December 22, 2025 — With an eye on growth of its real estate division and a renewed focus on customer service and visitor experience at the destination waterfront, the Port of Everett has implemented several strategic leadership changes in recent months.
“We are rising with the tide here at the Port of Everett,” Port of Everett Executive Director/CEO Lisa Lefeber said. “Our destination waterfront is energized like never before serving our valued boating and business community, while also supporting a significant uptick in visitors, and this momentum is only going to continue growing. With the Millwright District groundbreaking on the horizon, a world-class sporting event set to draw record-breaking tourism next year, and continued activations at Waterfront Place and the Marina, this is an exciting time for the Port. I’m especially proud to see our team grow by promoting from within with Cat, James, and Kate, and welcoming Alan aboard. It’s a remarkable time for the Port of Everett.”
Catherine Soper has been promoted to Chief of Business Development & Tourism, overseeing the Port’s real estate portfolio, which includes about 3,600 acres of landholdings ranging from commercial mixed-use and public access sites to light and heavy industrial properties. She is focused on optimizing the Port’s landholdings, exploring new business opportunities, growing tourism, and enhancing the overall visitor experience at Waterfront Place – Snohomish County’s destination waterfront. She also oversees external affairs, community programs, workforce development, and special projects across the Port.
Soper takes on this new role at a pivotal time for the Port as it enters the second and largest phase of its billion-dollar Waterfront Place mixed-use development and aims to begin planning and redevelopment of its properties along the Mukilteo waterfront. She began the role in August.
With 15 years in strategic communications, marketing, and public sector economic development at the Port, Soper has already helped shape Waterfront Place into a thriving year-round destination through site planning, tenant recruitment, branding and special events, historic preservation projects, tourism initiatives and more. Today, Waterfront Place sees 1.6 annual site visits, more than double the foot traffic it saw a decade ago. She has also tackled impactful projects like the maritime exhibit at the recently expanded Imagine Children’s Museum, and the Port’s partnership with Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center and Maritime Institute to create the county’s first high-school maritime program.
Soper is a graduate of Central Washington University and Leadership Snohomish County’s Young Professionals program. Recently, she earned certification as a Maritime Port Executive (MPE) in 2024. She is active in the community, having held roles on boards, and in her participation on industry committees across the region.
“From the people to the projects to the future plans, the Port of Everett is truly one of the best places to be and work,” Soper said. “I’m thankful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing the Port’s important work in economic development in service to our Port District and the greater Snohomish County region.”
Port employees James Gerry and Kate Anderson have also been promoted to Director of Marina & Real Estate Operations and Marina Manager, respectively. Both began their new roles in October. Gerry and Anderson share a focus of enhancing the visitor experience for slipholders, guest boaters, and many Waterfront Place stakeholders and visitors through a cohesive approach to communications, customer service, facility operations, and events and amenities at the largest public marina on the West Coast.
Gerry’s new role as Director of Marina & Real Estate Operations is a leadership position created to further enhance customer service and elevate the visitor experience across the Port’s destination waterfront. In this role, Gerry will oversee the care and operations of both the Port of Everett Marina, the rapidly growing Waterfront Place development, and the Port’s other upland properties. His role is designed to create better cohesion across the two business lines.
Prior to being promoted to his new position, Gerry has served as the Port’s Property Manager since 2020. Gerry had a key role in the daily operations of the Port’s growing real estate portfolio, including managing commercial operations and maintenance for more than 65 tenants, and supported the Port’s team that coordinates 90+ annual waterfront events.
No stranger to the Everett waterfront, Gerry worked at Ameron Pole Products for 25 years prior to joining the Port where he was responsible for all production activities, health and safety, and quality control.
Anderson brings both personal and professional experience in the boating industry and is now responsible for managing the Marina. She has a strong focus on enhancing the customer and boater experience for the Port’s 2,000+ slipholders and thousands of visiting boaters. She previously served as the Port’s Media & Marketing Coordinator for several years and her role was directly involved in marketing all three of the Port’s business lines, with particular emphasis on the Marina. She first joined the Port of Everett team in 2018 as a Marina customer service representative.
She also sits on the boards of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Boating Programs Advisory Committee, the Recreational Boating Association of Washington, and Leadership Snohomish County.
Prior to joining the Port in 2018, Anderson worked in various roles at Roche Harbor Marina, Elliott Bay Marina, and the Northwest Marine Trade Association. She was included in Boating Industry Magazine’s 2021 “40 Under 40” list and recognized in 2019 with a Young Leader Award from Marina DockAge Magazine for her contributions to the boating industry.
In addition to the promotions, the Port has also recently welcomed Alan Stetson as its new Director of Security, following the retirements of Ed Madura in July and Walter Seidl, the Port’s longtime Director of Marine Terminals who has recently been serving in the role on an interim basis until his retirement at the end of the year.
Stetson brings 20+ years of security experience to the team as the Port renews its commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for all visitors. He oversees the security of the International Seaport, Marina, and Waterfront Place, in addition to the Port’s other upland properties.
Prior to joining the Port, Stetson’s 20+ years in the safety and security industry spanned national manufacturing, hospitality, and entertainment venues. He joined the Port team in November.
