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Mr. Halsted is responsible for increasing the paving market share for ready mixed concrete products through promotion, design, technical services, and construction activities at the local, regional, and state level. He has over 25 years of experience in the use of cement and concrete in the pavements and geotechnical industry. Mr. Halsted has knowledge of planning, design, materials testing, construction, and sustainability; has participated in numerous training and construction workshops involving state and provincial transportation agencies, public works departments, universities, material suppliers, and consulting firms; and has authored several publications related to cement and concrete construction. He currently serves as a voting member of several Transportation Research Board (TRB), American Concrete Institute (ACI), and ASTM International (ASTM) standing technical committees. Mr. Halsted holds a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University and is a licensed engineer in the state of Georgia. Prior to joining NRMCA, he held civil and geotechnical engineering positions with the Portland Cement Association, the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, and the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Mr. Kelly joined Jackson & Campbell, P.C. from the Department of Justice in 1988. He became a Director in 1992 and a Shareholder in 1993, and is a member of the Firm’s General Litigation and Trial Practice Group. He has been appointed a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, is rated AV-Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell, and has received the coveted Super Lawyer designation for Washington, D.C. in the fields of professional liability, general litigation, and insurance coverage annually beginning in 2012. He is included on the Roster of Neutrals of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) for construction disputes, and serves as an arbitrator and mediator in disputes brought to the AAA for resolution.

He serves as a volunteer arbitrator with the D.C. Bar’s Attorney/Client Arbitration Board, is a Steering Committee member of the Litigation Community of the District of Columbia Bar, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Construction Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association. In 2015 he was elected a Fellow of the American College of Coverage and Extra-Contractual Counsel. Mr. Kelly’s practice has concentrated on the counseling and defense of clients in litigation arising out of construction defect and delay claims, professional liability claims (particularly those brought against architects, engineers and social services providers), environmental and toxic tort disputes (including asbestos, gasoline spills, and interior mold claims), pharmaceutical product liability claims and serious bodily injury and wrongful death claims. He also assists insurance companies in resolving coverage questions arising under general liability and professional liability policies in those and other areas of the law, and represents insurers in coverage litigation.

Like any litigator, he has had occasion to take on cases in other areas as far afield as those involving employment discrimination, public charity tax issues, and tort suits against adoption agencies. A member of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Florida bars, Mr. Kelly’s practice is centered in the regional D.C., Maryland, and Virginia state and federal courts, but he has been admitted pro hac vice to the courts of virtually all other east coast states, and in a good number of western states including Arizona, Montana, Texas, and Wyoming. In addition to his trial work, Bob has represented clients in appeals in several states, including briefing appeals to the Supreme Courts of Delaware, South Carolina, and Texas, and briefing and arguing appeals to the Supreme Courts of Virginia and West Virginia, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, and the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuits. Before coming to Jackson & Campbell, Mr. Kelly was a Senior Trial Attorney with DOJ’s Civil Division (Torts Branch) defending environmental and toxic tort (asbestos) claims brought against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

He also maintained a significant admiralty and maritime tort caseload. In 1987, he joined the Adjunct Faculty of the Washington College of Law at The American University, where he taught legal writing for seven years. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in civil engineering from Princeton University in 1974 and a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1977. Mr. Kelly speaks and publishes frequently on litigation and insurance coverage topics, and currently is most active in the Construction Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association, and the Litigation Section of the District of Columbia Bar. He is a past Vice Chair of the Insurance Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS).

He authors and provides annual updates to the chapters on District of Columbia law in two highly regarded treatises, the “Tort Law Desk Reference” and the “Product Liability Desk Reference.” He wrote the chapter on Post-Evidentiary Actions and Relief from Judgments and Orders for inclusion in the D.C. Bar Association’s most recent (2014) update to its “Civil Trial Practice Manual,” as well as the post-trial (appellate) chapter in the recent reissuance of “Appleman’s on Insurance,” a nationally recognized treatise on insurance coverage law. He also has been principally responsible for updating the DC Bar’s Litigation Section’s chapter on Superior Court Civil Practice in “The District of Columbia Practice Manual.”

Mr. Prevas is a leader in environmental and energy law. Mr. Prevas’ environmental litigation practice includes mass-product environmental litigation, including MTBE, PFAS and climate change, as well as enforcement and private actions relating to pollution and contamination. Recently, he has advised clients on environmental litigation and regulatory compliance relating to the following subjects: solid waste, hazardous waste, petroleum, biosolids, wastewater, land contamination, air permits and climate change. Mr. Prevas has significant experience navigating solid and water waste controversies for solid waste and recycling companies, utilities, cities and contractors, and gasoline contamination controversies emanating from stations and underground storage tanks. In addition to experience with superfund litigation, Mr. Prevas has extensive experience on brownfields redevelopment and cleanup under CERCLA, RCRA and state voluntary cleanup and brownfields programs.

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.

Mr. Smith practices in O’Hagan Meyer’s Maryland office. A civil litigator for over 30 years, the bulk of his time has been devoted to the defense of design professionals. He holds an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale Hubbell. In addition to providing malpractice litigation defense, he prepares and negotiates contracts and provides risk mitigation advice for his clients. Mr. Smith has litigated, tried cases, and handled appellate matters in each of the jurisdictions in which he practices. While he has concentrated on the defense of design professionals, he has experience in premises liability, automobile accident, products liability, insurance coverage, food poisoning, asbestos cases, and even one McDonald’s “hot coffee” case. Mr. Smith spent seven years as the in-house lead claims counsel for Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (BGE). There, he oversaw cases from investigation through trial, handled portions of crisis response, as well as advised management on risk mitigation strategies. His experience with utility issues began before his stint with BGE, providing defense and counsel to underground utility locating companies, and continued after his return to private practice with work on revisions to the Maryland “Miss Utility” law and membership on the Defense Research Institute’s Public Utilities Task Force. Mr. Smith was BGE’s representative to the Southeastern Electric Exchange Claims Committee, where he also served as secretary, vice chair and chair, (at different times).

At the firm, Mr. Vyas handles legal matters in the realm of construction, contracts, patents, and more. In the construction law world, he represents a wide variety of clients ranging from contractors and owners to engineers and subcontractors. Mr. Vyas has garnered the attention of many attorneys and engineers alike in a short time since opening his own law firm in 2018. This has brought him recognition on a national and global scale with his handling negotiations, mediation, and arbitration internationally in addition to his domestic law practice. Mr. Vyas has organized symposiums to discuss construction law issues and spoken at various conferences and internal construction company events about how to best manage and mitigate legal risk in engineering and construction projects. In 2018, the same year He opened his law firm, he was awarded the Clients’ Choice Award. Since becoming an attorney, Mr. Vyas has collected numerous accolades including consecutively being selected to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list. He enjoys the life of being a true solo attorney law firm. It allows him to truly connect to each of his clients and address their needs directly. Mr. Vyas regularly posts to his law firm’s blog and on social media channels @SAVLawFirm. While connecting with clients is his favorite activity, he also stays regularly connected with his peers and new topics in the field of engineering and law as he is a member of over a dozen unique associations, institutions, bars, and programs across the globe.

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

Mr. Iliff has been a certified building official for 10+ years serving communities in Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. He has taught classes on the residential, building, and property maintenance codes with a focus on preparing students for certification exams and effective administration. Mr. Iliff has 30+ years of experience as a city planner, floodplain manager, and code enforcement officer. He earned an undergraduate degree in Urban Planning and Development from Ball State University.

Mr. Miller is passionate about teaching UAS and geospatial education and leverages his experience in his current role as a professor in the Bay Area. Outside of academia, he is a technical trainer and entrepreneur. He started his business, Aerial Education, in 2018 to provide the highest-level training and consulting in the drone mapping industry. Mr. Miller’s interest in UAS began in 2013 when he started doing research for his master’s thesis. His blog, iphonedroneimagery.com, chronicles that research. He is pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Geomatics Engineering at the University of Colorado, Denver.

Mr. Dunn is a sole practitioner an assistant professor, adjunct at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the former host of a radio show about architecture and politics called Buildings on Air. His practice is deeply rooted in his home neighborhood of Bridgeport, and emphasizes bringing new aesthetic strategies and philosophical inquiry to common construction techniques and materials. He earned his M. Arch degree from Illinois Institute of Technology, College of Architecture, in May 2015 and his B.S. degree in Architecture, from Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Architecture, in August 2012.

After working in engineering and design management with award-winning structural and construction firms for nearly 10 years, Mr. Woods founded his own firm, Woods Residential Engineering & Inspection. Mr. Woods is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states, and he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering (with a focus on structures) from Washington University in St. Louis. He has earned “Accredited Professional” status from the U.S. Green Building Council. Mr. Woods is a member of the Woods Educational Enrichment Foundation, The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) (director of programs for the Chicago professional chapter), The American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois.

Mr. Karow is the CEO of Code Educational Opportunities providing education based on current building codes. He also provides service as a building code specialist for design professionals and stakeholders in the industry. Mr. Karow has an extensive background in developing and presenting various types of building code and related seminars. Previous career paths included staff instructor with the International Code Council and with the State of Minnesota Codes and Standards Division. He has instructed in a Building Inspection Technology program at a local community college. Mr. Karow is a certified building official in Minnesota and holds ICC certifications as a Certified Building Official, ICC Plans Examiner, ICC Building Inspector and ICC Building Code Specialist.

Ms. Avalos is a nationally renowned leader in providing accessibility-related services and is a sought-after speaker with a knack for using an upbeat approach to help others understand the complexities of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). With over 40 years of experience, she provides expert witnessing on ADA, 504, Federal Housing Administration, and Air Carrier Access Act legal cases. In 1990 she founded Accessology Too, LLC which is a national leader in providing accessibility consulting services and is one of the largest U.S. firms dedicated solely to accessibility and access issues. Since its founding, Accessology has worked closely with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Access Board to remain knowledgeable and adept with the constant changes that occur regarding ADA guidelines. Accessology has worked on numerous multi-million dollar projects to impact accessibility compliance during all stages, from schematics to construction and final inspections. Since 2005 Accessology has specialized in the development, execution, and monitoring of the required ADA Transition Plans for Title II entities to help them avoid access-related litigation since so much litigation is tied to not having a Transition Plan on file. Ms. Avalos and her team at Accessology are committed to removing structural and attitudinal barriers that adversely impact people with disabilities.

Ms. Holdridge, LEED Fellow, EIT, Associate AIA is the Sustainability Director at Lake|Flato Architects. Leveraging her background in mechanical engineering, she directs all Lake|Flato teams in establishing sustainability goals. Ms. Holdridge devises strategies and systems to realize those goals under programs such as LEED, the 2030 Challenge, and the Living Building Challenge. She works closely with teams to evaluate passive systems and performs energy modeling throughout the design process. Ms. Holdridge received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Ms. Magriñá has given numerous talks for venerable groups such as Business of Home, Goop and Ralph Lauren. She challenges audiences with A-Z out of the box thinking, helps expand guest awareness, raises the energy in the room and inspires people with her insight. Her goal is to change the world one space and conversation at a time. Gala’s belief is that if we create mindful environments that have the power to heal and push us to be better versions of ourselves. In doing so, we are elevating individual consciousness and in turn, the collective conscious.

Mr. Ode was the lead engineering instructor at the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina UL University and Knowledge Services for five years; he was a member of UL’s Regulatory Services Department for ten years; and he was lead engineering Instructor for UL. He has written monthly NEC articles for Electrical Contractor Magazine since 2000. Mr. Ode was co-author of the Stallcup 2008 NEC Changes Book; he was co-author of the Stallcup 2008 Journeyman Electrician’s Study Guide; he was co-author of the Stallcup’ 2008 Master Electrician’s Study Guide; and he was co-author of Cengage-Delmar’s Electrical Raceways and Other Wiring Methods—Sixth Edition. He was a senior electrical specialist for the National Fire Protection Association and staff liaison and secretary to the NFPA Electrical Equipment in Chemical Atmospheres Committee. Mr. Ode was the Executive Secretary for the NFPA Electrical Section and editor of the Electrical Section news bulletin, Current Flashes. Prior to joining NFPA, He worked for over 27 years as a licensed electrician and a licensed electrical contractor.

Mr. Ode was the lead engineering instructor at the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina UL University and Knowledge Services for five years; he was a member of UL’s Regulatory Services Department for ten years; and he was lead engineering Instructor for UL. He has written monthly NEC articles for Electrical Contractor Magazine since 2000. Mr. Ode was co-author of the Stallcup 2008 NEC Changes Book; he was co-author of the Stallcup 2008 Journeyman Electrician’s Study Guide; he was co-author of the Stallcup’ 2008 Master Electrician’s Study Guide; and he was co-author of Cengage-Delmar’s Electrical Raceways and Other Wiring Methods—Sixth Edition. He was a senior electrical specialist for the National Fire Protection Association and staff liaison and secretary to the NFPA Electrical Equipment in Chemical Atmospheres Committee. Mr. Ode was the Executive Secretary for the NFPA Electrical Section and editor of the Electrical Section news bulletin, Current Flashes. Prior to joining NFPA, He worked for over 27 years as a licensed electrician and a licensed electrical contractor.

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. Dennehy’s practice areas include business litigation, civil litigation, design and construction law, corporate law, employment law, and insurance law. He represents professionals including architects, business owners, engineers, surveyors, attorneys, and real estate brokers in litigation matters. Mr. Dennehy has handled a wide range of disputes involving high-rise buildings, hospitals and laboratories, office buildings, college and university buildings, preparatory and public school buildings, museums, churches, manufacturing plants and processing facilities, water treatment facilities, and roads and bridges. He has also handled tax issues and real estate transfers. He engages in high-exposure personal injury matters including wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, quadriplegia, amputation, and disfigurement. Mr. Dennehy has represented clients in complex business disputes, involving self-directed IRAs, hedge funds, copyright and trademark violations, and partnership disputes, as well as trade secret and commercial contract disputes. He also represents individuals and families in a variety of litigation matters requiring strong advocacy. Mr. Dennehy frequently appears in state and federal courts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts and has obtained successful results as solo and first chair counsel in bench and jury trials in District and Superior Courts. He frequently represents clients in complex matters at mediation and speaks at seminars.

Mr. Jackowski is chair of the Commercial Litigation North practice at Offit Kurman. Voytek focuses on commercial and corporate dispute resolution, emphasizing rational or cost-effective business solutions. His diverse practice includes international facets of litigation and dispute resolution, and criminal and civil facets of various international income reporting obligations. He has represented entities and individuals in cases involving trade and contract disputes, property loss claims, bankruptcy proceedings, construction issues, commodities and derivatives matters, white-collar crime, personal injury, and claims raising questions under federal labor law. Before joining Offit Kurman, Mr. Jackowski was a partner in the New York law firm of Menaker & Herrmann LLP. Voytek began his career as a prosecutor and later became a Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. He was part of the Money Laundering and Revenue Crimes Bureau and the Rackets Division, investigating and prosecuting business and securities fraud, money laundering, corporate and individual income, and sales tax evasion. Mr. Jackowski frequently lectures and publishes articles on
construction law and litigation topics. He is active in numerous bar and industry associations, including the Construction Law Committee of the New York Building Congress, Building Owners Management Association (BOMA) Professional Development Committee, the International Section of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law, Law Firm Sustainability Network, A/E ProNet, and the European American Bar Association. He is a member of the Construction Law Committee at the New York City Bar Association.

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.

As a Principal in the Real Estate, Land Use & Environmental practice group, Ms. Glynn focuses on business and real estate transactions, representing individuals, businesses, municipalities and nonprofit organizations in sales, acquisitions and other commercial agreements. Chelsea was recognized by the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2026 edition for her work in Real Estate Law and Land Use and Zoning Law. She is a frequent speaker at Real Estate and Land Use conferences and has published multiple articles in the American Bar Association’s Probate & Property journal.

As Chair of the Land Use and Real Estate Practice Group, Mr. Howsley’s practice focuses on land use and real estate development and is deeply intertwined to the home building industry in the Northwest. He is recognized regionally for his advocacy of the development community. Jamie represents companies, developers, and builders throughout the Pacific Northwest. He has successfully represented clients in a range of complex land use/development projects, including advocacy for large scale master planned developments throughout Washington and Oregon, getting new land into urban growth areas, and working with local governments on complex and creative financing tools to build necessary infrastructure.

Mr. Raju, an adept trial lawyer with over 15 years of experience, specializes in real estate litigation, landlord-tenant disputes, land use, and general litigation. With a remarkable track record of over 150 jury and judge trails, he stands out for actively engaging in courtroom experiences, distinguishing him from many in his field. Born in Chicago and raised in rural East Texas, his legal career began as a prosecutor in Portland, and over the last nine years in private practice, he has become a go-to resource for clients with real estate issues in the state of Oregon.

With a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Oregon State University, and a subsequent master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering and Surveying, he brings over a decade of industry experience. His career spans roles with Kiewit, Civil West Engineering, and the City of Coos Bay, culminating in his current position as the owner and operator of Estabrook Land Surveying.

Mr. Trinchero represents clients in litigation relating to business and real estate disputes, condemnation and eminent domain, property tax appeals, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, federal and state securities law, enforcement of noncompetition agreements, False Claims Act violations, and shareholder class action and derivative lawsuits. He is experienced in litigating cases in state and federal court, as well as in private arbitrations

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. Bowcock has been appointed to serve on several Watermaster Boards by California Superior Courts since 1990. He is a licensed California Grade V Water Treatment Operator and maintains various other water industry licenses. He routinely provides expert witness work to legal firms in the specific area of water resource management. Mr. Bowcock has decades of experience in designing, running, and advising municipal drinking water systems around the country and around the world. He is a water consultant to environmentalist in Erin Brockovich, who brought the lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electrical in California and was featured in the 2000 movie Erin Brockovich.

Mr. Cossich, Jr., is the senior partner of Cossich, Sumich, Parsiola & Taylor, L.L.C. He earned a B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Tulane University in 1980 and a J.D. degree, cum laude, from Tulane School of Law in 1983. His law practice focuses in the areas of personal injury, admiralty, complex business litigation, class action, multi district litigation and insurance law. Mr. Cossich, Jr. has experience litigating cases arising out of contamination caused by trichloroethylene (TCE) and perfluoronated chemicals (PFCs). He served on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the BP Multidistrict Litigation and as class counsel for all plaintiffs in the economic and property class settlement. Mr. Cossich, Jr., is also one of the top hurricane litigation attorneys in the country. He has recovered for his clients, tens of millions of dollars in damages resulting out of lawsuits from natural disasters and oil contamination.

Mr. Finn is an Environmental Engineer in EPA’s Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water, Capacity and Compliance Division in Washington, D.C. He has 30 years of experience in public water supplies and oversight of public water system, Prior to coming to EPA, he was a field engineer with the California Department of Health Drinking Water Program performing oversight of public water systems in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a registered professional engineer and a certified water treatment plant operator.

 Mr. Fortunato is an attorney in the firm of Cossich, Sumich, Parsiola and Taylor, L.L.C. and has been with the firm since 2021. Prior to joining the firm, he was an assistant district attorney for over a decade in Louisiana’s Twenty-Fourth Judicial District in Jefferson Parish. During his tenure as a prosecutor, Mr. Fortunato gained extensive jury-trial experience, argued successfully before his appellate court, served as his office’s liaison to the Louisiana District Attorneys Association and as a member of its legislative solutions team, and was the chief prosecutor of his division. Before law school, he taught at his alma mater, Jesuit High School New Orleans. Mr. Fortunato is a graduate of Villanova University and Loyola University New Orleans’ College of Law, where he was a member of the Moot Court.

Ms. James recently joined EPA as a Physical Scientist in the Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Capacity and Compliance Assistance Division. Prior to this, she worked as a fellow in the EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection, and as an Environmental Health Coordinator for WE ACT for Environmental Justice. Ms. James holds a B.S. degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Richmond and an MPH degree in Environmental Health from Emory University.

Ms. Smith is a Physical Scientist in EPA’s Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Capacity and Compliance Assistance Division. She has eight years of experience in the Drinking Water and Wastewater sector, where she applies her expertise to support drinking water systems of concern. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology from Virginia State University, as well as a doctorate in Public Health from Capella University. She has a passion for mentoring STEM students and volunteering in the community.

Ms. Vacs Renwick is an Environmental Engineer in EPA’s Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Capacity and Compliance Assistance Division, where she has worked on drinking water rule development and implementation, workforce development, and technical assistance projects. Before joining EPA in 2016, she worked as a water quality and regulatory compliance engineer at the Alameda County Water District in Fremont, California, and served as a water and sanitation volunteer in the US Peace Corps in Peru. Ms. Vacs Renwick has an Sc.B. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Brown University and a Master of Engineering in Water Quality and Environmental Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a registered professional engineer in the District of Columbia.

Mr. Begley specializes in high-performance HVAC design for both single-family and multifamily buildings. Starting his journey in 2009 with Cincinnati Energy Solutions, he transitioned to the National Heating and Air Conditioning Company in 2013. Here, he expanded his skill set, balancing digital strategies and whole-home performance. By 2015, drawing from his experience in whole home performance and commercial test and balance, Mr. Begley co-founded HVAC Design Partners. As a shareholder, he contributes to HVAC design, commissioning, and business development, aiming for sustainability and compliance in projects. Educated at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and holding several industry certifications, his experience in HVAC design ensures that interactions with him are informative and grounded.

Mr. Goetinck is the principal of Snowdog Construction based in Norwich, Vermont. The company specializes in high-performance retrofits and new construction. He has been a Building Performance Institute Building Analyst and Envelope Professional since 2008, teaching classes on building science and high-performance construction. Mr. Goetinck and offers consulting services to homeowners, builders, designers and architects, and nonprofit organizations that work with low-income homeowners.

Dr. Mousavi specializes in geotechnical engineering, earthquake engineering, transportation geotechnics, unsaturated soil mechanics, and in-situ and advanced laboratory soil testing. With a professional career spanning over 10 years, he has successfully contributed to a wide range of projects across multiple states, as well as in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. He is well versed in applied research and design and evaluation of geotechnical systems as well as assessment and mitigation of construction defects, geotechnical failures, and natural hazards. Dr. Mousavi extensive experience extends to the design and evaluation of ground improvement systems, deep and shallow foundations, drilled shafts and driven piles, slopes, retaining walls, storage tanks, flexible and rigid pavements, geometric design of roadways, static and seismic-induced liquefaction, liquefaction mitigation techniques, wind farms, earthquake-induced settlement, site-specific response analysis, laterally loaded piles, soil heave and settlement and mitigation techniques, soft clay and peat, dewatering systems, earth-fill dams, differing site conditions, and defective specifications.

After working in engineering and design management with award-winning structural and construction firms for nearly 10 years, Mr. Woods founded his own firm, Woods Residential Engineering & Inspection. Mr. Woods is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states, and he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering (with a focus on structures) from Washington University in St. Louis. He has earned “Accredited Professional” status from the U.S. Green Building Council. Mr. Woods is a member of the Woods Educational Enrichment Foundation, The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) (director of programs for the Chicago professional chapter), The American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. Iliff has been a certified building official for 10+ years serving communities in Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. He has taught classes on the residential, building, and property maintenance codes with a focus on preparing students for certification exams and effective administration. Mr. Iliff has 30+ years of experience as a city planner, floodplain manager, and code enforcement officer. He earned an undergraduate degree in Urban Planning and Development from Ball State University.

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