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Dr. Dawson recently retired as the Associate Vice President for Administrative Operations at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi where he oversaw facility operations, maintenance, grounds, custodial, and planning and construction as well as Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) for the “Island” campus. His experience spans federal, state, county and local municipality projects including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Department of Defense (DoD) including the Naval Construction Battalion’s at Gulfport and Port Hueneme, Seabees, Navy Civil Engineer Corp, Army Corps of Engineers, Air Force Civil Engineers and RED HORSE units, in addition to higher education with the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) University of North Texas System (UNTS) and Tarrant County College District (TCCD). Dr. Dawson has more than 38 years’ experience in urban planning, developmental programming, building and infrastructure design, construction and program management for a wide variety of capital investment programs and unique environments. He is a retired Air Force Civil Engineering officer with experience in the design and construction of numerous facilities supporting major weapon systems and the U.S. electronic security and space programs world-wide. Dr. Dawson is a registered architect in the State of Texas and a certified city planner. He is also a U.S. Green Building Institute Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional (AP) with experience in numerous sustainable projects. He has specialized mediation and disputes resolution training and experience directly related to the design and construction industry, successfully resolving construction claims based on errors and omissions, defective product or workmanships, scheduling deviations or Acts-of-God. Additional skills include preparation of specifications, bidding and construction plans, cost estimates, and bidding services related to federal and state contract requirements and processes.

Mr. Adelson practices throughout Florida and consults nationwide on property and property rights law, natural resources (especially water) and environmental law; property title and boundary issues, easements, shoreline property rights and submerged lands; public lands, resource conservation, agriculture, protected species; fisheries resources; boat ramps, docks, marinas, and waterway access; local, state and federal regulatory agency licensing, permitting, compliance, and remediation; firearms ownership and firearms business laws; inheritance estates and trusts; business entity formation and operation; professional ethics; and administrative and judicial trial and appellate litigation. Mr. Adelson is a certified mediator, a member of The Florida Bar, and is admitted in the Florida federal courts. He served in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Natural Resources and has been in private practice since 2001. Mr. Adelson is a retired U.S. Army officer. Mr. Adelson is active in the FSU College of Law Environmental Law Society, Moot Court teams and other college and community related activities. He holds a B.A. degree from Virginia Military Institute; M.S. and M.B.A. degrees from Florida Institute of Technology; and J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Florida State University College of Law. Mr. Adelson’s LL.M. dissertation studied shoreline property rights and associated access/egress easements.

Mr. Gaylord practices in the field of eminent domain and property rights. He has successfully represented property owners statewide in jury trials, bench trials, and administrative and Value Adjustment Board proceedings. Prior to joining Gaylord Merlin Ludovici & Diaz, Mr. Gaylord served as an officer in the U.S. Army where he was deployed in both Operation Iraqi Freedom (Kuwait) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). He is also the chairman of the Eminent Domain Committee of The Florida Bar, a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and has been recognized by numerous trade publications for his accomplishments in the field of eminent domain law. Mr. Gaylord earned his J.D. degree from John B. Stetson University College of Law.

Professor Fratta is an associate professor in Geological Engineering and Civil Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds Civil Engineering degrees from three different universities: a diploma from U.N. Corboda (Argentina), an M.A.Sc. degree from U. of Waterloo (Canada), and a Ph.D. degree from Georgia Tech (USA). He has over 20 years of teaching experience through courses in soil mechanics, foundation engineering, and applied geophysics, and he is the author of three books. Professor Fratta also supports a research group that pursues studies in near-surface geophysics, wave propagation in soils and groups, and experimental geotechnical engineering.

Dr. Shafiee has several years of research and development experience in transportation geotechnics, pavement mechanics and highway construction materials. Since 2012, he has contributed to more than 27 journal publications and conference proceedings, and he has led and collaborated with different teams on major high-impact projects in climate-resilient pavements and sustainable materials. Some of his recent activities have resulted in development of unique and novel tools such as performance-graded asphalt cement under Changing Climate (PGAC3) and Pavement Adaptation Support Tool (PAST). His work is also related to the use of a innovative and sustainable solution towards circular economy and low-carbon pathways across the pavement sector by using waste by-products and recycled materials in hot-mix asphalt manufacturing.

Mr. Hirschhorn is considered one of America’s most prominent criminal defense trial attorneys. He has been named to Best Lawyers in America since its first edition 38 years ago. Mr. Hirschhorn focuses his practice on the defense of white collar, criminal and civil matters. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Connecticut and his J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Law. Mr. Hirschhorn is a fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers (President 2003), a past president of the Wisconsin Bar Non-Resident Lawyer Division, a life fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation, served as a board member on the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and for three years on The State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors. He is also a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Litigation Counsel of America. Mr. Hirschhorn is a member of the Miami-Dade County Bar Association, the First Amendment Lawyers Association (a founder and past president) and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is admitted to The Florida Bar, The State Bar of Wisconsin, U.S. Supreme Court, and all Federal Courts of Appeal except the District of Columbia. Mr. Hirschhorn has been admitted pro hac vice to 39 U.S District Courts in addition to practicing in all Federal Courts in Wisconsin and Florida. He has also handled matters in 34 different States’ Courts. Mr. Hirschhorn has also provided advice and counsel to US and non-US citizens and lawyers in many foreign countries throughout his career.

The mission of Lee law Firm LLC is “to speak up for and ensure justice for the individual.” Born in an abandoned barn in a third-world country as her parents fled from war and genocide, Ms. Lee’s family’s story of survival is living proof that there is justice in this world. Decades later, she would choose to use the trials of her past to be a voice of empowerment for the people she speaks up for. Ms. Lee is an educator at heart. She began her professional career as a teacher, then later working in higher education. She eventually pursued law to voice education in the arena of the legal justice system. She began law school while being a mother of five children! Attorney Lee shares this as encouragement that it is never too late to pursue your dreams. Ms. Lee began her legal career as an assistant district attorney at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. She has handled thousands of criminal cases as well as divorce, child support, and custody matters. Ms. Lee has been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, a professional organization composed of top trial lawyers. Membership is by invitation only and is extended exclusively to trial lawyers. She is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National College for DUI Defense. She also has earned the 2020 Avvo Client’s Choice Award. Ms. Lee earned her J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Mr. Martinez founded Martinez & Ruby, LLP, with Attorney Cole Ruby in 2008. He practices criminal defense exclusively, and specializes in defending individuals facing charges of homicide, attempted homicide, domestic abuse and sex-based crimes involving adults or children. Mr. Martinez is an accomplished trial lawyer, having tried cases throughout Wisconsin on charges at all severity levels. He also has an extensive history of negotiating dismissals short of trial, which has saved many of his clients the anxiety, risk and expense associated with trial. Together with Cole Ruby, he is a two-time recipient of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Hanson Award. Each of these awards were issued for winning a not-guilty verdict in a jury trial involving a charge of first-degree intentional homicide, the most serious crime under Wisconsin law. An Arizona native, he graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2004 with a B.A. degree in Philosophy. After college, he attended law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was a senior managing editor of the Wisconsin Law Review. Mr. Martinez earned his J.D. degree from the UW in 2007. Mr. Martinez is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL) and has served as a speaker to educate the law community at numerous WACDL seminars. He is a native Spanish speaker and has represented Spanish-speaking clients throughout his career.

Mr. Rhodes is an experienced criminal defense attorney who has exclusively represented people accused of crimes since graduating from Marquette University Law School in 2013, where he graduated with specialty certificates in Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has represented thousands of clients in cases stemming from simple traffic infractions to First Degree Intentional Homicide and regularly tries cases to judges and juries. Mr. Rhodes spent the first eleven years of his career as a trial attorney in the Sparta and La Crosse offices of the Wisconsin State Public Defender, where he developed a reputation as a skilled and compassionate advocate. He was a longtime representative of the La Crosse County Treatment Courts, and an expert on the treatment court model and how it benefits clients seeking to avoid jail or prison sentences. Mr. Rhodes is a graduate of the prestigious National Criminal Defense College Trial Advocacy program, a multi-week invitation-only course designed to train leaders in trial advocacy. He continues to specialize in protecting clients who are facing serious and complex prosecutions throughout Western Wisconsin including homicide, sexual assault, child abuse, probation and extended supervision revocations, and felony domestic violence allegations.

After 20 years in photography creating art, and selling and installing professional photography equipment, Mr. Williams decided to change careers and make the world a better place by becoming a LEED accredited professional through the US Green Building Council in 2006. LEED introduced him to water issues. Then there was drought. With a love of rivers and appreciation of water, he decided to focus on rainwater harvesting and water efficiency as Georgia entered its worst drought in its history from 2006 – 2009. In 2007, Mr. Williams started designing and installing rain harvesting systems. In 2008, he became an American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association accredited professional, ARCSA AP, and is currently a regional representative. In 2012, Mr. Williams began auditing commercial, institutional and multifamily buildings’ water use and providing solutions to reduce water use primarily through fixture upgrades. He spent the next several years auditing commercial, institutional and multifamily buildings as part of his job in sales and account management working for several different companies. In 2013, he landed the contract for fixture upgrades for the Bank of America Plaza’s LEED Silver Certification, reducing water by 57 percent, receiving all seven points and saving 2,669,360 gallons per year. The project won the USGBC’s Ebie award for water efficiency, the Atlanta Metro Chamber’s E3 award for water, the USGBC – GA Chrysalis award as well as the Atlanta Better Building Challenge award. In 2019, Mr. Williams started representing Sustainable Water’s WaterHub water recycling system that uses eco-engineering processes to clean wastewater for non-potable needs. Sustainable Water brought the WaterHub to Emory University, recycling more than 400,000 gallons daily. Currently, he is designing and installing rainwater systems in Georgia and helping others use water more efficiently through water audits, billing assessments and fixture recommendations. Mr. Williams is chair of the Ocmulgee Basin Advisory Committee of the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District and has been active since 2007. He still creates art though his photography.

Mr. Thomas is a co-founder and member of Gausnell, O’Keefe & Thomas, LLC, in St. Louis, Missouri, where he focuses his practice on handling matters involving the construction process, including up-front contract reviews, commercial litigation, professional liability defense and trial work. He has represented owners, contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, land surveyors and landscape architects in all phases of construction claims. He also handles product liability claims, other general commercial disputes, and general liability claims. He is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Illinois, the Federal Court of Claims, and several Federal Courts. He is a past president of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis, the local trial bar. Mr. Thomas is involved in many professional organizations, including the IADC and the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute and its Construction Law Committee, Product Liability Committee, and Building Products – Substantive Litigation Group, and Professional Liability Committee, where he served on the Steering Committee, and Design Professional Subcommittee. Mr. Thomas is an associate member of the ASCE and the AIA and is a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. He is recognized by U.S. News – Best Lawyers as a Best Lawyer in Construction Law and was honored as Lawyer of the Year in Construction-Litigation for 2022.

Ms. Manzo is an HVACR business owner, designer and national trainer from Maine. She is dedicated to making training accessible to all HVACR technicians.

Mr. D’Aloisio is a principal with Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt, a structural engineering, landscape architecture, and building envelope services firm in East Syracuse, New York. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a registered professional engineer in New York and Massachusetts. He is a member and past president (1997 – 1998) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Syracuse Section, and a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and the Structural Engineers Association of New York State (SEAoNY). Mr. D’Aloisio is a member of ASCE/SEI’s Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations Committee, the Structural Condition Assessment of Existing Buildings Committee, and the Sustainability Committee. Mr. D’Aloisio received the Order of the Engineer at Syracuse University in 1997. His 30-plus years’ experience as a consulting structural engineer has primarily involved the design of new building structures, additions, and modifications, and analyses, assessments, and investigations of structures and facades. Mr. D’Aloisio has performed structural condition reviews of over 15 million square feet of buildings and he has performed over 150 structural forensic investigations. He has presented over 300 times.

With over 50 years of expertise in water resources planning, flood studies, and stormwater modeling, Mr. Beyerlein co-founded Clear Creek Solutions after distinguished roles in the San Franciso Bay area and Snohomish County. As a senior hydrologic engineer, he played a key role in shaping Snohomish County’s surface water management program, excelling in watershed planning, monitoring, flood control, and compliance with water quality laws. A trailblazer in engineering, Mr. Beyerlein led the development of accurate tools for analyzing land development impacts on streams, earning his firm contracts for stormwater software in California, Oregon, and Washington. Having taught stormwater modeling to over 2000 professionals, he conducts workshops on HSPF theory and application. Licensed as a professional engineer in Washington and California, certified as a professional hydrologist, and a member of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers, Mr. Beyerlein serves clients like the U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Noteworthy contributions include impactful stormwater papers such as “Why Standard Stormwater Mitigation Doesn’t Work” and “Dumbing Down Hydrology.”

Ms. Morris is a highly experienced stormwater professional with over 15 years of expertise in the environmental field. With a focus on stormwater and operational programs related to construction and aggregate operations, Ms. Morris has honed her skills throughout her career. As the owner of Acorn EnviroComply LLC, she leads the way in providing exceptional stormwater management services. After graduating from the University of North Texas with a B.S. degree in Biology and an M.S. degree in Environmental Science, Ms. Morris embarked on her stormwater career journey. Starting as an intern, she progressed to roles as an inspector, manager, and specialist, gaining valuable hands-on experience in the process. Her dedication to professional development is evident in her work. Having provided training to hundreds of contractors and engineers in her previous positions, she is committed to sharing her knowledge and improving industry practices. Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Ms. Morris has collaborated extensively with various local cities, showcasing her expertise, and establishing strong partnerships. Her vast experience and comprehensive understanding of stormwater regulations and best practices makes her a trusted leader in the field.

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.

Mr. Carter, founder and owner of Carter Custom Construction, has been transforming homes and outdoor spaces for over 26 years. Raised in White Bear Lake, MN, his passion for construction began at the young age of 18 when he started building decks and porches. In 2008, he officially launched Carter Custom Construction, and since then, he has designed and built thousands of decks, porches, kitchens, bathrooms, and more. Known for his attention to detail and commitment to quality, Mr. Carter has become a trusted name in the construction industry. His company’s reputation is built on a foundation of craftsmanship, customer satisfaction, and innovative design. From concept to completion, Mr. Carter and his team deliver projects that not only enhance the beauty of homes but also improve the way clients live in them.

Mr. Kwiatkowski is a fluvial geomorphologist and certified professional ecologist (CE), with over 25 years of experience in the fields of watershed planning, green infrastructure design, and ecosystem restoration. He has extensive training in the analysis and design of riverine systems from North America’s leading experts, including Robert Newbury, Dave Derrick, and Dave Rosgen. Mr. Kwiatkowski is responsible for developing watershed management plans, river and stream restoration projects, and sustainable stormwater systems. He has collected and analyzed data on more than 500 miles of open channel throughout North America, including geomorphic and vegetative process indicators, habitat evaluation, and sediment transport data. Mr. Kwiatkowski has also contributed to stormwater best management practice (BMP) manuals addressing the design of open channels, green infrastructure planning, and water quality improvement. He has provided design, inspection and construction management services for numerous restoration projects throughout the United States.

Gary Kent is in his 40th year with Schneider Geomatics in Indianapolis – having transitioned to part-time status in 2020. He also provides training, consulting and expert witness services as manager and owner of Meridian Land Consulting, LLC. He served as chair of the Joint ALTA/NSPS Committee responsible for the ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey standards from 1995 to 2021. He has also served on the Indiana State Board of Registration for Professional Surveyors since 2004 and is a past-president of both ACSM and the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors. Mr. Kent has presented programs on boundary law, easements and rights of way, surveying standards and practice, and leadership multiple times in all 50 states.

Mr. McWhite is from Indiana and a graduate of Vincennes University. He is an accomplished building inspector and plans examiner, with 20 years of experience in public and non-profit code enforcement and inspections. Mr. McWhite has served as an inspector and plans examiner in Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, and Indiana. He has served on the Massachusetts Construction Supervisor Licensing exam rewriting committee to help transition the exam from the 2009 to the 2015 International Codes, as a member of the International Code Council’s IPMC/IZC Code Development Committee, and as member of the ICC Building Membership Council and most recently BCAC. Mr. McWhite also currently serves as an ICC Governmental voting member representing Region 6. He has earned a combined 21 certifications ranging from SBCCI (Legacy Code) to ICC, including Housing Code Official, Building Code Specialist, Plumbing Code Specialist, Certified Building Official, and is currently two certifications away from Master Code Professional.

Mr. Lloyd practices primarily in construction law, with a unique perspective informed by his 25 years in the construction industry as both a lawyer and a civil engineer. Before joining Riess LeMieux, Mr. Lloyd was corporate counsel at a large, regional design builder. As part of his practice and day-to-day operations, he negotiated all owner contracts and subcontractor agreements, and communicated key requirements and risks to internal team members. Mr. Lloyd represented the company in multiple mediations and builder’s risk claims. He helped reform the company’s Property & Casualty insurance program and was the primary contact to manage outside counsel and insurance adjusters. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Lloyd obtained a degree in Civil Engineering and spent over two decades in commercial project management.

Ms. Lombardo has successfully litigated matters before the state and federal courts of New Jersey and New York, as well as the American Arbitration Association, with a focus on construction matters. Her experience in commercial litigation and construction litigation is unique in that she represents both plaintiffs and defendants. She was co-lead counsel in a three-year long arbitration representing a major university in a claim involving extensive and complex design and construction defects, which resulted in a multimillion-dollar award in client’s favor and the arbitrator striking down a limitation of liability clause. Unlike most litigators in the construction arena, Ms. Lombardo also has experience drafting and negotiating contracts. She has worked with owners, contractors, subcontractors, and designers on contracts for projects involving academic centers, public schools, laboratory facilities, office buildings, energy facilities, public-private projects, and building additions of varying sizes. Ms. Lombardo works with the firm’s longstanding corporate clients in addition to the Northeast region’s top universities, retailers, and professionals in the design and construction field. Ms. Lombardo is currently on the American Arbitration Association Panel of Construction Arbitrators and a member of the Roster of Mediators. She has also been included on the New Jersey Superior Court Roster of Mediators, where she has mediated a variety of civil matters. Ms. Lombardo earned her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Montclair State University, and her J.D. degree, summa cum laude, from Rutgers School of Law.

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.

Mr. Truax’s practice includes counseling and representing contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, owners, and developers in the negotiation and review of contract forms and front-end project documents, as well as bidding and bid protest matters. His previous experience working in the field for general contractors and specialty trades provides him with a depth of practical construction knowledge in advising and counseling clients in the management, prosecution, and defense of claims during construction projects. These claims range from extra work scope claims and insurance coverage issues to claims for differing site conditions, extended general conditions, lost productivity, acceleration and delay. Mr. Truax also routinely files and defends against mechanic’s lien, public lien, and payment bond claims in Ohio and other states. He’s spent the bulk of his career pursuing and defending construction cases in litigation and arbitration.

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. Basofin works to advance clean energy policies in Oregon, including implementation of HB 2021, the state’s groundbreaking clean energy law. Mr. Basofin also works in coalitions to identify clean energy pathways for industry, seek consensus on siting and permitting of renewable energy facilities, and extend the benefits of our clean energy transition to rural parts of Oregon. He has held many roles in the environmental field. He began his career working in conservation with a focus on freshwater fisheries, marine protected areas, deserts, and wetlands. He spent several years as a sustainability advisor for businesses. Mr. Basofin also served as the first Director of Climate Action for Parliament of the World’s Religions, the oldest interfaith organization in the United States. He is particularly interested in the intersections within the environmental movement where coalitions of advocates, businesses, faiths, and communities can be created. Mr. Basofin holds a B.A. degree in English and Environmental Studies and a J.D. degree with a concentration in Environmental Law.

Mr. Pepple has practiced in both vertically integrated and deregulated electric markets, which gives him a unique perspective on the advantages and disadvantages of both. His practice consists of a mixture of administrative and appellate litigation, transactional work, and government affairs. Mr. Pepple represents clients before state utility commissions in all manner of proceedings, including rate cases and complex legal and policy dockets involving issues such as customer choice, integrated resource planning, and renewable portfolio standards compliance. When these matters are reviewed by the courts, he represents clients in appellate proceedings. Mr. Pepple also advises clients on matters subject to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s jurisdiction. He has handled transactions for the development of solar generation facilities and the sale of their output, asset purchase agreements for transmission and other electric facilities, and other transactional matters. Mr. Pepple provides general counsel services for customer-owned utilities. He advises businesses and wholesale customers with respect to the Bonneville Power Administration’s Regional Dialogue Contract. He also provides legislative services, including legal review of energy-related bills and testifying before legislative committees. Mr. Pepple is an active member of the Oregon and Washington State bars.

Since joining GEI in the fall of 2020, Ms. Sahler has focused on regulatory proceedings at the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Participating in a variety of dockets, on both the gas and electric side, she works to avoid fossil fuel lock-in, implement equitable decarbonization measures, and encourage a transparent and open process for new participants. Ms. Sahler also develops and vets policy options for Oregon local governments. She regularly speaks on implementation of Oregon’s Climate Protection Program, Oregon’s 100% Clean Energy for All (HB 2021), utility planning and investments, and local government decarbonization pathways. Ms. Sahler brought to GEI her extensive research and writing experience, from her dozen years as a career law clerk at the U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, as well as from advising clients in a private law firm setting in the areas of municipal and environmental law. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, where she concentrated her coursework in environmental and natural resources law. She earned her B.A. degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Mr. Sanger’s legal and consulting practice focuses on energy, administrative, and public utility law. He represents energy trade associations, municipalities, electric cooperatives, irrigation districts, end-use industrial and commercial consumers, investor owned natural gas and water utilities, and renewable and cogeneration electricity producers. Mr. Sanger advises hydro, biomass, geothermal, wind, solar, cogeneration, and other electricity generators on a wide variety of transactional matters, including negotiating power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, wholesale power sales, resource development and sales, and other matters. He has a lengthy background representing end[1]use industrial, commercial, and irrigation customers in all facets of retail rates and service quality. Mr. Sanger represents clients in energy and utility matters before state and federal courts, state public utility commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Bonneville Power Administration. Mr. Sanger is also an adjunct instructor at Lewis and Clark Law School, and in Portland Community College’s Paralegal Program. Mr. Sanger graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon in 2000 with cum laude honors and an Environmental Law Certificate, and from World College Institute of New College of California in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in the Humanities with an emphasis in International Environmental Studies.

Mr. Stephenson helps clients navigate all facets of land use law and obtain entitlements and permit approvals for a wide variety of development projects in urban and rural settings. As a former urban planner, he has a valuable perspective on local government decision making and a practical understanding of project management and delivery. Mr. Stephenson’s experience includes single- and multi-family residential projects, affordable housing, assisted living, office and retail, industrial, energy facilities, and natural resource projects. He is skilled in all phases of land use matters, including planning and executing a permitting strategy, representing clients before local decision-makers, working with neighbors and other stakeholders, and negotiating public improvements and private property takings. His natural resource and energy practice focuses on project planning, risk reduction, and permitting. Mr. Stephenson has substantial experience in electrical transmission and other multi-jurisdictional development projects, including experience with the State Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) Site Certificate process and associated state regulatory requirements. He also has considerable recent experience in land use permitting of a large and complex mineral development project. Mr. Stephenson earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Lewis & Clark Law School.

Ms. Villanueva’s practice focuses on Energy Law. She counsels clients on a variety of administrative and regulatory matters, including Bonneville Power Administration proceedings, the PURPA, transmission access, as well as contract, tariff and rate issues. She has particular experience assisting independent power producers with power purchase, interconnection and transmission agreements. Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Villanueva worked as an associate attorney representing investor-owned utilities and customers of investor-owned utilities as well as consumer and municipal electric utilities. She is well versed in state and federal practice before the FERC, OPUC and the WUTC. Ms. Villanueva is a member of the Oregon State Bar and the Chair of the past chair of the Oregon State Energy, Telecom and Utility Law Section.

Dr. Ayers is the president of Global Pavement Consultants, Inc. (GPC). GPC conducts business worldwide and concentrates primarily on pavement design, construction, evaluation, full-depth reclamation with cement, rehabilitation and concrete overlays. Dr. Ayers specializes in pavement analysis using the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Procedure, forensic analysis, just-in-time-training prior to project start-up, troubleshooting both during and after construction and development and delivery of pavement and materials-related seminars and short courses.

Dr. Ayers has extensive experience in the design and construction of concrete overlays, concrete roadways, unbound and stabilized base courses including cement-treated bases, lean concrete bases, full-depth reclamation (FDR) utilizing existing asphalt materials and roller-compacted concrete (RCC). He recently completed development of the Aggregates and Portland Cement Concrete training modules for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Materials Engineering course, the design chapter for the new FDR Guidelines and several chapters in the new FHWA Guide for Concrete Pavement Distress Assessments and Solutions. He also serves as an expert witness on a variety of design and materials-related issues focusing on concrete and RCC pavements. He has substantial experience in field investigations and forensic studies and has conducted numerous large-scale investigations using the MIT SCAN B2 for determining embedded steel location and alignment in concrete pavements.

Dr. Ayers has been very active in the industry serving on a variety of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) expert tasks groups, FHWA projects and university-based research programs. He instructs design and construction courses for the University of Wisconsin, Halfmoon Education, FHWA and others. He is currently working on overseas projects in Belarus, Ukraine, and in Moldova, as well as numerous projects across the U.S.

Prior to founding GPC in January 2011, Dr. Ayers served as a director for the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA), in Rosement, Illinois. He managed the contractor-based education and training program and provided technical services for ACPA as well as contributing to a variety of projects for both the public and private sectors. He has also served as a university professor at Oklahoma State University, a division manager at ERES Consultants and a group leader at Applied Research Associates, Inc.

Beginning in 2005 at Ardalan & Associates, Maryam Ardalan worked her way through virtually every position in the legal field – from receptionist and file clerk to legal assistant, bookkeeper, and office manager. After earning her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, she became an attorney in 2016 and eventually rose to managing partner at Ardalan & Associates. In 2024, she founded her own personal injury firm, Swift Justice, Inc., where she continues to advocate for clients. Beyond her legal practice, our speaker shares their wealth of knowledge with other firms through Ecasa Education, providing consultation on efficiency, protocols, morale, and office culture.

Jesse Danoff is a managing partner with Mitchell & Danoff. His main area of practice is plaintiff’s personal injury. He is the type of attorney that will go the extra mile to get justice for his clients, no matter the size or strength of the opposition. Mr. Danoff is also the type of skilled negotiator that gets his clients the best deals they could possibly achieve thanks to his quick wit, vast knowledge of the law, and sense of humor, which helps smooth things over for clients in tough situations. Mr. Danoff previously managed a law firm with offices in San Francisco and New York. Prior to becoming a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney, Mr. Danoff worked in-house for small and large corporations, making major deals in a variety of different areas of business. Mr. Danoff’s clients even included 30 members of the Fortune 50. He is known as the “get-it-done” guy for his analytical skills and tenacious attitude, as well as his ability to perceive cases from a variety of different angles to help find his clients extra dollars where they might not even have looked. Mr. Danoff graduated from The Ohio State University Moritz School of Law and is licensed to practice law in California, New York, and New Jersey.

Mr. Suits has been a practicing attorney for 20 years and focuses his practice on representing individuals who have been severely injured in a wide range of accidents. He also serves as a Mediator for the Civil Early Settlement Conference Program for the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Before starting his own firm in 2012, Mr. Suits worked as an Attorney for Robinson and Wood, Inc. and Tharpe and Howell, LLP. He also served as a Law Clerk for the Civil Liability Division of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Mr. Suits obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997. He subsequently obtained his law degree from the University of Southern California Law School in 2003. Mr. Suits is a member of the State Bar of California.