Benton-Franklin Council of Governments Deputy Director to Receive National Award

The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) announced that BFCOG’s Metropolitan Planning Organization Deputy Director, Erin Braich, will be the inaugural recipient of their Rising Professional award at the 2024 AMPO Annual Conference in Salt Lake City on September 26 in front of over 400 MPO professionals from across the nation.

The Rising Professionals Award, being awarded for the first time, “celebrates the significant achievements of emerging leaders in the MPO world, specifically those who have eight years of professional MPO experience or less. This accolade honors an individual who embodies AMPO’s core values of Knowledge, Impact, and Collaboration and recognizes a rising professional who demonstrates exceptional expertise in their field, makes significant contributions to the advancement of metropolitan planning, and fosters collaboration within the community. Whether through innovative projects, impactful research, or dedicated service, the recipient of the Rising Professionals Award inspires others and drives positive change in their MPO region.”, according to the organization’s website.

Erin was nominated by BFCOG’s Executive Director Michelle Holt, with endorsing comments from local, state, and federal partners and local community leaders. “I have had the honor and privilege of working with Erin Braich since 2021. I have been so impressed with his technical planning skills and leadership abilities as a young professional. During Erin’s tenure, BFCOG has undergone several challenges that required him to rise to the occasion and lead, even serving as interim executive director for several months before my hiring. The level of respect his peers afford him is remarkable at this stage of his career, and his team admires and respects him. He is a mentor, leader and a true example of professional achievement for a young professional. I enthusiastically nominate Erin for the AMPO Rising Professionals Award.”
​
Erin Braich joined BFCOG in 2018 as a Transportation Specialist II and progressed to Transportation Planning Manager in 2020 before being promoted to MPO Deputy Director in 2022. He obtained a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance from the University of Hawaii, and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning from Eastern Washington University. He is the president of the Columbia Section of the Washington State American Planning Association (APA), a board member, and a past president of Bike Tri-Cities.