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Ms. Herrera is an aquatic biologist with over eight years of experience in natural resource assessment, including wetland delineations, environmental permitting, stream assessments, mussel/macroinvertebrate surveys and identification, and threatened and endangered species surveys. She graduated with a B.S. degree in Biology and Program in the Environment (PitE) from the University of Michigan and an M.S. degree in Water Resource Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Ms. Herrera recently moved back to the mitten to work for Holland Engineering’s Environmental Group. She holds a USFWS permit to survey and handle federally listed mussel species. Her favorite mussels are the spectaclecase and snuffbox.

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 and certifications 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. 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. He 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 B.S. 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.

Dr. Atalah has taught and mentored hundreds of construction management students since 2000. He has written many peer-reviewed-journal and conference papers. Dr. Atalah has made hundreds of construction management presentations in many national and international conferences and educational seminars. He has been involved in the construction of water and wastewater projects since 1984. Dr. Atalah earned a Doctor of Engineering, MS in Civil Engineering, and MBA degrees from Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA. After his graduation with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering in 1982, he worked for American and British companies on the construction of wastewater projects in very challenging conditions such as high ground water table, stratified soils, unknown utilities, congested streets, and nearby high-rise buildings. He also worked on the construction of water and wastewater projects in very challenging conditions such as tunneling in very sensitive tourism and commercial areas where construction disturbance must be minimized on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

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. Griffin serves GPI as the President of Underwater Engineering Services after his initial 20 years as a diver and 10 years as a consultant. Upon graduating with his Master’s from the University of Alabama, He served as an Airborne Infantryman in the Army before attending Commercial Diving Training. Once training in commercial diving, Mr. Griffin began working in both the Offshore and Inland Diving Sectors.

Mr. Doyle has been involved in geodetic surveying since 1967. He joined the National Geodetic Survey in 1972 and functioned in numerous positions dealing with national adjustments, datum transformation and outreach to the surveying and geospatial community. Mr. Doyle held the position of chief geodetic surveyor for 12 years prior to his retirement in 2013. He now owns Base 9 Geodetic Services which provides consultation to public and private agencies and companies as well as teaching seminars on the fundamentals of geodesy and the National Spatial Reference System. Mr. Doyle is a past president of the American Association for Geodetic Surveying, and he is an active member of the DC, Maryland and Virginia professional surveyors’ associations. He has published more than 30 technical articles on geodesy and was honored as the recipient of the AAGS 2018 Joseph Dracup Lifetime Achievement award in addition to numerous other service awards from state and national surveying associations.

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.

As a youth, Mr. Brown often visited construction sites with his father, a civil engineer. Those experiences, in addition to a memorable middle school field trip to a local manufacturing facility, established his lifelong interest in how things work and how they are made. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a master’s degree in manufacturing systems engineering from Lehigh University. Mr. Brown began his career as a manufacturing engineer in the automotive industry, and eventually moved into engineering management and director roles. His experience includes the design and manufacture of automotive, appliance, industrial, and consumer products; successful start-up of several manufacturing lines and plants; consulting in a variety of industries; and teaching mechatronics and engineering at a community college.

Mr. Brown began training to conduct fire origin and cause investigations in 2012. In 2013, he was obtained Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) and Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator (CVFI) credentials from the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI). In addition, he has taken continuing education courses related to appliance and electrical fires, lithium-ion battery and solar panel fires, and fire safety engineering.

Ms. Barrios is a member of the Business Litigation practice group and focuses her practice on healthcare provider defense in medical liability cases. Prior to moving to Hawaii, she worked for a full-service law firm in Los Angeles where she handled a variety of civil litigation matters involving insurance defense, premises liability, products liability and breach of contract. Ms. Barrios has experience in all aspects of litigation from pre-litigation investigation through trial and post-trial motions practice. She earned her B.A. degree from Life Pacific University and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Southwestern Law School.

Mr. Kido concentrates his practice in the area of civil litigation, aviation, legal malpractice, Environmental law, and premises liability in both state and federal courts. Prior to joining Goodsill, He worked as a litigation associate at another Honolulu law firm. Mr. Kido received his J.D. from the University of Hawai’i, William S. Richardson School of Law. While there he served as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Karen T. Nakasone of the First Circuit Court of Hawai’i and was an intern for a law firm in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in patent and trademark law. He was also a member of Richardson’s Native American Moot Court team where he honed his courtroom skills. Before entering the legal field, Mr. Kido received his B.S. in Accounting with a minor in Economics from the University of Redlands and worked as a forensic accountant for four years at CBIZ MHM, LLC in Los Angeles, California.

Ms. Macanas was born in Spokane, Washington and raised in the Yakima Valley. Upon graduating from high school, she attended college at Utah Valley University (formerly known as Utah Valley State University) where she co-taught first year college students alongside a college professor. Ms. Macanas obtained an Associates in Arts degree along with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education, minoring in early childhood education. While teaching fourth grade, she was called to be an assistant administrator (acting elementary principal when the principal was out of the building) and obtained a Master’s degree in Education as well as an administrative credential (K-12 certified). After twelve years working in the elementary schools, ten of those years working as an elementary vice principal, Ms. Macanas and her family moved to Kailua, Hawaii and began a new career as an office manager/paralegal at a law firm in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has been an office manager/paralegal for fifteen-years and is in her seventh year, currently teaching full-time at Kapiolani Community College in the paralegal department.

Ms. Richelieu is the former Chief Disciplinary Counsel for many years. She also was with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division and Real Estate Commission and a per diem hearings officer for the State Departments of Labor and Land and Natural Resources while simultaneously serving as a legal ethics expert, consultant, and instructor. Ms. Richelieu has made numerous presentations on legal ethics, client protection, practice management, and professionalism, as well as authoring many articles and contributing to numerous manuals. She has served as a Supreme Court appointee to the Chief Justice’s National Action Plan (producing the first one in the nation), the Committee to Review the Code of Judicial Conduct, the Committee on the Certification of Legal Specialists, and the Committee on Unbundling Legal Services/ Unauthorized Practice of Law. Ms. Richelieu continues to serve on the Board of Examiners in various capacities and the Commission on Professionalism. She is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a member of the American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility, American Bar Association (where she held a number of positions), and Hawaii State Bar Association (on which she has served on many committees).

Mr. Doyle has been involved in geodetic surveying since 1967. He joined the National Geodetic Survey in 1972 and functioned in numerous positions dealing with national adjustments, datum transformation and outreach to the surveying and geospatial community. Mr. Doyle held the position of chief geodetic surveyor for 12 years prior to his retirement in 2013. He now owns Base 9 Geodetic Services which provides consultation to public and private agencies and companies as well as teaching seminars on the fundamentals of geodesy and the National Spatial Reference System. Mr. Doyle is a past president of the American Association for Geodetic Surveying, and he is an active member of the DC, Maryland and Virginia professional surveyors’ associations. He has published more than 30 technical articles on geodesy and was honored as the recipient of the AAGS 2018 Joseph Dracup Lifetime Achievement award in addition to numerous other service awards from state and national surveying associations.

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

Mr. Hartsig, joined WasteCap Resource Solutions in 2017 as the Director of Project Management and took over as Executive Director in 2020.  When he joined WasteCap, he brought over a decade of experience in sustainable building design, construction and business operations around the world.  Mr. Hartsig now focuses on guiding local facility and construction managers through waste reduction efforts by providing analysis, tracking, reporting and recognition through zero waste certifications. WasteCap Resource Solutions is an environmental non-profit dedicated to turning waste into resources.  Founded in 1996, WasteCap assists organizations in their zero waste journey, providing solutions and oversight for construction & demolition teams seeking to increase their material reuse and waste diversion efforts. 

Mr. Hussein is the Executive Vice President of GRL Engineers, Inc. and Executive Director of Global Industry Relations at Pile Dynamics, Inc., the world’s oldest and largest specialty deep foundations testing services and testing equipment manufacturing companies, respectively. In his 40+ years career he has consulted on more than 1,000 deep foundations projects in 35 States in the USA and several countries. Mr. Hussein frequently organizes educational courses and seminars on deep foundations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Continuing Education Class: Deep Foundations Design, Construction, and Quality Control. In Mr. Hussein is a member of the deep foundations related committees of DFI, ASTM, PDCA, ASCE, and TRB. He has Chaired the Deep Foundations Committee of the ASCE’s Geo-Institute (2002-2009), and the PDCA’s Education Committee (2012-2013); and currently Chairs the PDCA’s Technical Committee. In Mr. Hussein is the recipient of several professional and industry awards and recognitions. He has published over 60 technical papers, and co-edited 10 engineering books. In Mr. Hussein has achieved expert level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test and on the Foundation QA High Strain Dynamic Pile Testing examination and is a registered professional engineer in several States. He conceived and Chaired the first International Foundations Congress and Equipment Expo (IFCEE-2009) that has been periodically repeated and is now an industry landmark.

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.

Dr. Vytiniotis is a member of the Geo-Institute’s Deep Foundation and Computation Geotechnics committees and a regional Director for the Society of Construction Law – North America.  He has background in structural and geotechnical engineering, geotechnical earthquake engineering, and numerical analysis. Dr. Vytiniotis has worked on numerous projects in more than 20 states and multiple countries, assisting project owners, law firms, insurance companies and developers. His analyses consist of assessing soil improvement, soil-structure interaction, dam safety, causation of MSE wall failures, effects of adjacent construction (such as vibrations or pile driving), soil heave or settlements, pipeline installation, water intrusion, and backfill quality. Dr. Vytiniotis is experienced in evaluating slope stability, performing mechanical and flow-through-porous media finite element analyses and soil-structure interaction using various software such as Plaxis, Flac, Geostudio, ABAQUS, LPILE, FEFLOW and GROUP. Additionally, he has experience in data analysis, signal processing and GIS.  Dr. Vytiniotis has performed research on the seismic response of pile-supported wharves, seismic slope stability, the effectiveness of prefabricated vertical drains (earthquake drains) and soil densification in reducing liquefaction risk, the effect of gravel drains in amplifying seismic accelerations, and numerical simulations of centrifuge experiments. In the past, He gained international experience in Greece and Switzerland, and was appointed lecturer at MIT.

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.

Mr. Morphew is 1998 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law. He has been practicing primarily in the areas of real estate law, eminent domain law and relocation benefits law for the past 23 years. Mr. Morphew has done numerous bench trials, jury trials and appellate litigation cases on in these areas of law and has been a featured presenter at numerous seminars on these topics. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Monticello Economic Development Authority and is the past President of the Minnesota Eminent Domain Institute, as well as a past board member of FiberNet Monticello, a community-owned fiber optics telecommunications company.

Ms. Ostlie has been a real estate attorney for over twenty years with a career spanning both litigation and transactional practices. She is a board-certified real property specialist through the Minnesota State Bar Association. Ms. Ostlie began her legal career with title examination and facilitating residential, commercial and new construction closings. Thereafter, she moved to a real estate boutique law firm where she became a recommended attorney for title curative work and insurance claims. She subsequently managed the litigation department at a major Minnesota foreclosure and creditors’ rights law firm, handling hundreds of cases concerning foreclosure, eviction, and creditor’s rights. Ms. Ostlie has argued and won real estate cases before the Minnesota Supreme Court and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2018, she began working as senior underwriting counsel at a national title insurance company, where she collaborated with fortune 500 companies and national law firms to close commercial real estate transactions across the country. Most recently, Ms. Ostlie returned to private practice to handle real estate litigation with a former colleague and top real estate attorney. Effective April, 2024, she took the leap to begin her solo practice law firm to continue helping clients with real property law matters. She has significant experience with easement and land disputes, purchase and sale transactions, commercial leasing, contracts for deed, quiet title actions and Torrens proceedings, partition actions, lien priority disputes, foreclosures, evictions, and complex title problems. Ms. Ostlie earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota-Morris, and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law.

Mr. Squires received his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to founding RASW, he was an associate and shareholder at Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A.  Mr. Squires represents school districts, counties and cities throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. His primary areas of practice and experience include general municipal and school law, real estate, land use and zoning, condemnation, construction disputes, and municipal litigation, including appellate work.  Mr. Squires has argued over 50 cases to Minnesota’s Appellate Courts. He has been a frequent presenter to professional groups and organizations in the areas of his practice.  Mr. Squires is a Real Property Specialist certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association and is licensed to practice in both federal and state courts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

 Mr. Steinhoff focuses his practice on civil litigation, real estate and land use. He represents parties in civil litigation in both state and federal court relating to many different types of real estate and debtor-creditor issues, including, but not limited to, landlord-tenant disputes, debt collection, mortgage foreclosures, lien foreclosures, title registrations, title defects, boundary disputes, insurance coverage, breaches of contract, construction defects, property damage, condemnation, inverse condemnation, property taxes, special assessments, and all manner of land use issues. In addition to his litigation practice, he assists clients in the preparation and submission of many types of land use applications, including, but not limited to, re-zoning applications, re-guiding applications, conditional use permit applications, interim use permit applications, variance applications, preliminary and final plat applications, appeals from administrative decisions, and wetlands applications. As noted, he represents parties in trial and appellate court litigation relating to land use and zoning approvals, denials and enforcement actions. Mr. Steinhoff is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and was formerly an infantry officer in the United States Army. He is also a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School.

Civic Infrastructure Collaborative is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that drives public and private value from core urban infrastructure. Mr. Ponce previously served as Chief Strategy and Innovation and Officer at Millennium Garages, a public-private partnership spanning 3.8M square feet in the heart of downtown Chicago. With more than 9,000 parking spaces and 100 electric vehicle charging ports, Millennium Garages is the largest underground downtown parking system in North America and the largest public electric vehicle charging hub in the US Midwest. He brings to this work deep experience in energy, transportation, climate, and economic development, including management and policy leadership roles with City Tech, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the City of Chicago, and management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. Mr. Ponce holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Mr. Sachs is a successful entrepreneur, commercial real estate professional, and venture capital investor with a unique background in the parking industry and digital media. He is an SEO expert with a proven record of connecting online audiences to real-world interactions. Mr. Sachs designs PARCS systems for customers and provides business consulting services, marketing support, and guidance on best parking practices. He is also a Venture Partner at NextGen Venture Partners. Mr. Sachs is on the board of directors for the Middle Atlantic Parking Association. He is also a member of the National Parking Association Parking Consultants Council, for which he is the editor and a contributor to Dimensions of Parking 6th Edition, scheduled to be published in early 2025. Mr. Sachs is a current member of the International Parking & Mobility Institute’s Technology Committee and a former member of the Education Committee.

Mr. Tucker is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of profound experience in transportation, parking, and mobility. His journey began with managing a Miami parking garage in the mid-90s, leading to an illustrious career in senior national leadership positions within major parking enterprises for a span of two decades. Mr. Tucker’s expertise encompasses operations, sales, legal matters, and strategic development, forming a comprehensive understanding of parking asset management. Notably, his trajectory includes nearly 8 years at a major parking technology company, Flash Parking. His roles as National Vice President of Sales, General Counsel, Senior Vice President of Market Development, and Senior Vice President of Strategic Sales showcase his versatility and significant contributions across various facets of the industry. Today, he resides in South Florida with his family and serves as the Global President of Parking Logix, a world leader in real-time modular parking occupancy detection solutions. Mr. Tucker’s academic achievements comprise a Juris Doctor (JD) and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), bolstered by certifications like Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and Certified Administrator of Public Parking (CAPP). These accomplishments underscore his dedication to upholding excellence and industry standards. His passion for creating seamless, efficient, and secure parking experiences has garnered him respect and admiration among peers. Mr. Tucker’s strategic vision continues to shape the trajectory of the parking sector, making him an esteemed veteran and thought leader in the field.

Mr. West has participated in the parking industry as a founder, co-owner, c-suite executive and Board Member in over $2 billion in U.S. parking investments.  His major focus areas include advising investors and investment committees on the pace and direction of changes in urban mobility; CEO of the Millennium Garages Concession in Chicago; owner of five urban garages; and innovator in alternative uses of parking garages.

Mr. Blakeman is a Principal and Managing Partner at CARBO. Before joining the firm, he worked in North Carolina, gaining experience in park, commercial, institutional, and municipal projects. Over 25 years, he has developed a broad knowledge base in detail design, large-scale site planning, and master planning. Mr. Blakeman well-rounded approach to the design process provides thoughtful design solutions. As a Partner, he provides team leadership throughout the design process, fosters positive client relationships, develops conceptual themes, and ensures quality implementation. Mr. Blakeman facilitates efficient and effective communication between workgroups, clients, and multi-disciplinary team members. He is also responsible for business development in the public and private sectors within the region, working to grow the firm’s presence.
Mr. Blakeman earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture at Louisiana State University in 1999. He is a Registered Landscape Architect in the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, & Florida, and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Mr. Blakeman has also been active in the local ASLA chapter, serving on the Executive Committee from 2006 to 2019.

Mr. Geismar is a Landscape Architect with cross-discipline education in architecture. This broadened perspective lends itself well to complex urban design and place-making, where multiple cultural, social, natural and historical influences often intersect in the built environment. He regularly collaborates with civic groups, community stakeholders, and multi-disciplinary design and technical teams to develop enduring connections between people and places. As an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP, Mr. Geismar co-founded the Vacant Lots: Occupied (VLO) platform to align private, public, and academic collaborators to support local communities in re-envisioning the best and highest use of under-utilized parcels. The program has received a number of local and state awards for its effective planning and transformation of underutilized parcels for maximum social and environmental impact. Further, his strong visual communication skills help convey complex conceptual and technical ideas to broad and diverse audiences. Mr. Geismar compelling visualization has a proven track record of garnering community support and assisting fundraising.

Mr. Maung-Douglass joined CARBO in June of 2017 after completing a 2-year research and design fellowship at the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio. He received a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Temple University in 2013 and Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Roger Williams University in 2005.
Before moving to Louisiana, Mr. Maung-Douglass was an intern with Biohabitats, Inc. in Baltimore, MD. For this internship, He was tasked with the design, construction, and operation of a small-scale wetland treatment system that would filter water from Baltimore Harbor. While there, Mr. Maung-Douglass also worked on various other ecological restoration and landscape design projects.
During his time at the Coastal Sustainability Studio, he worked on the Changing Course design competition, the design of an interactive coastal Louisiana exhibit for the Center for River Studies, the creation of visualizations for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, and a range of in-house projects related to coastal Louisiana and the August 2016 flood.
Mr. Maung-Douglass is a certified Master Naturalist through the Louisiana Master Naturalist Association and is also an active member of the Capital Area Native Plant Society.

Ms. Norval received her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from Louisiana State University in 2013. Since graduation, she has gained professional experience on projects across southern Louisiana and has worked closely with various suburban and rural municipalities gaining skills in community engagement. Ms. Norval approaches each project with an emphasis on designing with the community while fostering environmentally sustainable methods and practices. Her active projects range from universally inclusive neighborhood playgrounds to large-scale stormwater parks. Ms. Norval is also an active advocate for her profession and has served on the executive committee of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Throughout college and internships, she has had the privilege of traveling locally and abroad to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the direct implications of design within a community. As a southeastern Louisiana native, she has a deep appreciation for the culture that has evolved from our dynamic coastal landscape. Ms. Norval understands the need for creative design in the face of climate change and has worked extensively on stormwater management projects at varying scales.
She also maintains an interest in Louisiana native and naturalized plants and local recycled materials as they are used in stormwater management practices and coastal sustainability.

Mr. Searns has a four-decade history of visualizing, planning, and getting trails and greenway projects built. He was project director of Denver’s Platte River and Mary Carter Greenways, both national-award-winning projects. He helped plan the Grand Canyon National Park Greenway, played a key role on the Memphis Wolf River Greenway, and authored the Commerce City, CO, Walk, Bike, Fit Plan. Mr. Searns has written for Planning, Landscape Architecture, LA China, and American Trails magazines and has served as editor-in-chief of Trails and Beyond magazine. He chaired American Trails and was a founder of The World Trails Network as well as being a delegate to the America’s Great Outdoors White House conclave. Mr. Searns current book is Beyond Greenways: The Next Step For City Trails and Walking Routes, published in 2023 by Island Press. This book was chosen as one of THE DIRT’s (American Society of Landscape Architects) 10 best books of 2023. He resides, writes, hikes, and bikes near Denver, Colorado.

Mr. Whittaker has 26 years of experience in landscape architectural design and planning. His professional philosophy and skills include the integration of sustainable design, public process, community building, cultural resources, and art. As a lead project designer, Mr. Whittaker has led many sustainability and regenerative design initiatives both within our firm and in the Greater Cincinnati region. He has worked on several LEED projects and has been a strong regional advocate for the Living Building Challenge. Mr. Whittaker has participated in site projects from conceptual design through design details and construction drawings, and he has played an instrumental role in creating innovative technical and aesthetically compelling solutions to stormwater management challenges.

Dr. Wu is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Coastal, and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Alabama. He is the director for Interdisciplinary Center for Sustainable Engineering (ICSE), the Gulf-Coast Center for Addressing Microplastic Pollution (GC-CAMP), the Solid Waste Sustainability Hub and the director for Sustainable Asphalt Materials Lab. Dr. Wu was a senior sustainability research engineer in the Illinois Center for Transportation at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign. His research and education areas include asphalt materials characterization, smart, sustainable transportation materials for infrastructure, pavement performance evaluation and modeling, design, and maintenance. Dr. Wu has successfully secured over $7.8 million in research funding from various federal and state agencies, as well as industry. He has published 67 peer-reviewed journal articles, 11 technical reports, and has presented at over 56 conferences and 33 invited talks. Dr. Wu teaches a mixture of undergraduate and graduate engineering courses such as Pavement Design and Advanced Characterization of Transportation Materials. He developed a free course for students to pass FE exam. Dr. Wu is a committee member for Transportation Research Board (TRB) AJE35 and AKM 90, a member of American Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and Academy of Pavement Science and Engineering (APSE), as well as an editorial member for ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Journal of Testing and Evaluation, and International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology. He serves panel member for several NCHRP and ACRP projects. He is also a registered professional engineer in Alabama and LEED AP.

Mr. Boekhout offers private consulting work. He is a building and accessibility codes consultant for architects, contractors, developers, engineers, and attorneys. Mr. Boekhout has been educating and presenting seminars for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and Rutgers University for the past 30 years.

Mr. Baez is a highly experienced trial lawyer offering a strong track record of courtroom success. He practices in the areas of family law, criminal law, and personal injury. Mr. Baez understands the difficult challenges and stressors when faced with criminal charges, a divorce or separation, or an injury. Mr. Baez is a compassionate advisor for each and every one of his clients. He offers exceptional communication during every step of the legal process and works hard to achieve commonsense solutions. Mr. Baez is ready to be your dedicated advocate so you can have confidence and peace of mind knowing your legal troubles are safe in his capable hands. He has served as a Guardian Ad Litem for children and incapacitated adults. Mr. Baez’s experience as a Guardian Ad Litem is invaluable as he advocates for his clients with custody and visitation legal issues. He has successfully litigated cases in Virginia’s General District Courts, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts, and the Circuit Courts. Mr. Baez has also appeared before the Virginia Court of Appeals and the Virginia Supreme Court. He was born and raised in Holbrook, Long Island, New York. Mr. Baez is a graduate of McGill University and the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. During law school, he was an editor on Penn State Law’s Yearbook on Arbitration and Mediation and he was actively involved with his school’s trial advocacy team. Two of Mr. Baez’s scholarly articles were published during his second year of law school. He also worked for the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, and the New York City Comptroller’s Office during his time at Penn State Law.

As a bilingual certified paralegal from Puerto Rico, Mr. Figueroa helps both English and Spanish speaking clients. He manages the office as well as provides assistance in discovery, scheduling, case filings, and research. Mr. Figueroa also helps coordinate Hague family matters. He cares deeply about working in an efficient manner and making sure that legal services and accessibility are available at reasonable costs. Many clients have noted his patience, easy manner, and pleasant demeanor.

Mr. Mims, at 33 years old, brings over seven years of dedicated experience to the legal field, with a passion for family law that spans more than three years. His unique blend of legal expertise and a background in technology and mathematics enriches his approach to complex cases, allowing him to find innovative solutions and provide exceptional support to clients. Outside the courtroom, Mr. Mims enjoys immersing himself in the world of video games, indulging in the latest shows and movies, and pursuing self-development. His diverse interests reflect his commitment to continuous growth and his ability to adapt to various challenges in both his personal and professional life. Mr. Mims is a paralegal who thrives on the intersection of law, technology, and a genuine desire to help families navigate the complexities of the legal system.

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.