Diahann Howard EMAB Board Member

Diahann Howard is the Port of Benton's executive director. She served as the Tri-Cities Research District, Innovation Partnership Zone as its executive director (2007-2020), Richland rotary president (2017-2018) and was named Rotarian of the Year (2011-2012). In October 2018, Howard was awarded a Professional Port Manager Certification from the American Association of Ports Authorities.

Previous to the Port's executive director position, she served as the Port of Benton's director of economic development and governmental affairs. Prior to joining the Port in 2006, she was the economic development manager at the city of Richland.

She is on the board of Visit Tri-Cities, Eastern Washington University President Advisory Board, as well as various others. During her last 16 years at the Port of Benton, her activities have resulted in over $22 million of grant and legislative funding; examples include $5 million to support the Wine Science Center at Washington State University Tri-Cities, $5.4 million to complete Delta High School, $2.2 million and $1.5 million for rail bridge improvements.

Howard is a Tri-Cities native and holds her Bachelor of Science in International Affairs from Eastern Washington University. She is the first female to hold the Port of Benton executive director position and the first executive director with Latina heritage among the 75 port districts within the state of Washington.

Howard serves on the EMAB as a special government employee. She provides expert advice on intergovernmental and stakeholder engagement, contracting, management, large project planning, and risk assessment.