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Conference Speaker Bios
Mark Abolins
Middle Tennessee State University, Geosciences Department
Professor
Mark.Abolins@mtsu.edu
615-494-7986
Mark Abolins, Ph.D. uses remote sensing and geospatial, topographic, and geologic information to analyze the movement of water at and immediately below the Earth's surface. He teaches courses on geology, fractures, caves and sinkholes at Middle Tennessee State University.
Douglas Airhart
Tennessee Tech University
Professor, Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist
931-510-4067
Douglas is a Professor of Horticulture at Tennessee Tech. He has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 1996, and
Municipal Specialist since 2006.
Brittany Ayers
RK&K
Project Delivery Leader
410-462-9349
Brittany Ayers, PE is a Project Engineer at RK&K in the environmental, water resources department with 7 years of
experience. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University,
where she specialized in Water Resources Engineering. Brittany also has a Master’s of Science in Environmental
Engineering and Science from Johns Hopkins University. Brittany specializes in MS4 program management and
permit compliance, stormwater management design, and capital improvement project management from concept
through construction. Brittany is passionate about improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and
educating residents about their influence on local waterways.
Austin Brock
Advanced Drainage Systems
Regional Engineer
(859) 300-9778
Austin Brock works as an Engineered Products Manager for Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) covering stormwater products in Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Austin’s role at ADS includes working with civil site engineers to aid design with proprietary water quality units, underground retention/detention, and material resiliency techniques to ensure regulatory compliance and buildability. He also works with general and trade contractors to prepare stormwater budgets and estimate. He holds a Mining Engineering bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and has worked a total of six years at ADS in various engineering support roles. Austin has also spent time on the contractor side of civil site industry, working as a Project Manager for Blount Excavating located in East TN. He resides in Clinton, Tennessee with his wife Ashley and daughter Ava.
Mary Bruce
Metro Water Services
Watershed Evaluation Coordinator
615-533-0276
Mary Bruce is a watershed evaluation coordinator in the Stormwater Division at Metro Water Services which serves Metro Nashville. Mary primarily oversees the watershed monitoring program which includes all stream sampling and visual stream assessments. She has a B.S in Plant and Soil Science from UT Knoxville and a M.S. in Natural Resource Management from UT Martin. She spends much of her free time at little league baseball fields and enjoys spending time with her family.
Ben Burchfield
City of Athens
Public Works Director
423-462-5743
Ben has been with City of Athens Public Works since October 2017. The City MS4 Program is one of several facets of the department and is one that he is particularly passionate about. He, his wife Stefani and daughter Basil are TN transplants and love all that East TN has to offer.
Janey Camp
Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER), University of Memphis
Research Professor and Associate Director of Adaptation and Resilience
615-500-9960
Dr. Camp is a licensed engineer, a CFM, and Associate Director of Adaptation and Resilience at CAESER. Her work focuses on resilience for infrastructure systems and communities. She serves on multiple national and local committees and boards including Nashville’s Stormwater Management Commission.
John Chlarson
MTAS
MTAS Public Works Engineering Consultant
731-425-4785
John has more than 30 years’ engineering experience in the public and private sector and has served as TNSA’s adhoc secretary since its formation.
Quinn Cypher
Knox County
Engineering & Public Works Stormwater Compliance Manager
865-755-6449
Quinn Cypher has been the Stormwater Compliance Manager for Knox County since 2021. With 16 years of experience in Stormwater, Natural Resource Management, and Agricultural Conservation he leads a team to ensure MS4 permit compliance and to implement water quality projects.
James Dearman
OHM
Advisors Client Representative
james.dearman@ohm-advisors.com
256-513-1579
James Robert is a Professional Engineer serving as client representative at OHM Advisors where he has been since 2021. James Robert has eleven years of experience in civil engineering and forestry. He graduated from Auburn University where he studied Biosystems Engineering.
Jacob Dorman
Contech Engineered Solutions LLC
Regulatory Manager/ TNSA SCM Committee Chair
jacob.dorman@conteches.com
Jacob Dorman is a Regulatory Manager for Contech® Engineered Solutions LLC where he helps facilitate the development of defensible stormwater management policies across the US. Jacob has 20 years of experience in public and private sector stormwater management roles.
Paul Dudley
State of Tennessee STS-GIS Services
Location Intelligence Analyst
Paul.Dudley@tn.gov
615-770-3809
Paul Dudley is a Location Intelligence Analyst with the State of Tennessee STS-GIS Services group helping support various data programs. His primary focuses are imagery, LiDAR, and special projects. He is the past-president of the TN Geographic Information Council (TNGIC).
Dylan Embree
City of Lakeland
Chief Construction Inspector
dembree@lakelandtn.org
901-930-8347
With four years experience as a construction and stormwater inspector for the City of Lakeland, Dylan Embree regularly oversees stormwater management compliance on individual residential sites, full-scale residential development properties, and large commercial projects.
Roger Fields
City of Alcoa
Stormwater Quality Coordinator
rfields@cityofalcoa-tn.gov
865-380-4800
Roger Fields is a graduate of ETSU with a BS in Environmental Health. With 16 years of experience as Building Commission for Blount County, Roger has additionally worked protection in groundwater in Blount County and worked with Tri-State Analytical Lab in Johnson City, and is currently working as the Stormwater Coordinator at the City of Alcoa.
Mario Forgione
Williamson County Government
Stormwater Quality Coordinator
mario.forgione@williamsoncounty-tn.gov
615-939-4474
With a passion for education and ecology, Mario has led Williamson County Government's stormwater education outreach program as required by the MS4 Permit.
Kathleen Gibi
Keep TN River Beautiful
Executive Director, Boat Captain
865-386-3926
kathleen@keeptnriverbeautiful.org
Since January 2019, Kathleen has led Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, the 1st Keep America Beautiful Affiliate to focus solely on a river. She served as the organization’s only boat captain until the fleet and crew expanded in 2023. Since the inaugural boat launch in 2019, Kathleen has collaborated with an incredibly active board, invested partners, and passionate volunteers to remove over 750,000 lbs. of trash from the Tennessee River watershed so far. She also launched new infrastructure programs such as the largest network of electric litter skimmers on any river system in the world and art-wrapped cigarette receptacles that now total in more than 1,500 installed in all 7 states of the Tennessee River watershed. That includes Dollywood, which was the 1st theme park in the world to recycle the plastic from every cigarette butt the park collects. This year, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful expects to hit the milestone for the plastic recycled more than 1 million cigarette butts thanks to collaboration with the nonprofit’s dedicated partners. Since 2019, KTNRB has received a dozen national and state awards including the Innovation Award from Keep America Beautiful and Nonprofit Recycler of the Year from the Tennessee Recycling Coalition.
Richard Goodrum
GeoTree Solutions
Southeast Region Manager
rgoodrum@cs-nri.com
864-216-1128
Richard Goodrum is the Southeast Region Manager for GeoTree Solutions and is responsible for business development of GeoSpray geopolymers throughout the southeast. Richard has a BS in Civil Engineering and more than 35 years of progressive experience in the civil engineering and construction markets
Mary Halley
WSP
Municipal Stormwater Consultant
Mary.halley@wsp.com
865-414-0642
Mary Halley is a consultant with WSP who has helped local governments across the US develop and manage their stormwater programs for nearly 30 years. Her current projects involve post-construction stormwater management, low impact development, and public education & outreach.
Erik Hancock
City of Chattanooga
Public Information Specialist
ehancock@chattanooga.gov
865-356-3202
Erik is the Public Information Specialist for the City of Chattanooga's Stormwater Management division. A Tennessee native, Erik is truly passionate about protecting our state's streams and waterways and takes joy in being able to share this passion with the public for his job.
Stephanie Hanses
Brown and Caldwell
East Region Water Resources Practice Leader
shanses@brwncald.com
919-424-1440
Stephanie is the East Region Water Resources Practice Leader for Brown and Caldwell. She has worked in planning, modeling, design, and MS4 compliance throughout the east for almost 20 years. She has a BS from Florida Institute of Technology and an ME from the University of Florida.
Amy Hathaway
WK Dickson
Project Engineer
ahathaway@wkdickson.com
919-522-3747
Amy Hathaway is a member of the NC State Wolfpack and lives in Knoxville. She enjoys gardening in her TN Smart Yard and camping with her family in the mountains. Amy’s engineering experience includes watershed planning, green infrastructure, utility fee program assistance and NPDES program support.
Shelia Huffmire
Rutherford County
Assistant County Engineer
shuffmire@rutherfordcountytn.gov
615-898-7732
Shelia works as the Assistant County Engineer for Rutherford County and has been there for 5 years. She has worked in the engineering field for over 20 years and volunteered with TNSA for the last 13 years. She loves spending time with family and friends.
Michael Hunt
Metro Water Services Stormwater
Water Services Manager
michael.hunt@nashville.gov
615-880-2426
Michael Hunt is with Metro Nashville’s Metro Water Services Stormwater Division. Michael has been involved with Metro’s MS4 NPDES Permit compliance activities for over 25 years.
Gina Hutson
Sumner County
Coordinator
ghutson@sumnercountytn.gov
615-708-0434
Gina Hutson has been married 31 years with 4 children & 6 grandchildren. She loves to visit them all over the US. She been at the County for 11 years in Stormwater. She work with schools & groups for Good Housekeeping & cleanups. Gina enjoys educating & serving our community to make the future better for the children.
Maddy Johnson
University of Tennessee
Graduate Research Assistant
mjohn337@vols.utk.edu
513-600-0905
Maddy Johnson is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and got her B.S. in Environmental Biology from the University of Dayton in 2020. She then earned her M.S. in Urban Forestry from the University of Tennessee, and now continues the work as a PhD student in Plant, Environmental & Soil Sciences.
Elizabeth Karivelil
Brown and Caldwell
Water Resources Engineer
EKarivelil@BrwnCald.com
919-424-1426
Elizabeth Karivelil is a water resources engineer at Brown and Caldwell, where she works on stormwater and water resources projects for municipal clients including regulatory compliance with MS4 permits and TMDLs, stormwater asset and data management, geospatial analysis, and watershed studies.
Kaitlyn Klema
Knox County Stormwater
Watershed Initiatives Project Manager
kaitlyn.klema@knoxcounty.org
865-393-4460
Originally from New Hampshire, Kait came to TN to serve in AmeriCorps, first with the City of Oak Ridge Stormwater and then with Knox County Stormwater & Soil Conservation District. She's been in her current role with Knox County for 3 years as project manager for a variety of watershed initiatives.
Theodoros Kyriakopoulos
University of Tennessee
Graduate Research Assistant
tkyriako@vols.utk.edu
847-262-1339
PhD student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Degrees: B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Patras, Greece M.S. Design and Construction of Underground Works, National Technical University of Athens, Greece M.S. Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Andrea Ludwig
University of Tennessee and Knox County Stormwater
Associate Professor of Ecological Engineering and Extension Specialist; Knox County Stormwater Manager
aludwig@utk.edu
Dr. Andrea Ludwig VA Tech trained engineer is a Biosystems Engineer at the University of Tennessee. She has served as the state stormwater Management specialist for UT Extension since 2010.
Chris Masin
Shelby County Govt
Senior Engineer
chris.masin@shelbycountytn.gov
901-222-7746
Chris Masin is a passionate advocate for environmental conservation and sustainable development. His exemplary leadership within the Tennessee Stormwater Association make him a valuable a beacon of inspiration for others dedicated to safeguarding our planet's precious water resources.
David Mason
CDM Smith
Vice President
masond@cdmsmith.com
Mr. Mason is a water resources engineer at CDM Smith, specializes in stormwater planning, design, permitting, and utility development. He has 23 years of experience and is based out of the Nashville office.
Mike McClanahan
TDOT Highway Beautification Office
Transportation Manager
michael.mcclanahan@tn.gov
615-806-2489
Michael McClanahan has been with TDOT’s Highway Beautification Office since 2016 and received the Governor’s Excellence in Service Award in 2021. In his role, Michael manages the Department’s environmental outreach programs. These include litter pickup and prevention education programs, landscaping and pollinator habitat programs, and scenic roadways. Previously, Michael served as City Manager for the Town of Kingston Springs, TN and the City of Clifton, TN. He holds a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University and is a Tennessee Certified Economic Developer and Certified Municipal Finance Officer. Michael serves his community, as a volunteer fireman for the Williamson County Rescue Squad, and lives with his wife, Kaitlyn, and two children.
Jamie McCutchen
Rymar Waterworks Innovations
President
jamie@rymarwaterworks.com
864-918-3676
Jamie McCutchen is a licensed professional civil engineer that has practiced in Land Development and Stormwater Management for over 30 years. He is the founder and principal of Rymar Waterworks Innovations and has invented several stormwater and erosion control products.
Edmond McDavis III
Tennessee Delta Alliance
Director
emcdavis@memphis.edu
901-857-4033
Edmond serves as Director of Tennessee Delta Alliance, a Tennessee Department of Transportation program housed at the University of Memphis, where he manages the Great River Road Scenic Byway in Tennessee. Prior to this position, he served as Affiliate Services & Training Coordinator for Keep Tennessee Beautiful. He is a certified Community Environment Professional for Keep America Beautiful. As native of Columbus, MS, Edmond earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Mississippi University for Women (MUW), with a minor in psychology in 2003. Edmond is married to Alexis S. McDavis. They have a son, Tatum Jayce, and daughter, Gemma Grace.
Adam Meadors
City of Mt. Juliet
Stormwater Utility Director
ameadors@mtjuliet-tn.gov
615-349-5575
Adam Meadors serves as the City of Mt. Juliet's Storm Water Utility Director and previously served as the City's Storm Water Coordinator. Adam has been in Storm Water with Mt. Juliet since 2008 and holds a B.S. in Engineering Technology from MTSU.
Mark Miller
AquaShield, Inc.
Research Scientist
mmiller@aquashieldinc.com
423-443-1184
Mark is R&D Scientist for AquaShield in Chattanooga responsible for product development, regulatory affairs, and testing programs. He is on the Chattanooga Stormwater Regulations Board. He holds an M.S. in Geology from Centenary College in Shreveport, LA and a B.A. in Geology from UT, Knoxville.
Gillian Palino
University of Tennessee
Graduate Research Assistant
gpalino@vols.utk.edu
423-443-1184
Gillian Palino is a fourth-year civil engineering PhD graduate student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville under the guidance of Dr. Jon Hathaway. Her thesis project focuses on regenerative stormwater conveyances (RSCs) as a method of improving hydrologic performance of urban stormwater.
Ceara Parks Oliver
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
PhD Student
cparks22@vols.utk.edu
941-757-9444
Ceara Parks-Oliver is a PhD student in the Civil engineering program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She started in Fall 2022. Prior to which she worked as a stormwater engineer for Burns & McDonnell in Dallas, Texas.
Glen Payton
Contech Engineered Solutions, LLC
Senior Stormwater Consultant
glen.payton@conteches.com
804-937-3228
A Stormwater Consultant for Contech, Glen lives in Atlanta, is a Professional Engineer (VA) and is a member of TNSA & ASCE-GA chapter. His education is Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering (Washington University-St. Louis) and Master’s–Business Administration (Lehigh University)
Victoria Rexhausen
University of Tennessee
Postdoctoral Research Associate
vrexhaus@vols.utk.edu
865-306-3115
Victoria received her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a specialization in Water Resources Engineering. She is now a postdoctoral research associate within the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment at UTK.
Mike Robinson
Brown and Caldwell
Water Resources Client Service Manager
MRobinson1@BrwnCald.com
678-923-3796
Mike Robinson, CFM is an experienced planner, water resiliency lead, and client service manager at Brown and Caldwell. He has a diverse, 23-year background in flood mitigation planning, stormwater management, floodplain management, emergency management, and vulnerability assessment.
Aaron Rogge
CDM Smith
Engineer
roggea@cdmsmith.com
Aaron Rogge, PE, is a Nashville-based Environmental Engineer with CDM Smith, a water/wastewater engineering firm. He has over a decade of experience in stormwater master planning, hydrologic modeling, and the analysis of urban collection systems.
John Schwartz
Tennessee Water Resources Research Center, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Professor & Director Water Center
jschwart@utk.edu
Dr. John Schwartz is a professor in the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He entered UTK in 2003 after receiving his PhD in environmental engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Lucinda Scrivener
Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER) - University of Memphis
Education and Outreach Coordinator
lfscrvnr@memphis.edu
901-212-8538
Lucinda Scrivener is the Education and Outreach Coordinator for CAESER at the University of Memphis. She has a MS in Environmental Geoscience and a BS in Education. Her work fosters inclusive educational environments and increases the center's outreach through social media and events.
Will Stallard
City of Kingsport- Utilities Department
Civil Engineer
WillStallard@KingsportTN.gov
423-224-2921
Retired Navy Submarine Officer Worked for City of Kingsport since 2019 (Civil Engineer) Worked in Stormwater since 2021 (Lvl1, 2 and SCM certified) TNSA Board Member - 2022 NMSA Board Member - 2024 Married with two kids (one a DR and the other a nurse) and 2 golden doodles (both spoiled rotten)
Dana Stayer
StormTrap
Water Quality Solutions Specialist
dstayer@stormtrap.com
614-800-5386
Dana is a Regulatory Specialist for StormTrap. She works to manage regulatory approvals, and provide technical assistance to regulators, design engineers, and consultants with the selection and evaluation of post-construction BMPs. She is also President of Kentucky Stormwater Association. Dana is a graduate of Valparaiso University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, specializing in stormwater and environmental engineering.
Mary Beth Sutton
WaterWays
Executive Director
marybeth@mywaterways.org
423-413-0471
Mary Beth is an Environmental Scientist and Educator who founded WaterWays in 2004 to focus her efforts on watershed education and restoration. WaterWays works closely with partners to encourage grassroots community education and action to protect our streams and rivers.
Alexandra Thompson
City of La Vergne
Stormwater Coordinator
athompson@lavergnetn.gov
615-287-8658
Alex got her Bachelor's degree in Marine Biology and Environmental Studies at Florida Southern College. Following that she was an AmeriCorps member with the Cumberland River Compact, and currently she is the Stormwater Coordinator for the City of La Vergne where she was been for the last 4 years.
Matthew Tolson
Wildlands Engineering Inc.
Engineer
mtolson@vols.utk.edu
(865) 806-1056
Matthew Tolson graduated with his MS in Enviromental Engineering at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in May 2024. The work presented is from his MS thesis. He currently works for Wildlands Engineering Inc. in Knoxville
Josh Upham
City of Murfreesboro, Water Resources Department
MS4 Program Coordinator
jupham@murfreesborotn.gov
615-642-6332
Josh has worked in stormwater for 18 years. Much of his time was spent at the City of Murfreesboro where he served as water quality specialist and program coordinator. During this time, he was part of many successful education initiatives with co-permittee, Middle Tennessee State University.
Matt Vajdic
OptiRTC
Account Executive, Southeast
mvajdic@optirtc.com
224.545.2916
Matt Vajdic is a Solution Engineer at Opti, which empowers communities and businesses to continuously improve stormwater management by delivering real-time visibility, adaptively controlling assets, and supporting smart city initiatives. Mr. Vajdic has experience in community development, H&H modeling, and regulatory compliance. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Dayton.
Lance Wagner
City of Gallatin
Assistant City Engineer- Stormwater
lance.wagner@gallatintn.gov
615-451-5965
Mr. Wagner is a seasoned Civil Engineer with over 25 years of experience. He is driven to make the world more resilient through clean water and responsible development. Mr. Wagner currently serves as the Assistant City Engineer for Stormwater for the City of Gallatin, and as a TNSA Board Member.
Jennifer Watson
U.S Army Corps of Engineers
Biologist/ Regulatory Specialist
Jennifer.a.watson2@usace.army.mil
615-587-4716
I have a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and have worked in Water Quality from 4 different perspectives: a Florida Water Management District, the State of Tennessee in Enforcement & Compliance and stormwater, then as a Stormwater Coordinator with the City of Gallatin, and now with the Corps
Jim Whitbeck
City of Morristown
Engineering Tech 2
jwhitbeck@mymorristown.com
423-353-1055
Jim is a civil engineer who handles most of the "paperwork" side of the MS4 permit. He also does stormwater and traffic site plan reviews, works on the street and sidewalk maintenance programs, and prepares cost estimates. Jim is treasurer and a volunteer for Friends of the Library.
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