Detailed Agenda

Dr. Robert Summers

Senior Scientist, KCI Technologies, Inc. Baltimore, MD 

Robert Summers is the former Maryland Secretary of the Environment retired after 32 years working for the State on Chesapeake Bay restoration and other water-related issues. He is currently a senior scientist with KCI and the University of Maryland.

Ms. Mindy Simmons

Senior Policy Advisor

As a Senior Policy Advisor, Mindy manages the Corps' Ecosystem Restoration Program, guides environmental R&D, and oversees the Estuary and mitigation programs. She also worked for the USACE and the National Marine Fisheries Service in Portland, OR.

Dr. Jessica Henkel

Science Policy Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, New Orleans, LA 

Dr. Jessica Henkel is a Science Policy Fellow with the National Academy of Sciences, working with the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. Jessica received her M.S. in Biology at the University of New Orleans, and her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University.

Ms. Estelle Wilson

Environmental Scientist, Dewberry Engineers, Pensacola, FL

Stella Wilson is an Environmental Scientist with Dewberry Engineers in Pensacola, Florida. She has an M.S. in Environmental Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida and is currently working with several clients in NW Florida.

Dr. Brian Benscoter

Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL

Dr. Benscoter has extensive experience researching peatland dynamics, such as carbon storage, hydrology, and fire, that drive vegetation communities across the landscape.

Dr. Rebekah Gibble

Senior Wildlife Biologist, USFWS, Boynton Beach, FL

Dr. Gibble is the organizer of this panel session, and has been the Senior Wildlife Biologist at A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge since 2010, and leads a biology program that includes water quality monitoring, biological surveys, and controlling invasive species.

Mr. LeRoy Rodgers

Lead Scientist, SFWMD, West Palm Beach, FL

Mr. Rodgers is the Lead Invasive Species Scientist at the lead water management agency in south Florida and has extensive experience managing and controlling invasive exotic species throughout the Everglades system.

Dr. Donatto Surratt

Ecologist, National Park Service, Boynton Beach, FL

Dr. Surratt is a technical expert pertaining to water quality and Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects.

Dr. Peter Frederick

Research Professor, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Dr. Frederick is a research professor interested in wetland ecology and restoration, and the roles that vertebrates play in wetland community ecology.

Ms. Kari Servold

Coastal Scientist, Dewberry Engineers Inc., Mobile, AL

Kari Servold has 3 years of coastal engineering experience as a project coastal scientist. Her expertise includes assessment of nearshore hydrodynamic interactions and processes and nature-based shoreline protection designs.

Mrs. Erin Hague

Senior Coastal Ecologist, Tetra Tech, Inc., Boynton Beach, FL

Mrs. Hague has 20 years of experience specializing in marine development and restoration projects. Her technical experience includes the development and implementation of marine habitat assessments and restoration program documents.

Dr. Taylor Sloey

Senior Restoration Ecologist, Coastal Environments, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA

Dr. Taylor Sloey is a Senior Restoration Ecologist at Coastal Environments Inc. Her work focuses on coastal restoration ecology and plant stress tolerance physiology for the purposes of enhancing restoration success.

Mr. Michael Manna

Environmental Scientist, South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, FL

Within the span of 17 years in the Everglades, I have contributed towards science of wetland and tree island soil biogeochemistry, ridge and slough dynamics, vegetation nutrient and hydrological tolerances, floc transport, and habitat rehabilitation.

Mr. David Potter

Fishery Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul, MN

David Potter is a Fishery Biologist with 17 years of professional experience who works for the Corps of Engineers where he helps plan restoration projects on large rivers. He has held professional certification as a fishery professional since 2000.

Dr. Christa Zweig

Research Scientist, South Florida Water Management Disrtrict, West Palm Beach, FL

Christa Zweig is a research scientist at the South Florida Water Management District.

Dr. Dendy Lofton

Aquatic Ecologist, LimnoTech, Oakdale, MN

Dr. Dendy Lofton is an ecologist with expertise in carbon and nutrient cycling. With broad experience in water resource management and planning, her current work focuses on stream and lake restoration and revitalization in urban environments.

Mr. Benjamin Zelinsky

Fish Biologist, Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, OR

Dr. Zelinsky serves as the Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation lead for Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.

Mr. Gary Johnson

Research Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Portland, OR

Gary E. Johnson is a research scientist and project manager for the Pacific NW National Laboratory. Areas of interest include ecosystem restoration, evidence-based evaluation, expert panel processes, and restoration effectiveness.

Dr. Heida Diefenderfer

Senior Research Scientist, Team Leader Ecosystems Research, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sequim, WA

Dr. Heida Diefenderfer, a restoration ecologist working in coastal, freshwater, and forested wetlands, is Team Leader for Ecosystems Research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Energy and Environment Directorate, Coastal Sciences Division.

Dr. Kate Buenau

Research Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sequim, WA

Dr. Kate Buenau is a quantitative ecologist and modeler at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She specializes in species-habitat relationships and decision support tools for adaptive management and large-scale ecosystem restoration.

Mr. Darrel M. Broussard, PMP

Acting Chief, Projects and Restoration Branch, United States Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, New Orleans, LA

Mr. Broussard works in the Programs and Project Management Division office for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District. He serves as the Senior Project Manager for the Louisiana Coastal Area Program and is currently the Acting Branch Chief for the Protection and Restoration Branch. He has been working for the Corps for 23 years and is Certified Project Management Professional. He has BS in Physics from Southern University at New Orleans and a MBA from Tulane University, New Orleans, La.

Mr. Bren Haase

Chief of the Planning and Research Division, Louisiana Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority, Baton Rouge, LA

Mr. Haase is the Chief of the Planning and Research Division of the Louisiana CPRA. He has 20 years of experience in coastal wetland ecology, restoration and regulation in the private sector, and with the Federal and State governments.

Mr. James Tripp

Senior Counsel, Environmental Defense Fund, New York, NY

Mr. Tripp, Senior Counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund and member of the Louisiana Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration, and Conservation, has been engaged in lower Mississippi River Basin restoration for 40 years.

Mitchell J. Marmande

Principal, Delta Coast Consultants, Houma, LA

Dr. Carl Hershner

Center for Coastal Resources Management Director, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA

Carl Hershner is the Director of the Center for Coastal Resources Management at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science of the College of William & Mary. He has worked extensively in development of management strategies and decision support tools.

Ms. Carin Bisland

Associate Director, U.S. EPA, Annapolis, MD

Carin Bisland is the Associate Director for the Office of Partnerships and Accountability at the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office. She received her BA in biology from College of Wooster and her Masters for environmental management at Duke University.

Ms. Doreen Vetter

Accountability and Budget Team Leader, USEPA Chesapeake Bay Program, Annapolis, MD

Doreen is the Accountability and Budget Team Leader at the USEPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office and is leading the work to support improved information-sharing and decision-making at the Bay Program partnership.

Mr. Scott Phillips

Chesapeake Bay Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey, Baltimore, MD

Scott serves as the USGS Chesapeake Bay Coordinator and interacts with the federal and state partners to consider the scientific information so they can make more effective decisions for ecosystem restoration and protection.

Ms. Roberta Swann

Director, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Mobile, AL

Ms. Swann leads a management conference of over 100 community leaders in identifying and undertaking restoration, community capacity building, and policy related initiatives to improve and protect Alabama’s coastal resources and ecosystem services.

Dr. Bret Webb

Associate Professor, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL

Bret is an Associate Professor at the University of South Alabama and a licensed professional engineer specializing in the practice of coastal engineering. Bret’s current work is focused on living shorelines and coastal resilience tools.

Dr. Just Cebrian

Professor of Marine Sciences, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL

Dr. Cebrian is a marine ecologist with more than 20 years of experience and has produced more than 100 scientific publications on these topics.

Mr. Justin Barrett

Professional Engineer, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc, Mobile, AL

Justin is a Project Manager at Goodwyn Mills and Cawood with six years of experience in stream and watershed assessment, natural channel design, and urban stream stabilization.

Dr. Tom St. Clair

Principal Scientist, Louis Berger, Jacksonville, FL

Dr. St. Clair is a project manager with a wide range of natural resource experience over a 40-year career, most recently specializing in NEPA) documentation, large-scale ecosystem restoration, and scientific peer review.

Ms. Joanna Eyquem

Senior Fluvial Geomorphologist, AECOM, Montreal, QC

Ms Eyquem is a professionally qualified Fluvial Geomorphologist at AECOM, specializing in the application of geomorphological techniques to the management of freshwater resources and Environmental Assessment.

Dr. Kathleen Sealey

Associate Professor, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Dr Sealey is an associate professor at the University of Miami working in coastal ecology and island sustainability studies. She has worked in the wider Caribbean for over thirty years, and is a Bahamian citizen.

Mr. Doug Partridge

Principal Ecologist, Arcadis US, Inc.

Mr. Partridge has over 15 years of professional experience focused on ecosystem restoration and large-scale reclamation projects. As part of Arcadis, his recent efforts have been focused on applying ecological science to coastal resiliency projects.

Ms. Janet Starnes

Prinicpal Project Manager, SFWMD, Fort Myers, FL

Janet Starnes is a Principal Project Manager for the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Fort Myers. Janet graduated from the University of Florida with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Political Science with a specialty in Public Administration. Janet is a certified planner, American Institute of Planners, American Planning Association and a Certified County Mediator.

Mr. Bahram Charkhian

Lead Environemntal Scientist, South Florida Water Management Disrtrict, West Palm Beach, FL

A lead environmental scientist, Dr. Charkhian is responsible for assessing performance of the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project.

Dr. Jerome Lorenz

State Director of Research, Audubon Florida, Tavernier, FL

Jerry directs a staff of field scientists working on myriad ecological research projects associated with the Everglades, Florida Bay and the Florida Keys. His work focuses on how water management in the southern Everglades impacts mangrove ecosystem food webs, affects the abundance of aquatic plants and prey fishes, and the success of nesting Roseate Spoonbills.

Dr. Christopher Madden

Lead Scientist, South Florida Water Management, West Palm Beach, FL

Christopher Madden is Lead Environmental Scientist in the Applied Science Bureau at South Florida Water Management. His research integrates ecosystem science and management in wetland-estuary environments through empirical and modeling approaches.

Prof. Michal Kowalewski

Professor and Curator, University of Florida/FLMNH, Gainesville, FL

Kowalewski's research centers on quantitative paleoecology and conservation paleobiology with particular focus on marine benthic invertebrates.

Dr. Evelyn Gaiser

Executive Director, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Dr. Gaiser is the lead Principal Investigator of the Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research Program at Florida International University.

Dr. Letitia Grenier

Resilient Landscapes Program Director, San Francisco Estuary Institute, Richmond, CA

Our team works on large-scale visions that use understanding how unaltered natural processes worked in a particular landscape to envision feasible future restoration of desired ecosystem functions that reconciles needs for people and wildlife.

Mr. Robert Johnson

Supervisory Hydrologist, National Park Service, Homestead, FL

Robert Johnson has served as Director since October 1995, seeing the Center through the settlement of the Water Quality Lawsuit, through much of the planning and implementation of the Modified Water Deliveries Project, and through the development of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. He started there in 1983 as a staff Hydrologist, later serving as Supervisory Hydrologist, and then as Branch Chief both for Physical Resources and for the former Ecosystem Analysis and Modeling Branch. He has represented the NPS on more than 20 advisory and technical committees charged with protecting and restoring the south Florida environment.

Dr. Lisamarie Windham-Myers

Research Ecologist, USGS, Menlo Park, CA

Dr. Lisamarie Windham-Myers is a wetland ecologist and lead scientist for the USGS-NRP program “Plant:Soil:Water Interactions in Wetland Ecosystems.

Dr. James Hurley

Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

James Hurley is a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and chairs the Environmental Chemistry and Technology graduate program. He also directs the UW Sea Grant and UW Water Resources Institutes.

Ms. Carrie Austin

Environmental Engineer, Cal/EPA SF Bay Water Board, Oakland, CA

Ms. Austin has over two decades of experience as a hazardous waste remediation engineer. She is project manager for several mercury regulations for waters downstream of mercury mines, including some of the most mercury-polluted waters in California.

Mr. Jacob Fleck

Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Sacramento, CA

Jacob Fleck is a Research Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s California Water Science Center in Sacramento, California. His research interests are focused on the biogeochemical cycling of mercury and organic matter in natural systems.

Dr. William Orem

Supervisory Research Chemist, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA

William Orem, Ph.D. is a geochemist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, VA. He has worked on Everglades biogeochemistry for 20 years, focused on sulfur contamination and its role in mercury methylation in collaboration with the ACME Group.

Dr. George Aiken

Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, CO

George Aiken is a senior researcher with the National Research Program of the U. S. Geological Survey. Aiken has devoted his career to studying the chemistry of dissolved organic matter in natural waters.

Dr. Aubree Hershorin

Ecologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Planning Division, Jacksonville, FL

Aubree Hershorin is an ecologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District. Aubree works in the Planning Division, ensuring the District’s Civil Works navigation and coastal projects comply with Federal environmental laws.

Dr. William Lindberg

Associate Director, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Bill Lindberg is the Associate Director for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida. He also serves as a Florida Sea Grant Extension Specialist for fisheries habitat.

Dr. Robert Swett

Associate Professor, Florida Sea Grant, Gainesville, FL

Bob Swett is the Florida Sea Grant specialist on boating and waterway management issues within Florida’s Cooperative Extension Service.

Ms. Amy Langston

Graduate Student, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Amy Langston is a PhD student at University of Florida in the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment. Her research focuses on the effects of climate change on coastal wetlands on the Big Bend coast of Florida.

Thomas Ankersen

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

A practicing attorney, Professor Ankersen directs the University of Florida Conservation Clinic, the experiential learning program within the College of Law’s Environmental and Land Use Law Program. He also serves as Florida Sea Grant’s Statewide Legal Specialist. In these capacities he has been involved in a wide variety of activities that address land and water conservation policy at the federal, state and local level, as well as internationally.

Dr. Willis McConnaha

Principal, ICF International, Portland, OR

I have worked on Pacific salmon and their ecosystems primarily in the Columbia and Sacramento rivers for over 25 years. I lead the ICF Ecosystems, Modeling and GIS team which focuses on development of quantitative tools for habitat evaluation.

Dr. Tim Abbe

Principal Geomorphologist, Natural Systems Design, Inc., Port Angeles, WA

Dr. Abbe received his Ph.D. in forest fluvial geomorphology from the University of Washington Department of Earth and Space Sciences. He is a licensed professional geologist in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska.

Mr. Jock Conyngham

Research Ecologist, Environmental Laboratory, ERDC, USACE, Missoula, MT

Jock Conyngham is a Research Ecologist for the Environmental Laboratory, Engineer Research and Development Center, USACE.

Dr. Doug Shields

Consulting Engineer, CBEC ECO Engineers, Inc, University, MS

Doug Shields completed 33 years of federal service with the Corps of Engineers and Agricultural Research Service National Sedimentation Lab as a hydraulic engineer. His interests center around river restoration, particularly physical habitats.

Mr. David Bandrowski

Hydraulic Engineer, Yurok Tribe, Weaverville, CA

D.J. Bandrowski is a senior civil/hydraulic/project engineer with the Yurok Tribe in Northern California. D.J. is a Civil Engineer with over 16 years of experience planning, designing, and implementing restoration projects across the US and overseas.

Mr. Leif Embertson

Senior River Engineer, Natural Systems Design, Bellingham, WA

Leif is a senior river engineer and partner at Natural Systems Design. His knowledge of the river environment founded in civil engineering, hydraulics, and geomorphology combined with extensive personal interest in the field.

Ms. Martha Robbart

Regional Manager, Dial Cordy and Associates, Miami, FL

Ms. Robbart is the South Florida Regional Manager for Dial Cordy and Associates. She is a marine ecologist with 15 years of seagrass and coral reef experience.

Mr. Michael Barnett

Senior Coastal Engineer, Tetra Tech, Inc., Mobile, AL

Mr. Barnett is a Senior Coastal Engineer with over 30 years of experience. He has worked on a number of beach restoration projects in Florida, and has served in both the private sector and in state government.

Dr. Mark Fonseca

Vice President, Science, CSA Ocean Sciences Inc., Stuart, FL

Dr. Mark S. Fonseca is Vice President for Science with CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. His current research interests include habitat impact assessments, hydrodynamics as they affect marine landscapes, and ecosystem-based management tool applications.

Mr. Jesse Davis

Coastal Engineer, Tetra Tech, Inc., Boynton Beach, FL

Mr. Jesse Davis is a native Floridian and registered Professional Engineer with 10 years' experience in coastal engineering. He is a graduate from the Florida Institute of Technology with a master's degree earned in 2005 and bachelor's in 2004.

Ms. Anne McCarthy

Project Manager/Marine Scientist, CSA Ocean Sciences Inc., Stuart, FL

Anne McCarthy is a Project Manager and Marine Scientist with nearly 20 years experience in mitigation and restoration of seagrass and coral reef systems.

Mr. William Precht

Director, Dial Cordy & Assoc., Inc., Miami, FL

Bill Precht is a consulting marine ecologist specializing in the assessment and restoration of coral reef and associated ecosystems.

Ms. Elizabeth Murray

Research Biologist, USACE, San Francisco, CA

Elizabeth Murray is a Research Biologist in the Corps' Environmental Laboratory and has worked in wetland science for more than 20 years, specializing in wetland assessment and restoration. She co-leads Corps' EGS research in restoration planning.

Dr. Jeffrey Kline

Research Forester, USDA Forest Service, Corvallis, OR

Jeff Kline is a research forester and economist with the USDA Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station in Corvallis, Oregon. He has worked with forestry and land use issues for 30 years in nonprofit, state, and federal contexts.

Dr. Frank Casey

Ecosystem Services Theme Lead, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA

Dr. Frank Casey is a natural resource economist specializing in market and non-market valuation of ecosystem services. Dr. Emily Pindilli is an environmental economist implementing ecosystem services valuation research projects for public agencies.

Dr. Lisa Wainger

Research Professor, University of MD, Ctr Environ Science, Solomons, MD

Lisa Wainger, a Research Professor at UMCES, has over 20 years of experience developing integrated ecological and economic analysis tools to measure changes in ecological conditions in terms of socio-economic outcomes.

Grover Robinson

Escambia County Commissioner & Chair of Gulf Consortium

Warren Yeager

Chair of 8 County Coalition, Gulf Consortium Representative to Triumph Gulf Coast and Gulf County’s Director on the Gulf Consortium

Sheree Keeler

Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Wakulla County, FL

Bryon Griffith

Dewberry, Vice President

Ms. Kiren Bahm

Hydrologist, National Park Service, Homestead, FL

Kiren Bahm is a hydrologist at the South Florida Natural Resources Center, serving Everglades National Park and other national parks in south Florida. She focuses on hydrologic simulation modeling and analyses of ecosystem restoration alternatives.

Mr. Sandeep Dabral

Engineering Specialist, South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, FL

Sandeep Dabral is a Hydrologic Modeler in the Hydrology & Hydraulics Section of South Florida Water Management District. He is a graduate from University of Florida and has been working on several ecosystem restoration projects in South Florida.

Ms. Angela Montoya

Lead Engineer, SFWMD, West Palm Beach, FL

I perform hydrologic modeling for water supply planning, ecosystem restoration and engineering and construction.

Mrs. Fahmida Khatun

IMC Program Manager and Senior Engineer, SFWMD, West Palm Beach, FL

Fahmida Khatun is the Interagency Modeling Center Program Manager of SFWMD and an H&H Modeler and Engineer. She has 14 years of modeling experience working for SFWMD, Parsons, Inc. and DHI Inc., USA. She taught Civil Engineering as well for 5 years.

Mr. Louis Blume

QA Manager, GLNPO, Chicago, IL

Louis Blume serves as the QA Manager at the U.S. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office.

Dr. Timothy Lewis

Supervisory Ecologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ERDC, Vicksburg, MS

Chief of the Aquatic Ecology and Invasive Species Branch at USACE ERDC. He is engaged in ecorestoration and assessment of habitat for threatened/endangered species and prevention/reduction of impacts of invasive plants and animals in U.S. waterways.

Mr. Marty Boote

Environmental Scientist, Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI

Marty Boote is a Certified Ecologist with Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Biology and Fisheries from Central Michigan University in 1992 and has since worked for 23 years as an environmental consultant.

Ms. Lynde Dodd

Research Biologist, US Army Corps of Engineers (ERDC), Lewisville, TX

Lynde L. Dodd (B. S., M. S. University of North Texas) is a research biologist with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Her research focuses on aquatic ecology and invasive species with an emphasis in aquatic ecosystem restoration.

Ms. Christine Shepard

Director of Science, The Nature Conservancy, Seattle, WA

Christine Shepard, Ph.D., is Director of Science for The Nature Conservancy’s Gulf of Mexico Program. Her research focuses on assessing coastal hazards, quantifying natures role in reducing risk, and identifying ecosystem-based solutions.

Dr. Christy Foran

Research Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ERDC, Concord, MA

Christy Foran is a Research Biologist with U.S. Army ERDC whose research involves integration of judgment and prioritization with modeling and research to inform decision modeling for remedial action, adaptive management and allocation of resources.

Dr. Michael Runge

Research Ecologist, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD

Michael Runge is a research ecologist with the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. His research focuses on the use of decision theory and population modeling to inform wildlife management, with applications including manatees, eagles, and bats.

Ms. Ceil Mancini

Global Risk Lead, AECOM Environment, Conshohocken, PA

Ms. Mancini is Global/Americas Lead for Risk Assessment as part of the AECOM Remediation Practice. Most of her work during the past 35 years has focused on management of contaminated sediment, risk assessment, and risk-based decision making.

Ms. Anne Morkill

Wildlife Refuge Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fremont, CA

Anne Morkill has worked for 25 years as a wildlife biologist and wildlife refuge manager, overseeing a diversity of programs from Alaska to the Florida Keys. She currently manages the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Dr. Judy McCrea

Plan Formulation Specialist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Pacific Division, San Francisco, CA

I joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2002 and am the Plan Formulation Specialist for the South Pacific Division. My work with the Corps includes an array of flood risk management, ecosystem restoration, and navigation studies.

Mr. Scott Miner

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, CA

Scott Miner is an ecosystem restoration planner with the Corps of Engineers' Sacramento District. He has over 30 years of experience in planning and implementation of restoration and flood projects in the San Francisco Bay-Delta and Central Valley of California.

Sara Schultz

Environmental Manager, Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, CA

Sara is a Water Resources Plan Formulation Regional Technical Specialist with the Sacramento District Corps of Engineers. She has worked with the Corps planning process and programs in various capacities for the past 17 years. She is currently the lead planner for the Sacramento River General Reevaluation Report which is seeking ways to reduce flood risk and restore the degraded ecosystem of the lower Sacramento River Valley.

Dr. Paul Davis

Principal Environmental Scientist, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., Springfield, MA

Principal Environmental Scientist at GZA Inc. Springfield, MA office since 1986; GZA lead in ecological services for 40+ scientists. Specialties: wetland/aquatic resource assessment, soil science, water quality, eco-restoration, mitigation, & design.

Mr. Tim Purinton

Director, Mass Division of Ecological Restoration, Boston, MA

Tim Purinton is Director of the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration. Prior to working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Tim worked for the Massachusetts Audubon Society; he has a MPA from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Samantha Woods

North and South Rivers Watershed Association, Norwell, MA

As director of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA) for the past 13+ years, Samantha is responsible for general and fiscal oversight and day-to-day management of this grassroots, non-profit, environmental association with a membership of more than 1,200 households and 150+volunteers. Prior to that, she was an environment coastal scientist, providing consultation to nonprofits, federal, state and local governments and private clients.

Dr. Gretchen Ehlinger

Senior Biologist, US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Jacksonville, FL

Dr. Gretchen Ehlinger is a senior biologist in the Planning and Policy Division with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District. Dr. Ehlinger has 11 year of experience in Everglades restoration.

Mr. Paul Conrads

Hydrologist, USGS, Columbia, SC

Paul Conrads has been with the USGS since 1986. Paul earned an undergraduate and Master’s Degrees in Civil Engineering at the University of South Carolina. His current interest is in applying data mining techniques to complex hydrologic systems.

Mr. Pablo Ruiz

Ecologist, National Park Service, Palmetto Bay, FL

Pablo L. Ruiz has a B.S. degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Biology and an M.S. Certificate in GIS from Florida International University. He has over 20-years of experience in GIS, remote sensing, and wetland ecology.

Dr. Jay Sah

Research Associate/Faculty, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Dr. Jay Sah, a Research Faculty at SERC, Florida International University, Miami, is an expert in studying vegetation responses to environmental drivers and stresses at various spatio-temporal scales using multivariate statistical techniques and GIS.

Mr. Brian Murphy

Principal Engineer, CDM Smith, Denver, CO

Mr. Murphy is a Principal Water Resources Engineer with CDM Smith in Denver, CO. He is currently pursuing his PhD at Colorado State University in Civil end Environmental Engineering focusing on stream restoration and WQ.

Mr. Peter Murdoch

Northeast Science Advisor, US Geological Survey, Troy, NY

Pete Murdoch currently serves as Science Advisor for the USGS Northeast Region. In this role, he recently coordinated a multi-agency team developing recommendations for measuring change in coastal resilience following Hurricane Sandy.

Mr. Justin Bousquin

ORISE Participant, US EPA, Narragansett, RI

Justin Bousquin is an ORISE participant in natural resource economics with the US EPA in Narraganset, RI. His research is at the intersection of economics and ecology, using how people benefit from nature to inform environmental decision making.

Mr. David Hanson

Principal, HansonRM, Blaine, WA

David Hanson has been a specializing in the integration of economic, social, and environmental factors to provide sustainable approaches to some of the U.S.’s most challenging environmental challenges for more than 35 years.

Dr. Carlos Coronado-Molina

Lead Scientist, SFWMD, West Palm Beach, FL

I am scientist lead in charge of the Tree Island Program in the Everglades Systems Assessment Section. I have been in charge of more than 10 different monitoring and research projects dedicated to understand how to preserve and restore tree islands.

Dr. Tiffany Troxler

Research Scientist, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Tiffany Troxler is a wetland ecologist in the Southeast Environmental Research Center at Florida International University. She is also Director of the FIU Sea Level Solutions Center.

Dr. Colin Saunders

Lead Scientist, South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, FL

I am a Lead Scientist at the South Florida Water Management District and technical lead for the DECOMP Physical Model, an adaptive management study evaluating ecological benefits of sheetflow and canal backfilling on Everglades ecosystems.

Dr. Erich Mueller

Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ

Erich Mueller is a Research Hydrologist specializing in fluvial geomorphology with the U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.

Mr. Karim Belhadjali

Coastal Resources Assistant Administrator, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge, LA

Karim Belhadjali is the program manager for Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan. He directs the research program within CPRA to address critical knowledge gaps and develop tools/data to support technical assessment of program performance.

Dr. Mandy Green

Coastal Resources Senior Scientist, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge, LA

Mandy Green is a Coastal Resources Senior Scientist with CPRA. She is the CPRA lead on the 2017 Coastal Master Plan Model Decision Team, providing agency guidance on the predictive models used to evaluate projects for the master plan.

Ms. Melanie Saucier

Coastal Resources Scientist Manager, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge, LA

Melanie Saucier is a Coastal Resources Scientist Manager and Certified Floodplain Manager with CPRA. Melanie currently coordinates the Flood Risk and Resilience Program and partner engagement for CPRA’s Coastal Master Plan.

Mr. Nick Speyrer

President, Emergent Method, Baton Rouge, LA

As founder and president of Emergent Method, Nick Speyrer’s expertise lies in strategic planning, project management, strategic communications and multi-partner participation in both planning efforts and policy- and decision-making processes.

Dr. Craig Fischenich

Research Civil Engineer, ERDC Environmental Lab, Vicksburg, MS

Dr. Fischenich is a researcher and practitioner with 35 years of experience on aquatic ecosystem restoration projects throughout the US and overseas.

Dr. Jerry Kenny

CEO, Headwaters Corporation, Kearney, NE

Jerry F. Kenny, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of Headwaters Corporation and serves as Executive Director of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. Dr. Kenny is a licensed professional water resources engineer.

Ms. April Patterson

Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, FL

April Nudo Patterson is a project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leading civil works projects. She specializes in managing teams performing scientific evaluation which require coordination amongst scientists and resource agencies.

Ms. Jennifer Pratt Miles

Senior Mediator and Program Manager, Meridian Institute, Dillon  CO

Jennifer Pratt Miles is a Senior Mediator and Program Manager with the Meridian Institute. Ms. Pratt Miles has 15 years of experience working with parties to design, facilitate, and implement collaborative processes to support ecosystem restoration.

Dr. Christopher Kelble

Research Oceanographer, NOAA/AOML, Miami, FL

Dr. Kelble is a research oceanographer with over 15 years of experience in Everglades restoration. He also chairs NOAA's committee charged with implementing Integrated ecosystem Assessments for US marine and coastal ecosystems.

Dr. Laura Brandt

Regional Scientist, USFWS, Davie, FL

Laura is a wildlife biologist with USFWS based in South Florida with regional responsibilities for linking science and management.

Dr. Joel Trexler

Professor, Florida International University, North Miami, FL

Joel Trexler is a Professor of Biological Science at Florida International University. His research focuses on population and community ecology of aquatic animals in the Florida Everglades.

Dr. Bruce Sharfstein

Principal Scientist, South Florida Water Man. Dist., West Palm Beach, FL

Bruce Sharfstein is a principal scientist in the Applied Science Bureau of The South Florida Water Management District working primarily on Lake Okeechobee ecology and restoration.

Dr. Don Boesch

Professor of Marine Science and President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD

Donald F. Boesch is a Professor of Marine Science and President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and University System of Maryland’s Vice Chancellor for Environmental Sustainability. He earned his B.S. in biology at Tulane University and Ph.D. in oceanography at the College of William and Mary. Don has conducted ecological and oceanographic research on coastal and continental shelf ecosystems along the Atlantic Coast, and in the Gulf of Mexico, eastern Australia, and the East China Sea. He is a past-chairman of the Ocean Studies Board of the National Research Council was appointed by President Obama to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Oil Spill and the Offshore Drilling. Don has forty years of experience in the application of science in ecosystem restoration, including in the Chesapeake Bay, the Florida Everglades and Coastal Louisiana.

Dr. Troy Pierce

Chief Scientist, U.S. EPA Gulf of Mexico Program, Gulfport, MS

Troy is the Chief Scientist for the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program and provides expertise for EPA in water quality, BMPs and working with tribal partners. Troy has served on several workgroups for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

Mr. Kevin Keeler

Fisheries Contractor, US Geological Survey, Ann Arbor, MI

Kevin Keeler's research focus is on lower trophic dynamics within Great Lakes food webs. In particular, understanding the role of zooplankton as fish prey items, and evaluating invasive predatory zooplankton facilitating predator and prey dynamics.

Mr. James Boase

Senior Fish Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Waterford, MI

James Boase has worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service since 2002. His primary focus has been on building a coalition of partners that are dedicated to the restoration of Federal and State listed Threatened and Endangered Species.

Dr. Duncan Bryant

Research Hydraulic Engineer, USACE, Vicksburg, MS

I have served as a Researcher at the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory for the past five years.

Mr. Walter Wilcox

Section Administrator, South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, FL

Mr. Wilcox is a professional engineer and director of the Modeling Section of the Hydrology and Hydraulics Bureau at the South Florida Water Management District.

Dr. Ehab Meselhe

Director of Natural Systems Modeling & Monitoring, The Water Institute of the Gulf, Baton Rouge, LA

Ehab Meselhe, Ph.D., P.E., has over 20 years of experience in coastal wetland hydrology, sediment transport, and computer modeling of coastal wetland, estuarine, and riverine systems; he has been heavily involved in coastal ecosystem restoration.

Dr. Fred Sklar

Director, So FL Water Managemet District, West Palm Beach, FL

Fred Sklar studies the hydrology, soil, plant and animal processes associated with both the degradation and restoration of wetland and coastal ecosystems, and specializes in the design and implementation of landscape-scale, adaptive management.

Mr. Alan Travers

Director, BuroHappold Engineering | Water Group, New York, NY

Alan Travers is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 35 years’ experience in water engineering. He is a Partner of BuroHappold, the international engineering consultancy, and he is the Director of the company’s Water Group, based in the UK. Alan’s experience spans projects involving river, canal and coastal engineering, flood risk and water resource management, ranging from individual developments, through masterplanning to city scale planning.

Dr. Robert Nairn

Principal, Baird & Associates, Oakville, ON

Dr. Nairn is a Principal of Baird & Associates and has 30+ years experience as a river and coastal engineer. He is the Team Leader for the Baird team on Changing Course. Baird works exclusively in coastal, river and port planning and engineering.

Jeff Shelden

Coasts, Water & the Environment Practice Leader, Moffatt & Nichol, Raleigh, NC

Jeffrey G. Shelden, P.E. is a senior coastal engineer with Moffatt & Nichol in Raleigh, NC responsible for leading their Coasts, Water & The Environment Practice. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1984 and a Master of Science degree from North Carolina State University in 1985. His extensive experience includes the analysis and numerical modeling of riverine, estuarine and coastal hydraulics and processes throughout the United States and internationally. He has also analyzed, designed and prepared construction documents for a wide variety of coastal and marine terminal structures and vessel moorings. He served as M&N’s Project Manager for the Changing Course Competition.

Dr. John Hoal

Principal, H3 Studio, St. Louis, MO

John Hoal Ph.D. is the founding principal of H3 Studio Inc., a planning, design and research firm based in St. Louis, Missouri with offices in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is also a Professor and the Chair of Urban Design at Washington University.

Dr. Raymond Sauvajot

Associate Director, National Park Service, Washington, DC

Dr. Raymond M. Sauvajot is Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship Science for the U.S. National Park Service, where he provides leadership, oversight, and direction for natural resource science and policy for the National Park Service.

Ms. Shannon Estenoz

Director, Dept of the Interior Office of Everglades Restoration, Davie, FL

Shannon is the Director of Everglades Restoration Initiatives for the US Department of the Interior. Shannon coordinates the Department’s restoration efforts and is the Executive Director of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.

Dr. Ryan Valdez

Senior Manager, Conservation Science & Policy, National Parks Conservation Association, Washington  DC

Ryan currently serves as senior manager for conservation science and policy at the National Parks Conservation Association. His background is in landscape ecology and overlaps heavily with geospatial science.

Dr. Kristen Hart

Research Ecologist, USGS, Davie, FL

Kristen has been a Research Ecologist with the USGS since 1998, working in several US National Parks and protected areas. Her focus is on population ecology of rare, threatened, and endangered species, including several species of sea turtles.

Dr. Joan Browder

Unit Leader, NOAA NMFS, Miami, FL

Joan Browder is a systems ecologist, and leads the Ecosystems Investigation Unit in the Protected Resources and Biodiversity Division at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami.

Dr. Henry Briceño

Research Associate, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Dr. Briceño's actual areas of research interest reach across the fields of climate and human-induced impacts on the water quality and nutrient cycling in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay & Southwest Florida Shelf.

Ms. Sarah Bellmund

Ecologist, Biscayne National Park, Homestead, FL

Ms. Bellmund is an ecologist for National Park Service (NPS) working on science, planning, and management of ecosystems in south Florida since 1988. She is the Program Manager for Water Quality and Adjacent Lands at Biscayne National Park.

Dr. Anna Wachnicka

Research Associate/Research Faculty, Florida International University, Miami, FL

I have 15 years of experience in restoration-relates ecological and paleoecological studies in shallow water marine and coastal wetland ecosystems in South Florida. I am currently working as a Research Faculty at Florida International University.

Dr. Stefanie Kroll

Project Scientist, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

I've been a stream ecologist and aquatic entomologist for nearly a decade. I'm in charge of strategic planning and coordination of monitoring efforts to support research on ecological indicators to measure restoration success.

Dr. Shaye Sable

Senior Fisheries Biologist/Ecosystem Modeler, Dynamic Solutions, LLC, Baton Rouge, LA

Dr. Sable is a fisheries biologist and ecological modeler with experience developing population, community, and food web models to evaluate responses to changing environmental conditions, habitat, and stressors such as invasive species and toxicants.

Dr. Eric Swain

Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Davie, FL

As a research hydrologist at the USGS, Dr. Swain has specialized in the development of numerical models of surface-water/groundwater flow as well as statistical analysis of hydrologic parameters and methodology for determining field parameters.

Dr. Christopher Bernhardt

Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA

Christopher Bernhardt is a Research Geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey and is Project Chief of a study examining climate and sea level variability along the Southeastern and Gulf Coastal Plain during the Holocene.

Mr. Douglas Moyer

Supervisory Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Richmond, VA

Douglas Moyer is a Supervisory Hydrologist with the USGS in Richmond, Va. His primary research focus is on nutrient and sediment transport within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Dr. Jeni Keisman

Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Baltimore, MD

Jeni collaborates with researchers and managers in federal, state, regional, and local government agencies, academia, and related organizations, to advance the science underpinning the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort.

Mr. Scott Ator

Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Baltimore, MD

My research primarily involves the analysis and interpretation of water quality and geochemistry of streams and groundwater at multiple spatial scales to support improved understanding of sources, fate, and transport of chemical contaminants.

Mr. Jimmy Webber

Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Henrico, VA

Jimmy Webber serves as a Hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Water Science Center. He holds a M.S. in Forest Resources from Penn State and primarily works on nutrient and sediment transport studies in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Dr. Donald DeAngelis

Senior Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Coral Gables, FL

I have working experience in the following areas; theoretical ecology, ecosystem ecology, population ecology, community ecology, landscape ecology, mathematical modeling, computer simulations. Most work is in relation to Everglades restoration.

Dr. Peter Rubec

Research Scientist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, FL

Dr. Rubec is a Research Scientist conducting habitat mapping and spatial modeling of estuarine/marine species in Florida estuaries and the coastal zone to support management.

Dr. Heather Schwar

Senior Consultant, Geomorphologist, Cardno, Oxford, MS

Heather leads design and engineering services on watershed management and ecological engineering projects. With 15 years of experience, she focuses on water resources by evaluating and designing various hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) projects, including stormwater programs with basin, sewer, floodplain, bridge and culvert improvements, scour analyses, stream bank protection, and stream habitat restoration. She also has expertise in numerous hydrologic and hydraulic models. She is a registered Professional Engineer in seven states.

Ms. Linnea Spears-Lebrun

Senior Ecologist, AECOM, San Diego, CA

Linnea Spears-Lebrun is an ecologist and project manager with 10 years of professional experience as a restoration ecologist in multiple habitat types across southern California.

Dr. Yongshan Wan

Section Leader, South Florida Water Man. Dist., West Palm Beach, FL

I am a section leader at the South Florida Water Management District, providing technical leadership to a team of scientists applying integrated physical and ecological models for protection and restoration of south Florida’s coastal ecosystems.

Dr. Beth Middleton

Research Ecologist, Wetland and Aquatic ResearchCenter, Lafayette, LA

Beth Middleton is a research ecologist with the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Lafayette, Louisiana. Her research focuses on potential climate change impacts to wetlands using a macroecology approach to study ecosystems.

Mr. Mark Zucker

Supervisory Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Davie, FL

I am a Supervisory Physical Scientist for the USGS, Davie, Florida. My interests include continuous water quality monitoring, monitoring coastal discharges using hydroacoustics, and Everglades restoration. https://profile.usgs.gov/mzucker

Dr. David Kaplan

Assistant Professor, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

David Kaplan is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida (UF) and currently serves as the Assistant Director of the H.T. Odum Center for Wetlands at UF.

Mr. Patrick Phillips

Hydrologist, USGS, Troy, NY

I have been a hydrologist with the US Geological Survey for over 25 years, and have authored over 50 publications focusing on the source and transport of trace organics in the environment.

Dr. Vicki Blazer

Research Fishery Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Kearneysville, WV

Vicki has active research projects addressing infectious and noninfectious fish diseases, environmental and land use influences on fish health and endocrine disruption in the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes watersheds.

Dr. Jennifer Brennan

Research Toxicologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO

I am a Research Toxicologist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the Columbia Environmental Research Center. I recently graduated from University of CA, Davis with degrees in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry (PhD) and Avian Sciences (MS).

Dr. Yan Li

Postdoc, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

I am responsible for stock assessment, population dynamics, fisheries management, fisheries bycatch assessment, risk assessment, endangered species conservation, statistical analysis, spatial modeling and ecological modeling.

Mr. Jay Kuipers

Natural Resources Specialist, USDA, Okeechobee, FL

I have been with the USDA NRCS for 28 years and presently serve as the Wetland Restoration Easement Technical Team Leader in Florida.

Mr. David Stites

Director, Environmental Services, Taylor Engineering, Inc., Jacksonville, FL

David Stites has worked in public and private sector wetland restoration, impact and mitigation management in Florida, the US and in other countries for three decades. His work has focused on freshwater and estuarine systems.

Mrs. Jennifer Klich

Project Engineer, Taylor Engineering, Jacksonville, FL

Ms. Klich serves as a project manager responsible for the development of plans and specifications for port infrastructure and waterfront design projects for Taylor Engineering, in Jacksonville, Florida.

Mr. Scott Turgeon

ACEP-WRE Team Biologist, USDA-NRCS, Okeechobee, FL

Scott Turgeon has 20 years professional experience in south Florida. He worked for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, South Florida Water Management District, environmental consulting firm, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Dr. Bryan McCloskey

IT Specialist, Cherokee Nation Technologies, St. Petersburg, FL

Bryan McCloskey received his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the University of South Florida in 2009. Since 2000, he has worked on numerous projects at the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and his current focus is on database design, data management, and the creation of online tools for data visualization.

Dr. Leonard Pearlstine

Landscape Ecologist, National Park Service, Davie, FL

Dr. Leonard Pearlstine is Landscape Ecologist at Everglades National Park. Leonard has 30 years’ multi-disciplinary experience with spatial analysis, ecological modeling and wetland natural resource management.

Dr. James Beerens

Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Fort Lauderdale, FL

My research program provides quantitative and spatial decision support tools to aid in the conservation of wildlife communities and ecosystems at the human- and invasive-impacted interface.

Ms. Johnna Infanti

Graduate Student, University of Miami/RSMAS, Miami, FL

Johnna Infanti is currently pursing her PhD at University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences on the topic of seasonal climate prediction.

Dr. John Tirpak

Science Coordinator, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Lafayette, LA

Dr. Tirpak is the Science Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Gulf Restoration Program. He has worked on conservation planning at landscape scales with a variety of partners over the last 10 years.

Mr. Steve Traxler

Peninsular Florida LCC Science Coordinator, USFWS, Vero Beach, FL

I work for the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a science coordinator and has been working on Everglade’s restoration since 1996. Since 2011, I have been coordinating science and adaptation planning for the Peninsular Florida LCC.

Dr. Todd Jones-Farrand

Science Coordinator, Gulf Coastal Plain and Ozarks LCC, Columbia, MO

Dr. Jones-Farrand is the Science Coordinator for a large conservation partnership whose mission is to work towards the sustainability of natural & cultural resources for future generations.

Dr. Mark Woodrey

Coastal Ecologist, Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS

Dr. Mark Woodrey is a Coastal Ecologist at Mississippi State University and serves as Research Coordinator at the Grand Bay NERR. Mark’s efforts focus on the ecology of coastal ecosystems to allow conservationists to make science-based decisions.

Ms. Brenda Bachman

Chief, Environmental Engineering and Technology, US Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, WA

Ms. Bachman has 17 years of experience as a scientist leading and managing environmental remediation and restoration projects for the Army Corps of Engineers. Her professional focus is sediment remediation and ecosystem restoration.

Mr. Thomas Ries

Executive Vice President, Scheda Ecological Associates, Inc., Tampa, FL

Thomas Ries has a degree in Biology, he has worked in both the public (SWFWMD – SWIM program) and private sectors (Scheda Ecological Associates). His extensive ecosystems restoration experience includes over 95 large scale projects in Florida alone.

Ms. Marit Larson

Director of Wetlands Restoration, NYC Parks, New York, NY

Marit Larson is the Director of Wetlands and Riparian Restoration for the NYC Parks Division of Forestry, Horticulture and Natural Resources. She works with partners on a wide range of watershed and aquatic ecosystem restoration projects.

Mrs. Jo Cullis

Regional Technology Leader, CH2M, Exeter

Jo Cullis is CH2M’s Regional Technology Leader for Ecosystem Restoration (Europe), with extensive experience of river and wetland restoration and habitat creation. She has worked on many projects focusing on working with natural processes.

Prof. Cameron Ainsworth

Assistant Professor, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL

Dr. Cameron Ainsworth is an Assistant Professor of Fisheries Oceanography at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. He works with trophodynamic and biogeochemical marine ecosystem models, statistical models and other methods.

Dr. Scott Duke-Sylvester

Associate Professor, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA

I use mathematical and computation models to elucidate the effects of management actions and climate change on plant community dynamics.

Prof. Scott Hagen

Professor, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Scott’s research program is focused on computational modeling of ocean, coastal, and inland astronomical and meteorological tides and flows, with emphasis on the coastal dynamics of sea level rise in general and salt marsh impacts in particular.

Mr. Eric White

Research Associate, The Water Institute of the Gulf, Baton Rouge, LA

Eric White works with the development and application of the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan Integrated Compartment Model. He is a licensed Professional Engineer with over 5 years of experience in the field of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling.

Ms. Marcia Fox

Environmental Scientist, Delaware Dept of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Dover, DE

Marcia Fox is an Environmental Scientist IV with Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, serving as the lead coordinator of Delaware's Watershed Implementation Plan for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Mr. Brooks Cahall

Drainage Program Manager, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Georgetown, DE

Brooks Cahall is an Env. Program Manager II with the DNREC Drainage Program responsible for implementing drainage projects and assisting tax ditches in managing over 2,000 miles of tax ditch. He has a degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Ms. Melissa Hubert

Environmental Planner, Delaware Dept of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Georgetown, DE

Melissa Hubert completed her Masters Degree with the University of Delaware and is now an Environmental Scientist II with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Drainage Section.

Mr. Tyler Monteith

Environmental Scientist, Delaware Dept of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Dover, DE

Tyler Monteith is an Environmental Scientist with Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, working to implement Delaware's Watershed Implementation Plan to reduce nutrient loading into the Chesapeake Bay.

Dr. Edmond Russo

Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management, US Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, Galveston, TX

Serves as Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management, USACE, Galveston District. He has 23 yrs experience in S&T, engineering, planning, operations, and project management, in positions at ERDC CHL and EL, and New Orleans District.

Georganna Collins

Chief Restoration Specialist, Ecology and Environment, Inc., Houston, TX

Collins is Chief Restoration Specialist with Ecology and Environment, Inc. with comprehensive, 30-year practice experience in rehabilitation of disturbed areas from inland riverine freshwater fens and bogs, bald cypress swamps to estuarine intertidal salt marshes, oyster reefs, and coastal bird islands serving with multiple affiliations including Gulf of Mexico Alliance Sediment Management Working Group and Habitat Restoration Priority Issue Team, COPRI Beneficial Use Subcommittee and COPRI Wetland Engineering Subcommittee, American Society of Landscape Architects, Reclamation Committee, American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation, Technical Division Coordinator, and TNC’s America’s Watershed Initiative.

Matt Grabau

Sonoran Institute, Tucsan, AZ

I am a restoration scientist for Sonoran Institute, managing restoration in Baja California, Mexico. I have 10 years of experience with riparian restoration projects, BS in Natural Resources, and PhD in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

Mrs. Cara Abbott

Education and Outreach Coordinator, The Institute for Regional Conservation, Delray Beach, FL

Cara joined the Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) in the summer of 2015 as the new Education and Outreach Coordinator/Administrative Assistant. She also volunteers with the Sea Turtle Conservation League of Singer Island.

Ms. Katherine Abbott

Graduate Student, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

I am currently a Master's student in the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences at Louisiana State University. I gained extensive field experience working around the country before returning to school to focus on Wetland Biogeochemistry.

Mr. Joshua Allen

Research Assistant, Florida International University, Earth and Environment, Miami, FL

I am currently a second year Ph.D. student at Florida International University studying under Dr. Rene Price. I obtained my Master's Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Lab in Coastal Sciences in 2014.

Mr. Eric Anderson

Senior Environmental Analyst, Palm Beach County, Environmental Resources Mgmt, West Palm Beach, FL

Eric Anderson a Senior Environmental Analyst with the Palm Beach County ERM. Since 2007 his primarily role has been involved with designing and managing estuarine restoration and enhancement projects within the Lake Worth Lagoon.

Ms. Megan Bartholomew

Graduate Research Assistant, Auburn University, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL

Megan Bartholomew is interested in wetland restoration and pursuing a M.S. in Natural Resources at Auburn University. Prior research interests include mangrove deforestation, salt marsh ecology, cranberry agriculture, and prairie restoration.

Mr.Tyler Bassett

Ecologist, Michigan State University, Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, MI

I have 15 years experience as a botanist and ecologist in the upper Midwest, working with private business, public agencies, and academic institutions to inform the conservation and restoration of prairies, wetlands, and forests.

Dr. James Beerens

Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Fort Lauderdale, FL

My research program provides quantitative and spatial decision support tools to aid in the conservation of wildlife communities and ecosystems at the human- and invasive-impacted interface.

Dr. Nur Belkayali

Assist. Prof. Dr., Kastamonu University, Landscape Architecture, Kastamonu University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Landscape Architecture, Kastamonu

Nur Belkayalı is an Assistant Professor of Kastamonu University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Landscape Architecture in Turkey. She is interested in landscape planning, protected areas and economic valuation of natural areas.

Ms. Lesley Bertolotti

Scientist Principal, South Florida Water Management District, Office of Everglades Policy and Coordination, West Palm Beach, FL

Ms. Bertolotti is a Scientist Principal in the Office of Everglades Policy and Coordination at the South Florida Water Management District.

Mr. William Brammell

Lead Ecologist, Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, Public Affairs, Lithia, FL

Ecologist with over 23 years of environmental experience in a wide array of subject matters including habitat restoration, wildlife management, and wetland functional assessment. Specialized experience in environmental planning.

Dr. John Brazner

Wetland Biologist, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division, Kentville, NS

John has over 30 years of experience conducting ecological research. Much of his recent work with Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has been on the ecology and hydrology of forested wetlands.

Mr. Aaron Brown

Researcher, University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, Tampa, FL

Aaron is a PhD candidate in the Integrative Biology Department at the University of South Florida and a staff environmental scientist in the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program at the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Mr. Ansel Bubel

Environmental Consultant, Florida Departmetn of Environmental Protection, Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration, Tallahassee, FL

Ansel Bubel is an Environmental Consultant at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection who oversees Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development in South Florida.

Dr. Kate Buenau

Research Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Coastal Sciences, Sequim, WA

Dr. Kate Buenau is a quantitative ecologist and modeler at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She specializes in species-habitat relationships and decision support tools for adaptive management and large-scale ecosystem restoration.

Ms. Gwen Burzycki

Special Projects Administrator, Miami-Dade County RER-DERM, Miami, FL

Gwen Burzycki is a wetland ecologist with Miami-Dade County who does environmental impact reviews and manages conservation land for the County's Environmentally Endangered Lands Program.

Ms. Sahale Casebolt

Student, Florida Museum of Natural History, Dickinson Hall, Gainesville, FL

I am a PhD student at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Department of Geology, University of Florida. My research interests include mollusk ecology, marine biodiversity, and conservation paleobiology.

Ms. Julia Chapman

Wildlife Biologist, US Geological Survey, Davie, FL

Julia Chapman is a Wildlife Biologist focusing on ecological research within South Florida’s unique environment. Her studies include natural and anthropogenic impacts on native mammal, fish, and bird communities.

Dr. Hongjun Chen

Senior Scientist, SFWMD, West Palm Beach, FL

My current effort has centered on applied ecological studies on interactions between wetlands and natural and anthropogenic disturbances, focusing on the Kissimmee River restoration and the Stormwater Treatment Areas for phosphorus removal.

Mr. Paul Conrads

Hydrologist, USGS, South Atlantic Water Science Center, Columbia, SC

Paul Conrads has been with the USGS since 1986. Paul earned an undergraduate and Master’s Degrees in Civil Engineering at the University of South Carolina. His current interest is in applying data mining techniques to complex hydrologic systems.

Ms. Katherine Cummings

Graduate Student, University of Florida, Dickinson Hall, Gainesville, FL

Katherine Cummings is a MSc student in the Interdisciplinary Ecology program at the University of Florida. She is also a Biological Scientist I working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute's Coral Programs Team.

Dr. Nora Demers

Associate Professor of Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Fort Myers, FL

Nora Egan Demers strives to understand stressors on systems, and ways to remediate negative impacts of human development. She has engaged in habitat restoration work with undergraduate students of non-science backgrounds for a decade.

Ms. Rachael Dunn

LL.M. Candidate, University of Florida Levin College of Law, Gainesville, FL

Rachael Dunn is an LL.M. Candidate in Environmental and Land Use Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. She received her juris doctorate degree at Syracuse University College of Law and a B.A. from the University of Florida.

Mr. Ralph Elliott

President, Enviro Water Restoration, LLC, Jacksonville, FL

With over 45 years experience in the R&D of Microbial Tech; Senior Vice President; Sales, Technologies Ecological Laboratories, Inc., Ralph is passionate about the use of natural biological non-chemical methods to reduce organic pollution.

Mr. Thomas Frankovich

Biologist, Florida International University, Key Largo, FL

I perform ecological research in the Florida Everglades, Florida Bay, and the Florida Keys. My primary research interests are relating water quality to primary producer communities. I also maintain an interest in benthic marine diatom taxonomy.

Ms. Emma Garrison

Student, University of Miami, Brooklyn, NY

Emma Garrison is a senior at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami majoring in marine science and biology and minoring in chemistry.

Mr. Sergio Gonzalez

Fisheries and Wildlife Biological Scientist II, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, Sunrise, FL

Graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in 2010. Has been a biologist for FWC in the Holey Land and Rotenberger Wildlife Management Areas since 2013.

Dr. Andrew Gottlieb

Lead Environmental Scientist, SFEC, West Palm Beach, FL

Andrew D. Gottlieb, Ph.D. is a Lead Environmental Scientist with South Florida Engineering and Consulting. Andrew has expertise in community and landscape ecology.

Dr. Matthew Grabau

Restoration Scientist, Sonoran Institute, Colorado River Delta Program, Tucson, AZ

I am a restoration scientist for Sonoran Institute, managing restoration in Baja California, Mexico. I have 10 years of experience with riparian restoration projects, BS in Natural Resources, and PhD in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

Dr. Yavuz Guloglu

Assist. Prof. Dr., Kastamonu University, Public Administration, Kastamonu University Economics and Administrative Sciences Faculty Depart. of Public Administration, Kastamonu

Yavuz Guloglu is an Assistant Professor of Kastamonu University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Public Administration in Turkey. He is interested in public law and private forestry legislation.

Mr. Kelly Haggar

J.D., Riparian, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA

Wetlands delineation and permitting (20 years), law (LSU Law Review; admitted to bar 2005), previously B-52 pilot (8 years), flight safety and aircraft accident investigation (10 years); integrated coastal change and legal affects flowing from it.

Dr. Dennis Hanisak

Research Professor, FAU Harbor Branch, Fort Pierce, FL

Dr. Dennis Hanisak is a Research Professor at FAU Harbor Branch and Director of its Marine Ecosystem Health. He has over 30 years of experience in marine biology and ecology, with emphasis on marine plants, particularly macroalgae and seagrasses.

Dr. Matthew Harwell

Chief, Ecosystem Assessment Branch, USEPA Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze, FL

Dr. Harwell has spent two decades years working on restoration science in multiple systems including Chesapeake Bay, Lake Okeechobee, South Florida and the Greater Everglades, and most recently the Gulf of Mexico.

Dr. Mark Hester

Professor, University of Louisiana, Institute for Coastal and Water Research, Department of Biology, Lafayette, LA

Mark W. Hester is Interim Director of the Institute for Coastal and Water Research at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he is an Endowed Professor of Environmental Biology. Coastal restoration ecology is his primary research focus.

Mr. Daniel Hope

Graduate Student, Florida Institute of Technology, Department of Marine and Environmental Systems, Melbourne, FL

I am a student at Florida Tech working towards my Master's degree in biological oceanography. I am especially interested in marine ecology and restoration.

Dr. Tonya Howington

CESI Project Management Specialist, Everglades National Park, SFNRC, Homestead, FL

I am a systems ecologist. I published 4 NPS Natural Resource reports on the bio-diversity of Everglades National Park.

Mrs. Ondrea Hummel

Ecologist, US Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, NM

Ondrea Hummel has been active in the field of riparian and wetland restoration efforts for the past 21 years. She is currently an Ecologist with the US Army Corps of Engineers working on restoration projects in the southwest and Hawaii.

Mrs. Amber Inggs

Civil/Environmental Engineer II, The Louis Berger Group, Ecological Restoration, Morristown, NJ

An Environmental Engineer in the Ecosystem Restoration Team of the Louis Berger Group, Amber's international expertise includes performing H&H analyses to support ecological design of watershed, riverine, estuarine, and coastal systems.

Mr. Moses Katkowski

Coastal Projects Manager, The Nature Conservancy, Delmont, NJ

Moses Katkowski is a Coastal Projects Manager with The Nature Conservancy in NJ. Moses leads planning and restoration priorities for TNC in the Delaware Bayshore. Moses has experience in land management, project management, and restoration ecology.

Mr. Kevin Keeler

Fisheries Contractor, US Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI

Kevin Keeler's research focus is on lower trophic dynamics within Great Lakes food webs. In particular, understanding the role of zooplankton as fish prey items, and evaluating invasive predatory zooplankton facilitating predator and prey dynamics.

Ms. Elizabeth Kelly

Doctoral Student, University of Miami, Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, Coral Gables, FL

Elizabeth Kelly is a doctoral student at the University of Miami’s Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. Her work emphasizes the evaluation of FIB levels to determine water quality at recreational beaches in Florida.

Mr. Dan Kelner

Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul, MN

Dan Kelner is a Biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, where he leads the interagency Upper Mississippi River Mussel Coordination Team in conservation of endangered mussels of the Mississippi River and tributaries.

Dr. Sean King

Engineer, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Natural Systems and Restoration Bureau, Brooksville, FL

I am an ecological engineer who specializes in aquatic ecology, hydrology, environmental chemistry, and ecosystem restoration. My role at the District is to develop management plans and restoration projects for springs in the region.

Mr. Peter Kotulak

Associate, Sr. Coastal Engineer, Moffatt & Nichol, Baltimore, MD

Mr. Kotulak is project manager and design engineer in the areas of civil, coastal and environmental engineering, primarily in shoreline protection, hydraulics/hydrology, stormwater, soil erosion and sediment control, and dredged material management.

Ms. Joelle Laing

PhD Candidate, University of Florida, School of Natural Resources and Environment, Gainesville, FL

I am an interdisciplinary restoration ecologist specializing in wetlands and subtropical Florida springs, with experience across a wide range of ecosystems.

Ms. Carolyn Lanza

Student, Clemson University, School of Agricultural, Forest and Environmental Sciences, Clemson, SC

Carolyn Lanza is a senior studying Environmental and Natural Resources at Clemson University. Since sophomore year, she has participated in undergraduate research on the restoration of Hunnicutt Creek. She is currently an undergraduate assistant.

Mr. Jabari Lee

Student, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL

Jabari Lee is currently a junior at Florida Gulf Coast University, dual majoring in civil and environmental engineering. He has conducted undergraduate research investigating bioretention cells, phytoremediation, and electrocoagulation.

Dr. Bill Louda

Research Professor, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and The Environmental Sciences Program, Boca Raton, FL

I am a Scientist and Professor at FAU for 38 years and have studied microalgal distributions and productivity in all of the KOE system including Florida Bay. I teach Environmental Chemistry.

Dr. Frank Marshall

President, Cetacean Logic Foundation, New Smyrna Beach, FL

Frank Marshall PhD conducts research in the fields of coastal processes; estuarine hydrology, salinity, and nutrients; coastal storm analysis and modeling; ocean/estuary/watershed linkages; statistical analysis and modeling; and climate change.

Mr. Mark McKelvy

Computer Scientist, USGS, WARC, Gainesville, FL

Collaborates with and serves as a lead application developer in the USGS WARC's Advanced Applications group. Experience developing decision-support and modeling applications for the Joint Ecosystem Modeling (JEM) community.

Ms. Agnes McLean

RECOVER Project Coordinator, NPS/EVER, Homestead, FL

Agnes worked at the SFWMD for 11 years, focused on the development of CERP and then in the formation of RECOVER. At ENP, for the last 9 years she has coordinated the efforts of staff in the various RECOVER activities and Modified Water Deliveries.

Mr. Damon Moore

Environmental Program Manager - Ecological Resources, Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Deparment, Bradenton, FL

Damon is a habitat restoration practitioner in southwest Florida. He received a BS in Biology from Armstrong State University and has over 10 years of experience restoring habitats both as a consultant and since 2011 at Manatee County Government.

Mr. Peter Murdoch

Northeast Science Advisor, US Geological Survey, Northeast Region, Troy, NY

Pete Murdoch currently serves as Science Advisor for the USGS Northeast Region. In this role, He recently coordinated a multi-agency team developing recommendations for measuring change in coastal resilience following Hurricane Sandy.

Mr. Brian Murphy

Principal Engineer, CDM Smith, Denver, CO

Mr. Murphy is a Principal Water Resources Engineer with CDM Smith in Denver, CO. He is currently pursuing his PhD at Colorado State University in Civil end Environmental Engineering focusing on stream restoration and WQ.

Ms. Kim O'Dell

Supervisor- Environmental Scientist, South Florida Water Management District, Water Quality Treatment Technologies/Applied Science Bureau, West Palm Beach, FL

I oversee a group of SFWMD scientists engaged in implementing additional water quality projects, in conjunction with the Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs), to meet the Water Quality Based Effluent Limit (WQBEL).

Mr. William Precht

Director, Dial Cordy & Assoc., Inc., Marine and Coastal Programs, Miami, FL

Bill Precht is a consulting marine ecologist specializing in the assessment and restoration of coral reef and associated ecosystems.

Dr. Rene Price

Professor and Chair, Florida International University, Earth and Environment, Miami, FL

Dr. Price is a hydrogeologist who has 20 years experience conducting research in south Florida related to Everglades hydrology, seawater intrusion, sea level rise, and groundwater discharge to coastlines.

Mr. Andres Eduardo Prieto Estrada

Master's Student and Research Assistant, Florida International University, Earth and Environment, Miami, FL

I am a Venezuelan M.S. student in Geosciences and Research Assistant at FIU with field and laboratory experience in chemical hydrogeology and geophysics. I have a B.S. degree in Geological Engineering from the University of Los Andes in Venezuela.

Ms. Alison Rehfus

Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Mr. Doug Robison

Senior Scientist - Vice President, Environmental Science Associates, Tampa, FL

Doug Robison is a Senior Scientist and Vice President with ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATES (ESA) in Tampa with 35 years of professional experience in environmental science and planning including 33 years as an environmental consultant.

Dr. Stephanie Romañach

Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Stephanie Romañach is a Research Ecologist with the US Geological Survey. She uses a combination of field observations and predictive ecological models to explore the impacts of climate change and ecosystem restoration on wildlife.

Dr. Shaye Sable

Senior Fisheries Biologist/Ecosystem Modeler, Dynamic Solutions, LLC, Baton Rouge, LA

Dr. Sable is a fisheries biologist and ecological modeler with experience developing population, community, and food web models to evaluate responses to changing environmental conditions, habitat, and stressors such as invasive species and toxicants.

Mr. Brad Schonhoff

Research Technician, Florida International University, Southeast Environmental Research Center, Miami, FL

I recently graduated with my M.S. in Environmental Studies at FIU, and continue to work as a Research Tech at the Loxahatchee Impoundment Landscape Assessment (LILA). I'm also the Communications Coordinator for the FIU Sea Level Solutions Center.

Ms. Anne Sexton

Research Assistant, University of Florida, Soil and Water Science, Belle Glade, FL

I am a PhD student and research assistant in the Soil and Water Science Department at the University of Florida's Everglades Research and Education Center.

Dr. Dilip Shinde

Ecologist, Everglades National Park, South Florida Natural Resources Centre, Homestead, FL

Dilip Shinde, an ecologist, received a PhD in Soil and Water Science from the University of Florida. He has more than 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience on soil, water, natural resources management and systems modeling.

Ms. Alison Simon

Graduate Assistant, FIU, Miami, FL

Alison G. Simon is currently a graduate assistant at Florida International University.

Dr. Lawrence Spencer

Staff Environmental Scientist, South Florida Water Management District, Lake and River Ecosystems Section, West Palm Beach, FL

Lawrence Spencer has been a mapping specialist at South Florida Water Management District in West Palm Beach, FL, for ten years, carrying out wetland vegetation mapping for the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. He has a Ph.D. in plant ecology.

Mr. Anthony St Aubin

Regional Manager, Cardno, West Olive, MI

With more than 15 years of experience, Tony provides oversight and project management to ecological restoration projects across the company and serves as Principal-in-Charge for the most complicated natural resource restoration projects.

Mrs. Bethany Stackhouse

Physical Science Technician, US Geological Survey, Eastern Geology & Paleoclimate Science Center, Reston, VA

Bethany Stackhouse is a physical science technician with the USGS working on restoration of the Everglades Ecosystem by focusing on the application of paleoecology to the interpretation of Holocene marine and estuarine ecosystems.

Dr. Theresa Strazisar

Postdoctoral Researcher, Florida Atlantic University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Boca Raton, FL

I am a postdoctoral researcher incorporating ecological research and modeling to assist restoration of Everglades vegetation. I have enjoyed teaching and mentoring undergraduates and sharing my research with the public through outreach opportunities.

Mr. Erik Tate-Boldt

Environmental Scientist, South Florida Water Management District, Everglades System Assessment/ Marsh Ecology Research, West Palm Beach, FL

Erik Tate-Boldt is a wetland ecologist with the Marsh Ecology Research Group of the South Florida Water Management District and researches wetland biogeochemistry and ecology to support the Everglades restoration process and management decisions.

Mr. Seth Theuerkauf

PhD Candidate and Dept. of Defense NDSEG Fellow, North Carolina State University, Center for Marine Science and Technology, Morehead City, NC

Seth is a PhD Candidate in the Marine Conservation Ecology lab at NC State University. His research focuses on the development of novel geospatial techniques to inform the conservation and restoration of imperiled coastal habitats.

Mr. Taylor Theulen

Transportation Engineer, Stanley Consultants, Inc., Des Moines, IA

Taylor Theulen, P.E. is a Civil Engineer employed at Stanley Consultants, Inc. in Des Moines, Iowa. Ecosystem restoration experience includes BMP implementation, channel stabilization, wetland design, and lake dredging work.

Dr. Cassondra Thomas

Senior Scientist, SFWMD, Coastal Ecosystems Section, West Palm Beach, FL

I assess the health and function of northern Everglades estuaries as it is affected by freshwater management, including evaluating freshwater inflow impact on surface water chemistry, algal blooms, nursery function, sav and seagrasses, and oysters.

Mrs. Ashlee Tyce

Natural Resources Engineer, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc., PBC, Warwick, RI

Mrs. Tyce has a varied background in architecture, construction management, and civil/environmental engineering. Her passions lie in the restoration of coastal/riverine habitat, more specifically in the fluid integration of engineering and ecology.

Dr. Dean Whitman

Associate Professor, Florida International University, Earth and Environment, Miami, FL

Dean Whitman is an Associate Professor at FIU. He focuses on applying geophysical methods to assessing aquifer properties. He received his AB in Geophysics from U.C. Berkeley and his PhD from Cornell University.

Dr. Lynn Wingard

Research Geologist, US Geological Survey, Eastern Geology & Paleoclimate Science Center, Reston, VA

Lynn Wingard is a research geologist with the USGS and her work focuses on the application of paleoecology to the interpretation of Holocene marine and estuarine ecosystems. Since 1995, she has concentrated on restoration of the Everglades Ecosystem.

Mr. Simeon Yurek

Student, University of Miami, Miami, FL

Simeon is a wetlands ecologist and ecosystem modeler interested in complementary monitoring and modeling approaches that track spatial landscape processes that lead to prey resource concentration and pulsed energy transfers through aquatic food webs.

Ms. Angelica Zamora-Duran

Graduate Student, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

I am a second year Master's student at the Florida Institute of Technology, seeking a M.S. in Biological Oceanography. I have extensive experience in ecological field monitoring of seagrass and benthic invertebrates.

Mr. Manuel Zamorano

Environmental Scientist, South Florida Water Management Disrtrict, Applied Science, West Palm Beach, FL

I am an environmental Scientist working for the SFWMD since 2003. My primary focus is the implementation, monitoring, and sustainability of stormwater treatment areas (STAs) for the reduction of phosphorus runoff from the EAA to the Everglades areas.

Prof. Caiyun Zhang

Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University, Geosciences, Boca Raton, FL

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at FAU. My expertise includes quantitative analysis of LiDAR and hyperspectral data for vegetation characterization, and spatial modeling and analysis.

Ms. Bo Zhang

PhD Candidate, University of Miami, Biology, Miami, FL

I am currently a 5th year PhD candidate in the DeAngelis' lab at the university of Miami. I am broadly interested in questions of forest ecology, population ecology, theoretical mathmatical modelling, invasive species management.

Ms. Nicole Evans

Research Assistant, University of Illinois, Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, IL

Nicole Evans is a graduate student in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. She works as a research assistant for the human dimensions department of the Illinois Natural History Survey.

Mr. Robert Daoust

Associate Vice President, Arcadis

Mr. Daoust specializes in ecosystem restoration and coastal protection projects as well as climate adaptation studies that focus on sea level rise and storm surge flood risk mitigation. He has almost 20 years of experience in environmental consulting experience with public and private clients, including state, municipal, and federal agencies.

Andrew LoSchiavo

Adaptive Management Coordinator, Biologist Planning and Policy Division, Environmental Branch, South Florida Section U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District

Andrew (Andy) LoSchiavo is a Biologist at Jacksonville District in the Restoration and Resources Section, Environmental Branch, Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry minor from Denison University in Ohio, and a Master's of Environmental Management from Duke University with a focus on coastal environmental management.

Nicholas G. Aumen

Regional Science Advisor, South Florida, United States Geological Survey

Nick Aumen is Regional Science Advisor for the US Geological Survey (Southeast Region), overseeing the Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystem Sciences program. This program, involving USGS scientists nationwide, provides high quality science in support of Everglades restoration.

Don Boesch

Professor of Marine Science and President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD

Donald F. Boesch is a Professor of Marine Science and President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and University System of Maryland’s Vice Chancellor for Environmental Sustainability. He earned his B.S. in biology at Tulane University and Ph.D. in oceanography at the College of William and Mary.

Dr. Alyssa Dausman

Science Director, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council), Bay Saint Louis, MS

Dr. Dausman is the Science Director for the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council), an independent federal agency created by the RESTORE Act in 2012. She is located in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi focusing on Gulf restoration and science for the Council, comprised of the Governors of the five Gulf states and Cabinet-level officials from six federal agencies.

Shannon A. Estenoz

Director, Office of Everglades Restoration Initiatives, U.S. Department of the Interior, Davie, FL

Shannon A. Estenoz is a fifth generation Key West native. She holds degrees in International Affairs as well as Civil Engineering from Florida State University. Shannon’s Everglades career spans nineteen years during which she has been an advocate for the restoration and protection of the Everglades.

Matt Grabau

Restoration Scientist, Colorado River Delta Program, Sonoran Institute, Tucson, AZ

Matt Grabau is a restoration scientist in the Colorado River Delta Program. He joined the Sonoran Institute in 2015 to assist in the design, implementation, and monitoring and adaptive management of restoration projects. He also leads applied ecological research projects, integrating his hydrology, soil science, and biology background to inform the long-term sustainability of riparian areas.

Rainer Hoenicke

Deputy Executive Officer, Science Program, Delta Stewardship Council, Sacramento, CA

Rainer is a limnologist by training and received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Davis. He has worked for the past 30 years at the science-policy interface, first as field logistics coordinator for USEPA’s National Acid Precipitation Program, then as lead scientist for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project, and as San Francisco Bay Regional Monitoring Program manager.

Suzette M. Kimball

Director, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA

Dr. Kimball is responsible for leading the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science, and civilian mapping agency. Prior to becoming the Director, Dr. Kimball was the USGS Deputy Director.

Susan Newman

Senior Scientific Section Lead, Everglades System Assessment Section, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), West Palm, FL

Dr. Sue Newman is the Section Leader of the Marsh Ecology Research Group within the Everglades Systems Assessment (ESA) Section of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Sue has been a scientist at SFWMD for 25 years, during which time she has been actively involved in quantifying the effects of phosphorus on the Everglades ecosystem, specifically the establishment of the phosphorus criterion for surface waters.

Jack M. Payne

Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), Gainesville, FL

Jack Payne is the Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Florida and the Administrative Head for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Prior to his current position he served as a Vice President at Iowa State University, and, previous to Iowa State, he was a Vice President and Dean at Utah State University.

Jennifer Pitt

Director, Colorado River Project, National Audubon Society, Boulder, CO

Jennifer Pitt is Director of the Colorado River Project at the National Audubon Society, where she focuses efforts to protect and restore freshwater and riparian habitats and reform water policy in the Colorado River Basin. She works with water users throughout the Colorado Basin to develop practical programs to restore river habitats and to dedicate water to critical environmental resources.

Neil Santaniello

Florida Atlantic University (FAU), School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, Boca Raton, FL

Neil Santaniello is a senior instructor for the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies at Florida Atlantic University. He also serves as a faculty adviser to FAU student media, including the University Press. He is the former director of FAU’s Scripps Howard Institute on the Environment, a summer educational fellowship for professional environmental journalists that ran from 2006 to 2012 and drew more than 100 members of the working news media.

Carl D. Shapiro

Chief, Science and Decisions Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA

Carl Shapiro has been an economist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for over 25 years. He is Senior Economist, Energy and Minerals, and Environmental Health and is Director of the USGS Science and Decisions Center, a multidisciplinary center that advances the use of science in resource management decision making.

Mike Shriberg

Great Lakes Regional Executive Director, National Wildlife Federation, Merrifield, VA

Mike Shriberg, Ph.D., is the Great Lakes Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation. Mike’s work focuses on Great Lakes protection, energy policy and campus sustainability.

Alan D. Steinman

Director, Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI), Grand Valley State University, Muskegon, MI

Alan (Al) Steinman has been Director of Grand Valley State University’s Annis Water Resources Institute since 2001. Previously, he was Director of the Lake Okeechobee Restoration Program at the South Florida Water Management District.

Ann Swanson

Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Commission, Annapolis, MD

Ann Swanson has served as a leader in the Bay restoration for over 30 years, the last 28 as the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative authority serving the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.

Dr. Susan Wachter

Albert Sussman Professor of Real Estate, and Professor of Finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; Director for the Wharton GeoSpatial Initiative and Lab; Co-director, Penn Institute for Urban Research; and Co-director, Spatial Integration Laboratory for Urban Systems at the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Susan Wachter is Sussman Professor of Real Estate and Professor of Finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. From 1999 to 2001, Dr. Wachter served as the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Additionally, Dr. Wachter was a member of the White House Interagency Task Force on Smart Growth and is recognized for her role in the studies on land use decision making and housing price outcomes

David Waggonner

President, Waggonner and Ball, New Orleans, LA

David Waggonner is president of Waggonner and Ball, an award-winning, internationally active architecture and environment practice located in New Orleans. The firm’s architectural work varies from historic preservation to modern institutional projects.

Lisa Wainger

Research Professor, University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD

Lisa Wainger is an environmental economist with over 20 years of experience analyzing changes in ecological conditions in terms of socio-economic outcomes. In her research, she integrates human behavior and ecological change to project risks and evaluate potential policy solutions.

Mark R. Wingate

Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management Executive Office, New Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New Orleans, LA

Mark R. Wingate, P.E. serves as the Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District. Mr. Wingate is delegated full authority for management decisions related to all major District Civil, Environmental and Support for Others programs and projects.

Dr. Sarah J. Ryker

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Department of the Interior

Dr. Sarah J. Ryker began her career at the U.S. Geological Survey studying water quality, and is now USGS Senior Science Advisor for Climate and Land Use Change.