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Cranston Engineering Group, P.C.Mr. Eavenson is a professional engineer and project manager at the structural engineering department of Cranston Engineering Group in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. During his career, Mr. Eavenson has designed and been involved in the construction administration of numerous building projects with a large focus on the coastal effects of a high wind zone and flood loading. He has experience in nearly every type of building structure including recreation and athletic facilities, municipal buildings and structures, churches, educational facilities, office buildings, hospitals and other medical buildings, historic structures, and marine structures. His experience also includes bridge design, historic preservation projects, and an extensive background in the design of retaining walls. He is experienced in using various complex computer software for structural optimization of the design process. Mr. Eavenson earned his B.S.C.E degree from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Mr. Fratinardo is a civil/structural engineer and roof consultant. His over 20 years of experience includes civil and structural engineering analysis, design, construction administration, field investigation, and project management, and 13 years of experience specific to forensic engineering and the investigation and analysis of building damage and failures. Mr. Fratinardo has designed numerous new buildings, building additions, building renovations, and mechanical platforms and supports. He has designed and analyzed roof, wall and floor framing systems utilizing steel, concrete, masonry, and wood construction. Mr. Fratinardo has vast expertise in commercial, industrial, agricultural, municipal, educational and residential building damage investigations, including on-site investigations after 25 different tornado events, and Hurricanes Irene, Sandy, Matthew, Harvey, Irma, Maria and Florence. He has legal experience in depositions, arbitration hearings and trials. He has prepared and performed numerous continuing education presentations, including on an array of topics in forensic engineering, structural engineering and building codes for HalfMoon Education Inc., in multiple states since 2014. Mr. Fratinardo graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering, and he also holds a master of engineering degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. He is a registered professional engineer in multiple states and a licensed structural engineer in Illinois.

Wooton, Davis, Hussell & Ellis, PLLC, CharlestonMr. Ellis leverages a thorough understanding of estate and trust law with extensive experience handling taxation matters to help clients navigate the complex regulations of estate planning and administration. He represents both institutions and individuals in a variety of matters, including transfer of wealth and business succession plans, as well as personal and professional business planning and guidance. His comprehensive knowledge of state and federal income tax matters has enabled him to work with a number of non-profit organizations, advising them from their formation all the way through to procuring their tax exemption status, including the application process. Additionally, his experience working with businesses of all sizes, as well as his knowledge of evolving tax legislation, allow him to offer proactive counseling and planning advice to clients to help them achieve their goals and objectives while mitigating their risk along the way. When litigation becomes necessary, Mr. Ellis has extensive litigation experience in will contests and misappropriation of funds cases, utilizing his knowledge of estate and trust law to help clients reach successful resolutions. He also handles general litigation matters for clients, ranging from breach of contract matters to real estate disputes. Mr. Ellis has handled various types of litigation matters throughout the state of West Virginia. He is a member of The West Virginia State Bar (Probate Committee) and the Charleston Estate Planning Council. He earned his B.A. degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College, his J.D. degree from the University of Denver College of Law, and his LL.M. degree from the University of Denver.

Van Deysen Law Office PLLC, Charleston and MorgantownMr. Van Deysen is the owner of Van Deysen Law Office, a law firm specializing in elder law with offices located in Charleston and Morgantown. Mr. Van Deysen is a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law. Mr. Van Deysen is also a graduate of Fairmont State College where he earned a baccalaureate degree in accounting. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and is an accredited attorney authorized to handle claims before the Veterans Administration. He is also a member of the West Virginia State Bar. Mr. Van Deysen volunteers his time for many worthy causes that benefit seniors and their caregivers. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of Monongalia County’s senior center, Senior Monongalians Inc., where he also served as board president during 2009 and 2010. Van Deysen Law Office, PLLC, is a corporate sponsor of the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk the purpose of which is to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and the on-going battle to find a cure. Upon graduation from high school, Mr. Van Deysen enlisted in the United States Air Force. He currently resides in Monongalia County, West Virginia.

Stephen W. Chu, PWS, is a senior ecologist at Arcadis U.S., Inc. with over 17 years of experience managing and completing complex ecology-related projects for both public- and private-sector clients in transportation, oil and gas, renewable energy, and commercial/residential development. He is a professional wetland scientist, a certified senior ecologist with the Ecological Society of America, and a certified arborist, and he is recognized as an assured wetland delineator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Mr. Chu’s areas of expertise include wetland delineation, wetland mitigation design, wetland restoration, wetland and native area monitoring, habitat surveys, tree surveys, threatened and endangered species surveys, environmental permitting, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) environmental documentation. He has extensive experience with fieldwork and permitting projects throughout the Midwest. Mr. Chu also serves on the Society of Wetland Scientist Professional Certification Program Review Panel.

Brielle Cummings, USACE, has worked with the Chicago District Regulatory Branch for three years, serving as the primary project manager for McHenry and DuPage Counties in Illinois. She holds a BS degree in Biology with GIS Technology Certification from University Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and an MPA degree in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Bloomington. During her three years in Chicago, Ms. Cummings has reviewed and issued 444 permits, and has finalized 634 actions across all counties of the district, including Indiana. Ms. Cummings also serves as a geospatial technology point-of-contact for the Regulatory Branch and a member of the national USACE GIS emergency response team.

Alicia Dodd is Fremont Township’s recently-appointed Highway Commissioner. Ms. Dodd is known for her creative problem solving, community education and resource management. Her involvement with Fremont Township started in 2014 with the creation of a volunteer community garden built on permaculture principles. Ms. Dodd’s role on the Parks Committee resulted in converting numerous problem areas to native plants and reducing routine maintenance by using no-mow fescues. With the help of Dave Eubanks, Fremont was awarded a ComEd Green Regions Grant to transform their administrative property to an Environmental Campus, showcasing native landscaping and green infrastructure for stormwater management. Her involvement with the Highway Department has included erosion control, stream bank restoration, tackling invasive and aggressive species, responsible use of salt in winter operations, and public education on native plants for improving water quality and stormwater management.

David M. Eubanks is an ecologist and environmental planner with his own consulting practice based on 30 years of professional experience in the civic and public sectors. Since 1997, Mr. Eubanks founded and built a successful ecological restoration and consulting firm that focuses on native landscape design and shoreline erosion control using bioengineered plant solutions. In 1997 through 2000, he served as the consulting aquatic curator to launch the Aquatic Initiative for the Chicago Botanic Garden, a major effort to improve and stabilize water quality, shoreline, and aquatic plant collection. Mr. Eubanks has led numerous ecosystem projects, working with hundreds of clients across 500 acres of land and lakes owned by homeowners, government, civic land trusts, private institutions, corporations, homeowner associations and private estates. He has facilitated some major planning/restoration efforts.

Applied Ecological Services, Inc., Brodhead, WI
Mr. Larson is a principal ecologist at Applied Ecological Services (AES) and a certified senior ecologist with the Ecological Society of America. During his 28-year tenure at AES, he has focused on wetland restoration and design, wetland construction and construction oversight, and vegetation/hydrology monitoring of mitigation sites. His experience at AES includes acting as project ecologist for The Nature Conservancy’s 7,200-acre Kankakee Sands wetland and prairie restoration in Indiana and a 575-acre wetland restoration project in Seneca Falls, New York. He has also been involved in over two dozen wetland mitigation banks in the Midwest, has recently permitted a wetland mitigation bank in Iowa and is currently preparing a mitigation banking instrument for a site in Wisconsin. Dr. Larson has been a lead scientist at AES in the ecological monitoring of hundreds of wetland restoration and mitigation projects. Additional areas of expertise include ecological restoration and management planning and design, environmental review documents, floristic analysis, land cover-type mapping, threatened and endangered species investigations, and stormwater management design for flood control and water quality. He has also completed over 300 wetland delineations throughout the Midwest. 

Michael Machalek, USACE, has worked for the Chicago District Regulatory Branch for 28 years, serving as the senior enforcement officer. Working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Machalek has accumulated approximately $25 million in civil penalties throughout his career, and has a 100 percent conviction rate when going to trial. The bulk of the money received has gone to fund the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Foundation’s Wetland Conservation Account, as well as help other non-profit agencies such as the McHenry County Conservation District and the Openlands Project to acquire property and restore natural areas. He was also the team leader on all of the field testing for the Midwest Supplement for the 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual in our region, and he helped write the manual with the national team. Mr. Machalek also serves as the local expert for Jurisdictional Determinations within the Chicago District

Mr. Sliwinski, MS, CPESC, is a senior environmental resource specialist/senior wildlife biologist at Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. Mr. Sliwinski has 28 years of experience, of which 23 years has been with the Environmental Resources Department at CBBEL completing wildlife related projects that include endangered species studies, fish and wildlife surveys, wetland and natural area restoration, controlled burns and airport wildlife hazard assessments/plans/training in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. He has worked on projects such as Baker’s Lake Heronry Restoration in Barrington, Illinois; Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary in Evanston, Illinois; and Tyler Creek Stream Relocation projects in Elgin, Illinois. Additionally, Mr. Sliwinski is on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Association of Environmental Professionals and is adjunct faculty at DePaul University in Lincoln Park Chicago teaching bird identification and aquatic fauna classes.

Hershner Hunter, LLP, EugeneMr. Gelardi is an attorney with Hershner Hunter, LLP. His work focuses on agribusiness, land use and natural resources law. Mr. Gelardi advises business throughout Oregon and Washington on real estate transactions and land development issues, including water rights and environmental matters. He has helped shape Oregon land use law regarding commercial activities on farm and forest lands, and he resolves disputes between landowners. Mr. Gelardi is a graduate of Macalester College and the University of Washington School of Law. He has been named an “Oregon Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters and an “Up and Coming Lawyer” in Oregon by the Daily Journal of Commerce.

Ms. Liljefelt is a partner and the managing attorney at Schroeder Law Offices’ Portland, Oregon office. She joined Schroeder Law Offices in 2009 and graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School with an Environmental & Natural Resources certificate. Ms. Liljefelt represents water users in the West, focusing her practice on water rights review, evaluation, due diligence, permitting, transfer, forfeiture and cancellation, water-related real property and public lands issues and disputes, administrative contested cases, and state and federal litigation. She is licensed to practice law in Oregon, California, and Utah. Ms. Liljefelt is the chair of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association’s Water Resources Committee, the former chair of the Oregon State Bar’s Environmental & Natural Resources Section’s executive committee, and serves on the Bar’s Agricultural Law Section executive committee. She enjoys cooking, kayaking, and camping with her family, and competitively races outrigger canoes with the Mountain Home Canoe Club.

Ecology and Environment, Inc., PortlandMr. Mazer is a professional wetland scientist (PWS) with over 20 years of experience evaluating and managing aquatic resources for both public and private clients. A seasoned field scientist, he has conducted innumerable wetland delineations, functions assessments, and stream surveys, as well as other ecological evaluations including rare plant surveys, avian surveys, and watershed assessments. Mr. Mazer is well versed in wetland and stream habitat improvement. Prior to joining E&E, he was a regulatory project manager for the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Division, where he managed dozens of Clean Water Act Section 404 permits, planned and designed several wetland and stream rehabilitation projects, and annually taught a delineation/jurisdictional determination class specific to Alaska.

WHPacific, Inc., PortlandMr. Quarterman has 39 years of experience in natural resource planning and management with special emphasis on wetland science. With an education background in land use planning and environmental science, he has created a career focusing on wetlands, with a special interest in estuarine systems and wetland plant communities. Mr. Quartermanhas performed over 110 delineations in the western United States and Alaska, including preparation of reports andsubmittal for concurrence on a variety of sites up to 4,800 acres. He has prepared joint federal/state wetland permit applications, and obtained permits for over 70 projects (energy, transportation, commercial) of different scales.Mr. Quarterman has performed wetland functional assessments using a variety of methodologies on 12 projects. He also worked with the Oregon DSL as part of a team developing the Oregon HGM (hydrogeomorphic) wetland functional assessment methodology. Mr. Quarterman has prepared 44 wetland mitigation plans, 39 of which were implemented and 22 of which were monitored throughout construction. He has managed multiple resource inventory projects, rare plant surveys, complex vegetation mapping, and remote field studies in a variety of ecosystems.

Fausone Bohn, LLP, NorthvilleMr. Bohn is a leading practitioner in urban redevelopment, brownfield development, environmental regulatory matters, land use and construction litigation. He also provides advice to municipal governments on various land use and redevelopment projects. Mr. Bohn started Fausone Bohn in 1995. He is a 1988 graduate of the University of Oregon Law School, where he obtained a Certificate of Completion for Environmental Law Curriculum, and received his (B.G.S.) undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources, awarded in 1985. He is a former chair of the Michigan Bar’s Natural Resources and Wetlands Committee; and a member of the Environmental Council and National Brownfields Association.

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

GEI Consultants of Michigan, P.C. – Allendale
Brian Majka is a professional restoration ecologist at GEI Consultants of Michigan, P.C., in Allendale. He has extensive experience in ecological restoration, design and implementation of wetland construction, soft shoreline engineering, prairie planting, natural areas management and best management practice (BMP) design projects with more than 19 years of experience throughout the country. He has a B.S. degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from Purdue University and is responsible for project management of ecological restoration design and implementation projects for GEI.

Dickinson Wright, PLLC – Grand Rapids
Mr. Stoepker practices in the areas of real estate, construction, and commercial and business litigation. He is experienced in real estate development and litigation; woodlands, wetlands, land use, and zoning; condemnations; drafting of construction contracts; and litigation and arbitration of construction disputes. Author of several articles on land use issues, Mr. Stoepker is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the American Bar Association. He is a former member of the American Arbitration Association’s Construction Section Advisory Board.

Founder of Needham Environmental, Inc., Winnabow, NCMr. Needham opened his wetland consulting firm in 1989. The firm has performed wetland delineations in North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Alabama and the District of Columbia. Work has been primarily in the east where large wetland acreage and developmental pressure coincide. Determinations have ranged from lots to 2000 plus acres. The firm has successfully provided expert witnesses regarding wetlands. Mr. Needham has demonstrated a knowledge of regulations, policy guidance, and technical expertise applicable to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. During his nine years of employment in the Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program, Mr. Needham was responsible for enforcement actions of Section 404 violations. This included wetland delineation, coordination with agencies, and the development of restoration/mitigation plans. His technical knowledge of wetlands and vegetation succession, coupled with his common sense approach, resulted in an exceptionally high ratio of resolved cases without litigation. A portion of his duty in the Alaska District involved the review of technical work of three biologists, and he provided multiparameter wetland training to 20 Alaska District regulatory personnel. In addition to his Corps experience, Mr. Needham’s years of association with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington have added to his scientific knowledge, particularly his knowledge of vegetative communities. His graduate work, comparing bird populations among three forest swamps, was related to changes in vegetation as a result of flooding frequency. His wetland mapping experience, with the Corps and under contract with the Corps, exceeds 1600 square miles. With this experience, he has become adept at recognizing long term changes in vegetative communities in relation to hydrologic changes. Mr. Needham received a B.S. degree (emphasis in Ecology) and an M.S. degree (emphasis in Wetlands) from the University of North Carolina- Wilmington. He is a certified wetland professional with the Society of Wetland Scientists.

Mr. Dilley earned a B.S. in Natural Resources (Fisheries Management) in 1991 and a M.S. in Environmental Science (specializing in wetlands) in 2003, both from The Ohio State University. He and his wife Christine are co-owners of a WBE, WOSB, and EDGE-certified environmental consulting firm, MAD Scientist Associates, specializing in ecological and wetland consulting. Mr. Dilley has over 22 years’ experience as a field biologist, ecologist, and wetland scientist. He is an EPA-certified Level 3 Qualified Data Collector (QDC) for fish and habitat studies in Ohio, a Certified Senior Ecologist with the Ecological Society of America, and a Professional Wetland Scientist with the Society of Wetland Scientist. Mr. Dilley has conducted ecological surveys in over 11 states, at a variety of sites, including Department of Energy, NASA, and U.S. military facilities, landfills, and industrial sites.

Frost Brown Todd, LLC, ColumbusMr. Reed is a partner with the environmental practice group of Frost Brown Todd, LLC. Mr. Reed advises clients on issues of environmental compliance, and defends companies against environmental enforcement activities initiated by Ohio or U.S. EPA. Mr. Reed represents small and large real estate developers on wetland issues. He also represents cities, townships, counties, and port authorities. Mr. Reed handles litigation before state and federal courts and before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, and he handles administrative appeals. He handles issues including wetland delineation, jurisdictional determination, after-the-fact wetland permits, mitigation, combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and compliance with the standards in a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and both construction and industrial stormwater requirements. Prior to entering private practice,Mr. Reed served in public service under two governors, and then for eight years as an assistant attorney general where he was the chief of three sections responsible for representing Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio Rail Development Commission, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations. Mr. Reed obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from The Ohio State University, and a Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School where he served on the law review. He is admitted before Ohio Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the N.D. and S.D. of Ohio, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C., and the United States Supreme Court. He was named by Business First as one of Columbus’ “Forty Under 40” and has been named a “Rising Star” in Ohio Super Lawyers and Cincinnati magazines.

MAD Scientist Associates, LLC, WestervilleMs. Skapof received her B.S.degree in Environment and Natural Resources with a specialization in Environmental Education from The Ohio State University. She was a former Naturalist with Columbus Metro Parks and has extensive experience with surface water and permitting including Section 401/404 Permitting, NPDES permitting as well as Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3) and Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan compilation. She is also a Level 2 Qualified Data Collector specializing in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assessment and is ORAM trained. She utilizes her diverse background to not only assist clients with interpreting the complexities of environmental regulations, but to also assist area schools and educational programs with incorporating environmental education into their lesson planning.

Mr. Strain has over 30 years of experience with all aspects of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance including preparation of environmental assessments (EA), environmental impact statements (EIS), categorical exclusions (CE) and other NEPA documentation, baseline biological assessments, and habitat evaluation procedure (HEP) analyses; threatened and endangered species surveys and critical habitat assessments; wetland and stream evaluations; cultural resource investigations; and vegetative community surveys. Mr. Strain’s particular expertise is in wetland science; including delineation, creation, and restoration of wetlands for mitigation and wildlife habitat; Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 and 401 permitting; and design of constructed wetland treatment systems.

Director of Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Ms. Richardson became the Director of Southern Maine Regional Office in Portland in 2016. She has been with the Department since the early 1990’s, working mostly within the Bureau of Land Resources as project manager and then the Licensing and Compliance manager, where she managed programs administering the Site Location of Development Act, the Stormwater Law and the Natural Resources Protection Act. Ms. Richardson has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Rutgers University.

Mr. Schweisberg provides policy, regulatory and technical advice and assistance for clients seeking to navigate a wide range of regulatory and non-regulatory issues related to wetlands and other aquatic resources. He works throughout the U.S. Mr. Schweisberg is a Professional Wetland Scientist under the Professional Certification Program of the Society of Wetland Scientists. He is a retired federal wetlands ecologist and wildlife biologist who spent over 32 years with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency at its headquarters office in Washington, D.C., and at the New England Region office in Boston. Mr. Schweisberg served as chief of the New England Region’s Wetlands Protection Program, as senior wetland ecologist, and on national work groups developing guidance and regulations on Clean Water Act jurisdiction, among other issues. He has testified before federal grand juries and has served several times as an expert witness in federal, state, and private litigation. Mr. Schweisberg has taught courses in wetland regulation, restoration, and creation; wetland ecology; and wetland identification and delineation for federal and state agencies, academic organizations, and environmental consultants. He received his degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine.

Project Manager, New England District, Maine Project Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Peter Tischbein obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Susquehanna University and subsequently obtained a master’s degree in Environmental Science from Rutgers University in 1983. He was hired as a civilian employee for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, Manhattan and became supervisor of the New York Harbor. While working in Manhattan, he obtained his MBA degree from Pace University. Mr. Tischbein moved to Maine in 1989 and worked for 14 years for various Maine engineering and environmental consulting firms. In 2003, he rejoined the Corps, New England District. He serves Knox and Lincoln counties. 

Mr. Dilley earned a B.S. in Natural Resources (Fisheries Management) in 1991 and a M.S. in Environmental Science (specializing in wetlands) in 2003, both from The Ohio State University. He and his wife Christine are co-owners of a WBE, WOSB, and EDGE-certified environmental consulting firm, MAD Scientist Associates, specializing in ecological and wetland consulting. Mr. Dilley has over 22 years’ experience as a field biologist, ecologist, and wetland scientist. He is an EPA-certified Level 3 Qualified Data Collector (QDC) for fish and habitat studies in Ohio, a Certified Senior Ecologist with the Ecological Society of America, and a Professional Wetland Scientist with the Society of Wetland Scientist. Mr. Dilley has conducted ecological surveys in over 11 states, at a variety of sites, including Department of Energy, NASA, and U.S. military facilities, landfills, and industrial sites.

McKinney & Namei, Cincinnati
Mr. Eisenlohr is a litigation associate at McKinney & Namei. Prior to joining the firm, he was assistant city attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, where he served as the city’s legal counsel for its Wetlands Board, Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Board, Green Ribbon Committee, Bayfront Advisory Committee, and Housing Advisory Board. In this capacity, he worked on permit applications for private development in environmentally sensitive areas, representing the public interest. Mr. Eisenlohr holds a J.D. degree from William & Mary Law School and graduated magna cum laude from Ohio State University with a B.A. degree in Political Science.

Mr. Strain has over 30 years of experience with all aspects of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance including preparation of environmental assessments (EA), environmental impact statements (EIS), categorical exclusions (CE) and other NEPA documentation, baseline biological assessments, and habitat evaluation procedure (HEP) analyses; threatened and endangered species surveys and critical habitat assessments; wetland and stream evaluations; cultural resource investigations; and vegetative community surveys. Mr. Strain’s particular expertise is in wetland science; including delineation, creation, and restoration of wetlands for mitigation and wildlife habitat; Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 and 401 permitting; and design of constructed wetland treatment systems.