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Emmy Baskerville has worked as an environmental scientist in wetland and water
resources consulting for 15 years. Her career has involved a wide range of wetland
consulting and regulatory-related activities. On any given day you might find her
overseeing permitting issues for a project, conducting wetland delineations rain or shine, leading wetland restorations and wetland mitigation plans, working with clients to create wetland restoration and wetland banking plans, and performing biological monitoring. She is a Certified Minnesota Wetland Professional, and she is on the Board of the Minnesota Wetland Professionals Association.

Zach Burmeister focuses his law practice in the areas of water, environmental, natural
resources and agricultural law. He earned his degree from Mitchell Hamline School of
Law, and he has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Policy & Planning. When
Mr. Burmeister isn’t practicing law, he spends a lot of time on the water. He says the key to a successful fishing trip is finding the proper presentation to use at the right time in the right location. Those principles carry over into Mr. Burmeister’s professional life of pursuing legal solutions.

John Kolb is a shareholder at the law firm of Rinke Noonan, located in St. Cloud,
Minnesota. Mr. Kolb concentrates his practice in the areas of water, environmental and natural resources, agriculture, land use and municipal law. He is a frequent speaker on issues related to stormwater and wastewater management, and establishment of flood control, stormwater and agricultural drainage projects. Mr. Kolb is a retired member of the Army National Guard where he held the rank of Colonel and commanded an artillery battalion for over two years, including 16 months in Iraq. He is active in several local, state, and national community service organizations and advisory boards. When he isn’t practicing law, Mr. Kolb enjoys the Minnesota outdoors with his wife and children.

Matthew Summers is a professional soil scientist with 10 years’ experience
conducting wetland delineations, wetland permit applications, wetland restorations,
WCA and USDA wetland violation appeals, and WCA LGU assistance. A significant
percentage of his job is helping clients and project planners stay out of wetland
trouble. Other areas of consulting expertise include onsite sewage treatment systems,
small community wastewater studies, soil surveys, stormwater management, and
general environmental due diligence for public and private projects. Prior to becoming a natural resources professional in 2010, Mr. Summers spent nearly 20 years in
the hospitality industry. Mr. Summers is a board member of the Minnesota Onsite
Wastewater Association (MOWA) and is the current president of the Minnesota
Association of Professional Soil Scientists (MAPSS). He has been a consultant at Stantec (formerly Wenck Associates) since 2012, and is a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

Katie Vculek practices in North Dakota and Minnesota, focusing her practice in
agricultural and environmental regulatory and litigation matters. Ms. Vculek has
experience representing clients in NRCS certified wetland determinations; wetland
banking and mitigation; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service waterfowl production area
easements; and drainage permitting. She grew up on a farm where she learned the
importance of hard work, consistency, and dedication. Ms. Vculek earned her degree
from Drake University Law School.

Samuel Gregory is a shareholder in the Jackson, Mississippi office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C. and is a member of the firm’s construction practice group. As a member of the construction group, Mr. Gregory assists clients across a broad range of construction-related issues. This includes advising clients on front-end issues, such as contract negotiations and licensing requirements, and litigating and arbitrating design and construction-defect and payment disputes. Mr. Gregory is actively involved in the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, as well as local industry groups, such as Associated Builders and Contractors.

Andrew Harris is a partner in the litigation practice group at Jones Walker. He represents closely held businesses, publicly traded companies, and entrepreneurs on a broad array of complex, commercial concerns. Mr. Harris assists clients with the protection of their intellectual property, such as prosecution and defense of trademark, copyright, and patent infringement claims, as well as trade secrets litigation. He also focuses his practice on remedying the practical problems small businesses frequently encounter, including intra-corporate disputes, the proper exercise of fiduciary responsibilities, and proceedings involving regulatory bodies and administrative agencies.

Jim Mozingo is a partner at Mozingo Quarles. In the last 20 years, Mr. Mozingo has spoken at approximatively 80 seminars (in Mississippi, regionally, and nationally) on a range of legal and ethical topics. He has often taught courses specifically on ethical or environmental issues for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Mississippi, the Mississippi Association of County Engineers, the Mississippi Water Environment Association, the Mississippi Water and Pollution Control Operators Association, the Mississippi Rural Water Association, the Mississippi State Bar’s Environmental Law Section, and the Southern States Annual Environmental Conference.

Lindsay Roberts is a commercial litigation attorney in the Jackson, Mississippi office of McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC. Mrs. Roberts has represented a variety of construction clients, including engineers, architects, owners, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers and her practice includes an emphasis on contract interpretation and commercial litigation. Her representation has also included contract negotiation, litigation, and arbitration of construction matters in both commercial and residential contexts. Mrs. Roberts is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law and other construction industry associations.

Zachary T. Buchheit is an associate at Stinson LLP’s St. Louis office. His practice focuses broadly on commercial litigation, and he is actively involved in matters touching on real estate, government contracts, intellectual property, employment law, product liability, class actions, and financial services. Mr. Buchheit is licensed in Missouri, and he previously practiced as a civil litigator for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.

Mr. Henry received his undergraduate degree in 1987 from Missouri State University where he graduated cum laude and his law degree in 1990 from Washington University, St. Louis. He serves as the only Missouri member of the Owners’ Counsel of America. This organization is by invitation only and consists of fewer than 50 eminent domain attorneys from across the entire United States who represent property owners in eminent domain/condemnation matters. Mr. Henry has served The Missouri Bar in many capacities over the years. He currently is the chair of the Eminent Domain Committee. In the past, he has served as a member of the Board of Governors and as chair of several committees. His efforts on behalf of the Bar were recognized when he was awarded the Distinctive Service Award by the Solo and Small Firm Committee of The Missouri Bar. Mr. Henry was an associate editor of the Washington University Law Quarterly and is the co-author of numerous publications on eminent domain law, including: Trial of Exceptions in Missouri Condemnation Cases, St. Louis Bar Journal (Spring 2007); Inverse Condemnation: Airplane Noise and Damages, The Southwestern Legal Foundation, 1995; and two chapters in the Missouri Condemnation Practice Handbook (Third Edition, 2002 Supp.), co-authoring chapters on Inverse Condemnation and Taxation. He is a former editor of the American Bar Association Committee on Condemnation Newsletter. Mr. Henry is a frequent speaker on issues pertaining to eminent domain law. Another interest of Mr. Henry is the use of technology in the practice of law.

Ms. Largent serves as a Practice Group Leader for the Rails to Trails practice group. Her primary focus is representing landowners nationwide whose property has been taken by the federal government without just compensation. In addition to establishing when the government is liable for taking land, Ms. Largent’s practice centers largely on establishing the value of the land taken. She also focuses her practice on appellate litigation and commercial disputes. Ms. Largent has assisted in drafting dozens of appellate briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Eighth Circuit, and Eleventh Circuit, as well as the Supreme Court and Appellate Courts of Illinois and Appellate Court of Missouri.

William R. Wurm is an Associate at Stinson LLP’s St. Louis office. His national practice focuses on commercial litigation with an emphasis on real estate and title. Mr. Wurm is licensed in Missouri, Illinois, and California, allowing him to serve his client’s needs across the country. Mr. Wurm has practiced in house for the nation’s largest title insurance company, as well as multiple, national and international law firms.

Principal – Pitzer Snodgrass, P.C.
Nick Meriage is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law where he was awarded the Allen H. Parker Memorial Scholarship, and MU Grant, The JB Reynolds Student Award in Insurance Law, and CALI awards in: Insurance Law, Land Use Controls, and Agricultural Law. Mr. Meriage is developing a focused civil litigation practice. His practice includes professional liability, premises liability, product liability, and business litigation. Previously his practice included ctional work. He is a former small business owner, which helps him relate to the complex issues facing business owners today.

Broker with Crane Agency
Chris is a long time member of the Crane Agency and has a vast array of risk management, loss control and insurance product knowledge. He also has a deep understanding of professional liability, general liability, property and management liability exposures. Through experience, education and training, Mr. Reedy has developed the skills and expertise required to find specialized risk management solutions to meet challenges specific his clients. He is a member of PLAN (Professional Liability Agents Network) and the exclusive representative of XL/Catlin’s Design Professional program, in addition to Berkley DP and CAMICO Mutual’s accountants program. Mr. Reedy has authored and delivered presentations to the American Institutes of Architects, American Council of Engineering Cos. and the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers in addition to numerous other organizations, individual design firms and higher learning institutions. He is always willing to assist existing and prospective clients – no issue is too large or small.

Ken Slavens is dedicated to helping solve construction and development clients’ most complicated problems with as little disruption as possible to their businesses. He represents architects, engineers, owners and contractors in construction disputes over alleged defective design and construction, delays, cost overruns, interference, obstruction, property damage and suspension of work. He litigates claims arising from injuries on project sites or from defective construction. His substantial experience also includes related civil litigation, arbitration and mediation. Mr. Slavens’ familiarity with the construction and design industry dates to his college days, when he worked for a residential and small commercial contractor. After law school, he was introduced to construction and design litigation by an attorney mentor. Having spent his entire career in construction law, Mr. Slavens has a unique understanding of the business that benefits clients. To help maintain his broad perspective and deep knowledge, Mr. Slavens is actively involved in organizations affiliated with the non-legal side of the construction industry. These interactions provide valuable insights into the issues that clients experience day to day, as well as their longer-term concerns.

Principal – Pitzer Snodgrass, P.C.
Gary E. Snodgrass received his B.A. degree in Psychology from Saint Louis University, graduating cum laude in 1973; his master of arts degree in Philosophy in 1975, magna cum laude, from Michigan State University; and his J.D. degree in 1978 from Saint Louis University. Gary was admitted to the Bar in Missouri in 1978 and the Bar in Illinois in 1979. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits. He is also a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel and The Defense Research Institute. Mr. Snodgrass is the former chairman for the International Association of Defense Counsel Construction Litigation Committee. He is an advocate for American Board of Trial Advocates. Other affiliations: The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Lawyers Association of St. Louis, The Missouri Bar, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers, and the Illinois State Bar Association. He completed the American Academy of Attorney-Mediators’ training program in 1994 and serves as a mediator for USA&M on cases pending in various courts in the St. Louis area. Mr. Snodgrass co-authored “Architects and Engineers’ Liability” for the Missouri Tort Law CLE Desk Book series and “Waiver of Subrogation and Allocation of Risk in Construction Contracts” for The Defense Counsel Journal. He is also a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education seminars and trial practice seminars sponsored by the Bar and other professional organizations.

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

Missouri University of Science & Technology
Dr. McLain earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (Geologic Option) from Kansas State University in 1988. He joined The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) designing structures then transferring to the Geotechnical Section. While working, Dr. McLain earned a master’s degree from Kansas State University in Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering (2003). He then earned a master’s degree (2010) and doctorate (2015) in Construction Engineering and Project Management from Iowa State University. Dr. McLain became the Geotechnical Director at MoDOT in 2013. He retired from MoDOT in 2020 to pursue more teaching opportunities at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (MS&T). During his tenure at MoDOT, Dr. McLain brought cone penetration testing (CPT), drill rig hammer energy testing and inclinometer installation and use to the department. He also led a team to overhaul the Geotechnical Section Labs’ data monitoring, collection and reporting systems. Dr. McLain teaches courses in Geotechnical Engineering, Intermediate Soils Mechanics, Soil Mechanics for Geo-Professionals, Designing with Geosynthetics, In-Situ Soil Testing, Construction Methods and Construction Scheduling. He is also a faculty advisor to the student American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapter in Rolla. Dr. McLain is a registered professional engineer and registered geologist in Missouri. He is also a member of ASCE in both the Construction and Geo Institutes.

Lyle Simonton graduated from the University of Missouri-Rolla (MS&T) with a bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering in 1997 and received a master’s degree in Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering from the University of Illinois – Champaign Urbana in 1999. He is a registered professional engineer in Missouri. Mr. Simonton is a member of ASCE and DFI and he is currently on the Soil Improvement Committees for the ASCE Geo-Institute and the Deep Foundations Institute and serves on the Geo-Institute’s Local Involvement Committee. He is also a past president for the ASCE St. Louis Section and he has been an active member of the St. Louis Geo-Institute Chapter throughout his career. Mr. Simonton is also current serving as the Membership Chairperson for the ASCE St. Louis Section and is an ASCE Mentor. He is on the Board of Directors and Education and Legislative Committees for the Southern Illinois Builders Association (SIBA). Mr. Simonton also sits on the Professional Advisory Board for the Civil, Environmental and Infrastructure Engineering Department at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale.

Mr. Eggering is a professional wetland scientist (PWS) with over 29 years of experience working in the natural resources field for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Parsons. He has extensive experience in preparing and managing complex National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for both small and large-scale transportation and military projects including environmental impact statements (EIS), environmental assessments (EA), biological assessments (BA), categorical exclusions, and other technical documents, such as ecological studies, ecosystem restoration plans, natural resource GIS projects, and integrated natural resource management plans (INRMP). His primary environmental experience includes: endangered species management; wetland/moist soil management for waterfowl; wetland delineation, enhancement, and mitigation; flood control/management; and wildlife and fisheries management. Mr. Eggering was the lead wetland scientist for the Washington D.C., to Richmond, Virginia, High Speed Rail (DC2RVA) project and worked on draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) that involved delineating wetlands and streams for over 120 miles of existing and proposed rail corridors. He has worked extensively across the Midwest and eastern U.S and multiple USACE Districts.

Bob Menees practice focuses on water, environmental justice, endangered species, land use/zoning, air, and hazardous waste. Mr. Menees is also an adjunct professor at Saint Louis University where he teaches Environmental Law and Land Use Law. He graduated with honors from Southern Illinois University School of Law and received his Masters of Law (LLM) in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, with honors, from Lewis and Clark College Northwestern School of Law in Portland, Oregon. Before joining Great Rivers, Mr. Menees served as Assistant attorney general in the Missouri Attorney General’s Agriculture and Environment Division. He is passionate about stopping bottomland forest loss and promoting its restoration. He enjoys foraging, hiking, and exploring Missouri’s diverse forests and waterways with his family.

Ms. Miller has over 10 years of professional experience in environmental consulting providing ecological project support. Specialties include wetlands and waters of the US delineations, wetland impact analysis, Section 404/10 permitting, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis, and endangered species investigations. She has performed wetland delineations throughout the Midwest, provided supervision and oversight of wetland delineations and reporting performed by others, and acquired permits and directed mitigation planning within several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Districts. Ms. Miller has acquired USACE permits for projects ranging from small-scale industrial development to complex and contested electric transmission and oil/gas pipeline projects.

Mr. Morrison is principal of The Morrison Law Firm, as well as general counsel of Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, both in St. Louis, Missouri. His clients range from large corporations to local governments, small businesses, individuals, and citizen organizations. His work includes matters involving regulatory enforcement, property damage, land use, property development, real estate transactions, water quality and Superfund issues, and he represents businesses in breach of contract matters, business-to-business disputes, and disputes with government entities.

Mr. Staten’s career has been focused on wetland and stream restoration. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology with honors from the University of California, Berkeley, and has a master’s degree in Environmental Management from Duke University, where Mr. Staten was a Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Conservation Fellow. A certified professional wetland scientist, he is a past president of the local chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists. For the last 13 years he has been the head of Terra Technologies’ Wetland and Stream Mitigation Banking Division, where he has been a primary or contributing designer for 14 approved and 10 proposed wetland and stream mitigation banks across Missouri and eastern Kansas encompassing more than 3,100 acres of restored wetland, riparian corridor, and stream habitats. These projects have resulted in significant improvements in water quality and wildlife habitat because of the protection of more than ten miles of stream channels with greatly expanded riparian corridors, restoration of four miles of historical stream channels, and establishment of more than a thousand acres of floodplain wetlands. He has also performed construction inspection, monitoring, and group site visits, including hosting two wetland conference field trips and senior EPA officials. Mr. Staten manages the Terra Technologies St. Louis office and is responsible for Clean Water Act Section 404 and 401 permits for central and eastern Missouri, as well as for wetland delineations and stream system jurisdictional assessments.

Jennifer de Graaf, PLA, LEED AP, BFQP & Rater, QWEL, has 22 years of professional experience in Landscape Architecture, having earned her BLA from Oklahoma State University.  She worked in Texas for 5 years before moving back home to California in 2001.  Her professional design experience spans a wide range of sectors and project sizes including regional trail systems, corporate campuses and large developments all the way down to tiny private gardens.  Participating in projects that put sustainability first, but retain their personal resonance through thoughtful design is central to her efforts.

Ms. de Graaf has developed and taught courses for UC Berkeley Extension in the Landscape Architecture Certification Program. She also served as Lead Trainer and Director of Education for ReScapeCA, a non-profit professional environmental qualification program.  Her approach to education is to provide an understanding of the underlying synergies so that mere information conveyance is not the goal; rather critical thinking and discernment is.  It was in this educational context that she began her more serious study of fire that continues today.

In addition, Ms. de Graaf is a member of the nationwide working group selected to advise and establish Landscape Design Guidelines for Integrated Pest Management for the San Francisco Department of the Environment.  She previously served on the Board of Directors for the Gardens at Lake Merritt, on the Advisory board for the Historic Dunsmuir Estate, and in leadership roles for the Historic American Landscape Survey N. CA Chapter.

She is a licensed Landscape Architect in California, a LEED Accredited Professional, a ReScape Qualified Professional, a ReScape Rater, and a Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper.  Her work has earned her the Award of Merit from the ASLA Oklahoma Chapter and a Community Service Award from the ASLA Texas Chapter, and several projects she has been involved with since have won various awards.

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

Ms. Navaid is a licensed architect with nearly twenty years of experience specializing in building enclosure restoration. Her expertise includes building envelope assessments, leak investigations, and waterproofing design. Ms. Navaid has successfully diagnosed and resolved numerous water infiltration issues, leading to the design and implementation of effective waterproofing solutions for plazas, below-grade systems, façades, and roofs. Her professional experience also encompasses façade assessments, roofing replacement design, window systems, historic preservation, and forensic investigations. Ms. Navaid is an active member of the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants.

Mr. Pawlak is a restoration consultant in the Indianapolis office of Walker Consultants. He is responsible for the assessment and restoration of existing structures across several markets including private, university, airport, and healthcare throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Mr. Pawlak has experience in building envelope consulting for new construction during design and construction as well as the investigation and restoration of existing buildings including building facades, storefronts, and roofing systems.

Ms. Surlej, R.A., NCARB, is a building envelope consultant in the Chicago office of Walker Consultants. She has been in the building envelope and restoration industry for 13 years. In that time, she has completed a wide variety of building envelope consulting projects, most notably the terra cotta restoration of The Bridgeview Bank Uptown in Chicago, Illinois, and building envelope consulting services for new construction of The Corners in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Ms. Surlej can take her foundation in historic preservation and forensic building failure and apply that knowledge to new construction. In recent years, she has teamed up with general contractors to review construction documents and identify and address problems as well as improve the quality of the overall building envelope.

Mr. Parlee is a building consultant with 47 years in the construction trades, having worked as a framing and siding carpenter, homebuilder, remodeler, and exterior renovator. While working in these trades he has built, or dismantled and replaced, the exteriors on several hundred homes. This has allowed him to see what works, and to also see the problematic details that have led to moisture intrusion into the building envelope and to effect corrections. Mr. Parlee currently uses the expertise gathered over his life’s work as a consultant on construction defects and moisture intrusion as an expert witness, and as a seminar presenter for inspection organizations for continuing education credits, and for builders looking to better their quality. He is EDI (Exterior Design Institute) certified as an EIFS, Stucco and Stone Inspector/Moisture Analyst/Quality Control and is also certified by EDI as a Building Envelope II, Steep Slope Roof Inspector and was one of the instructors of the first EDI Stone Veneer Inspection Certification seminar. As a member of the Board of Directors for EDI, he is involved in updating the curriculum and writing new curriculum to keep courses in step with the most current technologies. Mr. Parlee is a certified Level I Infrared Thermographer and Certified Residential Thermographer. He has been a guest lecturer for Architecture Forensics at Iowa State University. Mr. Parlee has also attained certification as a Building Envelope Investigator through BESI (Building Envelope Science Institute). His articles in Journal of Light Construction have been numerous, including “Rescuing a Manufactured Stone Wall” (Dec ’08), “Repairing a Rotting Roof” (June ’10), “A Rot-Resistant Chimney Chase” (Nov ’11), “Mixing Cladding and Stick-On Stone” (Aug ’13), “Best Practices: Adhered Masonry Veneer” (Oct ’13), “Best Practices Stucco” (Dec ’14), “Common Siding Failures” (Oct ’15), “Getting Kick-Out Flashings Right” (Apr ’16), “Common Roofing Errors” (May ’16), and “How to Destroy a Wall in Two Easy Steps” (Sep ‘17). Mr. Parlee has culled his archives of thousands of photos of exteriors in need of repair and addressed the needed proper correction in power point driven presentations for continuing education credits to the National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council, the American Institute of Architects Iowa Convention, Minnesota Society of Home Inspectors, MidAtlantic Chapter-ASHI (NJ), St. Louis ASHI (MO), Indiana ASHI, Garden State ASHI (NJ), Keystone ASHI (PA), NoVA ASHI (VA), Professional Home Inspectors of Missouri, Oklahoma Residential & Commercial Inspection Association, HouseMaster (CO), JLC Live Northwest (OR), American Society of Home Inspectors National Convention (Inspection World 2015 through 2020), and Alliant Energy Builder Training (2015 through 2017), and local and regional chapters of ASHI.