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

Mr. Tolman is the president and owner of AccenaGroup, a company that has served Utah and surrounding states as stormwater plan and consulting experts since 2007. His industry certifications include QSWPPP, Utah RSI, CISEC, and CPESC. Mr. Tolman has presented several times at American Public Works Association (APWA) conferences, CASQA, Stormcon, and other industry conferences. He has consulted on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Utah State consent decrees and regularly guest lectured for construction management classes at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University.

Ms. Bowman formerly served four years as the Senior Director of Ethics and Professional Practice with the National Society of Professional Engineers. She is the principal of a woman-owned business in civil engineering, dispute resolution, and legal services. She is experienced in boundary law issues, engineering design and forensic analysis, and construction/project management. She is a registered professional engineer, a certified arbitrator, mediator, and Christian conciliator, and a Diplomate of Forensic Engineering. Mrs. Bowman wrote a column for Pennsylvania’s PE Reporter, “Risky Business,” for more than 20 years. Her book, Residential Construction and Remodeling in Pennsylvania: Working with Homeowners and Small Contactors, is going into its second edition. She is a frequent CPE lecturer (law and engineering) for a variety of providers. She received her B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota, her M.B.A. degree from Oklahoma University, her J.D. degree from Duquesne University, and she recently completed her certificate in Sustainability Policy from Penn State.

Ryan DesJardins is originally from Michigan and has been practicing law in Oregon since 2013 first serving as a federal judicial clerk then transitioning to private practice. While his practice is varied, he specializes in policyholder-side insurance coverage litigation. Mr. DesJardins has participated in the full range of insurance disputes, including hundred-million-dollar commercial insurance claims, Superfund environmental cleanup claims, and individual home/auto policy disputes. He firmly believes that a strong knowledge of insurance law and the complex interplay between insurance policies can serve all attorneys and business owners. Whether an insurer fulfills the obligations of the insurance policies they issue can be the difference between bankruptcy and business as usual. Mr. DesJardins is of counsel for the boutique firm McDermott Weaver Connelly Clifford LLP in Portland, Oregon, where he represents clients in complex civil litigation.

Mr. Draper is a Knoxville native and the senior shareholder in Lewis Thomason’s Knoxville construction law practice group. He is an AV-rated trial lawyer with broad experience in civil litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Prior to obtaining his law degree, he operated a paint contracting business and worked in commercial construction. His law practice is concentrated in construction defect litigation, professional liability defense, commercial disputes and insurance coverage disputes. His construction clients include owners, designers, industrial, commercial, utility, and residential general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. He has successfully defended a broad range of licensed professionals, including architects and engineers, lawyers, health care providers, surveyors, and realtors. He also has extensive experience in insurance coverage disputes, much of it related to the construction industry. Mr. Draper has extensive arbitration experience and he serves as both an arbitrator and mediator. He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed Civil Mediator. He is a founding member and past president (2015) of the Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel, and long-time member of the Steering Committee of the Construction Practice Group of ALFA International – a global legal network of premier law firms in which the firm is a member. In his law practice, he aspires to the example of his now retired father lawyer, Jack Draper, who counseled that a lawyer should always seek to leave no stone unturned, but to resolve, rather than perpetuate conflict wherever possible.

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

Mr. Sherman is a member of Prince Lobel’s Construction and Business Transactions practice groups. He is an experienced construction attorney with significant construction transactional, consulting, and litigation experience. In this capacity, Mr. Sherman assists construction project owners, developers, general contractors, construction management firms, subcontractors, and material suppliers with realtime project consulting, drafting and negotiating all manner of construction agreements and forms, and with prosecuting and defending construction disputes. Mr. Sherman advises clients during the construction delivery process, assisting with the drafting and review of all forms of design, construction, and consultant agreements. He has experience preparing, negotiating, and amending the standard suite of industry form agreements (e.g., AIA, DBIA, and ConsensusDocs) and preparing other forms of agreement like EPC agreements, construction management agreements, surety forms, guaranteed maximum price contracts, purchase orders, master service agreements, and other ancillary documents used for, by, and with construction project owners and developers, construction management firms, subcontractors, design professionals, and material suppliers.

Mr. Stoner has successfully defended claims against design professionals for design defects, tortious interference, failure to inspect, and damages for delay, and he has handled contractor claims and surety and lien claims. In addition, he frequently represents shareholders in various business disputes, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and usurpation of corporate opportunity. He has successfully tried cases in both state and federal courts. Mr. Stoner’s contributions to the legal profession are not limited to the courtroom. He has lectured extensively on various risk management issues for design professionals and contractors on areas such as contract drafting, project documentation, claims handling, and other issues that typically arise during the course of a construction project. Mr. Stoner’s legal practice is centered on delivering the best possible legal outcome for his clients. He works to ensure that clients make solid and informed business decisions. Mr. Stoner strives to educate clients on the law and to bring them as much information as necessary to ensure they make good business decisions. He provides uncompromising legal representation for businesses and professionals. Mr. Stoner relies on 28 years of experience in the legal field and a background of academic excellence. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University in 1993 and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 1996.

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

Mr. Tuck has more than 50 years of experience in the materials testing and construction inspection industry. He has been a code influencer. In the early 1990’s, he published a 47-page Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) monograph entitled BOCA Special Inspection Services as a learning and teaching tool for testing agencies, architects, engineers, municipalities, and building officials, etc. This document became the foundation for the original Chesterfield County, Virginia, special inspection program which today is known to be one of the best special inspection programs in the region. This CSI monograph impacted and assisted the development of special inspection programs of many other Virginia jurisdictions during the early days of BOCA and IBC. Today, Mr. Tuck is the building code “go to” guy when architects, engineers, contractors and building officials across the Mid-Atlantic have special inspection questions about their ongoing projects.

Mr. Tuck started his career with Froehling & Robertson in 1964 as a materials technician and fulfilled many duties including senior field technician, radiographic assistant, drill rig operator, laboratory technician, and structural steel inspector, quickly being promoted to branch manager of the Roanoke office in 1966. Over the next few decades, Mr. Tuck also managed F&R’s operations in Norfolk, Lynchburg, and Chesapeake, Virginia. During this time, he was designated as the company-wide manager of construction materials testing services, working in F&R’s Richmond headquarters. In the late 1990’s, Mr. Tuck took on company business development. His success in this realm led to Mr. Tuck being elevated to the role of vice president of business development. His responsibilities in this role included hiring, training, and supervising business development managers throughout the company’s Mid-Atlantic footprint. F&R was established in 1881 and is one of the oldest consulting engineering firms and testing agencies in the United States.

Mr. Tuck developed training courses related to special inspection requirements of the International Building Code (IBC) and the various statewide building codes in jurisdictions where F&R maintains operations, including Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia and the Carolinas. He cultivated and expanded inter-company special inspections code training courses for F&R’s technicians, special inspectors and engineers. These technical code training courses formed the basis of F&R’s Continuing Education Program and Lunch & Learn Series which are comprised of building code training courses regarding soils, geotechnical engineering, concrete, masonry, sprayed fire-resistant materials, structural steel and many other disciplines. These courses are now offered to the entire Mid-Atlantic community of architects, engineers, construction professionals as well as associations, municipalities, school systems and a host of other market sectors. As F&R’s very first executive director of code compliance and training, Mr. Tuck has provided special inspections training and code training to hundreds of firms and thousands of professionals over the past decade and has dedicated this phase of his professional career to the study and instruction of the various building code changes throughout the different code cycles. He also is well versed in the major code changes of the “enforcer” codes such as AWS (welding), AISC (steel), ACI 318 (concrete), ACI 530 (masonry), in addition to the latest revisions of the International Building Code (IBC) and statewide codes within F&R’s geographical region.

Mr. Kurdi has been serving the electrical industry for over 30 years as engineer, electrician and trainer. Mr. Kurdi has engineered (designed, specified and analyzed) government buildings (police stations, sheriff’s offices, fire stations, city halls, court houses, libraries and jails), housing buildings (affordable, senior, assistant, memory care, adaptable use and student), hospitals, data centers, sport arenas, commercial office buildings, water/wastewater treatment plants and electric utility distribution and substations. Mr. Kurdi’s electrician experience includes estimating, laying out, wiring, installing and maintaining electrical systems for residential and commercial buildings. He has developed and taught thousands of seminar hours over the years at Dunwoody College of Technology, Minnesota Electrical Association, IEEE and others. The seminars include NEC Code, electrician’s exam, MV system, electrical wiring, apprenticeship, estimation, electrical design, Revit MEP and project management. Mr. Kurdi holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Adult Education. He is a registered electrical engineer (PE) in 37 states. He holds a Class A master electrician license from the State of Minnesota. Currently, Mr. Kurdi is a senior electrical engineer and vice president of engineering at BKV Group (A&E Firm with offices in Chicago, Dallas, DC and Minneapolis). Mr. Kurdi served as NCEL board member (Jan 2021 – present), IAEI MN Chapter president (Jan 2018 – Jan 2023), chair of IEEE Twin Cities PES/IAS (Aug 2019 – Jan 2023), Minnesota State Board of Electricity member (Jan 2018 – Jan 2020).

Mr. Kurdi has been serving the electrical industry for over 30 years as engineer, electrician and trainer. Mr. Kurdi has engineered (designed, specified and analyzed) government buildings (police stations, sheriff’s offices, fire stations, city halls, court houses, libraries and jails), housing buildings (affordable, senior, assistant, memory care, adaptable use and student), hospitals, data centers, sport arenas, commercial office buildings, water/wastewater treatment plants and electric utility distribution and substations. Mr. Kurdi’s electrician experience includes estimating, laying out, wiring, installing and maintaining electrical systems for residential and commercial buildings. He has developed and taught thousands of seminar hours over the years at Dunwoody College of Technology, Minnesota Electrical Association, IEEE and others. The seminars include NEC Code, electrician’s exam, MV system, electrical wiring, apprenticeship, estimation, electrical design, Revit MEP and project management. Mr. Kurdi holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Adult Education. He is a registered electrical engineer (PE) in 37 states. He holds a Class A master electrician license from the State of Minnesota. Currently, Mr. Kurdi is a senior electrical engineer and vice president of engineering at BKV Group (A&E Firm with offices in Chicago, Dallas, DC and Minneapolis). Mr. Kurdi served as NCEL board member (Jan 2021 – present), IAEI MN Chapter president (Jan 2018 – Jan 2023), chair of IEEE Twin Cities PES/IAS (Aug 2019 – Jan 2023), Minnesota State Board of Electricity member (Jan 2018 – Jan 2020).

Mr. Bertulis is a nationally and internationally known leader in designing for active transportation, complete streets, and traffic engineering. He has 25 years of active transportation planning and design experience in the private, public, academic, and nonprofit sectors. He is a licensed professional engineer (PE) and professional traffic operations engineer (PTOE) and he has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Civil Engineering.

Over the last 20 years, Mr. Bertulis has taught dozens of complete streets webinars and workshops in three languages in six countries around the world from Scotland to Mexico. He also co-taught a “Planning for Walking and Biking” class at the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, for two and a half years.

Mr. Bertulis has led protected intersection designs, cycle track projects, road diet traffic analyses, complete street plans, and vision zero studies. He is a former board member for the Association for Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) and has been on the Bicycle Technical Committee (BTC) for the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) for the last seven years. He is also on the committees to review and update Part 7 on School Areas and Part 9 on Bicycles for the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD).

Ms. Augustin practices elder law, probate litigation, estate planning, estate administration, and family law at Augustin Law Offices, PLLC, in East Lansing, Michigan. She is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law and serves on several committees and council roles, including board member of the Ingham County Bar Association, member of the ICLE Elder Law Advisory Board, co-chair of the Ingham County Bar Association Probate Section, and State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Council member. Ms. Augustin is also a member of the Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council and Michigan State University Inn of Court.

Mr. Boey is an associate in the Detroit office dedicated to representing clients in all areas of domestic relations and matrimonial law, including high-asset divorces, complex custody cases, child and spousal support matters, pre-marital and post-marital agreements, and enforcement actions. With a focus on designing comprehensive and personalized solutions for his clients, he navigates his clients — ranging from corporate executives to stay-at-home parents to physicians to business owners to other professionals — through the profoundly personal nature of family law cases. Mr. Boey devotes himself to minimizing the emotional toll on his clients’ families, especially children, while maintaining strict confidentiality and ensuring results-driven representation. He takes a practical approach to his client’s matters — maintaining a focus on obtaining favorable results outside of the courtroom, whether through informal settlement or at mediation, while at the same time being prepared to fully litigate the matter through trial. Throughout the case, Mr. Boey is dedicated to listening, connecting, and working with his clients by giving them the clarity they require to reach optimal outcomes through personalized solutions.

Ms. Boutell is an attorney in Taft’s Domestic Relations practice group. Her practice centers around all aspects of domestic relations law, including divorce, separation, custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, paternity, post-nuptial and pre-nuptial agreements, change of domicile, post-judgment modifications, and other domestic relations matters. She is also a dedicated advocate for reproductive rights, with a particular focus on issues surrounding family building. Ms. Boutell practice encompasses cases involving assisted reproductive technologies, surrogacy, and parental rights, working to ensure equitable access to these services and to protect the legal rights of all parties involved. She maintains a personalized approach, working with men, women, and families to provide domestic relations and related guidance and advocacy.

Mr. Keeler is a lifelong Michigander, raised in Plainwell, just north of Kalamazoo. He earned his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University, majoring in History with a minor in Social Studies Education. After a brief period working at the high school level, Mr. Keeler pursued his passion for law, graduating from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2014. Initially starting his career in family law, he explored other practice areas but quickly realized that his background in education uniquely positioned him to support clients navigating divorce and custody matters. Mr. Keeler ability to explain complex legal concepts in a clear, compassionate manner has been invaluable to families facing emotionally charged situations. For the past several years, he has focused exclusively on family law, where he leverages his skills to help clients resolve issues efficiently and thoughtfully. Mr. Keeler is a solutions-oriented attorney who understands that no two families are alike. His approach is tailored to each client’s specific circumstances, recognizing the need for flexibility and creative problem-solving. Having a brother who is a combat veteran and children with special needs has made these issues deeply personal to him, driving his commitment to advocacy and support for families in challenging times.

Ms. Shadowens is a partner at Varnum LLP. Her practice is entirely devoted to family law matters, specializing in divorce, child custody and family law litigation including change of domicile, interstate and international child custody matters. Ms. Shadowens is also a trained mediator and collaborative lawyer. She adamantly advocates for her clients in Kalamazoo, Kent, Allegan, Berrien, Van Buren, St. Joseph, Barry, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, and surrounding counties. Her 26 years of experience lends itself well to complex high-asset cases involving closely held family businesses, and challenging child custody matters. Her knowledge of the law, diligence and tenacity help her accomplish her client’s goals in their family law matters. Ms. Shadowens has litigated cases in all levels of the court system, including the Michigan Supreme Court. Media outlets call on her to share her expertise. She is a former council member of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section and currently serves as a board member for the Girls on the Run of Greater Kalamazoo.

Mr. Williams practices in the Southfield office of Foster Swift as a member of the litigation practice group, focusing on family law cases including divorce, child support, and spousal support, criminal defense, and criminal and family law appeals. Mr. Williams is a former Chicago violent crimes prosecutor where he prosecuted first-degree murders, child sexual assaults, aggravated driving under the influence, and other violent offenses. Mr. Williams is a co-author of the Physical and Scientific Evidence chapter of the Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education publication Introducing Evidence at Trial, and he is a regular contributor to Foster Swift’s Family Law Advocate blog. Mr. Williams is also a former presenter on DUI issues for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. He is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Family Law Section and the Oakland County Bar Association. Mr. Williams is licensed to practice in the state courts of Michigan, Illinois, and California.

Ms. Beaury is an assistant curator in the Center for Conservation and Restoration Ecology at the New York Botanical Garden. Her research uses spatial models and large datasets to map global change drivers and impacts, including invasive species, climate change, and land-use change. Ms. Beaury is particularly interested in using tools from biogeography to inform strategic management of conservation issues, such as the introduction of invasive species through horticultural trade and strategically implementing nature-based solutions.

Mr. Colleran is a professional wetland scientist (PWS) and certified ecological restoration practitioner (CERP), who possesses both the basic and advanced field botany certificates awarded by the Native Plant Trust for whom he now serves as an educator. He has a commercial pesticide license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Category 40 (Rights-of-Way), has been involved with four Conservation Commissions in Massachusetts including as an agent and a chair, and currently serves on the leadership team of the Northeast’s Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Network. He has a long history in fluvial, riparian, and wetland projects; invasive species control work, and the regulation and management of natural areas, as well as authoring several peer reviewed papers. At Ecological Land Management he continues to investigate the scope and scale of the impact to transportation and riparian systems inflicted by the swarm of invasive knotweed species and sub-species.

Ms. Eierman is an environmental horticulturist and ecological landscape designer specializing in native plants. Based in New York, Ms. Eierman teaches at the New York Botanical Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, The Native Plant Center, Rutgers Home Gardeners School, and several other institutions. She is an active speaker nationwide on many ecological landscape topics, presenting for industry conferences, “green events,” Master Gardener groups, garden clubs, nature centers, Audubon Society chapters, beekeeping groups, and other organizations interested in environmental improvements. Ms. Eierman also provides horticultural consulting and landscape design to homeowners and commercial clients. In addition to being a certified horticulturist through the American Society for Horticultural Science, she is an Accredited Organic Landcare Professional, a Steering Committee member of The Native Plant Center, and a member of The Ecological Landscape Alliance and Garden Communicators International. Ms. Eierman is the author of the new book, The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening.

Plant Magic Gardens is an ecologically conscious gardening company that focuses on planting native plant gardens and landscapes. Ms. Rafuse and her team of top-notch gardeners design and install gardens, perform garden maintenance. She provides educational opportunities to the community and her clients about how we can all support local pollinators and wildlife with our gardens and be better land stewards.

Dave Christensen is the Washington State Department of Ecology Water Resources Deputy Program Manager. He has been with Ecology for 12 years working on legislative proposals, regulations, and policies on water resource management. Mr. Christensen has worked for state agencies, local government and non-profit organizations, with more than 30 years of professional experience in water resources, public health and environmental management.

Wyatt Golding is an attorney with Ziontz Chestnut in Seattle. The firm serves the wide-ranging legal needs of Indian tribes and other Native American entities and individuals, as well as non-profit conservation and community groups. In addition to defending treaty hunting and fishing rights, the firm’s work involves tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction, taxation, land and water rights, federal government contracting, and natural and cultural resource protection. Mr. Golding specializes in litigation involving the intersection of environmental law and federal Indian law, Washington state water law, and administrative environmental appeals.

Dr. Sasha Richey McLarty is an assistant professor at Washington State University. Her main interest is in identifying and quantifying the interaction between human and physical systems, with a focus on groundwater and large-scale hydrologic systems. Currently, Dr. Richey’s research combines satellite and in situ observations of hydrologic systems into modeling and decision support frameworks over large regional scales, including in the Columbia Plateau Aquifer in the Pacific Northwest (USA) and in Central Asia. She mainly focuses on complex groundwater systems, where interdisciplinary approaches are necessary to understand both natural and anthropogenic drivers of aquifer change. She enjoys working at the interface of research and water resources management and has contributed to multiple “science diplomacy” efforts in the United States and internationally to advance the role of scientific research in decision making. Dr. Richey earned her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering – Hydrology and Water Resources Specialty from the University of California, Irvine.

Lyn E. Beggs is the managing attorney with the Law Offices of Lyn E. Beggs, PLLC. in Reno. She received her J.D. degree from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, in 1997 after obtaining her undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada Reno in International Affairs in 1994. Ms. Beggs, a native of northern Nevada, returned to Reno after law school as a staff attorney for the Federal District Court for the District of Nevada. She spent several years as a Washoe County deputy public defender for Washoe County, gaining extensive courtroom experience in both family and criminal matters. In 2005 Ms. Beggs became Deputy General Counsel and subsequently General Counsel for the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners where she acted as the prosecuting attorney for the Board in disciplinary matters, advised staff and board members on a myriad of legal administrative issues and worked closely with other licensing boards providing her with unique insight into administrative licensing matters. In 2012, she transitioned to the private sector assisting clients in professional licensing board matters before a variety of professional boards and agencies. In 2014 she established the Law Offices of Lyn E. Beggs, PLLC, to provide her clients with personal and professional representation. Ms. Beggs is active in State Bar committees and is a member of the Washoe County Bar Association and is a member of the American Healthcare Attorneys Association.

Caleb Green is an intellectual property strategist and technology attorney in the Dickinson Wright Las Vegas office. His primary areas of practice include intellectual property law, cyber-security and data protection laws, entertainment law, and technology. Namely, Mr. Green’s experience revolves around trademark prosecution, intellectual property litigation and enforcement, intellectual property management, corporate due diligence, and data protection compliance. He merges his legal acumen with his unique background in computer science and information technology to help clients understand complex technical and legal issues and advise them on how to best protect their proprietary goods and services through intellectual property and privacy laws. For example, Mr. Geen consults and advises clients on various emerging technologies, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain technology, DAOs, cryptocurrency, and metaverse/virtual reality matters. He earned his J.D. degree from William S. Boyd School of Law.

Leah Martin is the managing partner of Leah Martin Law. In 1999, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) with a B.A. degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science. In law school, she was editor-in-chief of the Nevada Law Journal and judicial extern to United States District Court Judge Phillip Pro. Ms. Martin graduated summa cum laude from UNLV’s law school in 2002. At graduation, she was recognized as the William S. Boyd Outstanding Graduate. Following her graduation from law school, she immediately began employment at Lionel Sawyer & Collins, at the time the largest law firm in the state, which specializes in a variety of business matters. While at that firm, and subsequently at Bailey Kennedy, she gained experience on complex matters while being mentored by a variety of top professionals in Nevada. In 2011, Ms. Martin made the choice to establish her own firm. She brings to her firm many years of experience in all areas of business law, including preparing formation documents; drafting operating and shareholder agreements, partnership agreements, purchase and finance agreements, leases, surrender agreements, non-compete and nondisclosure agreements, and employment agreements; contract litigation; shareholder derivative suits; business dissolutions; and appellate matters. During the course of her practice of law, Ms. Martin has also been involved in many areas of legal education and service. She was an associate editor of the Nevada Civil Practice Manual from 2004-2010. Ms. Martin was a teaching assistant for the Nevada Civil Practice class at UNLV’s law school from 2006-2008. She has been a grader for the Nevada Bar Exam since 2008. She has chaired the Clark County Law Foundation Community Service Committee, having served on the committee since 2007. In addition to maintaining her own cases, she has also been an arbitrator on the Court Annexed Arbitration Program Panel since 2012. Ms. Martin is licensed with the State Bars of Nevada and Arizona. She is also certified to practice Law in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Nevada, Clark County Bar Association, and Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys.

Neil Opfer is an associate professor with the University of Nevada Las Vegas Civil and Environment Engineering and Construction Department. He teaches coursework in construction management, cost control, cost estimating, structural design, and facility systems. Professor Opfer is also an industry consultant on design and construction issues, construction safety/defects, methods/materials, production, and cost management issues. He earned his B.A. degrees in Business and Economics, cum laude, from Washington State University, and his B.S. degree in Building Theory, cum laude, from Washington State University. Professor Opfer earned his M.S. degree in Management from Purdue University and his P.D. degree in Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Scott Jeffers’s career focuses on urban water resources and green infrastructure collaborating with major municipalities internationally to address modern challenges in water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. Dr. Jeffers brings over 12 years’ experience in the water resource industry specializing in site and regional hydraulic/hydrologic modeling, permitting, capital improvement master planning, optimization/prioritization for asset management, IoT deployment, and a background in novel digital water techniques. Dr. Jeffers is a leading expert in EPA SWMM modeling and teaches hydrology and urban ecohydraulics at Drexel University. Recreationally, he is a musician and rock climber.

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.

William Rahmeyer is an emeritus professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Utah State University (USU), and for 31 years he was on the faculty at USU and for 10 years as research faculty at Colorado State University. Professor Rahmeyer is the past department head of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USU as well as the senior professor of the Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics program of the Utah Water Research Laboratory. He also served at USU as the director of the Hydro Composite Modeling Program, the division head of Water Engineering, the interim division head of both the Structures Division and the Transportation Division, and as the Undergraduate Curriculum Division head. Professor Rahmeyer is currently part-time as a senior associate for Ayres and Associates in Fort Collins, Colorado where his primary role is to conduct national workshops in hydraulics, culvert flow, and urban drainage for the National Hydraulic Institute of FWHA. He is a fellow and lifetime member in the American Society of Civil Engineers. Professor Rahmeyer has been a member of several professional societies, and serve on committees for the American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the International Association of Hydraulic Research (IAHR), the Association of State Dam Safety Officers (ASDSO), the Instrument Society of America (ISA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the International Erosion Control Association (IECA), and the American Society of Heating and Refrigeration Association (ASHRAE). He has regularly attended and presented at the annual conferences of ASDSO, ASEE, ASCE, IAHR, ASCE National Department Heads, and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). In the past, he has been a member of the United States Committee on Large Dams (USCOLD) and the International Committee on Large Dams (ICOLD). Over the last several years, Professor Rahmeyer has created and presented a workshop on open channel flow for Half Moon Education and finished serving on the Bluestone Dam UASCE IEPA and on several 100% DDR review panels for the USACE. He has been on the board of directors for the Utah Floodplain and Storm Water Management Association since 1986. Professor Rahmeyer was a member the 2008 Bettelle “Final Independent Peer Review Report for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Vegetation Policy for Local Flood Damage Reduction Systems” which reviewed many of the guidelines and policies for management of levees, floodwalls, embankment dams, and appurtenant structures. Some of his recent awards include the AHRAE Technical/Symposium Paper Award, the ASHRAE Crosby Field Award for Research, and the South Pacific Division Regional Project Delivery Team Award from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He has received the Idaho Transportation Department 2012 Excellence in Transportation Award and the 2011 ACEC of Idaho Engineering Excellence Grand Award for the I-84 New York Canal Modeling and Modification. Professor Rahmeyer further received an honorable mention at the 2012 National AECE award ceremonies for his work with the I-84 New York Canal.

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

Mr. Gilbert brings over 28 years of experience in the renewable energy industry and holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is president of Azimuth Solar where he provides solar energy consulting, training and inspection services within the solar energy and real estate industries. From 2013 to 2016 he served as director of operations and maintenance (O&M) for Vigilant Energy Management, overseeing a portfolio of over 100 commercial PV systems. In 2000 Mr. Gilbert co-founded Chesapeake Solar, a leading mid-Atlantic solar energy company. In 2008 his company was listed on Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest-growing small companies, and later that same year the company was acquired by groSolar, one of the nation’s leading solar energy companies at the time. He served on the board of directors for the local chapter of the Solar Energy Industries Association (MDV-SEIA) and was chair of the Potomac Region Solar Energy Association (PRSEA) for four years starting in 1998. Mr. Gilbert has been certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) for both thermal and photovoltaic systems. 

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

Morvareed Z. Salehpour is an experienced business and tech lawyer with over a decade of experience in representing entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses. She specializes in creating and negotiating strong contracts and tech transactions to help clients scale and protect their startups and businesses. Her expertise includes counseling clients on product launches, intellectual property licensing and protection, open source issues, and data rights and privacy. She also helps her clients navigate mergers and acquisitions and successfully close such deals. With a track record of successful negotiations and a deep understanding of the legal intricacies associated with commercial contracts and tech transactions, Ms. Salehpour is a trusted advisor to clients ranging from startups to established businesses in various industries, such as SaaS, AI, analytics, software, and digital health, as well as professional services, media and entertainment, transportation, logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, fashion, cannabis, food and beverage, and other businesses. She handles a wide range of agreements, including master services agreements (MSAs), SAAS agreements, licensing agreements, terms of services/terms and conditions, subscription agreements, reseller/referral agreements, merger agreements, asset purchase agreement, and many others. She also provides counsel on business structure, operations, revenue generation, and M&A activity. Ms. Salehpour is known for applying unique solutions to client needs and working tirelessly to achieve efficient resolutions.

Ms. Sheppard has practiced family law since 2009. Using her extensive experience, she guides families through the legal system, specializing in divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, and mediation. She possesses significant expertise in handling military divorce matters. Ms. Sheppard is often appointed by the court as a minor’s counsel and qualified as a discovery referee. Beyond her legal practice, she actively contributes to the legal community. Ms. Sheppard held a position on the Family Law Bar Association Board and officer positions on the Foothills Bar Board, engages as a mandatory continuing legal education presenter, volunteers for the Lawyer’s Club and Pro Bono services in San Diego, and is an adjunct professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Mr. Starrett is founder of Starrett Law and Advisory, a firm specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and AI governance. He has extensive experience in law, risk management, and technology. He has served as general counsel and chief risk officer for an international AI and data management corporation, overseeing global legal operations and risk management. A seasoned educator, he teaches AI governance and law at Santa Clara University School of Law and the University of the Pacific’s Masters in Data Science program. With a background in software engineering, electronic discovery, and cybersecurity, Mr. Starrett holds multiple certifications, including CertifiedFraud Examiner (CFE) and former EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE). He earned an M.S. degree in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University and an LL.M. degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law.

Ms. West has 20 years of experience in both family and criminal law and is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization as a Specialist in Family Law. She joined Genesis Family Law, APC, in April 2023. For the six years prior to joining Genesis, Ms. West worked as a senior litigation attorney in local firms. She also owned West Maldonado Law Group and was an owner-partner at Rhoads & West for 11 years. Ms. West has been the lead attorney on 30-plus trials, including countless family law trials, rape and criminal domestic violence jury trials, fraudulent conveyance and partition actions, and multiple contempt trials. She has also been the lead attorney on over 50 domestic violence restraining order and/or civil restraining order evidentiary hearings. Ms. West has written four and argued two appeals in front of the 4th DCA.