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

Michael C. Penney, P.E. Director of Engineering/Principal, GeoInsight, Inc.

Mr. Penney graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1984 with a degree in Civil Engineering and has spent his last 33 years in private consulting working on geotechnical, environmental remediation, civil site design, and landfill projects. He specializes in the interaction of new and existing structures with soil, groundwater, and bedrock. His work assignments and responsibilities have enabled him to be directly involved in many thousands of investigation, evaluation and design projects throughout New England, and he has served as an expert witness on over 20 litigation cases. Mr. Penney is a professional engineer in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and Maine, and he is a licensed site professional in Massachusetts. He has been with GeoInsight since 1993 and is their director of engineering. In addition to direct senior management of projects and senior peer review, Mr. Penney’s responsibilities include steering GeoInsight’s business activities with a small group of majority shareholders, and working on business development and client management

Geotechnical Engineer
Mr. Cooke’s work experience includes services in the geotechnical, construction, construction testing/inspection and environmental engineering fields. His project experience includes projects as large as 1,400 acres, buildings as large as 1.5 million square feet, “portfolio” work on as many as 75 projects in one package, and linear projects as long as 40 miles. His specific specialties include earthwork and soil issues, construction materials and project performance, forensic analysis of geotechnical and materials issues, large project planning and geotechnical-related construction planning and analysis. He has provided geotechnical engineering on over 1,500 projects in over 15 states.

Dr. Jairo Garcia develops innovative policies and educational programs to make communities and cities cleaner, sustainable, resilient, and equitable. He is the lead author of Atlanta’s Climate Action Plan, and he led a collaborative effort with more than 40 stakeholders to the 100 Resilient Cities application, awarded to the City of Atlanta in 2016. Dr. Garcia is a member of the Georgia Research Roadmap steering committee, an initiative of the Georgia Climate Project lead by University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Emory University, which has a goal of improving understanding of climate impacts and solutions in Georgia. He received the Individual Climate Leadership Award by the EPA in 2017 and the Green Ring Award by the Climate Reality Project. These awards recognized Dr. Garcia’s leadership in addressing climate change and engaging organizations, peers, and partners. He represented the Mayor of Atlanta at COP23 in Bonn, Germany, and he presented at an event organized by the International Urban Cooperation Programme related to global cooperation to address climate change. Dr. Garcia’s publications on urban sustainability, climate change and sustainability education are numerous. His academic experiences include a position as a research assistant and two teaching assistant positions at Columbia University, a faculty adjunct and thesis advisor position at Concordia University, and faculty adjunct positions for the UCLA-Extension Program, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Garcia holds an engineering degree, an MSc degree in Management of Information Technologies, an MSc degree in Sustainability Management, and a doctoral degree in Educational Technology and Sustainability.

Mary Coolidge is Portland Audubon’s BirdSafe campaign coordinator, working with architects, planners and designers to reduce hazards for birds in the urban environment while meeting other building design and performance objectives, including site lighting design, sustainability, livability and climate change objectives. She has a degree in Biology and formerly served as Audubon’s assistant conservation director.

Susan Patterson Stevens is a Master Gardener, Certified Health Coach and author of health and garden books that have sold a million copies. She has been growing plants for over thirty years and has extensive knowledge of horticulture, natural health, sustainability and organic living which she uses to help others grow plants and live well.  Ms. Stevens has written thousands of articles on homesteading, growing organic food and how to use herbs and essential oils for health. 

Jake Brunoehler, PE Regional Engineer for ADS

Mr. Brunoehler is a licensed Professional Engineer in Wisconsin, and received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Valparaiso University. He previously worked as a project engineer for Patrick Engineering in SE Wisconsin. As a project engineer, Mr. Brunoehler had the opportunity to work along the entire I-94 N-S corridor through Racine and Kenosha Counties as a consultant to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Prior to his move to Wisconsin in 2009, he worked as an engineering technician for a private firm in Michigan, and as a project manager for the Norfolk Southern Railway. Currently, Mr. Brunoehler is the Wisconsin Regional Engineer for ADS as the technical specialist in stormwater modeling, manufacturing, specifications, structural design, best construction and inspection practices, and more. In his spare time, he enjoys home-brewing, woodworking, and travels with his wife as members of a traditional Irish band.

Associate Professor, The Ohio State University
David Gardner is an associate professor of turfgrass science at The Ohio State University. He received a B.S. degree in Horticulture from Iowa State University in 1993, an M.S. degree in Horticulture from Iowa State in 1996 and a Ph.D. degree in Turfgrass Science from the University of Illinois in 2000. Professor Gardner teaches several undergraduate courses including turfgrass management, statistics, herbaceous and woody ornamental plants, and plant taxonomy. His research interests are in weed management and turfgrass shade stress physiology.

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.

Mr. Nuño is 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 18-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, CO. He has managed civil projects in 19 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. 

Spencer S. Pollock, Esq., CIPP/US, CIPM is an attorney in the Corporate and Litigation Departments at Niles, Barton, & Wilmer, LLP, concentrating his practice in date security, cybersecurity, and privacy law. As an attorney, Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP-US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), Mr. Pollock assists clients in navigating and complying with the applicable state, federal, and international data security, cybersecurity, and privacy laws and regulations. Further, he performs the necessary due diligence on the client’s third-party service providers to assess and confirm their compliance with these laws and regulations. In the event of a data breach, Mr. Pollock analyzes and determines the applicable laws impacting clients and assists each with all the necessary steps to stay compliant to avoid fines, penalties, and potential regulatory investigations and civil lawsuits.

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

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

Dr. Roseen is a recognized industry leader in green infrastructure and urban watershed renewal, and he is the recipient of an Environmental Merit Award by the US Environmental Protection Agency Region 1. He consults nationally and locally on stormwater management and planning and currently leads one of the first-in-the-nation integrated planning efforts in coastal New Hampshire. He directed the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center for 10 years and is well versed in the practice, policy and planning of stormwater management. Dr. Roseen has 20 years of experience in the investigation, design, testing and implementation of innovative approaches to stormwater management. His broad area of expertise includes water resources engineering, stormwater management, low-impact development (LID) design, porous pavements, nutrient and TMDL studies, stream restoration and erosion and sediment control. Dr. Roseen has led the technical analysis of numerous studies examining land use and climate change impacts on municipal flooding. He has participated in many significant and award winning green infrastructure projects.

Program Director, Pollinator Education with the Department of Entomology/Extension at The Ohio State University
Denise R. Ellsworth directs the honey bee and native pollinator education program through The Ohio State University Department of Entomology on the Wooster campus. In this outreach position, she supports and teaches beekeepers, farmers, gardeners and others across the state through a variety of workshops, webinars, written materials and electronic resources. Ms. Ellsworth has bachelor of science and master of science degrees from The Ohio State University. Her areas of emphasis are in bee health, integrated pest management, pollinator identification, conservation and habitat enhancement, plant and insect phenology, adult education and citizen science.