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Gulf Coast and Caribbean
Regional Table

Location: Chambers 1 & 3
Moderators:
Lee Forbes, Headway Environmental
Chuck Berger, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

This session will be broken into two focus areas across the region. Each panelist will present:

  • Representative’s agency/organization’s overall mission and jurisdiction/location

  • How stream restoration fits into the agency/organization’s past, present, and future

  • Any important drivers (positive or negative) that are likely to impact stream restoration’s future within the agency/organization (e.g., opportunities, threats, funding sources, regulatory issues, technical issues, etc.)

Question & Answer will follow the short presentations.

8:30 - 10:00 am
Panel Discussion - Focus on Louisiana

10:15 - 11:30 am
Panel Discussion - Focus on Arkansas, Alabama, and southeast Texas (Houston)

  • Karen McCurdy, Senior VP - Environmental, Crafton Tull Engineers, Rogers, AR
    -- Program Manager for NRCS/Arkansas Black Mayors Association 14 Small Watershed Flood Risk Mitigation Projects

  • Jonathan Holley, Regulatory Services Department Manager, Harris County Flood Control District, Houston, TX
    Holley’s Presentation

  • Roberta Swann, Director, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
    Swann’s Presentation

  • Wade Burcham, 5020 Engineering Resource Group


About Lee Forbes, PE, DWRE
Mr. Forbes serves as the Director of Ecological Restoration Engineering for Headway Environmental. His experience as a consulting civil engineer spans more than 35 years, and he has been recognized as a Diplomate – Water Resources Engineering (D.WRE) by the ASCE’s American Academy of Water Resources Engineers (AAWRE). In the last 23 years, Mr. Forbes has applied his unique and diverse background toward the emerging field of sustainable watershed resources management and has served as project manager/lead design engineer for numerous stream restoration, wetland restoration, and ecologically-enhanced channel stabilization/ restoration design projects throughout the country.

Lee Forbes | LinkedIn

 

About William “Chuck” Berger, Jr.
Mr. Chuck Berger is the Senior Engineer in the Water Planning and Assessment Division. Mr. Berger received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Louisiana State University in 1992. His career began with the Department of Transportation and Development in 1993, where he worked in the Environmental Section focusing on noise modeling. In 1996, he joined the Department of Environmental Quality’s TMDL/Engineering staff. He serves as the State’s lead advisor and contact on water quality modeling and TMDL/Alternative development issues. Areas of expertise include water quality modeling, stream hydrology/hydraullics, and TMDL development. Additional experience includes water quality, computer programming, database development, and data management. Mr. Berger has provided modeling and TMDL consultation to local governments, contractors, and permit writers in addition to developing or overseeing the development of water quality models, TMDLs, and TMDL alternatives for many Louisiana streams. Mr. Berger has served as the Louisiana’s lead participant in EPA and the State’s development of the new Long-Term Vision for Assessment, Restoration, and Protection under the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program. Mr. Berger assisted with development of the State’s prioritization framework and priority waterbodies under this “New Vision”. As of July of 2018, Mr. Berger has actively participated in Louisiana’s Watershed Initiative, a watershed-based approach to manage future flood risks and provide sustainability and resilience in Louisiana. This includes participation in several technical advisory groups including the Nature-Based Solutions Working Group. He is currently assisting with the development of TMDL alternative plans for the priority waterbodies, overseeing the development of new and revised TMDLs, providing oversight and guidance on hydrologic issues as they relate to water quality, providing permit support relating to TMDL implementation and antidegradation issues, and overseeing a contract to evaluate waterbodies for the use of natural channel design and other nature-based solutions to address water quality issues.

 

About Matthew Weigel
Matthew Weigel is a lifelong resident of Louisiana and a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. After working a number of years within the field of environmental consulting, in 2005, Matthew chose to shift his focus toward public service, accepting a position at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Throughout his career at LDWF, Matthew has successfully fulfilled numerous duties and has held several positions relevant to Louisiana’s water resources concerns. In addition to representing LDWF in the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, he has most recently oversaw LDWF’s Environmental Investigations, Fish and Wildlife Coordination, Scenic Rivers Program, and Wetland Mitigation Banking. Matthew currently represents LDWF in Deepwater Horizon- funded Restoration Programs and sits on Louisiana’s Water Resources Commission.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-weigel-3b783710/

 

About Raynie Harlan
Raynie Harlan is currently a freshwater biologist Program Manager for the state of Louisiana. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University and a Master of Science degree from Louisiana State University. Raynie began her career in southwest Georgia, working at the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, where she gained a passion for all things freshwater. From Georgia, Raynie moved to Louisiana in 2003 and quickly fell in love with the people and the food! A 10-year adventure as a Research Associate for LSU provided her with extensive field and laboratory experience in wadeable and non-wadeable stream ecology, Atchafalaya Basin floodplain restoration, and Pearl River habitat assessment. She currently oversees operations of the Inland Fisheries section of LDWF, which includes the state freshwater fish hatchery system and over 75 managed waterbodies. Additionally, Raynie represents LDWF on the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee (LMRCC), the Atchafalaya Basin advisory committee, and serves as the co-chair of the Louisiana Aquatic Connectivity Team.

 

About Sam Martin
Sam Martin represents the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) on the Watershed Initiative Working Group which informs the Council on Watershed Management with technical guidance and recommendations. His primary role at CPRA is on the Coastal Master Plan Development Team where he provides project management and technical support. Mr. Martin earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Masters of Applied Statistics from Louisiana State University. He has seventeen years of experience as a consultant and ten years as a civil servant supporting industry and government in using science and data to reduce risk and improve business processes. Mr. Martin also coordinates CPRA’s emergency management program. In this role, he supports the State’s coordinated response to hurricanes and flood events, including the floods of 2016.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-martin-b5b07521/

 

About Kristi Trail, PE
Ms. Trail is the Executive Director of the Pontchartrain Conservancy, and has been since 2016. She earned her BS and MS in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Kristi is responsible for all aspects of governance and day-to-day operations for PC. Prior to joining PC, Ms. Trail worked as an engineer in various capacities in the energy sector and as a private consultant. She is active in the New Orleans community, serving on many non-profit boards including LSU Health Foundation, and the Audubon Area Zoning Association. She is also an active member of the Louisiana Women’s Forum & the Women’s Professional Council of New Orleans. Additionally, she is a fellow of the Loyola University Institute of Politics (2005) and the Institute of Environmental Communications (2005). She is a native of New Orleans & lives in uptown New Orleans with her husband and two children.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristitrail/

 

About Joe Baustian
Joe Baustian has been a wetland ecologist with The Nature Conservancy for 10 years. Currently his work is focused on restoring the hydrology of the Atchafalaya River Basin, and other floodplain habitats across the Mississippi River Basin. Joe manages TNC’s water quality monitoring program, and coordinates research activities with external partners. He manages the Atchafalaya Conservation Center and coordinates research activities with graduate students in TNC’s Conservation Fellows Program.

 

About Karen McCurdy
Karen McCurdy is an Arkansas-licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Floodplain Manager. Karen has a life-long passion for environmental work and approaches it from a holistic perspective. She has depth of expertise in air, water, and greenhouse gas projects. Karen focuses on ecosystem restoration, stormwater management, and other nature-based solutions to urban development challenges. She has completed Wildland Hydrology’s Level I – Level IV River Restoration and Natural Channel Design courses. She is currently managing 14 NRCS PL 83-566 projects in Arkansas under contract to the Arkansas Black Mayors Association. Karen is currently the Senior Vice President of Environmental and focuses on building Crafton Tull’s environmental science and environmental engineering practice.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmcspadden/

 

About Jonathan Holley
Jonathan W. Holley has worked at the Harris County Flood Control District since 2009 in several positions related to stormwater quality and environmental regulatory compliance. Project planning and management experience includes enhancing regional stormwater detention basins with stormwater quality treatment wetlands, incorporating natural stable channel design features into channel improvement projects, tracking permit compliance, and performing water quality monitoring. His current responsibilities include managing the District’s environmental services and mitigation banking programs. He has a B.S. in Biology from Wake Forest University and a M.S. in Biology from the College of William & Mary. He is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) and a Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality (CPSWQ)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-holley-26744811/

 

About Roberta Swann
Director, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP)

As Director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) since 2009, Roberta guides a management conference of over 300 community leaders including federal, State and local government officials, business and industry, academia, environmental professionals, and grassroots groups in identifying and undertaking restoration, community capacity building, and policy related initiatives to conserve and improve the management of Alabama’s estuaries and coast. She has been on the Board of  Commissioners for Mobile Housing Authority since 2019. She was the recipient of the Alabama Wildlife Federation 2021 Governor’s Conservationist of the Year award.

Prior to joining the MBNEP she was a consultant on Dauphin Island where her accomplishments included creation of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation and oversight of a successful acquisition campaign to protect migratory bird habitat for Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries. Before moving to Alabama, Roberta served as Assistant Director of the Community Redevelopment Department for the City of Lafayette, Indiana, where she led community development initiatives for housing, public facilities, and economic development in low income areas, being awarded a HUD Best Practice Distinction for the Lincoln Center Homeless Services Project. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa, Roberta taught business management and resource development to seven village cooperatives.

 She is a native of Melrose, Massachusetts and earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Boston University. When not working, you can usually find her in the woods walking with her husband, two dogs, and a blue and gold macaw.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberta-arena-swann-84b1511a/

 

About Genea Lathers
The Louisiana Office of Community Development creates a safer and stronger Louisiana by leading the state's disaster recovery and long-term community resilience planning efforts through innovation, partnerships and best practices. The Louisiana Office of Community Development received a $1.2 billion dollar flood mitigation grant from HUD that funds the Louisiana Watershed Initiative. The Louisiana Watershed Initiative supports statewide planning, watershed modeling, data collection and projects that reduce flood risk. An added benefit of restoration projects is that it contributes to sustainability. The Louisiana Office of Community Development amongst four other state agencies have worked closely to provide technical data and funding advice to project applications that have submitted projects to be funded under the Louisiana Watershed initiative to include elements that would enhance water quality and elements that should be considered as part of a community’s larger infrastructure planning goals.

Genea Lathers is the Resilience and Mitigation Manager for the Louisiana Office of Community Development. Genea is an emergency management professional who has upheld operational risk management, resilience and sustainability across all of the practices and programs that she has administered over the past fifteen years. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University, with a masters specializing in leadership and organizational development. Genea served in the United States Navy as a Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) Third Class where she supported activities providing organizing , training and equipping of military and civilian personnel to prepare and respond to threats to Naval Base San Diego and the surrounding community. She ended her tour in 2012 following a 10 month deployment in the Western Pacific region onboard the USS Sterett (DDG 104).