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Prior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.

Mr. Gerken is a partner with Porter Wright. He focuses his commercial litigation practice in product liability, mass tort, catastrophic injury and wrongful death defense, real estate disputes and ERISA matters. He regularly advises businesses facing high-value claims that their products are defective and cause injury or death. Mr. Gerken’s broad real estate litigation practice extends from lease disputes to eminent domain, in which he has garnered substantial experience representing public utilities in hundreds of appropriation proceedings throughout Ohio. Mr. Gerken also represents employee-benefit plans, sponsors and administrators in ERISA litigation, including long-term disability and severance cases. He earned his B.A. degree from Princeton University, and his J.D. degree, summa cum laude, from Capital University Law School.

Mr. Young is a shareholder with Roetzel. His litigation practice is based in Roetzel’s Columbus office and serves a state- and nationwide clientele. Mr. Young’s practice focuses primarily on infrastructure and real estate-related issues and disputes, particularly eminent domain and easements. Two things set him apart from his peers in the infrastructure space. First, he focuses almost exclusively on representing businesses and commercial properties. This gives him a superior understanding of the unique concerns and challenges businesses face in this specialized area of the law. And second, he has long experience representing both property owners and condemning authorities. This gives him unparalleled insight into the many different issues that can arise and how both sides approach those issues. Mr. Young works hard to obtain just compensation for his clients. Throughout the eminent domain process, he educates and counsels his clients, presenting them with all available options and ensuring that they are equipped to make the right decisions for their businesses. He has represented some of the nation’s largest retail pharmacies, auto parts stores, grocery stores, discount retailers, gas stations, and pipeline companies, yet also enjoys helping smaller, local businesses. In addition to his eminent domain practice, he has considerable experience in zoning and land use, property tax appeals, and commercial foreclosures. Mr. Young also advises and represents clients with their business, contract, commercial, corporate, shareholder, securities, and trust/fiduciary issues and disputes. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from The Ohio State University, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law.

Mr. Zimmerman is chair of the Government Relations Practice Group and partner in the Litigation Practice Group with Benesch. As a civil trial and appellate lawyer with over 30 years’ experience, he has litigated cases involving employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, unfair competition, defamation, breach of contract, real estate, landlord-tenant, zoning, land use, eminent domain, constitutional rights, election law, campaign finance, trusts, administrative, business and commercial law. Mr. Zimmerman practices in state of Ohio courts and in federal courts in Ohio and around the country. He is a frequent lecturer on various legal topics and his opinions are often solicited by the print and broadcast media. Mr. Zimmerman earned his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from The Ohio State University, and his J.D. degree from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law.

Prior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.

Mr. Shattuck is a practicing attorney and neutral (Cooper Shattuck,
LLC); primary instructor with Alabama Mediation Training; engaged principal of Cartography Consulting, LLC (which provides full-service marketing and business consulting services); frequent facilitator for strategic planning sessions and strengths-based personal assessments, team building and leadership training; and a regular speaker on mediation, negotiations, ethics, marketing, and other continuing legal education topics. In each of these roles, Mr. Shattuck calls on his unique practice experiences which range from firm private practice, to Governor’s legal advisor, to general counsel of the University of Alabama System, and longtime adjunct professor of law at the University of Alabama School of Law. Mr. Shattuck earned his B.S. degree in Economics from Georgia Tech in 1987 and his J.D. degree from The University of Alabama School of Law in 1990.

Ms. Wright Pritchett is an experienced environmental, natural resources, and oil and gas attorney, focusing on the intersection of government and business. With a deep background in environmental and natural resources law, Ms. Wright Pritchett’s practice includes environmental permitting and compliance, enforcement defense, brownfield redevelopment, hazardous waste, CERCLA contribution and cost recovery, water quality, water rights, oil and gas exploration and production, mining, timber, legislative drafting, and lobbying. She is a member of the Alabama State Bar and the past chair of its Environmental and Natural Resources Section, actively involved in the Alabama Center for Real Estate’s Leadership Council. Ms. Wright Pritchett is the former president of Birmingham Commercial Real Estate Women (BirminghamCREW). She is a former regulator, having served for eight years on the Alabama Oil & Gas Board where she oversaw the exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the state. She is Alabama’s appointee to the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission’s Environmental Committee. Ms. Wright Pritchett has held numerous leadership roles in the American Bar Association since joining in 1994, including serving on the Section of Environment, Energy and Resources’ governing Council. She serves as the National Wildlife Federation’s Eastern Vice-Chair of its Board of Directors and is past president of the Alabama Wildlife Federation. Ms. Wright Pritchett earned her B.S. degree in Journalism and Public Relations from the University of Southern Mississippi, and her J.D. degree from the University of Oregon School of Law, where she also received a Certificate of Completion in Environmental and Natural Resources Law.

Ms. Lathrop is licensed as a professional land surveyor in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and as a professional planner in New Jersey. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and has been involved in surveying since 1974 in projects ranging from construction to boundary to environmental land use disputes. Ms. Lathrop is also a certified floodplain manager through the Association of State Flood Plain Managers (ASFPM) and a Certified Floodplain Surveyor through the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. A former adjunct instructor at Mercer County College in New Jersey, she has also taught as part of the team for the licensing exam review course at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Lathrop has been teaching seminars for surveyors since 1986 and has been writing articles for surveyors since 1983. She is a contributing editor for The American Surveyor magazine, and she has four articles included in the American Bar Association’s text, Land Surveys: A Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals. She and Stephen V. Estopinal, PLS, PE co–authored a book titled Professional Surveyors and Real Property Descriptions: Composition, Construction, and Comprehension, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2011. She is also on the faculty of GeoLearn, a web-based educational provider. Ms. Lathrop is a past president of the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors and of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and she has served on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Geodetic Surveying.

Ms. Lathrop is licensed as a professional land surveyor in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and as a professional planner in New Jersey. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and has been involved in surveying since 1974 in projects ranging from construction to boundary to environmental land use disputes. Ms. Lathrop is also a certified floodplain manager through the Association of State Flood Plain Managers (ASFPM) and a Certified Floodplain Surveyor through the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. A former adjunct instructor at Mercer County College in New Jersey, she has also taught as part of the team for the licensing exam review course at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Lathrop has been teaching seminars for surveyors since 1986 and has been writing articles for surveyors since 1983. She is a contributing editor for The American Surveyor magazine, and she has four articles included in the American Bar Association’s text, Land Surveys: A Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals. She and Stephen V. Estopinal, PLS, PE co–authored a book titled Professional Surveyors and Real Property Descriptions: Composition, Construction, and Comprehension, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2011. She is also on the faculty of GeoLearn, a web-based educational provider. Ms. Lathrop is a past president of the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors and of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and she has served on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Geodetic Surveying.

Mr. Brook is a professional land surveyor with experience surveying from the Bay Area to Tahoe, focusing on boundary surveying. Outside of contracted work, Mr. Brook provides a free daily test prep question to help prepare aspiring surveyors for licensure tests, and to keep licensed surveyors sharp. He is passionate about informing and educating the public on the intricacies and issues associated with boundary disputes whenever the opportunity arises. Outside of the surveying realm, you can find Mr. Brook enjoying outdoor activities such as rafting and skiing.

Ms. Lichman, Ph.D., has an extensive and successful record representing airports, municipalities, developers, and other public and private clients in litigation and administrative proceedings under Federal Aviation statutes such as the Airline Deregulation Act and Airport Noise and Capacity Act; the California Public Utilities Code governing land use in airport environs (Aeronautics Act); and federal and state environmental statutes including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Clean Air Act, the Federal Clean Water Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, and the California Coastal Act. She has also successfully represented clients in litigation involving land use issues such as inverse condemnation, development agreements and specific plan amendments. Dr. Lichman holds a doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning.

Mr. McKinley has been the managing partner at Freeland McKinley & McKinley since 2011, His trial court and appellate experience spans 40 years in easement law, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, real property, construction defect, real estate broker liability, land use, agreed boundaries, and adverse possession. Mr. McKinley is admitted to practice before all courts in the State of California and is a member of the California State Bar Association.  

Mr. Wance is a shareholder and former chair of Buchalter’s Land Use Practice Group. He has built a cross-disciplinary practice involving land use and entitlements, water resources, environmental compliance, natural resources, and public law through the representation of both public agencies and private businesses throughout California. Mr. Wance has handled all aspects of these substantive areas, from advising clients regarding the applicability of the law, to guiding clients through a permitting or entitlement process, or defending clients subject to enforcement actions. He successfully represented businesses and public agencies in sophisticated financial, real estate, water resource, environmental compliance, and land development matters in court and before administrative agencies. Mr. Wance’s land use and entitlement background includes representation of residential developers, public entities, major industrial facilities, and other commercial businesses in all phases of project development before local and state agencies, city councils, and county board of supervisors. He has assisted clients in obtaining development and environmental permits and project approvals for power plants, schools, mixed-use, and industrial development projects.

Mr. Lewandowski is senior counsel with Husch Blackwell. He guides clients on compliance issues regarding surface and groundwater and remediation of contaminated properties. With experience in aligning the clean water laws of Wisconsin with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines, Mr. Lewandowski understands the subtleties of state regulations covering surface and groundwater. He has the unique ability to handle client matters in courts, administrative agencies and legislatures. Though he generally collaborates with private sector clients, he also successfully defended a rural county in Wisconsin in a Superfund contribution action. Mr. Lewandowski defends businesses in state and federal enforcement actions, including citizens’ suits and federal criminal enforcements. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Ripon College and his J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Ms. Murn is an attorney with Axley Attorneys and a member of the Business Practice Group at Axley. Ms. Murn focuses her practice primarily on commercial real estate, business, and estate and succession planning, as well as catering to the unique legal needs of family-owned businesses. Attorney Murn’s other areas of practice, including commercial real estate, land use, construction law, riparian rights, and general business practice, allow her to serve clients with a full 360-degree approach to asset protection, business strategy and conveyance of real estate. She represents business owners of all kinds both in their everyday dealings as well as when they are buying or selling commercial real estate or developing land. Ms. Murn also represents a number of commercial construction companies with a nationwide presence. Her experience working with local municipalities gives her a leg-up on representing business owners or those looking to purchase and develop real estate. Ms. Murn earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Marquette University and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Marquette University Law School.

Mr. Sorenson is a shareholder with von Briesen & Roper, S.C. and has more than 35 years of experience helping clients with a wide range of legal issues. He provides counsel on corporate law, business succession planning and estate planning. Mr. Sorenson also represents municipalities, and with regard to real estate he counsels on land use, zoning, smart growth, water front litigation and nonmetallic mining. He is a Fond du Lac County Court Commissioner and serves as a mediator and arbitrator in real estate and labor disputes. Widely known and respected by his peers, he has served in many capacities with the State Bar of Wisconsin, including terms as president (1997-1998) and Secretary (1994-1996), as well as chairing several of their Standing Committees, including the Finance, Solo and Small Firm, Communications, Convention and Entertainment Committees. He was also president of the National Conference of Bar Presidents (2007-2008) and a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Mr. Sorenson is a member of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation Board and the Green Lake County/Ripon Area Foundation Board. He is the past President of the Ripon Main Street Development Board of Directors and an adjunct professor of Business and Politics and Government at Ripon College. Mr. Sorenson is a member of the Board of Directors for the Green Lake Festival of Music and Badger Boys State. Mr. Sorenson is a frequent lecturer on legal ethics, real estate law and waterfront rights. He served as chairman of the Board of Directors for Community Health Network (CHN) and remains active in health care organizations.

Dr. Kerski is a geographer and educator focused on GIS-based curriculum development, research in the effectiveness of GIS in education; professional development for educators; communication about the need for geographic skills, tools, and perspectives through keynote addresses, articles, social media, and workshops; and fostering partnerships to support GIS in education. He has given two TED talks and has created over 5,000 geo-related videos. Dr. Kerski also teaches online and face-to-face courses at primary and secondary schools, through MOOCs, and universities such as Sinte Gleska University, Penn State, and the University of Denver. He is active in educational nonprofit organizations, including NAAEE, AAG, and NCSS, and he served as president of the National Council for Geographic Education. After serving as geographer at NOAA, US Census Bureau, and USGS, since 2006 Dr Kerski has served as education manager for Esri, providing thought leadership in geospatial technologies in formal and informal education at all levels, internationally. He has written books such as Interpreting Our World, Spatial Mathematics, International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning with GIS in Secondary Schools, The Essentials of the Environment, Tribal GIS, and The GIS Guide to Public Domain Data. As a lifelong learner, Dr Kerski feels as though he’s just getting started and thus actively seeks mentors, partners, and collaborators.

Wayne Bailey, has been volunteering and working in public safety since 1975. In 1995 he started employment with the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM). During his time at OSFM, he served as a certification specialist and deputy director over training, certification, accreditation, and ISO Inspections for the state. In 2016, he started flying uncrewed aircraft. In 2018 he was credentialed as an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot in Charge. Also, Mr. Bailey is internationally accredited by IFSAC and ProBoard as an NFPA 1041 Level III instructor, accredited chief training officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence, and executive fire officer graduate from the National Fire Academy. After retiring from OSFM in 2019, he went to work for Blue Ridge Mountain Drones as their chief pilot. Mr. Bailey stays busy teaching the FAA part 107 rules to primarily public safety and high school educators. He volunteers his time as an FAA Safety Team Member (FAAST) and is a designed Drone Pro by the FAA. Since 2019, Mr. Bailey has taught over 100 FAA Part 107 classes to over 1,500 students.

Mr. Helfrich has been principal land surveyor with Craig R. Knoche & Associates, P.C. and its successor Koru Group PLLC in the Chicago area for the last 30 years. Mr. Helfrich first picked up a plumb bob in 1971 for Webster & Associates. From tape-and-transit to GPS, mortgage surveys to shopping centers, he has his seal on billions of dollars of commercial, residential and institutional developments and transactions in 23 counties in Illinois together with consulting and managing projects in 15 other states. Mr. Helfrich has enjoyed working with countless prominent developers, attorneys and other professionals in the field and the office. His specialties include real estate law, boundaries and boundary law, easements, rights-of-way and other encumbrances and servitudes, statutory and common-law plats, ALTA surveys, topography, building and site layout, construction- and project-management as well as land development consulting. He has presented classes and co-written manuals with the Illinois Institute For Continuing Legal Education along with classes at the University of Illinois and HalfMoon Education. Mr. Helfrich is a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association.

Mr. Nechamen was the Floodplain Coordinator for the State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation for 21 years. During that period, he helped to promote higher floodplain standards in New York, including enacting a two foot “freeboard” requirement in New York’s building code, saving property owners millions of dollars in flood losses and flood insurance premiums.
One of the founders of the New York State Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association (NYSFSMA), a professional association with over 600 active members, He was their first Chair and currently serves the Association as its treasurer.
Mr. Nechamen has been a Board member of the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) at various times for 13 years. ASFPM represents over 15,000 professionals across the United States and internationally and is a key national voice in policies designed to reduce flood risk while preserving the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains. He served as chair (2013-2015), vice-chair (2011-2013) and treasurer (2008-2010) and is currently co-chair of the Floodplain Regulations Committee. Mr. Nechamen has received the ASFPM Meritorious Lifetime Achievement in Floodplain Management Award.
In his capacity as Floodplain Coordinator, he has led workshops and training sessions on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), floodplain management and regulations, understanding and interpreting flood maps, flood insurance and the Community Rating System.

Dr. Robert Ahl works as a Geospatial Systems Specialist in the USDA Forest Service|Lands, Minerals, and Geology|Automated Lands Program. He has an extensive natural resource background, with application of geographic information systems and remote sensing to assess and model vegetation characteristics, water yield, and wildlife habitat. In recent years he has also obtained remote pilot certification and manages a remote sensing services agreement with the University of Montana. In the Automated Lands Program, he helps manage a team of contractors that focus on Land Status Record System data development and maintenance, with emphasis on creating spatial representations of right-of-way, land adjustment case boundaries, and other administratively or congressionally
designated changes to land status. He is also a manager of the Program’s National Geospatial Data Asset – the Proclaimed Forest boundary dataset and provides program support for the Title Claims and Encroachment Management System (TCEMS). In collaboration with his team members, he also helps develop mapping templates for the Legislative Map Tool, and Special Uses Map Tool.

Mr. Barowsky works for the Bureau of Land Management and manages their national land surveying services for Federally recognized tribes and is a licensed land surveyor in Alaska, Arizona, Tennessee, and Texas. He has worked as a land surveyor, planner, real estate specialist, and investigator.

Mr. Matthews is the USFS Regional Land Surveyor for Region 6 and has been responsible for program development and oversight for the Boundary and Title Management Program in the Pacific Northwest for the last year and a half. Most of his earlier career was spent working in the private and public sector.

Mr. McDonald currently works as the Public Land Survey System Dataset Manger for the Bureau of Land Management headquarters’ office, and he is a licensed land surveyor in Arizona. He has worked as a cadastral surveyor, for BLM for over 14 years plus nine years a private surveyor for utilities companies, and the private sector.

Ms. Olson has been a land surveyor in the private sector, the gold mines and with the government for 10 years total; with the USFS for 5 years. She has also worked as an adjunct professor and faculty advisor for land survey student competitions at Great Basin College in Elko, Nevada since 2015.

Mr. Price is the Chief Land Surveyor at USDA Forest Service Headquarters in Washington D.C. He obtained his MBA degree from Alaska Pacific University, BS degree in Technology Management from Utah Valley University and AAS in Land Surveying from Salt Lake Community College.

Mr. Ryan started his BLM Career in 2009 as a realty and cadastral aide in Sacramento, California. He then worked in various field offices, holding positions in the Realty, Minerals, NEPA and Project Management programs. He currently oversees the Land Tenure program for the Northern California Districts where there are over 20 active land acquisition cases.

Dr. Prasad is a licensed professional engineer, land surveyor, and professional planner with more than three decades of professional experience in civil engineering, surveying, and management field since his graduation. He has recently earned Ph.D. degree from New York University in Civil Engineering. Dr. Prasad has double M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering and Engineering Management from New Jersey institute of technology and an B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. He has more than 2000 hours of continuous professional education as instructor/participating professional (1990-2022) excluding formal education. Dr. Prasad is a New Jersey state certified emergency medical technician (EMT), emergency medical responder (EMR), fire fighter (FF). He is a fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers and also an active member of several professional organizations such as: AREMA, PMI, AISC, NYSAPLS etc. His technical papers were accepted in multiple ASCE journals and various other organizations like ASCE, AREMA & NYSAPLS conference proceedings for presentation and or publication multiple times.

Mr. Clase holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati’s School of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning and a master’s degree in Public Administration from The Ohio State University’s School of Public Policy and Management. With expansive professional experience, he has previously employed as a public employee in city, village, township and county governments throughout Delaware and Union counties. As an experienced public official, Mr. Clase established the business in 2013 with the primary mission of helping clients to develop a local quality of life through smart growth and sustainable planning. Today, he has brought together a team of professionals who provide start to finish assistance on client projects. Mr. Clase is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He has also served as a member of regional planning commissions, public works committees, public safety committees, appeals board, zoning commission, health board, transit board, along with various other boards and committees. Since, 2013, Plan 4 Land has been focused on providing high-quality, professional land use planning and public policy assistance to local governments, small businesses and land owners. The company uses the expertise of those trained as, or who have served as, local government officials and small business owners, executives and managers to help provide assistance in the fields of conservation, development, policy and zoning. Plan 4 Land strives to blend conservation and development to better the quality of life for its clients. With a focus on conservation development, the firm strives to educate clients on the success of Randall Arendt’s vision for a farm village that provides smart growth opportunities as published in Rural by Design. 

Mr. Newell is the owner of Blue Church Surveys in central Ohio. Some of his projects include boundary, topographic, construction, and ALTA surveys. Mr. Newell has also served as project manager and survey manager for a regional survey and design firm in Columbus, Ohio. He has previously had experience as an instructor for Sinclair Community College. Mr. Newell received his received his undergraduate studies from Ohio State University. Mr. Newell is responsible for project management of Surveying and GPS projects. This work includes coordination with clients to manage client needs and expectations, and the daily coordination and supervision of full-time survey crews and office technical staff. These responsibilities include work assignments, schedule compliance, cost compliance, and quality assurance. Mr. Newell has been a licensed professional surveyor for 34 years, with more than 45 years of surveying experience and specializes in surveys that involve large engineering design applications. He routinely supervises American Land Title Surveys (ALTA), right-of-way, property description and resolution, construction staking, topographic, photo control, utility, geodetic control, and global positioning system (GPS) control. Mr. Newell has completed certification of OSHA-Approved Competent Person in Construction and 40-Hour Health and Safety to allow him to work on OSHA-classified hazardous sites.

Mr. Pempus has been a risk manager for more than 18 years, with experience in architecture, engineering, land use, law and professional liability insurance, and a unique and well-rounded background in the construction industry. Prior to risk management, he has 25 years of experience in the practice of architecture and engineering, and as an adjunct professor teaching professional practice courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the last 37 years. As a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and AIA National Ethics Council 2021 chair, he has demonstrated his impact on architectural profession. He is a licensed architect, attorney and property and casualty insurance agent.

Mr. Knaak has been practicing law for nearly 45 years in Minnesota and 30 in Wisconsin and Colorado. He is the head of Municipal and Real Estate Development Law with Northstar Law Group. Mr. Knaak has tried cases and argued appeals throughout the country in both State and Federal Courts. For nearly that whole period he has been a city attorney. Past clients include the Minnesota cities of Fridley, Maplewood, Lake Elmo, Newport and Afton. He is currently city attorney for Ramsey and Taylors Falls, Minnesota, and continues to represent private clients on a variety of matters. Mr. Knaak also has considerable experience in litigation involving title insurance claims and title insurance. He served ten years in the Minnesota Senate, representing a district in the northeastern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Mr. Knaak was Special Counsel to the Minnesota Secretary of State in redistricting litigation and was lead counsel on the Senator Norm Coleman election recount. He is a frequent commentator on Twin City news programs on political matters and is a frequent guest political panelist of the Twin Cities Public Television Almanac program. Mr. Knaak also regularly teaches in national seminars on municipal law and has published a number of essays and articles on various topics. His article “Using Development Agreements to Further Environmental Ends: A Case Study” will be published this summer in the ABA’s Probate and Real Property Section magazine. Mr. Knaak earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from John’s University, and his J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Ms. Land is a shareholder with LeVander, Gillen & Miller P.A. She concentrates her practice on municipal and governmental law, real estate and land use, and development. Ms. Land serves as city attorney for the cities of Cottage Grove, Stillwater, Hastings and Randolph. She is also general counsel to the South Metro Fire Department, a full-time joint fire department serving the cities of West St. Paul and South St. Paul. As a city attorney, Ms. Land has experience in several areas of municipal law including open meeting law, data practices, ordinances, employment, problem properties, land use, zoning/planning, economic development, residential development, public improvement projects, and all the issues that cities face on a daily basis. Ms. Land attended law school at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she received her juris doctorate degree with honors. Before this, she received a bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ms. Land has been admitted to the bar in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and U.S. District Court District of Minnesota. She is a regular speaker at the Minnesota Association of City Attorneys’ annual conferences as well as at several other government organizations, speaking around the state on the topics surrounding general planning and zoning. Ms. Land volunteers her time atz Trinity Lutheran Church on various committees and is actively involved in We Do Feet, a program that collects and donates furniture and household items to those in need.

Mr. Lindgren is a licensed land surveyor in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and he has more than 20 years of professional experience in surveying and right of way. He has planned, directed and executed large- and small-scale surveys including freight and light rail projects, DOT corridors, and residential/commercial sites ranging in size from less than an acre to 300 acres. He has worked for small and medium-sized firms and served clients in the public and private sectors. He started his own firm in 2019 and performs surveys primarily in Minnesota.

Ms. Villari is a licensed land surveyor with Cornerstone Land Surveying in Stillwater, Minnesota. She has over 30 years of experience in a variety of survey practices and has served as president of the Minnesota Society of Professional Land Surveyors and local land surveying societies.

Mr. Vogel is a land surveyor with LHB, Inc.; past chair of the Minnesota Board of Architects, Engineers, Land Surveyors, Landscape Architects and Geoscientists (AELSLAGID); past president of the Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors (MSPS) and president of his local Arrowhead Chapter of MSPS. He earned his bachelor of science degree in Chemistry at the University of Minnesota in 1991 with additional education in land surveying from Metropolitan State College of Denver, Colorado. He has taught survey coursework at both Lake Superior College as well as the University of Minnesota and enjoys helping better the understandings of the role of land surveyors in today’s society.

Mrs. Bannan, her responsibilities encompass evaluating federal grants and historical property titles while optimizing the company’s utilization and return on real property assets. Prior to her tenure at Union Pacific, she practiced as an oil and gas title attorney, specializing in federal title and compliance matters. She continues to offer her expertise to clients and collaborates with various law firms on special projects. Mrs. Bannan holds the distinguished role of incoming president for the Energy & Natural Resource Council of the Wyoming Bar Association, reflecting her deep commitment to education, community service, and volunteering. Mrs. Bannan holds an MBA degree from Regis University and a JD degree from the University of Wyoming. She is a registered professional landman and maintains an active membership in both the AAPL (American Association of Professional Landmen) and the WAPL (Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen), where she contributes to the scholarship committee. Mrs. Bannan’s dedication to education extends to her prior role as an adjunct professor at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources. During this time, she developed and instructed two new undergraduate core courses: “Introduction to Land Management” and “Senior Registered Landman Capstone” as part of the AAPL-certified Professional Land Management/Energy Management program.

Bettencourt, director at Fairfield & Woods, P.C., is an environmental, public land use, and natural resources attorney with over a decade of experience working on federal and state land issues in various states including in Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, Arizona, and Utah. She works with local governments, grazing associations, ranchers, and natural resource producers early on in the federal land use planning, permit, or project approval process to ensure clients’ interests are protected, they are building an appropriate administrative record for appeal, and that they are working cooperatively with the federal and state agencies involved in the decision-making process. She works closely with her clients to find legal, political, and practical solutions. This also includes advising clients and helping them obtain the necessary permits to graze livestock on federal land, to gain access to and across federal land, and for other special uses on federal land. When necessary, Ms. Bettencourt handles the related environmental and land use litigation involving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the Wilderness Act, and the Mineral Leasing Act. She also has experience with Quiet Title Act litigation against the United States over title disputes to County roads, R.S. 2477 rights-of-way, and mineral and royalty interest on and across federal land.

Mr. Smith has more than three decades of experience as an attorney, in which he has successfully handled a number of complex water disputes, land use disputes, takings claims, and other issues. He has argued over 30 appeals to the Utah Supreme Court. Mr. Smith has represented public and private parties in takings claims arising from land use decisions, represented numerous water users in successful settlement of instream flow claims on the San Rafael River, and won appeals for municipalities and water entities before the Utah and New Mexico Supreme Courts. His most notable projects include securing the water rights for Duchesne City through an act of Congress, successfully entitling and securing water rights for a multimillion-dollar resort in Kane County, and creating the first municipal natural gas utility in Utah. He is licensed to practice in Utah, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. Mr. Smith earned his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Bringham Young University, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Bringham Young University.

Mr. Stump provides water rights and water resources planning and engineering expertise to public, mining, energy, and agricultural clients throughout Wyoming. Mr. Stump has led many successful teams completing diverse water infrastructure projects, meeting client needs while addressing regulatory requirements. Prior to joining HDR he served as North Platte coordinator for the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office and served with the Water Quality Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.

Prior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.

Ms. Lathrop is licensed as a professional land surveyor in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and as a professional planner in New Jersey. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and has been involved in surveying since 1974 in projects ranging from construction to boundary to environmental land use disputes. Ms. Lathrop is also a certified floodplain manager through the Association of State Flood Plain Managers (ASFPM) and a Certified Floodplain Surveyor through the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. A former adjunct instructor at Mercer County College in New Jersey, she has also taught as part of the team for the licensing exam review course at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Lathrop has been teaching seminars for surveyors since 1986 and has been writing articles for surveyors since 1983. She is a contributing editor for The American Surveyor magazine, and she has four articles included in the American Bar Association’s text, Land Surveys: A Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals. She and Stephen V. Estopinal, PLS, PE co–authored a book titled Professional Surveyors and Real Property Descriptions: Composition, Construction, and Comprehension, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2011. She is also on the faculty of GeoLearn, a web-based educational provider. Ms. Lathrop is a past president of the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors and of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and she has served on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Geodetic Surveying.

Dr. Meyer is a professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and he is a fellow and past president (2016, 2019) of the American Association for Geodetic Surveying. Dr. Meyer is a past president (2006-2007) of the Geomatics Society of New England (previously known as the New England Section ACSM) and a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Surveying Engineering and Surveying and Land Information Science. Dr. Meyer earned his Ph.D. degree from Texas A&M University (College Station, 1998) where he was a research associate in the Mapping Sciences Laboratory. He was named a UConn Teaching Fellow (2015), and he has taught geomatics courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels in geodesy, geographic information science, digital terrain modeling, spatial statistics, and global navigation satellite system surveying. Dr. Meyer has authored an undergraduate-level geodesy textbook and numerous peer-reviewed papers about surveying and mapping, and he teaches professional education seminars for surveyors throughout New England and the United States.

Mr. Forester, CPA, Attorney, practices in Beverly Hills, California in the areas Tax and Trust law, Personal Injury, Criminal Law. He also testified as an expert witness in various state and federal courts in California.  Mr. Forester is a Certified Public Accountant, Attorney, and Economist. As a CPA , he provides accounting, financial, and business valuation services. He received his M.A. in Economics and Finance, his Ph.D. Candidacy degree in Economics from UCLA, and his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.  Mr. Forester is an adjunct professor at California State University (CSU) and has teaching credentials in Accounting and Economics. He has taught tax, accounting, business law, statistics, and computer courses to graduate and undergraduate students. Mr. Forester is a Judicial Arbitrator of the Superior Court of the State of California for Los Angeles County as well as a mandatory fee arbitration for the State Bar of California. 

Mr. Givens is an associate at Best Best & Krieger LLP who focuses on telecommunications, land use and real estate. He regularly assists clients in California and across the country with a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters involving broadband and fiber networks, cable and telecom franchising, leases and licenses, wireless communications, and public-private partnerships. Mr. Givens primarily represents public agencies, cooperatives, nonprofits, and small competitive providers on a wide range of issues related to telecommunications infrastructure. While earning his law degree at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Mr. Givens served as chief research editor for the Entertainment Law Review.

Ms. Karish is a partner at Best Best & Krieger LLP in Los Angeles who focuses on telecommunications, assisting clients in California and across the U.S. with a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters involving broadband and fiber networks, cable and telecom franchising, wireless communications and public-private partnerships. Ms. Karish’s clients are mainly public agencies, such as local governments, water districts and municipal utilities. Public agencies can serve a variety of roles in relation to telecommunications infrastructure – regulator, owner, service provider, customer, partner – and Ms. Karish’s clients come to her for advice and guidance on issues that arise in all these contexts. She also represents some cooperatives, nonprofits and small competitive providers. Ms. Karish’s telecommunications practice regularly involves regulatory advice and advocacy, negotiations and drafting agreements and litigation. Ms. Karish is licensed to practice law in California and the District of Columbia and is admitted to practice in the US District Courts of Northern California, Central California and Southern California; the US Court of Appeals in the Sixth Circuit, Ninth Circuit, Tenth Circuit and DC Circuit; and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ms. Madikians is an associate at Nossman LLP in Los Angeles where she represents public and private sector clients through all stages of civil litigation primarily focusing on eminent domain and land use matters. She has advised numerous public agencies on complex property acquisitions for large public works projects shaping California’s infrastructure, including rail projects, roads, highways, stadiums, public utilities, and flood basins. Ms. Madikians’ experience includes working with expert witnesses; drafting pleadings, dispositive motions and written discovery; negotiating and litigating discovery disputes; managing large-scale electronic document reviews and productions; second chairing a trial; and preparing cases for trial. While in law school, Ms. Madikians served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Otis D. Wright II of the U.S. District Court, Central District of California.