Speakers

Ian Ableson is the Conservation & Stewardship Director for Six Rivers Land Conservancy, where he has worked for six years. Before working with Six Rivers, Ian was a live animal educator for the Organization for Bat Conservation, taking bats and owls all over the state for environmental education programs. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from University of Michigan.
 

Santina Wortman is a Physical Scientist in EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office working on nutrients management and nonpoint source control programs. Santina has a lead role in coordinating with Canada and States to fulfill the objectives of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, specifically the development of phosphorus reduction targets and domestic action plans to minimize harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie. She serves as the U.S. co-chair of the Lake Erie Partnership working group. She also assists with budget planning, prioritization and selection of nonpoint source control projects under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
 

Scott is a civil engineer, hydrologist and ecological engineer. He has spent the last twenty plus years applying the lessons of natural systems to urban and landscape design. This work includes hydrologic, water quality and sediment transport monitoring and modeling. The monitoring and modeling has been used to inform, test and refine stormwater, wastewater and stream planning and restoration projects. His design work has included treatment wetlands for sanitary and leachate wastewaters; urban and rural best management practices (BMPs); stream, wetland, and shoreline restoration; and green infrastructure, including low impact development. Many of these projects have been funded by grants, and many of the grant applications were partly or in whole, written by Scott and his team. Scott has facilitated and written watershed management plans and is known as an avid collaborator with public agencies, non-profits and other design firms. Scott regularly presents his work at regional and national venues.

Scott received his MSE in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida, his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island, and his B.A. in Psychology from Colgate University.

Amanda Wendecker is the VP of Marketing at the Michigan Boating Industries Association, a non-profit trade association dedicated to the promotion, protection, and advancement of the recreational boating industry in Michigan, representing more than 350 marine businesses. With Michigan having more than 800,000 registered boats, the MBIA’s role is instrumental to the continued wellbeing of the industry as it relates to promoting the interests of recreation boating by improving industry conditions; enhancing facilities development; protecting our water resources, monitoring legislation; and advancing the education of those in the industry. Wendecker has been a part of the MBIA since 2008. She is a lifelong boater and enjoys boating and water sports with her family.
 

Naomi C. Williams works as the Heritage Centre Supervisor (formerly the Environment Officer) for Walpole Island First Nation located in Ontario, Canada known as “Bkejwanong” (where the waters divide).  The Walpole Island Heritage Centre is the research arm for the First Nation which places an emphasis on environmental education and awareness – both inside and outside of the community.   As an Anishinaabe woman, she has the traditional responsibility to speak out and take care of the water.  Naomi over 20 years of experience working on water quality issues, environmental and ecosystem health research, climate change, communications and outreach with the Walpole Island community.
 

Jenny Wong is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Michigan Ecological Services Field Office. She splits her time between her office's Endangered Species program, where she serves as lead biologist for federally listed bats and works with various Michigan partners to conserve and recover threatened and endangered species, and the Midwest Coastal Program, where she serves as lead biologist for the Saginaw Bay focus area and works with various regional partners to implement coastal habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement projects.
 

Kaitlyn is a Wildlife Biologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, covering Macomb and St. Clair Counties. She earned her BS at Michigan State University in Fisheries & Wildlife, and her MS at the University of Maine in Wildlife Ecology.

Andrew Briggs is currently a Fisheries Research Biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) out of the Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station.  His work primarily focuses on studying the fish community of the St. Clair-Detroit River System, Saginaw Bay, and western Lake Erie, with Lake Sturgeon being one of his primary species of interest.   Prior to working with MDNR Andrew was a Fish Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and obtained his bachelor’s degree in Fisheries Management from Lake Superior State University and master’s degree in Conservation Biology from Central Michigan University.
 

I am a hydraulic engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers with more than 25 years of service, all in the hydraulics and hydrology office. I received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, both from Wayne State University.
 

Dr. Robin DeBruyne is a fish biologist for the US Geological Survey at the Great Lakes Science Center in Ann Arbor. She has work on the St. Clair-Detroit River System and other Great Lakes connecting channels since 2012, concentrating on native species such as lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, and walleye, and their spawning and nursery habitat conditions.
 

Kevin Drotos is the Landscape & Natural Areas Manager at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, where he also serves as the Project Manager for the NOAA funded Lower Lake St. Clair Habitat Restoration Project; a project that aims to restore roughly 1-mile of shoreline on Lake St. Clair.  Prior to joining Ford House in 2018, Kevin served one term as an AmeriCorps member in northern Michigan after graduating from the University of Michigan—Dearborn with a degree in Environmental Studies.  His appreciation of the natural world is shown through his dedication of preserving and restoring native plant populations.
 

Dr. Alyssa Eck is a member of the Risk Integration Team where she focuses on risk characterization and management of chemical, physical and biological exposures.  Her research has focused on climate resilience, water quality, contaminated sediments, anthropogenic chemicals, plastic pollution and harmful and invasive species.  She is an active member of the Western Dredging Association (WEDA) and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).

Jennifer Hill is the Executive Director of the Clinton River Watershed Council where she leads the strategic direction for the organization to fulfill its mission. Jennifer has over 18 years in non-profit management and Great Lakes policy advocacy.
 

Rick Hobrla retired from the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy in 2023 following a 45-year career as an environmental engineer working in Michigan's water program.  He has a B.S. in Civil Engineering and an M.S in Environmental Engineering from Michigan State University and holds a professional engineering license from the State of Michigan.  For 25 years he headed Michigan's program supporting the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the U.S. and Canada and served as Michigan's representative on the Lake Management Committees for Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie.
 

Anders Holder is a devoted scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Over the past 15 years, Anders has managed numerous projects focused on habitat restoration, nutrient reduction, and advancing science; coordinated program planning; led the development of the Canadian Baseline Coastal Habitat Survey; and aided in advancing our understanding of Great Lakes coastal wetlands with respect to climate change resilience and adaptation.  Anders holds a Master of Environmental Science from the University of Toronto and is pursuing a post-graduate GIS certificate for Environmental Management.  Anders is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys learning and teaching his family and local community about conserving, protecting, and appreciating nature.
 

Craig is the Water Quality Specialist at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. He provides water quality expertise by developing the water quality component of watershed strategies and coordinating water quality monitoring programs for the watershed. When he isn't working Craig can be found hiking along trails with his Great Bernese dog or experimenting in his kitchen as an amateur hot sauce creator.
 

Dr. Kashian is faculty in the Department of Biology and director of the United Nations Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development in the Detroit-Windsor region and Environmental Science program at Wayne State University. She received her Bachelor of Science from Eastern Michigan University, Master of Science at Michigan State University and her PhD at the University of Wisconsin. Much of her work has focused on water quality issues of the Great Lakes. Specifically, the role of disturbance, including invasive species and contaminants, on aquatic communities. She is a strong proponent of interdisciplinary collaborations incorporating science, policy, sociology, and industry professionals in addressing complex environmental issues. Furthermore, centered in a largely urban center, Detroit, MI., she approaches some of her research through the lens of environmental justice, as often there is a disproportionate exposure of minority groups to environmental pollutants. She has developed new methods and tools, both physical and mathematical, to improve water quality monitoring. Her research has been implemented into Statewide monitoring programs, and community-based educational programs to better inform the public of environmental health threats associated with many disturbances that are a focus of her work.
 

Tyler Klifman is a planner in SEMCOG's Environment & Infrastructure group, where he works on regional initiatives to support conservation, resilience, and quality of life in Southeast Michigan. He's led SEMCOG's work on parks and trails, green infrastructure, and is currently helping to develop the region's Climate Action Plan.
 

Jesse is a Plant Ecologist for Michigan Natural Features Inventory. In this role, he conducts thorough vegetation surveys on various public lands to identify important natural areas, document populations of rare plants and integrates these elements into wildlife management plans. Identifying remnants of high-quality natural areas is a critical component of restoration actions and forms the basis for conservation. He has spent several seasons surveying the shorelines along Lake Saint Clair and Saginaw Bay and has a strong interest in working to conserve what is left of our coastal ecosystems.
 

Stacey McFarlane has been with the Macomb County Health Department for over 26 years and working on water quality issues in public health for over 24 years. She grew up playing on the banks of the Clinton River and summer trips to Metro Beach. Since 2015, she has been overseeing the health department’s Surface Water Improvement and Monitoring (SWIM) team and property transfer evaluation program.  Stacey also is on the Clinton River Watershed Council Board of Directors and is an active volunteer. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science and management from Michigan State University and is a Registered Sanitarian in Michigan. In her free time, she enjoys spending times outdoors enjoying the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair.
 

R. Michael McKay has served as the Director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research since joining the University of Windsor in 2019. Dr. McKay’s research is focused on large lakes where he studies environmental microbiology including harmful cyanobacterial blooms. Dr. McKay served as Site Chair for the 67th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research held in Windsor last May and serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. He presently serves on the International Joint Commission’s Science Advisory Board’s Science Priority Committee and as a principal researcher with the  Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health.
 

Dr. Andrew McQueen is a research biologist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Environmental Laboratory in Vicksburg, Mississippi.  He obtained his Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology (Ecotoxicology) from Clemson University. His research interests include invasive species management and understanding the fate and effects of chemical, physical, and biological exposures in the environment. Dr. McQueen has published in the areas of aquatic and sediment toxicology, passive water treatment technologies, harmful algal bloom mitigation, dredging effects on the environment, and environmental risk assessment and management.
 

Paul A. Parete is a Physical Scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada. With over 20 years of experience in the field, he has become an expert in leading the implementing the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the Canada Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality through various environmental programs and policies.
 

Ms. Price has over 20 years of experience in water quality monitoring projects, including sustainable design assessment of innovative best management practices (BMPs); surface water quality assessment; source water assessment, and construction oversight. Ms. Price holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science. Meghan has also performed construction oversight and quality assurance for Habitat restoration projects in SE Michigan. Ms. Price has had a major part in the development of the quality assurance project plans (QAPP) for all ECT's water-related projects in the past 15 years. She has had an integral role in the Drinking Water Monitoring Project since its inception in 2005.
 

Phil Roos was named director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in July of 2023. Roos oversees EGLE’s $1 billion plus budget and 1,525-person team dedicated to protecting Michigan’s environment and public health through managing the state’s air, water and land and energy resources.

Nestled in the heart of the world’s greatest freshwater ecosystem, EGLE has a unique regulatory role in ensuring the Great Lakes and their connecting waters remain the vital cultural, recreational, ecological, and economic engines of the region. The agency also regulates air quality, waste management, drinking water, groundwater, oil and gas extraction, and contaminated site remediation.

Roos is an entrepreneur, business leader, and a consultant with deep expertise in organizational strategy, innovation, and growth. He has held senior leadership positions in numerous large and early-stage companies, as well as two consulting firms he founded.

Environmental protection has been a constant in Roos’ life. He has been a longtime board member and officer of wildlife, conservation, and health organizations and was vice chair of Michigan’s Council on Climate Solutions.

Roos holds an bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business

Amanda is a University of Denver Graduate with a Master’s in Natural Resource Management. Prior to joining CISMA, she worked for Oakland County in the Natural Resource Department, working on maintaining high quality natural areas in OC Parks, invasive species management, and restoration projects. She has also previously interned with the South Australian Research and Development Institute to develop a GIS protocol for mapping aquatic vegetation in the coastal zone. She spends her free time foraging in Oakland county and volunteering as a steward for MNA. Now a part of LSC CISMA, she works on invasive species management and restoration projects throughout Macomb and St. Clair Counties.
 

Gerard Santoro, AICP works for the Macomb County Department of Planning & Economic Development in Mount Clemens, Michigan.  He is the Program Director of Parks and Natural Resources with expertise in storm water management, non-motorized transportation, recreational master planning, green infrastructure development, community forestry, floodplain management and community sustainability.  Mr. Santoro has a Masters Degree in Regional Planning from Wayne State University, and is a certified professional planner and a licensed “Green Real Estate Agent”.  In his tenure with Macomb County, he has worked both locally and regionally to develop the framework of sustainability programming in urban forestry and freshwater conservation.  These efforts have resulted in the development of the Blue and Green strategic initiatives, which look at environmental stewardship, associated economic development issues, and quality of life assets as they are integrated with the local freshwater and green resources of Macomb County.
 

"Teresa Seidel is the Director of the Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago.  The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) coordinates U.S. efforts with Canada under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA).  GLNPO brings together federal, state, tribal, local, and industry partners under the strategic framework of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to accomplish the objectives of GLRI action plan which in turn fulfills the aims of the GLWQA. 

Before coming to GLNPO, Teresa was the Director of the Water Resources Division at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, a position she held since August 2016. She has also worked in various positions throughout several state agencies in Minnesota and Michigan, including agriculture, wetlands, stormwater, water infrastructure and air quality. Teresa earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in public administration both from Grand Valley State University."

Jocelyn Sherwood is a Geospatial Analyst at Environment and Climate Change Canada where she coordinates the integration of ecological and stressor-based data to inform priorities for freshwater management. Her work centers on advancing restoration and protection of the Great Lakes, with a particular focus on water quality and ecosystem health in the nearshore. She is based out of the Canada Centre for Inland Water in Burlington, Ontario.
 

After completing her PhD at the University of Western Ontario in 2011, Dr. Stammler went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship studying long term trends in stream water quality in Ontario watersheds in partnership with the University of Waterloo and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Katie has been with the Essex Region Conservation Authority as the Water Quality Scientist and Source Water Protection Project Manager since 2014. Katie’s career came full circle when she became an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Windsor in 2020.  Locally raised in Windsor, Katie is passionate about making a difference in our corner of the world through research, conservation, education and mentoring the next generation of conservationists.
 

Lexi Sumner is an Assessment Biologist with the Sea Lamprey Control Centre at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
 

Anne Tavalire is one of two Regional Pretreatment Specialists within the Emerging Pollutant Section at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. She has worked in the Water Resources Division at EGLE for 13 years. Prior to her work with PFAS, Anne handled NPDES and Industrial Pretreatment Program compliance and enforcement for municipal wastewater treatment plants in Southeast Michigan. Anne has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Bowling Green State University; and a M.S. in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan.
 

Jennifer Tewkesbury is a Senior Environmental Quality Analyst at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) State of Michigan and the Area of Concern (AOC) coordinator for Clinton River, Rouge River, and Saginaw River/Bay