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Ms. Zeis graduated in December of 2007 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University. She began her career in the swimming pool industry in 2008 while working for a hospitality architecture design firm. Her role was to provide the engineering to help the firm, and its clients, navigate the new federal laws addressing water safety and accessibility. Ms. Zeis provided guidance to several states in their development of legislation to address the Virginia Graeme Baker Act, ADA and ANSI Regulations. After leaving the architecture firm, she continued to provide consulting and design services to her clients and grew her client base to include municipalities, HOAs, resort and community pool associations. As she grew in her experience, her company has grown and provides design for everything from high-end residential projects to large water parks. In April of 2018 Ms. Zeis founded Aquatic Engineering Consultants, LLC (AEC), where she and her staff have adopted the mantra of “Solutions. Integrity. Excellence.” AEC strives to provide the best engineering solutions that meet the client’s vision while providing the best user experience. Licensed in over 21 states and with 16+ years in the industry, Ms. Zeis has experience with all types of site challenges, evolving regulations, advances in equipment and related technologies.

Ms. Navaid is a restoration consultant in the Chicago office of Walker Consultants. With an architectural background, she provides specialized assistance on building envelope projects, as well as parking facility restoration projects. As a restoration consultant and licensed architect at Walker, her responsibilities include managing facade repair and roofing replacement projects across all market segments, performing condition assessments and site investigations, and delivering projects from conception to the development of construction documents and on through construction. Ms. Navaid has nearly 15 years of experience in building envelope consulting and restoration.

Mr. Pawlak is a restoration consultant in the Indianapolis office of Walker Consultants. He is responsible for the assessment and restoration of existing structures across several markets including private, university, airport, and healthcare throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Mr. Pawlak has experience in building envelope consulting for new construction during design and construction as well as the investigation and restoration of existing buildings including building facades, storefronts, and roofing systems.

Ms. Surlej, R.A., NCARB, is a building envelope consultant in the Chicago office of Walker Consultants. She has been in the building envelope and restoration industry for 13 years. In that time, she has completed a wide variety of building envelope consulting projects, most notably the terra cotta restoration of The Bridgeview Bank Uptown in Chicago, Illinois, and building envelope consulting services for new construction of The Corners in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Ms. Surlej can take her foundation in historic preservation and forensic building failure and apply that knowledge to new construction. In recent years, she has teamed up with general contractors to review construction documents and identify and address problems as well as improve the quality of the overall building envelope.

Dr. Vitale holds a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the NY Polytechnic University (presently known as NYU School of Engineering). He was registered as a professional engineer in six states and is actively registered in New York and Pennsylvania. Dr. Vitale is a veteran engineer with over 52 years of experience in the gas industry, including vice president and chief engineer over production and engineering across four states. Dr. Vitale worked domestically and internationally as a consultant for the gas industry for more than 20 years, particularly in LNG import, export, and peak shaving facilities around the world. A major focus has been on site-specific plant operator training. Dr. Vitale combines the best of the academic theoretical world with the practical on-the-job industry world. This results in a training experience whereby his industry professional learners understand the technologies they control in theory and application. The learning experience applies science while training engineers to design plant facilities that can be maintained and operated in real-world conditions. Dr. Vitale’s dedication to the engineering field is evident in his teaching of graduate and undergraduate evening engineering courses while working in the gas industry during his day job. His current focus and passion lie in providing training services to ensure the safety and reliability of petrochemical, process, and electric generation facilities. He is committed to excellence.

Named by Landscape Ontario as 2020 and 2021’s Garden Communicator of the Year, gardening has been Mr. James’ hobby and profession for over 40 years. A graduate of Niagara Parks School of  Horticulture, a Master Gardener, writer, and teacher, he focuses on eco-gardening techniques, which makes sense since he grew up surrounded by nature. He has spoken from the Maritimes to Seattle and landscaped from Nova Scotia to California. Mr. James has had the honor to be part of creating the Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide, the Grow-Me-Instead guide, the Ontario Horticultural Apprenticeship Curriculum and the national Red Seal Occupational Standard, and the Master Gardeners Reference Manual. He has participated in chairing the Environmental Stewardship Committee for Landscape Ontario, the Environmental Committee for the Perennial Plant Association, moderating the Master Gardeners of Ontario Facebook page, judging the All-American Selections garden competition and Hamilton’s Monarch Awards. Mr. James has been the Ontario spokesperson for Garden Days Canada and he has appeared on many radio shows and on television and has instructed at the college level for 17 years. He owns ‘Sean James Consulting & Design’.

John Bahe is a partner with Bahe Cook Cantley & Nefzger PLC in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a former corporate and insurance defense litigation attorney who now uses this experience to help the injured effectively prosecute their claims at Bahe Cook Cantley & Nefzger PLC. Mr. Bahe maintains a national practice focusing on civil trials, medical product and pharmaceutical liability claims, and catastrophic personal injury cases of all types. He is also well-versed in contract disputes, business litigation, nursing home negligence, civil rights actions, and consumer protection claims and has effectively prosecuted several claims for insurance bad faith, both first and third party. Mr. Bahe has also been a lecturer on several different legal topics for both the Louisville Bar Association (LBA) and the Kentucky Justice Association (KJA) and the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law. Mr. Bahe is experienced and highly knowledgeable in helping people who bring their cases in an individual capacity and those whose legal matters are part of a class-action or multi-district litigation (MDL). Mr. Bahe earned his juris doctor degree from the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. While at Brandeis School of Law, Mr. Bahe was elected by his peers as Student Bar Association representative and also was the president of the school’s chapter of Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, International. Prior to law school, Mr. Bahe earned his undergraduate degree (B.A.) from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He is past-board member of the Kentucky Justice Association (“KJA”) – a statewide organization of trial attorneys as well as a KJA committee chairman for the past 15 years. Mr. Bahe is also a member of Leader’s Forum of American Association for Justice (“AAJ”), the largest national organization of plaintiff’s lawyers.

H. Gera Meyman is the principal of Meyman Law in Lexington, Kentucky. Her areas of expertise include administrative litigation as well as family law and employment law. Her employment law experience primarily centers on wrongful termination as well as unlawful discrimination and retaliation. Ms. Meyman’s administrative litigation experience primarily centers on Social Security Disability and Kentucky Retirement Systems. Her family law experience centers on divorce, child support, and maintenance matters. She is also experienced in the areas of criminal expungement, probate estate management, debt collection, and fraudulent conveyance. She is licensed to practice in Kentucky state courts as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. She has also been listed as an attorney of record in a Sixth Circuit case. Ms. Meyman graduated summa cum laude from Virginia Tech with a double major in English and Psychology. She earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Matt Miller-Novak is a partner at Barron, Peck, Bennie & Schlemmer Co LPA in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has successfully litigated numerous First Amendment cases, Open Meetings Act cases, employment matters, and contract cases. He also has appellate and Ohio Supreme Court experience. Mr. MillerNovak received his juris doctorate degree from Chase School of Law. He graduated cum laude, and he received honors for his trial advocacy skills and legal writing. In addition, he published two law review articles, and he spoke at Whittier Law School regarding employment matters in 2014. Mr. Miller-Novak also has his Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the University of Cincinnati and his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting from Youngstown State University. Mr. Miller-Novak is admitted to practice in Ohio and Kentucky and before the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

Franklin S. Yudkin is the principal of Yudkin Law in Louisville, Kentucky. He practices primarily in collections and debtor/creditor matters. Mr. Yudkin has been a frequent speaker on collection topics, and also searches the internet and various data bases to locate debtors. He is a member of the Louisville, Kentucky and Indiana State bar associations; Commercial Law League of America and National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys. Mr. Yudkin earned his B.A. degree from Indiana University and his J.D. degree from the University of Louisville.

Mr. Kaeck is a principal at Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers with an MEng degree in geotechnical engineering and over 35 years of practical experience in groundwater control for underground construction. He is a co-author of the 3rd Edition of Construction Dewatering and Groundwater Control: New Methods and Applications. Mr. Kaeck has expertise in site investigations for groundwater control projects, design and analysis of pumping tests, and analysis of groundwater control systems using analytical and numerical models. His experience includes projects involving a variety of dewatering and groundwater control methods including: deep and shallow wells, wellpoint systems, ejectors, horizontal drains, slurry trenches and cutoff walls, and grouting methods.

Mr. Richins is a senior associate at Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers with a MS degree in geotechnical engineering and 20 years of experience. He specializes in dewatering and groundwater control analyses. His experience includes groundwater modeling using simplified analytic methods and complex three-dimensional transient numerical models, design and analysis of pumping tests, and seepage and dewatering estimates for excavations, including open-cut and partial-cut-off excavations. Mr. Richins has been involved in projects using various dewatering methods, including deep and shallow wells, wellpoint systems, ejectors, slurry trenches and cutoff walls, and particulate and chemical grouting.

Mr. White has over 25 years of experience in engineering, ranging from compliance and industrial wastewater and air treatment system evaluations to remedial study/design projects. Mr. White works with clients across a variety of industries, including iron and steel, utilities, specialty chemicals, food and food additive processing, and petroleum refining. He has expertise in industrial wastewater and stormwater regulatory review and implementation support under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program. Mr. White earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and an M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Jane Binder is the owner of Binder Law Offices, P.A. Throughout her career, she has tackled a wide range of family law issues, including divorce, child custody and parenting time, property division, spousal maintenance, and domestic violence. She has a comprehensive understanding of the legal complexities and emotional dynamics involved in family matters. As a mediator, Ms. Binder acts as a neutral third party, helping parties communicate effectively and reach mutually acceptable agreements. Through her skillful facilitation and calming demeanor, she helps find creative solutions that consider the unique circumstances and priorities of each party. Ms. Binder also serves as an arbitrator, where she makes legally binding decisions when parties are unable to reach agreements. Her strong analytical skills and deep understanding of family law enable her to render fair and informed decisions, helping parties avoid the potential pitfalls of lengthy court battles. Ms. Binder is highly regarded for her compassionate approach and her ability to guide and support parties through the often challenging and emotionally charged process of family law disputes. Her dedication to achieving fair outcomes for all parties involved makes her a valuable asset to those seeking alternative methods to traditional litigation. Every year since 1996, she has been recognized as a Super Lawyer. Ms. Binder has also been named one of the top 50 Women Attorneys in Minnesota. She has twice been named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in Family Law in the Twin Cities. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where she served as the president of Minnesota Chapter. She serves on the Minnesota ADR Ethics Board, and she frequently lectures on family law topics. Ms. Binder is admitted to practice in the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Charley Good is an attorney in Pemberton Law’s Alexandria office. He focuses his practice on family law which includes divorce, child custody, spousal maintenance, post decree motions, child support, school choice issues, parenting time, adoption and all related issues. Mr. Good is a rule 114 certified neutral and enjoys mediating family law cases. Additionally, he handles Guardian and Conservatorships. He graduated magna cum laude from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota with a B.A. degree in Legal Studies and Philosophy. He received his J.D. degree from William Mitchell in St. Paul, Minnesota, graduating cum laude. While attending William Mitchell, he made numerous appearances in district court as a certified student attorney logging over 300 hours of courtroom experience. Mr. Good is a past president of the Douglas County Bar Association and has co-authored and updated Chapter 13 of the Minnesota Civil Practice Deskbook on Depositions.

Katie Kelley is a partner with Chestnut Cambronne, practicing mainly in the firm’s Family Law Practice Group. Admitted to the bar in 2017, she has experience throughout the family law spectrum, including domestic abuse orders for protection, marital dissolution, post-decree matters, custody and parenting time disputes, third party custody, and financial support. While in law school at Loyola University Chicago, she worked as a student attorney on the domestic violence team at Chicago’s Legal Aid Society. Ms. Kelley represented exclusively Spanish-speaking clients there and continues to represent the Spanish-speaking community in her current practice. She majored in International Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Ms. Kelley strongly believes in making the legal system as accessible as possible. She volunteers with Tubman and the Volunteer Lawyers Network and has regularly been named a North Star Lawyer by the Minnesota State Bar Association for her pro bono service. Ms. Kelley is also involved in the local family law legal community. She is the past-president of the Family Law League organization and involved with the Family Law Council of the newly merged MSBA/HCBA/RCBA family law sections. She has been named a Rising Star attorney by Super Lawyers since 2021.

Carole Pasternak is a partner at Klampe Law Firm and has been with the firm since 1999. Her practice focus is family law, a dynamic field involving all aspects of divorce, custody, child support, parenting time, step parent adoption, and domestic abuse. She is Rule 114-neutral providing family mediation services. While attending law school, Ms. Pasternak was associate editor of the Seton Hall University School of Law Constitutional Law Journal and authored Victims Once Again: The New Jersey Supreme Court’s Unwillingness to Provide all Marital Tort Victims the Right to a Jury Trial. She was selected to be a research assistant to Professor Jack M. Sabatino, Deputy Presiding Judge for Administration, New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division. During law school, Ms. Pasternak worked with the State Division of Mental Health and Guardianship Advocacy involving the rights of children in juvenile psychiatric civil commitments. She interned for The Honorable Donald W. de Cordova as an assistant law clerk and clerked for Honorable Herbert S. Glickman; both positions focused exclusively on family law matters. Ms. Pasternak was active in the Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall and represented underprivileged clients in family law matters as a student attorney through a mentorship program. She also served as a mediator in the special civil part of the district court handling landlord/tenant issues and other conciliation court matters. Ms. Pasternak earned her B.A. degree from Rutgers University and her J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Nicole J. Tabbut is a partner at Pemberton Law’s Detroit Lakes office. She is a member of the Family Law group and primarily practices in the areas of divorce, child custody and parenting time, spousal maintenance and child support, adoption, and family law appellate matters. Ms. Tabbut also maintains a neutral practice where she is a Rule 114-qualified mediator, parenting time expeditor, parent consultant, and custody evaluator. She also practices in the areas of Guardianship and Conservatorship. Ms. Tabbut is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and the MSBA Family Law Section where she has held the positions of vice chair and chair of the statewide Family Law Section. She is also active on the Board of Directors for A Place to Belong, having held the position of vice president and president. Ms. Tabbut is a member of the Otter Tail and Becker County Bar Associations and has held the positions of secretary/treasurer, vice president, and president in Becker County. Additionally, she mentors law students from Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s hybrid program. Ms. Tabbut is a past member of the Minnesota Lavender Bar Board of Directors and helped plan the MLBA’s annual conference for several years. She has earned the distinction of North Star Lawyer since 2018 and has been named as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers since 2021. A native of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Ms. Tabbut graduated summa cum laude from Minnesota State University (Moorhead) with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. She then attended Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where she was an associate and senior editor on law review, served as vice justice and justice of the Monroe Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and Chairperson of the Student Bar Association’s Social Committee. Ms. Tabbut was named to the dean’s list every semester during law school, received numerous CALI awards, and graduated summa cum laude.

Matthew Yost is an associate attorney at Chestnut Cambronne, PA, representing clients in all types of family law cases. He prefers a creative, collaborative approach and prioritizes case resolutions based in certainty and equity. Mr. Yost obtained his B.A. degree in English from the University of Minnesota and his law degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Before entering private practice, he worked as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Richelle M. Wahi in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline, assisting a tenured professor in Constitutional Law and Civil Procedure courses. Mr. Yost serves on a number of boards and organizations, including the Family Law League and the Association of Family and Conciliations Courts, and he is a volunteer attorney with Tubman and the Children’s Law Center.

Kathleen (Katie) Brown is the associate dean for information resources at Charleston School of Law and a 2024 vLex Fastcase 50 honoree, recognized for her contributions to integrating technology and ethics into legal education. She is also the recipient of the 2024 AALS Section of Technology, Law & Legal Education Technology & Ethics Award, honoring her significant impact in this field. Ms. Brown holds a J.D. degree from Seattle University School of Law with an emphasis in intellectual property law, an M.S. degree in Library and Information Science from Drexel University, and a B.F.A. degree from DePaul University. She often presents on the topics of intellectual property, legal technology, and the business of law, with a focus on process optimization and legal research. She has also taught courses on Legal Technology for Practice, Art of Advocacy, Contracts, and Advanced Legal Research. An active member of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), Ms. Brown has held numerous leadership positions within the organization, including serving on the AALL Executive Board from 2011 to 2014. Some of her research interests include intellectual property, acting skills for lawyers, law and literature, and legal tech management.

Amy Cann brings over two decades of practical experience in business, human resources, and safety to her legal practice, providing clients with common-sense legal guidance, often during stressful and difficult situations in people’s lives. She has a law degree and a Certificate in Information Privacy Law from the University of Maine School of Law, two graduate degrees in Business and Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University, and privacy and cybersecurity certification from IAPP and ISC2, respectively. She is active with many professional organizations, including the New Hampshire Bar Association, the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association, and SCORE. Additionally, she teaches for the University of New Hampshire and Franklin Pierce School of Law. Ms. Cann also presents for local and national audiences on employment law and AI, data privacy, and cybersecurity, including for the National Business Institute. She formed Cann Law as a registered NH benefit corporation, reflecting her commitment to social responsibility through her pro bono work with 603 Legal Aid. She enjoys hiking with her dogs, family and friends, playing soccer at Seacoast United and supporting the Pope Memorial Humane Society, FURRR, SAFER, the Center for Wildlife, and the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation.

June Hunter is a technical enablement lead for legal software company, DISCO, where she works daily to train individuals on legal technology. Before joining DISCO, Ms. Hunter worked as a paralegal/IT services provider/e-discovery Specialist at CGS3, LLP, a boutique real estate firm in San Diego. She is equipped with a powerful combination of IT systems expertise and legal experience and has a unique capability for recognizing and resolving the complex technology issues encountered in a law firm environment. A graduate of the ABA-approved Paralegal Studies program at UC San Diego, Ms. Hunter has worked in the legal field for 34+ years in roles such as legal secretary, paralegal, litigation support, and computer software trainer. Her industry experience and talent has made her a go-to provider of clear, hands-on training for other legal professionals on effectively using legal software.

Luke Rushing is an attorney with Huth Reynolds LLP and is admitted to practice in New York and California. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 2018 where he was a Kent Scholar and took one of the first legal classes to be offered in machine learning techniques. As a practitioner, Mr. Rushing has represented numerous major figures in the entertainment industry in IP work, as well as many major retailers in COVID-related maritime cases. He has written on AI adoption by the legal industry, taught AI usage to legal professionals, interviewed numerous leading figures in the AI tech industry, and has twice been appointed vice chair of the ABA Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

Cari L. Sheehan is an assistant general counsel with Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP. With over 15 years of legal experience in civil litigation, conflicts of interest, and professional responsibility, she serves as the firm’s assistant general counsel with Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP. In this role, she advises firm attorneys with respect to ethics compliance, risk prevention, and conflicts of interest. In addition, she assists in the review and negotiation of outside counsel guidelines, conflict waivers and engagement letters, and other items with ethical implications. She also assists in providing ethical training and education within the firm to its attorneys and staff. Ms. Sheehan is an adjunct professor at the IU Robert H. McKinney School where she teaches Professional Responsibility. She is also a former assistant clinical professor of Business Law and Ethics at the Kelley School of Business. She is passionate about promoting ethical awareness, integrity, and professionalism in the legal and business fields and contributing to the advancement of knowledge and practice in these domains. Ms. Sheehan is a frequent presenter and author on ethics and professionalism in the legal industry. She is a recurring author with the Res Gestae regarding the ethics curbstone and has been quoted in publications for her knowledge on ethical topics. Ms. Sheehan is also an avid speaker, having given over 200 seminars on ethics and professionalism for various local and national platforms. Her primary area of research is regarding the ethics of AI and how it affects the legal and business community.

Mr. Trinkaus is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of low impact development (LID), having presented at many American Society of Civil Engineers/Environmental & Water Resource Institute (ASCE/EWRI) international conferences and many other regional conferences and workshops on LID and water quality issues. He was invited by the Water Resources Agency in Taichung, Taiwan, to present a 12-hour workshop on LID in December of 2011. Mr. Trinkaus has been an invited presenter and consultant multiple times on stormwater and LID in China and South Korea since 2013. He has designed LID retrofits in Zhenjiang, China. Mr. Trinkaus has reviewed and edited LID reports by Pusan National University and Land & Housing Institute in South Korea. Mr. Trinkaus has written LID design manuals for the towns of Tolland, Plainville, Harwinton, Morris, and East Granby, Connecticut. He has designed many types of LID treatment systems for a variety of residential and commercial applications. Mr. Trinkaus is primary author of the EWRI Filter Strip/Bioswales Task Committee. Mr. Trinkaus is a licensed professional engineer in Connecticut and Maryland. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management in 1980 from the University of New Hampshire. Mr. Trinkaus has more than 39 years of experience in the land development field and more than 19 years of experience designing low impact development treatment systems and 10 years writing LID regulations and design manuals.

Mr. Holthaus is an assistant vice president and water resource engineer in Ecosystem Restoration at WSP USA. He is an experienced and licensed civil/environmental engineer and project manager with a demonstrated working history in ecosystem restoration (wetlands and streams). He is skilled in AutoCAD Civil 3D, HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, ArcGIS, Stormwater Modeling Systems (SMS) CMS and RMA2, regulatory permitting, construction estimates, and construction oversight. Over the last 12 years, he has developed a blend of technical and managerial skills pertaining stream and wetland restoration. With his passion for environmental restoration and goals of leaving a better tomorrow for future generations, he continues to lead and supervise teams in technical studies, design and modeling, drafting and plan development, permitting, construction estimating, and construction supervision for full designbuild projects involved in stream and wetland restoration/mitigation projects across the United States. He additionally serves as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter president for the Society of Ecological Restoration, supporting the networking and expansion of the ecological restoration practice and standards of restoration

Mr. Nuño is a senior project manager at the Denver office of Ware Malcomb. A 2008 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a specialty in structural and environmental engineering, he has established himself as a leader in the field of drainage and erosion and sediment control. In his 15-year career, Mr. Nuño has excelled in the design of land development projects including grading, utility design, stormwater management, and erosion control. Through his experiences as a consulting engineer, he has prepared civil construction plans for such clients as Marriott International, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Lennar Homes, Oakwood Homes, and Kiewit Infrastructure West. In the field, Mr. Nuño has provided stormwater inspection services for SDG&E, Caesars Entertainment Group, and public agencies such as the City of Carlsbad, California, and the Town of Elizabeth, Colorado. He has managed civil projects in 17 different states and prides himself on working with developers, architects, and contractors to bridge the gap between regulatory compliance and constructability in the field. Mr. Nuño is a registered professional engineer in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and California; a Certified Floodplain Manager; a certified professional in erosion and sediment control, a Colorado LEED accredited professional, and a qualified SWPPP developer/practitioner. He is an active member in the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Urban Land Institute, and the Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers.

Mr. Wrenn has been in a deep relationship with trees for as long as he can remember. As a young child he could always be found in the woods playing amongst the trees. During high school and college, Mr. Wrenn worked as a landscaper in the suburban environment just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. College took him down a different road where he studied civil engineering and worked on highway projects. His formal work with plants began in earnest after leaving his job in construction management in early 2020. Since that time Mr. Wrenn has been fully committed to working with plants, especially trees. As he explored various plant-based careers, he came across the work of Dr. Elaine Ingham and in 2021 completed the Soil Food Web School foundations courses. With an appreciation and understanding of the soil food web as a foundation, he went on to research permaculture, compost production, regenerative agriculture, plant breeding/seed saving and agroforestry. Over the past four years Mr. Wrenn has filled various roles on small-scale farms, completed compost production trainings, attended various workshops, and co-run several seed swaps. His main work over the past three years has been to establish a tree nursery and food forest on his grandparent’s farm in Cedar Grove, North Carolina, where Mr. Wrenn grows thousands of mostly native, mostly food-producing trees each year. These trees are offered bare root during the dormant season. The nursery also offers various tree seeds and cuttings and a small selection of potted plants. In 2024 Mr. Wrenn worked to establish a second nursery site in Bassett, Virginia, where he now lives. He uses the old nursery and food forest site in North Carolina to explore various low-input techniques for establishing trees and shrubs.

https://linktr.ee/livingsoiltreefarm

Ms. Zeis graduated in December of 2007 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University. She began her career in the swimming pool industry in 2008 while working for a hospitality architecture design firm. Her role was to provide the engineering to help the firm, and its clients, navigate the new federal laws addressing water safety and accessibility. Ms. Zeis provided guidance to several states in their development of legislation to address the Virginia Graeme Baker Act, ADA and ANSI Regulations. After leaving the architecture firm, she continued to provide consulting and design services to her clients and grew her client base to include municipalities, HOAs, resort and community pool associations. As she grew in her experience, her company has grown and provides design for everything from high-end residential projects to large water parks. In April of 2018 Ms. Zeis founded Aquatic Engineering Consultants, LLC (AEC), where she and her staff have adopted the mantra of “Solutions. Integrity. Excellence.” AEC strives to provide the best engineering solutions that meet the client’s vision while providing the best user experience. Licensed in over 21 states and with 16+ years in the industry, Ms. Zeis has experience with all types of site challenges, evolving regulations, advances in equipment and related technologies.

Mr. Stevens received his Master’s degree in Architecture from Texas Tech University and has over 25 years in the building industry. His experience includes architectural design, construction, consulting, as well as training and development roles. As a Building Envelope & Architectural Consultant at Sika he works directly with Architects, Contractors, Consultants and Specifiers to select the optimal insulation and envelope components for their projects while meeting applicable building codes. Mr. Stevens is an active member that serves on the boards of several CSI and BEC chapters in Texas. In addition to serving as chair of BEC Dallas, he also serves on the AIA Dallas COTE (Committee On The Environment). He is also a committee member on several RAiNA committees.

Named by Landscape Ontario as 2020 and 2021’s Garden Communicator of the Year, gardening has been Mr. James’ hobby and profession for over 40 years. A graduate of Niagara Parks School of  Horticulture, a Master Gardener, writer, and teacher, he focuses on eco-gardening techniques, which makes sense since he grew up surrounded by nature. He has spoken from the Maritimes to Seattle and landscaped from Nova Scotia to California. Mr. James has had the honor to be part of creating the Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide, the Grow-Me-Instead guide, the Ontario Horticultural Apprenticeship Curriculum and the national Red Seal Occupational Standard, and the Master Gardeners Reference Manual. He has participated in chairing the Environmental Stewardship Committee for Landscape Ontario, the Environmental Committee for the Perennial Plant Association, moderating the Master Gardeners of Ontario Facebook page, judging the All-American Selections garden competition and Hamilton’s Monarch Awards. Mr. James has been the Ontario spokesperson for Garden Days Canada and he has appeared on many radio shows and on television and has instructed at the college level for 17 years. He owns ‘Sean James Consulting & Design’.

Mr. McConnell’s parking design and consulting experience encompasses nearly 30 years of work with airports, government, military, transit, higher education, resort, healthcare, and corporate clients. He is a member of the National Parking Association’s Parking Consultants Council and a founding member of ASCE’s Structural Engineering Institute. He is well-versed in precast concrete, cast-in-place concrete, and steel construction. Mr. McConnell’s experience includes numerous restorations, parking study, and programming projects. Several of his projects have received LEED certification, and he is an accredited GBCI Parksmart Advisor.

Mr. Barron has worked in the plumbing industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience in operations, training, repairs, and maintenance. He has installed countless water service systems and repairs, water distribution systems and repairs, DWV systems and repairs, gas piping systems and repairs, gas/electric/tankless water heater installations and repairs, and thousands of plumbing maintenance (Tune-ups) reports. Mr. Barron’s professional licenses and certificates include Tennessee Limited License Plumber, Electrical Certificate, Major Appliance Repair Certificate, Universal EPA License, Certified Residential Water Heater Technician, Rinnai Certified Tankless Trainer (Level 3), Certified Cross Connection Tester, GasTite Qualified Installer, and TracPipe Counterstrike Qualified Installer. While he has a love for plumbing, Mr. Barron also enjoys spending time with his family kayaking and hiking the trails in Tennessee. Pickleball has recently become his favorite activity!

Ms. Bowman’s practice focuses on the preparation of construction project documents on behalf of private and public owners. She provides guidance on project delivery systems, including construction manager at risk and design-build, and creates procurement and bidding documents as well as construction project contracts. Ms. Bowman’s experience also includes advising public owners on compliance with Ohio statutory requirements relating to construction bidding and procurement. Project values vary from less than $100,000 to over $1 billion. Her experience includes providing construction legal counsel services to over 40 libraries in Ohio including renovation or addition projects, design/construction of new main library and branch library buildings, as well as projects to update building systems. Ms. Bowman work includes urgent necessity projects, preparing statutory bidding and contract documents per ORC Section 3375.41, as well as requests for qualifications, requests for proposals and agreements with architects, engineers, contractors, construction managers, design-builders, construction managers at risk, vendors, owner’s representatives and consultants. She also has worked on a wide range of healthcare construction projects, from renovations of existing hospital spaces to new construction of stand-alone medical facilities. Ms. Bowman practice includes preparing requests for qualifications, requests for proposals and agreements with architects, engineers, contractors, construction managers, design-builders, construction managers at risk, vendors, owner’s representatives and consultants for private and public hospitals and health systems. She has also presented internal training to clients related to construction procurement laws and best practices. Additionally, Ms. Bowman represents a variety of other public and private entities in Ohio. She has worked on agreements for private developers, building and office renovations for 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) entities; renovation and new build projects for cities, villages, townships, libraries, counties and port authorities; jail construction and renovation projects; water/wastewater construction projects; and event center projects. Ms. Bowman earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Wellesley College and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from The Ohio State University.

Ms. Cohen is an attorney at Tesser & Cohen in Hackensack, New Jersey. Ms. Cohen focuses her practice on construction litigation and condominium association law. She has represented a diverse range of construction clients, including owners, general contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers. Ms. Cohen has been involved in both prosecuting and defending claims on private and public projects in New Jersey and New York, including delay claims, construction lien and mechanic’s lien foreclosure actions, defective work claims, bond claims, prompt payment act claims and trust fund issues. She has also represented condominium associations in the prosecution of construction defect claims, as well as assisted condominium associations with general condominium matters. Ms. Cohen earned her B.A. degree from Rutgers University and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from New York Law School.

Mr. Natale concentrates his practice on commercial litigation, business torts, shareholder and partnership disputes, breach of contract actions, construction disputes, municipal litigation, real estate and land use litigation, employment disputes, and the defense of professional liability actions. His work on behalf of clients encompasses all aspects of pre-trial, trial, chancery and appellate litigation at both the state and federal levels, as well as in private arbitration and administrative law forums. Mr. Natale provides representation to a diverse range of clients, including large and middle market businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate developers, construction contractors, professional services firms and local government entities.

Mr. Nudelman has represented members of the construction industry across a broad spectrum of matters for over 25 years. He works with owners and developers, construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors and design professionals to prepare and negotiate contract documents for construction in the New Jersey and New York metropolitan area. Mr. Nudelman drafts, modifies and negotiates customized contracts, as well as contracts based on standard industry forms from groups such as the American Institute of Architects, Consensus Docs and Design Build Institute of America. His construction contracting work helps his clients manage the risk inherent in construction projects so they may adequately protect their interests now to avoid claims and disputes in the future. When claims and disputes are unavoidable, Mr. Nudelman draws upon his wide-ranging experience in construction litigation, representing clients in state and federal courts throughout the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area, as well as in local and international mediations and arbitrations.

Joseph E. Riley, P.E. is a construction attorney with an engineering background who offers clients legal know-how as well as construction project management experience. He works with public and private owners on large- and small-scale projects, ensuring that they not only meet legal standards but also stay on time and on budget. Because he has worked with and understands the engineering details of construction projects, he is able to help his clients manage important project decisions considering regulatory obligations. Mr. Riley collaborates with his clients to ensure compliance with all applicable statutes and administrative rules, frequently preparing documents needed for construction and bidding. Specifically, he prepares and negotiates general contractor, construction manager at risk and design-build agreements and has managed projects of a variety of sizes and in various industries. Having worked with several engineering firms in the Columbus and Dayton regions, Mr. Riley has experience in all areas of construction project management, including permitting, site due diligence, surveying and zoning, project estimation, site inspection, accessibility and traffic design. Likewise, he has design and planning experience with water utilities, including storm water, water mains and sanitary sewers. He earned his Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Dayton and his J.D. degree from Capital University Law School.

Mr. Smith is co-chair of the Washington, D.C. Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on the representation of owners, design-builders, design professionals, construction managers, and general contractors in all phases of the construction process. Mr. Smith’s pre-construction experience includes drafting and negotiating construction, construction management, and design agreements. Mr. Smith assists clients with pursing their rights through litigation and alternative dispute resolution. His litigation experience includes all manner of construction and design disputes, including impact and delay claims, construction and design defects, differing site conditions, design negligence, terminations for default, change order and extra work disputes, requests for equitable adjustments, payment and performance bond claims, mechanics’ liens, prompt payment and conditional payment disputes, and bid protests. Mr. Smith has substantial experience arbitrating and litigating design and construction claims, with a proven track record of success. He is an advocate for early case assessment and mediation, and he has successfully resolved numerous claims through mediation. Mr. Smith has represented clients in state courts throughout the United States, federal courts, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the American Arbitration Association, and in several non-administered arbitrations.

Dr. Souza is the owner of Clean Waters Consulting and was the founding partner of Princeton Hydro, LLC. From its inception in 1998 through 2018, he served as president of Princeton Hydro, retiring from the company in 2019. Over the past 35 years he has dedicated his career to the management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, in particular lakes, ponds and reservoirs. Dr. Souza received his B.S. degree in 1974 from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, his M.S. degree in 1976 from Rutgers University, and his Ph.D. degree in 1981 from the University of Connecticut. He has served over the past 25 years as an instructor and course coordinator for the Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education, developing and implementing multiple short courses focused on the management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems. Dr. Souza is also an adjunct professor at Temple University (Ambler Campus), teaching a graduate studies course in the Department of Landscape and Horticulture (Tyler School of Art and Agriculture). He also conducts a professional continuing education course focusing on green infrastructure stormwater management for CPES through Montclair State University.