2019 Speaker Bios

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Sara Burns Burns Sara pic is a water resource scientist with the Massachusetts Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Sara works with a range of partners and technical experts around Massachusetts to plan, fund, and construct nature-based solutions to improve water quality, reconnect aquatic ecosystems, and reduce natural hazard impacts. Sara is a certified Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) service provider, and has an MS in Environmental Science from Indiana University. Sara is a presenter for Session 2, The Future of Water in New England.


Cheryl King Fischer's Cheryl King Fischerprofessional career is rooted in natural resource management, land conservation, and environmental philanthropy. She was the public participation coordinator for two major public Vermont natural resource management programs including the Department of Water Resources and was the founding executive director of the New England Grassroots Environment Fund. Recently, Cheryl assisted the Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance in shaping its emerging board of directors and fundraising strategy. Cheryl serves as a member of Plymouth Town Meeting, the Manomet Village Steering Committee, and the Beaver Dam Brook Watershed Study (created to investigate the cause of health threatening algae blooms in a local pond). Cheryl will moderate Taking Action:  Implementing Solutions to Real and Pressing Challenges.

 

Sara P. GraSara Gradydy is the South Shore Regional Coordinator for the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program and Watershed Ecologist at the North and South Rivers Watershed Association in Norwell, MA.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Biology from Brown University in 2001 and her Ph.D. in Biology from the Boston University Marine Program in Woods Hole in 2006. Her specialties include coastal and estuarine ecology, invertebrate zoology, and ecological restoration. Sara is the conference emcee.

 

Alex Hackman

 Alex Hackman is a Restoration Ecologist for the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), and manager of a new program dedicated to restoring wetlands on retired cranberry farmland.  He holds an MS degree from the University of Vermont in Aquatic Ecology and Watershed Science, where his research focused on whole-stream metabolism and nutrient spiraling in urban streams.  For the past 11 years, he has managed aquatic habitat restoration projects for DER including 26 dam removals, and numerous culvert replacements, stream channel and floodplain re-constructions, and wetland restorations.  Alex is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner and a founding member of Living Observatory, and is committed to linking science, practice, and learning.  He lives in Medford with his sweetheart, bikes to work, and is a terrible but dedicated kayak angler in the greater Boston area. Alex is the plenary speaker.

 

Alex MansfieldAlex Mansfield is the Ecology Program Director at the Jones River Watershed Association in Kingston, Massachusetts and is a Principal Research Scientist for Battelle Memorial Institute. For the past two decades, Alex has designed and conducted environmental field programs from the tropics to the Arctic. Locally, this has included dam removal, river restoration and monitoring of coastal ecosystem health. Alex is the moderator for Session 1, The Intersections of Water Quality and Quantity.

 

 

John Mullaney

 John R. Mullaney is a hydrologist in the Connecticut office of US Geological Survey’s (USGS) New England Water Science Center, serving as the Center Groundwater Specialist. John earned a B.S. in Geology from the University of Connecticut in 1986 and began working for USGS that same year. Using his expertise in surface water quality, groundwater quality, drought and floods and statistical analysis he has worked on a wide variety of groundwater and water-quality studies in New England. One of John’s current projects involves analysis of tidal groundwater levels in the vicinity of the Herring River for a proposed tidal marsh restoration at Cape Cod National Seashore. John will present in Session 1, The Intersections of Water Quality and Quantity.

 

Bill Napolitano

 William S. Napolitano, Environmental Director at the Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District (SRPEDD), built his successful environmental planning career around effective, strong, and positive partnerships with communities and organizations across the SRPEDD region.  These partnerships form the backbone of his diverse efforts to steward our natural and cultural resources into the 21st century and beyond. Bill’s signature projects include work on federal designation of the Taunton River as Wild and Scenic, the Mill River Dam Removal/River Restoration Project, the Resilient Taunton Watershed Network organizing agricultural commissions in southeastern Massachusetts and statewide, and founding the Geographic Roadway Runoff Inventory Program and Flood Inundation Hazard Programs. Bill is a presenter for Session 2, The Future of Water in New England.

 

Michael Ohl

 Michael Ohl, Principal Engineer at Comprehensive Environmental, Inc. (CEI), has over 27 years of consulting experience. Mike is a Professional Engineer and Certified Floodplain Manager, and leads CEI’s Water Resources Division with expertise in water supply, treatment and distribution, as well as wastewater and stormwater engineering. His experience includes planning, design, and construction services for the installation and rehabilitation of water mains, storage tanks, gravel-packed wells, and pumping stations and the construction and renovation of water treatment facilities. Mike holds a B.S in Civil Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering. He enjoys outdoor activities and travelling with his family - exploring new cities and roller coasters along the way. Mike will speak in Session 1, The Intersections of Water Quality and Quantity.

 

Heid-Ricci

 E. Heidi Ricci is the Assistant Director of Advocacy at Mass Audubon, with decades of experience in environmental policy and community engagement. She created and oversees Shaping the Future of Your Community, a program to assist communities in building resilience through low-impact development and targeted conservation.  Heidi holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Tufts and an M.S. degree from Antioch University New England. She serves on the Nashua River Wild & Scenic Study Committee and on the Boards of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions and the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance. Heidi is the recipient of an Environmental Merit Award from EPA Region I and will speak in Session 2, The Future of Water in New England.

 

Dorie Stolley

 Dorie Stolley is the Coordinator and Outreach Manager for Watershed Action Alliance of Southeastern Massachusetts (WAA). This is the third biennial conference she has managed for WAA. Dorie is secretary of Six Ponds Improvement Association, one of WAA's member organizations, and serves on the Town of Plymouth's Open Space Committee. She is the owner of Three Birds Consulting, a business specializing in environmental communications and outreach. Contact Dorie with questions about the conference - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

eric-walberg

 Eric Walberg is the Senior Program Leader in Climate Services at Manomet, Inc., which takes a natural systems-based approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation,  building partnerships that allow them to progress from awareness to commitment to action. Because climate change can be a divisive social and political issue, much of Eric's work involves listening and understanding people’s views and perceptions on climate change before progressing to the next step, identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for cooperative solutions. Eric is the moderator for Session 2, The Future of Water in New England.

 

Joanne ZygmuntJoanne Zygmunt is a Commissioner for the Central Plymouth County Water District Commission. She is also the president of Fountain Collaborative, a business specializing in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs and campaigns that make sustainability exciting, inclusive, and mainstream. Joanne has worked with retailers to design messaging for in-store water efficiency promotions, with city governments to roll out home water and energy saving programs, and with summer camps to educate youth about the environment. She also coaches people through their transition to sustainable living. Joanne is a presenter for Session 1, The Intersections of Water Quality and Quantity.

 

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