On-Demand Options

Mr. Simpson founded Gradelta Engineering in 2020 with the intent to help clients better understand the combination of geotechnical and structural engineering that he has worked with for the past 20 years. He earned his B.S.C.E. and M.S.C.E. degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology. He currently provides engineering services to contractors and fellow engineers for earth structure pricing, along with the plans and calculations needed for construction. He frequently consults with clients regarding the optimal structure type and location on the construction site to minimize risk and maximize useable space. He also works in the education sector providing not just seminars such as this one, but also acting as a subject matter expert creating study guide and test prep content for the NCEES Professional Civil Engineer exam. Mr. Simpson has also worked with lawyers and insurance companies during forensic investigation and lawsuits surrounding retaining walls and slope failures. His hope is that through the instructional services that he currently provides, slopes will remain stable and retaining wall failure will be eliminated.

Mr. Mohney is the Engineering Geology Program leader for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The Engineering Geology Program at ODOT encompasses site characterization, subsurface exploration, slopes and embankments, geologic hazards, groundwater, geotechnical instrumentation, and planning and research activities. In this role, he also oversees the Unstable Slopes (landslide/ rockfall) Program for ODOT. He is a registered geologist and a certified engineering geologist in Oregon with over 30 years of experience in Oregon and the western states. Mr. Mohney has been the Engineering Geology Program leader since 2004. Prior to this, he had been a staff and project-level geologist for consulting firms and the mining industry as well as for ODOT. He is a graduate of the Geology Program at Portland State University. During his professional career, Mr. Mohney has been involved in the investigation, design, and construction of a wide range of challenging earthwork projects including high fills on soft ground, side slope embankments, and cut slopes in mixed-face conditions. His other work includes landslide and rockfall mitigation, ground improvement, and dewatering.

Mr. Simpson founded Gradelta Engineering in 2020 with the intent to help clients better understand the combination of geotechnical and structural engineering that he has worked with for the past 20 years. He earned his B.S.C.E. and M.S.C.E. degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology. He currently provides engineering services to contractors and fellow engineers for earth structure pricing, along with the plans and calculations needed for construction. He frequently consults with clients regarding the optimal structure type and location on the construction site to minimize risk and maximize useable space. He also works in the education sector providing not just seminars such as this one, but also acting as a subject matter expert creating study guide and test prep content for the NCEES Professional Civil Engineer exam. Mr. Simpson has also worked with lawyers and insurance companies during forensic investigation and lawsuits surrounding retaining walls and slope failures. His hope is that through the instructional services that he currently provides, slopes will remain stable and retaining wall failure will be eliminated.

Mr. Palmer is a Board Certified Master Arborist® and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified by the International Society of Arboriculture, and a Consulting Arborist. He was the owner of a premium services landscaping company for 20 years. Mr. Palmer’s focus is on trees in urban and construction environments, soil deficiencies and the importance of soils for sustainable mature trees, increasing urban tree canopies by ensuring trees live to maturity, and unsustainable landscape designs. He does tree assessments for individuals, commercial clients, law firms, insurance companies, municipalities, landscape architecture firms, parks and woodland management agencies, and he has assessed and evaluated thousands of individual trees in the past decade.

Here’s what past attendees had to say about the program and presenter John Palmer:

“Very good. Very useful. I will change some of what I have been doing based on what I have learned from this webinar.” – Civil Engineer

“John is one of two presenters in the last 30 years who has held my interest throughout an entire all day program.” – Architect

“Excellent presentation and content. I especially appreciated all of the references in the material.” – Civil Engineer

Mr. Hanrahan has more than 47 years of industry experience. In addition to presentations in Canada, Taiwan and the Dominican Republic, he has also presented at the national level for many organizations, including the International Erosion Control Association, the Land Improvement Contractors of America, the Geotechnical Fabrics Institute, the National Working Waterfront Network, and the American Water Works Association. Mr. Hanrahan’s articles have been published in many magazines, including Erosion Control, Land & Water, Geosynthetics, and Landscape Architect & Specifier News. He has produced webinars for the International Erosion Control Association, the International Association of Hydroseeding Professionals, the New York State Society of Professional Engineers, and Forester University. Mr. Hanrahan has also served as a guest lecturer at the University of Mississippi, Ohio Northern University, University of New England, and Vermont Technical College. He has also been active in industry organizations. He was national president of the International Management Council in 1991-92 and served four terms as president of the Northeast Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association. Mr. Hanrahan is also a member of the Senior Advisory Committee of Envirocert. He has developed and delivered training events throughout his career. From 2008 to the present, he has organized coastal erosion control training events up and down the New England Coast, with multiple seminars in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Event co-sponsors for these events have included the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Maine Sea Grant, the Rhode Island Coastal Management Council, the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center, Connecticut College, and Connecticut Sea Grant. Mr. Hanrahan has also assisted with the development of erosion control standards with the Illinois Tollway Authority, and the State Departments of Transportation in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois.

Dr. Mallinger is a pollinator ecologist focusing primarily on native wild bees. She is interested in the basic biology of native wild bees, their response to anthropogenic disturbance, and their role in the pollination of both crop and wild plants. A major focus of her research program is to integrate approaches from landscape ecology and community ecology to better understand pollinator community dynamics and plant pollinator interactions at multiple spatial scales. She conducts research in a variety of ecosystems, including natural, agricultural and urban, with the overarching goal of informing pollinator conservation and improving pollination services.

Ms. Neal is the owner of Green Gardens Education and Designs. Prior to that, she was a biologist at Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta for over 30 years. She retired in 2017. Ms. Neal areas of expertise are composting, vermicomposting, ornithology, environmental education, establishing outdoor classrooms and wildlife gardens and educating the public about the wonders of monarchs. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in science education with an emphasis in animal behavior. In 2015 Ms. Neal received the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for Georgia from the National Association of Biology Teacher in recognition of her career’s work in environmental education.
Ms. Neal was also the project director for the School Master Gardener program that trained over 300 Master Gardeners from 50 different schools across DeKalb County. Since 2003 these participants have volunteered over 50,000 hours at their local schoolhouses with over 35,000 students. Numerous Junior Master Gardener Clubs were formed in the local schoolhouses. This program also brought in over $63,461 in grant money at the local schools to support these school outdoor classrooms.
Upon retirement, she realized that her depth of knowledge offered an opportunity to help homeowners transition from a traditional lawn yard to a landscape that welcomes wildlife and pollinators with native plants. This type of landscape is critical in protecting threatened species and establishing a healthy ecosystem for humans and wildlife. Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, says “Gardening is a way of showing you believe in tomorrow”. Based on this belief, Ms. Neal formed an LLC called Green Gardens Education and Designs (GGED) and works with homeowners to make their residence a part of the solution, instead of it being part of the problem. When a customer works with GGED, they can expect a design that uses over thirty years of knowledge and experience and takes into consideration how a space is utilized by both humans and wildlife. This design will transform the landscape into both an aesthetically pleasing space and a space that is a part of the solution to the problems our earth is currently facing. By connecting yards and habitats, homeowners can actively work to offset their carbon footprints and support species that are struggling.

Ms. Wilson is a professor in the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida (UF). She completed her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Delaware, her Ph.D. from Clemson University and conducted postdoctoral studies at Clemson University and Chiba University, Japan. Her research focuses on characterizing the invasive potential of ornamental plants and native plant propagation and production. Complementary to this, she teaches courses in plant propagation, native landscaping, and annual and perennial gardening. Throughout her career she has been recognized with a number awards including the UF Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award, the
UF Roche Professorship Award, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Outstanding Undergraduate Educator Award, and the ASHS Outstanding Graduate Educator Award. Most recently, she co-authored the world standard textbook Hartmann and Kester’s Plant Propagation-Principles and Practices, 9th edition. For her outstanding
contributions to horticultural science and education, she holds the distinction of Fellow within International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS), American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), and the North American Colleges and Teaching of Agriculture (NACTA).

Ms. Baumgarten is a practicing horticulturist and owner/operator of BaumGardens Landscape and Design in New Orleans. She is a Master Gardener with the LSU AgCenter, the founding president of the Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans and the past president of the Louisiana Native Plant Society. Her passion as a landscape designer, contractor and community educator is to increase the ecological functionality of built landscapes by incorporating native plants and other essential components of good habitat to gardens and green spaces while actively helping others to do so as well.

Ms. Gronquist has been a licensed landscape architect since 2004. She has been teaching landscape architecture since 2006, working with Ray Freeman’s LARE Preparatory Courses. She has served as an adjunct professor at many Bay Area institutions, including UC Berkeley, UC Extension, Merritt College, and Berkeley’s Owner Builder Center. Ms. Gronquist also developed online courses in grading and drainage for San Francisco’s Academy of Art University, with separate tracks for undergraduates and graduate students. After earning an undergraduate degree as a sculptor, she quickly became interested in applying her design skills on larger scale projects. She earned her M.L.A. degree at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and then made her way to California. Since that time, Ms. Gronquist has worked on a wide range of design projects, including private residential gardens, creek restorations, affordable housing developments, public park settings for monumental sculptures, and commercial mixed-use permitting and master planning. She was an early adopter of Alameda County’s ReScape (formerly Bayfriendly) landscape sustainability rating program. She was a member of the first class of Bayfriendly Qualified Landscape Professionals back in 2006 and continues to volunteer and teach at ReScape events throughout California. As a lifelong learner, Ms. Gronquist is also an enthusiastic teacher. Her SGLA Technical Training website at www.sarahgronquist.com is the registration portal for LARE webinars. New on-demand courses for the California Supplemental Exam and for refreshing basic grading skills are also available there, along with many free resources for landscape professionals seeking to learn and grow.

A native of New Orleans, Ms. Brown has worked tirelessly to address the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Louisiana Department of Environment Quality requirements for water quality. She has written and revised chapters of the development code for several municipalities and parishes. She authored a manual to guide developers and design professionals in designing and implementing stormwater best management practices, and she organizes and leads dozens of stormwater workshops each year. Ms. Brown holds a BLA degree from Louisiana State University and an MLA degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and she is a professional landscape architect, licensed in several states. She is a long-time active member of ASLA and is a Fellow of the organization. Ms. Brown is a certified planner (AICP), and a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP). As President of Dana Brown & Associates, she pioneered design of green infrastructure throughout Louisiana. Ms. Brown is a licensed trainer for the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) and a founding member of Water Wise Gulf South, which trains and educates residents in implementing green infrastructure in their neighborhoods. Having taught classes on the subject at the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture and the University of New Orleans (UNO), Ms. Brown regularly guest lectures at Tulane University, UNO, and Xavier University. She is the author of Using Plants for Stormwater Management: A Green Infrastructure Guide for the Gulf South, LSU Press, April 2014.

Dr. Sharareh Shirzad is an assistant professor at the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment at Appalachian State University. Before that, she worked as a graduate research assistant at Louisiana State University and Louisiana Transportation Research Center. She obtained her Ph.D. degree from the Department of Construction Management at LSU working on light-activated self-healing asphalt materials. She also holds a graduate certificate in Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Shirzad’s research expertise and interest are in the broad theme of sustainable infrastructure and sustainable construction materials. She has published the results from her research on self-healing asphalt materials, recycling of asphalt materials, and sustainable asphalt pavements in multiple peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering and the Journal of Construction and Building Materials. She is currently working on the use of bio-oil and biochar obtained from pyrolysis of the wood and forestry waste in asphalt and concrete pavement, respectively. 

Mr. Macalus is an Environmental Technician that performs multiple services for Environmental Permitting and Wetland and Watercourse Delineations. Throughout his career he has performed habitat, vegetation, and wildlife surveys throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Maine. He specializes in aquatic ecology and has a passion for the conservation and preservation of the aquatic resources that affect us every day.

Mr. Reagan advises clients on regulatory compliance, administrative enforcement actions, and civil litigation under state and federal regulations including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Administrative Procedure Act, Pipeline Safety Act, General Mining Act of 1872, and Federal Land Management Policy Act.

Before joining Beveridge & Diamond, Mr. Reagan served as an Attorney-Advisor for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Chief Counsel where he provided counsel on enforcement actions under the Pipeline Safety Act. Before that, Mr. Reagan practiced as an associate with a boutique natural resources firm, where he counseled a variety of private, government, and investment clients on environmental and water issues facing western states focusing on environmental permitting and compliance, state and federal regulation, Columbia River Treaty, government contracts, as well as general legal support for projects ranging from business dissolution to protecting grazing and mineral rights. His background includes extensive coursework in climate change, ecology, fisheries, and environmental science.

Mr. King, is a city planner and has directed multidisciplinary teams around the country and world. He has served as the project director and prime author on over 200 plans for cities, towns, neighborhoods, and corridors. Mr. King was a Principal at Dover, Kohl & Partners for 18 years before creating his own firm, King Design Collaborative. He is also the co-founder of Able City East. Mr. King’s work has focused on social, economic, and climate change resilience. He authored two books: The Climate Planner: Overcoming Pushback Against Local Mitigation and Adaptation Plans (2021) and The Equity Planner: Five Tools To Facilitate Economic Development with Just Outcomes (2023). Mr. King’s work is also featured in numerous planning texts such as Sustainable Urbanism (2007), Form-Based Codes (2008), and Street Design (2014), and he has been interviewed by the New York Times, Planning Magazine, and National Public Radio.

Ms. King has over 24 years of experience in architecture and urban planning. She specializes in leading the design of illustrative plans that promote walkability and sustainability, collaborating closely with the public. Ms. King excels in directing multi-disciplinary teams, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, business owners, and residents to transform visions into reality. Her portfolio spans downtown and corridor vision plans, comprehensive plans, form-based codes, and community development strategies. Ms. King has navigated both public and private sectors, discerning the nuanced needs of each and how they can work together. Her guidance enables communities to secure funding through grants and other funding streams. Ms. King received her bachelor of Architecture degree and her master’s degree of Architecture in Suburb and Town Design from the University of Miami. She is a certified Charrette planner and is CNU accredited.

Aquic was established in 2021 by Tim Smith to support clients who are passionate about their projects, and who need reliable, data-driven analysis to make informed decisions.  Tim is an industry leading subject matter expert in navigation of the federal and state agency review process. With 24 years of experience as a state and federal employee regulating and restoring wetlands, streams, and rivers, Aquic’s Tim Smith is uniquely qualified to assist with:

• Wetland and Stream Mitigation Bank Development
• Mitigation Market Analysis
• Mitigation Bank Management
• Agency Coordination
• Permitting Strategies and Alternatives Analysis

Ms. Akers is an Environmental Scientist Advisor with the Kentucky Division of Water, Commonwealth of Kentucky – Energy and Environment Cabinet. As a career employee of the Energy and Environment Cabinet, Paulette Akers has worked in the Department of Natural Resources and the Department for Environmental Protection for more than twenty years. Currently, Paulette serves as the Gulf Hypoxia Program Engagement Coordinator in the Division of Water and works to support activities occurring in nutrient-priority watersheds and develop new tools and partnerships to support nutrient reduction in those areas and across the Commonwealth. She works specifically in areas such as wastewater treatment plant nutrient optimization, agriculture, and with partners in Tennessee. Previously, she served 5 years as the Director of the Division of Conservation and 2 years as the Director of the Division of Compliance Assistance. Her early career was with the Division of Water in the Water Quality and Watershed Management Branches. Paulette is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University where she earned a BS degree in Biology and an MS degree in Applied Ecology.

Mr. Bonnell has been involved in watershed and natural resource management for thirty years. In September of 2023, Joe became the first Nutrient Reduction Strategy Coordinator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the Office of Agriculture and Water Quality. Previously, Joe had a long career in university extension, first with Ohio State University and more recently with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Joe has spent his career working on addressing primarily agricultural non-point source issues, focusing on promoting holistic and collaborative approaches to watershed planning and implementation. 

Mr. Dunn is an environmental attorney with PoynerSpruill, LLP in Raleigh, North Carolina. After receiving his law degree and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from UNC-Chapel Hill, he worked with the N. C. Department of Environmental Quality for over eight years, with his last position being general counsel. In 1985 he joined PoynerSpruill to expand the firm’s areas of practice to environmental law. In his 39 years with PoynerSpruill, he has represented both private and public clients in practically all areas of environmental law and particularly has advised cities and counties regarding wastewater compliance issues and consolidation of water and wastewater treatment facilities and services. Most relevant to this seminar, Mr. Dunn was the legal advisor for the formation of the Neuse River Compliance Association (NRCA), an association of point source wastewater dischargers in the lower Neuse River Basin formed over 20 years ago to comply with a then-pending total maximum daily load for nitrogen in the lower Neuse River estuary.  Subsequent to the formation of the NRCA, Mr. Dunn served for many years as legal counsel for the NRCA and the Lower Neuse Basin Association, a previously- existing monitoring association, in establishing by-laws and rules for their membership and operations and for jointly carrying out their complementary functions.  

Ms. Harrold is the Program Manager for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and Water Quality Initiatives for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), Division of Soil Conservation (DSC). As the Program Manager, Julie provides leadership and management for the Indiana CREP, the Indiana State Nutrient Reduction Strategy and Indiana Science Assessment, and other water quality initiatives undertaken by the ISDA. She provides Indiana representation on the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force Coordinating Committee. Julie is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Landscape Horticulture and Design and has over 26 years of experience as a conservation professional. She has held a number of different positions within the Division of Soil Conservation over the years and has been in her current position as Program Manager since July 2015. Her experience includes working with partners around the state of Indiana as well as other states to advance water quality improvement goals and implement conservation programs; engineering surveys, design and implementation of conservation Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as Grassed Waterways and Wetland Restorations; assisting landowners with developing conservation plans; working with Soil and Water Conservation Districts in northeast Indiana on carrying out conservation programs and events and providing technical assistance; working with DSC staff in quantifying the water quality benefits of various conservation BMPs; and working with Purdue University on quantifying the effectiveness of conservation practices on water quality.

Dr. Marshall is a Staff Scientist in the Water Planning and Assessment Division at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), where she has worked for the past five years. She serves as the project manager for the Hypoxia Task Force Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Gulf Hypoxia Program Grant for Louisiana, which is comprised of two projects focused on helping Louisiana address nonpoint source water quality management. Amanda also serves on the Water Resources Team for the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, and was the lead author on the update to the LDEQ report Nitrogen and Phosphorus Trends of Long-Term Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites in Louisiana, completed in 2021 in support of the Louisiana Nutrient Reduction and Management Strategy. Amanda holds a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Resources and Policy from Southern Illinois University, and both an M.S. degree in Public Policy and a B.S. degree in Biology with an ecology focus from the Georgia Institute of Technology. During her Ph.D. she was the recipient of a National Science Foundation IGERT Fellowship in the field of Watershed Science and Policy, where her dissertation work focused on comparative stakeholder assessments in the Mississippi and Tisza River Basins.

Mr. McAleese is president and CEO of the Sand County Foundation. Kevin assumed overall leadership of Sand County Foundation in July 2015. In his over 20 years with the Foundation, he has overseen all aspects of planning, program implementation, and personnel and financial management. Kevin founded the Cooperative Sagebrush Initiative in 2007, an award-winning 11-western state public-private partnership to balance energy production, ranching, and habitat protection. He served as President of its Board of Directors until 2013. He led a 10-year program in the Great Lakes states and northeastern U.S. to enhance the regeneration of important hardwood forests that support rural economies and abundant wildlife. He has organized and facilitated regional, national, and international conferences among landholders, resource managers, and scientists. He holds a BS degree in engineering from the University of Wisconsin and an MA degree in history from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Peterson leads Sand County Foundation’s agricultural conservation team and sets its strategic direction in research, and farmer and rancher engagement. She brings significant leadership, teaching, and research experience surrounding agricultural conservation and water quality issues. Heidi previously served as the Phosphorus Program Director with the International Plant Nutrition Institute, and prior to that at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. She serves the scientific community on the Agronomic Science Foundation’s Board of Trustees, as an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, and as an associate editor with the Journal of Environmental Quality. Heidi completed her Ph.D. in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Minnesota. At Purdue University she received a M.S. degree in Agronomy, and a B.S. degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science.

Mr. Phthisic is the Executive Director of the Lower Neuse Basin Association (LNBA) and Neuse River Compliance Association (NRCA). He has served in this role with the associations since 2009. Prior to accepting this position, he served as the Chair of the Associations (2004 to 2009). He was a founding delegate to the LNBA when formed in 1994. The LNBA was formed as a sampling coalition in concert with the N. C. Division of Water Quality. The NRCA was formed to implement the Neuse Nutrient Management Strategy (also known as the Neuse Rules) to comply with a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) being implemented for the Neuse River estuary. He also served on the committee to form the NRCA in 2002. He was the Assistant Director of Utilities for Johnston County which included the management of the water, wastewater, and solid waste landfill for the County prior to becoming the Executive Director for the LNBA/NRCA.

Ms. Salvato has worked for the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association as a Policy and Programs Director since 2017. Her focus at the Association is on water quality, water quantity, and ecosystem restoration initiatives. Lauren previously worked for the North American Lake Management Society (Secchi Dip-In program), the National Park Service at the Grand Canyon (North Rim), and US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Big Rivers Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Her background is in environmental science, with graduate degrees in Water Resources and Public Policy from the University of New Mexico and Indiana University. Lauren lives two blocks from the Minnesota River and volunteers as a Board member for the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District.  

Mr. Sample has worked for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for 22 years, serving as the Agency Coordinator for the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy for the past six years. He represents Illinois EPA on the federal Hypoxia Task Force, the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council, and the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Board.  Mr. Sample earned a B.S. in Agronomy from Illinois State University.

Mr. Siegel is a member of Barley Snyder’s Real Estate and Environment & Energy practice group. He has spent more than two decades as a litigator at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. In his time at the DEP, he litigated more than 250 appeals in state and federal courts and in front of the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board in cases involving litigation of solid waste, clean water, environmental remediation, and sewage planning. His cases resulted in tens of millions of dollars of environmental remediation and civil penalties throughout Pennsylvania. In the private sector, Mr. Siegel has worked with businesses on both environmental and energy issues. He’s helped companies in real estate transactions navigate environmental issues, worked with municipalities on stormwater and sewage issues, and has assisted companies and other entities in addressing DEP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enforcement actions. He’s also worked with out-of-state gas pipeline owners and contractors to help them comply with Pennsylvania environmental requirements and defended them in DEP enforcement actions. Mr. Siegel is also a trained mediator. In addition to his time at the DEP, he has worked in federal government positions at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in Atlanta and with the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest Laboratory in Washington state. Mr. Siegel is a prolific speaker at professional gatherings throughout Pennsylvania on environmental topics including Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment, Pennsylvania’s voluntary cleanup program, Chesapeake Bay and clean water issues, and municipal stormwater requirements. He also co-authored the chapter on Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2) in Pennsylvania Environmental Law & Practice, 10th Edition. His professional environmental experience has led him to leadership positions with a multitude of nonprofit organizations both in central Pennsylvania and throughout the Mid-Atlantic. He’s also a former member of the Board of School Directors for the Lower Dauphin School District. Mr. Siegel earned his J.D. degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law.  

Ms. Verville joined Sand County Foundation in 2021 to lead a regenerative agriculture initiative in Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan Basin. She works with farmer-led groups to achieve water quality and climate resiliency goals. She previously served as a research project manager and safety lead for the Soil Health Partnership, a project of the National Corn Growers Association. Prior to that, she worked as a crop specialist, and as a deputy conservation warden for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Based in Wautoma, Wis. she plays an active role in Sand County Foundation projects across the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins.

Dr. Gregory H. Nail is a professor in the Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee at Martin where he teaches a variety of courses including fluid mechanics, hydraulics and hydrology, and hydraulic and hydrologic modeling. He holds a professional engineer’s license based on having passed both the Civil and Mechanical discipline-specific exams. Prior to coming to UT-Martin in 2002, he worked as a research hydraulic engineer for the United States Army Corp of Engineers for 11 years. He continues to be professionally active by working summer internships, carrying on consulting work, supervising senior design projects, and regularly delivering continuation programs, all oriented around computational hydraulic and computational hydrologic modeling. Dr. Nail earned his B.M.E. degree from Auburn University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Texas A&M University.

Mr. Flack has earned his designations, among select thousands in the world, as a Certified Professional in Erosion & Sediment Controls (CPESC) as well as his designation as a Certified Erosion, Sediment and Storm Water Inspector (CESSWI), lending his experience and training to his customers to consult them in all their stormwater needs. He has also earned his status as a Qualified Compliance Inspector of Stormwater (QCIS) and as a Qualified Preparer of Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (QPSWPPP. He also earned the Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL), which is a 17.5-hour certificate program as required by Washington State for all construction stormwater management. He is a subject matter expert and lead instructor for StormwaterONE, which has established itself as the leader in stormwater management training and credentialing, the school’s mission is to provide their students with the most comprehensive and up to date training of individual stormwater permits, online or in-person.

Brad has been invited to speak in-person on storm water and erosion control issues in many locations, including California, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado, Ohio and New Mexico, as well as internationally in Antigua, Guatemala, and in San Jose, Costa Rica. Furthermore, he has provided virtual online training for wide variety organizations across the country, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Stadium Authority, and more.

Additionally, he served as president and administrative vice president for the South-Central Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association. Furthermore, he directed the IECA Region 1 Education Committee: Stormwater Management Track as co-chair, which encompasses North America, South America and Europe. Brad also sat as the Region 6 Chapter President for EnviroCert International (ECI) and was a member of the Policies and Procedures Committee for ECI. He has served as the Region 7 representative for the CPESC, Inc., group as well as the technical vice-chair for the Council. He has been an IECA Mentor and served as a TCEQ EnviroMentor.

Brad has been involved with Stormwater Quality Management since 2004 where he learned about permitting, turf establishment, erosion control and detention pond maintenance and has continued to be a student of the industry throughout his career. His attention to detail and depth of knowledge about structural control devices, vegetative stabilization and best management practices are a valuable asset to his clients and students.

His wife is his high school sweetheart, and they have been married for over 20 years and have three sons. Brad has also actively served at his church and has ventured on over a dozen mission trips, from drilling for water in rural villages in Honduras to assisting in hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. Brad was the Director of Hands and Feet Honduras/Puerto Rico, a 501(c)3 organization for over eight years.

Mr. Curtin is the stormwater manager at Erosion Control Services and oversees the UPDES program at the company. Before joining ECS, Mr. Curtin served as the construction program coordinator for Utah DWQ for three years and on the stormwater team with UDOT for a year. Prior to moving to Utah, Mr. Curtin worked as a consultant for four years implementing MS4 permits across multiple different regions. He holds a B.S. degree in Earth Science with a minor in Soil Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Ms. Jack Hinners is the director of conservation and research at Red Butte Garden on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. An urban and landscape ecologist, she has a B.A. degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from McGill University and a PhD degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Prior to her current position, she was on the faculty of the Department of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University for 12 years and founded the Center for Ecological Planning and Design. She has been studying and teaching about stormwater green infrastructure from an interdisciplinary perspective for over a decade and has multiple stormwater reference sites on the University of Utah campus, most notably the Landscape Lab. Ms. Jack Hinners has also taken a leadership role in stewardship of Red Butte Creek on campus, and in her current position at Red Butte Garden, she continues to study and advocate for landscape practices that support and enhance the health of our urban streams and riparian ecosystems.

Mr. Tolman is the president and owner of AccenaGroup, a company that has served Utah and surrounding states as stormwater plan and consulting experts since 2007. His industry certifications include QSWPPP, Utah RSI, CISEC, and CPESC. Mr. Tolman has presented several times at American Public Works Association (APWA) conferences, CASQA, Stormcon, and other industry conferences. He has consulted on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Utah State consent decrees and regularly guest lectured for construction management classes at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University.

In 28 years, Mr. Boone has passionately led crews in sculpting almost 1,000 kilometers of shared-use and purpose-built trails for mountain bicyclists and other trail users of all ages and abilities around the world. His experience includes professional trail building companies, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations. His passion is creating sustainable, kinesthetically and aesthetically diverse trails that mountain bikers love to ride. He is highly skilled on the utilization and training of state-of-the-art trail technology like the Sutter 500 Trail Dozer, SWECO 480 Trail Dozer, miniature/micro excavators, loaders, tracked carriers, and ATV rakes and harrows. Mr. Boone is a pioneer in the evolution and art of creating sustainable, machine-built trails for mountain bikers. His accomplishments include: establishing the first mountain bike patrol in Colorado in 1989, training eight IMBA/Subaru Trail Care Crews (1997-2011), inspiring the IMBA Trail Solutions Program (2001), and assisting with both IMBA books (Trail Solutions: IMBA’s Guide to Building Sweet Singletrack and Managing Mountain Bikes: IMBA’s Guide to Providing Great Riding). He has been an active member of the Professional Trail Builders Association and American Trails since 1995. His primary focus since the summer of 2010, has been assisting IMBA develop their international markets and creating the next generation of kinesthetically diverse “flow-based” tracks.

Mr. Flink is an award-winning planner, designer, and author. Mr. Flink is the founder, owner and president of Greenways Incorporated, a consulting firm located in Durham, North Carolina. He is widely regarded as one of America’s leading greenway planners, having completed comprehensive greenway, trail, and open space plans for more than 250 communities within 36 States and having provided consulting services in Argentina, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Japan, and St. Croix, USVI. Mr. Flink was elected to the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows in November 2003. He is the 2006 Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Design at North Carolina State University. Mr. Flink co-authored Greenways. A Guide to Planning, Design and Development, in partnership with The Conservation Fund. This book received a 1994 Merit Award in Communications from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and is cited by the American Planning Association as “the best single reference” on greenway development. Mr. Flink also co-authored Trails for the Twenty-First Century, which received a 2001 Merit Award in Communications from the North Carolina Chapter of ASLA. Mr. Flink has been featured in prominent national and international publications including National Geographic, Triangle Business Journal, Private Clubs, Landscape Architecture, Walking, American Planning, Good Housekeeping, Hemispheres (United Airlines), Buzzworm Environmental Journal, Southern Living and American City County. In 1995, Mr. Flink received an Environmental Excellence Award from the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration for the Swift Creek Recycled Greenway, the nation’s first greenway built from recycled trash. In 2001, he received a Merit Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects for his involvement with the Grand Canyon Greenway project. Mr. Flink has lectured on the planning and design of greenways at more than 200 national and international conferences since 1986. He graduated cum laude in 1982 from North Carolina State University’s College of Design and later served as an adjunct professor of Landscape Architecture for five years. He currently serves on the College of Design Leaders Council and is chair of the Board of Visitors at North Carolina State University. He served three consecutive terms as chairman of the Board for American Trails, Washington, DC, and five consecutive terms as chair of the Board of Trustees for the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000 mile urban trail that extends from Calis, Maine, to Key West, Florida, along the Atlantic Seaboard of the United States.

Mr. Searns has a five-decade history of visualizing, planning, and getting trails and greenway projects built. He was project director of Denver’s Platte River and Mary Carter Greenways, which were both national-award-winning projects. He helped plan the Grand Canyon NP Greenway and played a key role in planning the Memphis Wolf River Greenway. He served as national chair of American Trails, was a founding member of the Board of The World Trails Network and was a delegate to the White House Great America Outdoors Conference. He authored Beyond Greenways: The Next Step for City Trails and Walking Routes (One of 10 “Best Books of 2023” from the American Society of Landscape Architects/ The Dirt) and co-authored Greenways: A Guide to Planning Design and Development, both published by Island Press. He currently writes for the Island Press Short Form Project. He has written for Public Square, Landscape Architecture, American Trails, LA China and Planning magazines and the Island Press Urban Resilience Project. He has hosted numerous Webinars, interviewed on multiple podcasts, and has been a keynote speaker as well as a trainer for the U.S. National Park Service, American Planning Association and the Urban Land Institute. He chaired American Trails and was a founder of The World Trails Network. He was also a delegate to the America’s Great Outdoors White House conclave (President Obama). He resides, writes, hikes and bikes near Denver, Colorado.