About Northwest Hub

Northwest Hub is an online news site that provides in-depth analysis and coverage of land use, environmental and real estate issues in the Pacific Northwest. Established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, our mission is to be an independent and reliable news source that connects the fields of architecture, engineering, land use and environmental law, planning, transportation, real estate and urban design. We strive to be innovative both in our approach to delivering the news and in the subject matter we select. Our approach is also inclusive, we welcome all perspectives on a particular topic. We hope Northwest Hub appeals to land use professionals and community members alike. To contact us, click here.

Who are we?

Northwest Hub Board of Directors

Pete Buck A former president of the Washington State Bar Association Land Use and Environmental Law section, Pete has been the founder and manager of two law firms since 1979. Consistently ranked as one of the top lawyers by both statewide and national publications, Pete is an authority in real estate, land use, and environmental law and litigation. He has represented clients from all three spectrums of the land use area: “concerned citizens,” property owners and developers, and government entities, and is well known for his extensive pro bono work. Pete graduated from the University of Washington Law School in 1973 and from Dartmouth College in 1968. He has previously served as a director and president of two 501(c)(3) corporations involved with educational endeavors.

Kery Murakami Kery is an award-winning journalist who has worked at The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Seattle Times, The Morning News Tribune in Tacoma and The Jersey Journal in New Jersey. He currently publishes the online news site, the Seattle PostGlobe. From the impact of crack cocaine on schools to sexual abuse at a state-run foster home, Kery has reported on a wide range of topics. His coverage of land-use-related issues includes the passage of the Seattle ballot measure to build a 13-mile, $1.8 billion monorail line, the impact of the state’s growth management plan on development and the disappearance of neighborhood landmarks to gentrification. Kery received his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan in 1988.

Jeff Layton Jeff is the president of Layton & Sell Inc, a firm that specializes in coastal engineering and water resources projects. Founder and past chairman of the Waterway, Port, Coastal and Ocean Engineering Division of the Seattle Section of ASCE, Jeff has more than 35 years of experience in the planning, design, and construction of approximately $100 million worth of waterfront facilities located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Alaska, Canada and Mexico. He has authored more than 25 professional papers on various environmental and engineering topics concerning the coastal zone. Jeff is also an accomplished writer and has published three novels: Vortex One, Warhead and Blowout. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from the University of Washington.