Darrell Staaleson's path to engineering started with a high school architectural competition where he designed a cruciform dodecahedron supported on a central pedestal. He received the BSCE in 1986 from University of Nevada-Reno.

He worked as a Project Engineer with Hyytinen Engineering 1990-92, from 1992-93 with Peterson Strehler Martinson in Seattle, and with Tukwila-based Anderson-Peyton 1993-94 before founding Staaleson Engineering in Covington in 2000. His work experience includes design of building structures for commercial buildings, custom residences, and government facilities, and also field engineering, structural condition assessment of existing structures, design for renovations, additions, repairs, and seismic retrofit; and design for underpinning and releveling of foundations.

Active in community service, Darrell has volunteered extensively with Kiwanis Club of Kent, and received recognition as Kiwanian of the Year. He led "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" 2002-08, a 6-week-long popsicle stick bridge competition with at-risk kids from Kent Elementary School. He judged the ASCE/AISC National Student Steel Bridge Competition in 2012 and 2013.

Darrell joined SEAW in 1993. The 2013 President's Award recognizes Darrell's service on the Public Information Committee, where his achievements include introducing a social media element to SEAW communications. The 2015 Award acknowledges his valued service as chair of the Public Information Committee, and leadership in the PSEC Mentor program.

His 2021 recognition as Engineer of the Year acknowledges his service to SEAW and the profession: , including his recently-completed six-year term of service as Seattle Chapter Director, Vice President, President, and Past President, and SEAW State Director, Vice President, President, and Past President. Darrell served as Chair of Public Information Committee and Editor of Equilibrium for four years. He helped found the Outreach Committee and serves on the Wind Committee.

Technical: Darrell has honed his technical skills by attending continuing education classes such as the workshop “Site-Specific Design Ground motions,” a seminar on computer modeling of cable structures, and a presentation on concrete anchorage at the Northwest Conference in Richland. Additionally, by his work at Staaleson Engineering, Darrell has developed methods for condition assessments of existing timbers using stress wave timing and developed a design procedure implemented in Excel Visual Basic to use steel double angle bolted connections to provide ductility in flood control structures.

Nurturing: One of the members of the nominating committee shared that Darrell was his go-to mentor when he needed another set of eyes on a design or a detail. Darrell has participated in mentoring events at colleges and at NCSEA, and has served as a judge for the SEAW Wood Truss Competition and the AISC Steel Bridge Competition. Darrell has also presented a seminar, “Dealing with Stress in the Engineering Profession.”

Visibility: As a long-time chair of the Public Information Committee, Darrell has worked on creating a very favorable image of the structural engineering profession, both in SEAW and to those outside SEAW.