received the Master of Public Administration from the Evans Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Washington, with high honors. He has been Director of the Washington Local Government Personnel Institute, founding member of the Washington State Council of Public Personnel Administrators (WCPPA), is an active member of the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association (NPELRA) and the Washington City/County Management Association (WCCMA). He specializes in representing public sector clients operating under Chapter 41.56 RCW, the Washington State Collective Bargaining Statute, and private sector clients operating under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). He has authored professional articles on collective bargaining, interest arbitration, costing labor contracts and has often been a presenter at labor relations conferences and seminars. He contributes to the HR Advisor on human resources and labor relations topics at mrsc.org.

Industries: cities, counties, fire districts, telecommunications, public transit, gas, public works, water, sewer, police, government/education, libraries, distribution/wholesale/retail, manufacturing, services, ems/als, health care, electrical, admin/pension, engineering, finance, port districts, airport, building and trades, power, not-for profit, for profit.

Compensation Studies:

Bellevue
Bothell
Clyde Hill
Community Transit (PTBA)
Des Moines
Everett
Island Transit
Lake Forest Park
Kirkland
Medina
Mill Creek
Milwaukee
Monroe
Mountlake Terrace
Mukilteo
Olympia
Phoenix
Port Angeles
Portland Area
Richland
San Francisco
Seattle
Snohomish County
Spokane Transit (PTBA)
Tacoma
Tukwila
Tumwater
University Place

Alexandra Sheeks

Alex is a Principal Associate for CDA and specializes in the management of compensation projects. She offers extensive experience in performing compensation studies and job classification studies for municipal and special purpose local government agencies. This includes both represented and non-represented employees, total compensation analysis, workload and job position analysis.

She also represents management and independent employee organizations in the negotiations of labor agreements.

Alex graduated from Sonoma State University in Economics/Political Science, cum laude. She received her Master of Public Policy and Administration Degree from California State University, Sacramento, with honors.

Prior to joining the Cabot Dow Associates team, Alex was Assistant to the City Manager in the City of Woodinville, Washington. In that capacity, Alex provided support to the City Manager and management staff through management of the City’s human resources function, labor relations, risk management, community relations, and emergency management functions, policy analysis and budgeting. This included oversight of a $21 million biennial capital improvement budget for the City.

Compensation Projects:

Since joining Cabot Dow Associates, Alex has managed compensation projects for a number of agencies located in the State of Washington. For example:

City of Burlington, WA – Compensation studies in support of police officer negotiations

City of Edgewood, WA – non-represented employees

City of Maple Valley – non-represented employees

City of Sammamish – non-represented employees

City of Sea Tac, WA, involving both represented and non-represented employees; support for negotiations with AFSCME

City of Kenmore, WA – non-represented employees

Island Transit, Coupeville, WA – non-represented employees

Jefferson County – represented and non-represented employees

Kitsap Library System – represented and non-represented employees

LINK Transit, Wenatchee, WA – represented and non-represented employees; provided support for upcoming negotiations for coach operators

Skagit PUB – represented and non-represented employees

Skagit Transit, Burlington, WA – non-represented employees

Projects involving the following labor organizations:

AFSCME

ATU

IAFF

IAM

Police Guilds

SEIU

Teamsters

Lindsay D. Smith

Lindsay joined CDA in January of 2022. She specializes in the management of collective bargaining projects. She offers extensive experience in labor negotiations processes, including tracking of issues as well as preparation of proposals and counterproposals for submission at the bargaining table. She also is involved in performing compensation studies and job classification studies for municipal and special purpose local government agencies. This activity includes a broad spectrum of employee groups, management team initiatives, performing total cost of compensation analysis, job position analysis and managing union correspondence.

She is also available to advise away from the bargaining table and to serve as spokesperson in representing management in bi-lateral negotiations, mediation, and arbitration pursuant to RCW 41.56, Washington Collective Bargaining Act.

Experience:

2018-2021 – Human Resources Analyst, City of Redmond

Served as HR analyst on a variety of labor relations matters
Participated in collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the City’s seven bargaining units
Provided employees, HR team, and managers guidance and communication around policy and procedures in accordance with the applicable CBA and personnel policies
Researched, evaluated, and identified available resources and strategies to meet the needs of negotiation teams
Reviewed, analyzed, drafted CBA and personnel policy changes

2014-2018 – Legal Service Professional, Local Business Law Firm

Reviewed, analyzed, drafted policy documents on employment matters
Interpreted and analyzed state and federal statutes and regulations and their impacts on business clients and their employees
Researched, analyzed, and provided guidance on employment issues facing business clients

Education:

Juris Doctor, Seattle University School of Law

Bachelor’s Degree, University of Washington

Mary Ransier

Mary joined CDA in the Spring of 2023 to broaden its capacity to be a virtual Human Resources Department, with the capacity to provide all services that are typically included in the responsibilities of by a Human Resources Director. Mary has a passion for Executive Recruitment to the table.

Mary is a strategic and innovative human resources leader with proven success in the organizational development, HR employee life cycle, and agency administration spaces. Collaborative leader and subject matter expert in HR leadership and best in class programs, training and organizational development, leadership development, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and execution of innovative HR solutions. Experienced leader, speaker, training, coach, mentor, and author.

Key Skills include:

HR Administration and Leadership Strategic Planning Process Improvement

HR practice auditing Organizational Needs Assessments Workforce Development

EXPERIENCE

Organizational Development Manager, Pierce County, Tacoma, WA November 2018-August 2022

Coordinated the Pierce County Executive’s DEI and HR Initiatives

Led County-wide HR strategy to assess HR needs and recommend programs and practices.

Designed and managed the County’s performance management, mentorship, leadership development, employee life cycle, and employee engagement programs.

Consultant and thought leader with County leaders and Executive management to identify organizational development and HR needs based on business and organizational change.

Deputy Director, MACECOM, Shelton, WA October 2015-November 2018

Coordinated and oversaw all HR functions, policy development and legal compliance.

Lead negotiator with the bargaining unit and lead class/comp analysis and CBA drafting.

Developed organization personnel policies.

Responsible for all labor relations and employment practice issues, such as employee accommodation, classification, Leaves Admin (FMLA), employee discipline, employee performance, grievances, records management, recruitment.

Responsible for mediating with all first responder agencies in Mason County.

Training Program Supervisor, Washington State Patrol Academy, Shelton, WA September 2012-September 2015

Evaluate productivity and efficiency of performance management and HR functions and work to establish policies and procedures to promote uniformity of operation.

Oversaw recruitment, classification, and compensation of new employees.

Provided agency leadership of diverse teams and engagement of all stakeholders.

EDUCATION

MS – Management and Leadership December 2021

Western Governors University | Salt Lake City, UT

BS – Human Resource Management December 2020