Presenters

David Bausman is Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). In that role he is responsible for developing ISDA’s policies and responding to federal policy developments. David has more than 12 years of experience in state government. He was previously at ISDA as Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, then became Legislative and Policy Director and, later, General Counsel at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources before returning to ISDA in 2025. David has a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and a J.D. from the IU McKinney School of Law.

Kelly Brown is the Water Quality Manager for the White River Alliance, after serving previously as the Alliance’s Senior Environmental Coordinator. She came to White River Alliance in 2019, following 10 years with the group Reconnecting to Our Waterways (ROW). Kelly has a bachelor’s degree from Murray State University and a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Public Affairs from Indiana University.

Carrie Brunson is an Environmental Health Supervisor for Elkhart County Health Department and has worked for Elkhart County for the past 28 years. Her responsibilities include upholding a unique code that protects Elkhart County’s groundwater and requires the reporting and clean-up of hazardous spills. She also sits on the Elkhart County Local Emergency Planning Committee, the Regional Sewer District Board, and she is an avid supporter of the Elkhart County Stormwater Partnership. She is pleased to share the necessity and success of Elkhart County’s Groundwater Protection Code.

Brett Clark represents Senate District 24 in the Indiana General Assembly, representing Putnam County and portions of Hendricks County. He was elected to the Indiana Senate in 2024. Senator Clark serves on the Senate Agriculture, Corrections & Criminal Law, Judiciary, and Natural Resources committees. He is a US Navy veteran and served as Hendricks County Sheriff from 2015 through 2022. Senator Clark also works as a business developer and consultant to Garmong Construction Services.

Jason Doerflein is the Supervisor of the Emergency Response, Indoor Air, and Wellhead Protection Programs at the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD). He assumed this role in March 2022. Doerflein joined MCPHD in 2002 as an environmental health specialist in the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Health after earning degrees in biology and chemistry from Indiana University. He has served as the Wellhead Protection Program Manager since 2012, overseeing efforts to protect drinking water resources. In December 2025, Doerflein earned his Master of Public Health with a concentration in Global and Environmental Health from the IU Fairbanks School of Public Health.

Shannon Hayes is the Planning Director for the City of Richmond, Indiana, where she is actively engaged in local and state water-resource initiatives, including watershed steering committees, the City of Richmond Environmental Sustainability Commission, and the Richmond Wellhead/Source Water Protection Team. Shannon is an environmental scientist and geoscience educator with more than 20 years of experience in hydrogeology, environmental regulatory compliance, watershed resources, and community-based science outreach. She is a Licensed Professional Geologist (Pennsylvania), received a Master’s degree in Geological Sciences from the University of Washington, and completed a Certificate in Watershed Management from the Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy.

Jill Hoffmann is Executive Director of the White River Alliance, and President and Principal Owner of Empower Results, LLC., an environmental consulting company focused on public engagement and education. She has over 20 years of experience in environmental planning, natural resource assessment, and public involvement programming, in both the public and private sectors. Jill has been recognized with several state and local awards for her work and is a charter member of the Indiana Water Monitoring Council’s Board of Directors. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Public Affairs from Indiana University, as well as a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin.

La Keisha Jackson serves in the Indiana Senate, representing District 34 which includes portions of Marion County. Senator Jackson was elected to the Senate in 2024. She is the Assistant Minority Caucus Chair and the Treasurer of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus. Senator Jackson serves on the Senate Environmental Affairs, Health & Provider Services, Local Government, and Public Policy committees. Prior to her election to the Indiana Senate, she was a member of the Indianapolis-Marion County City-County Council for 10 years. Outside her legislative service, Senator Jackson is CEO of Pathway Resource Center.

Suzanne Jaworowski is the Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources for the State of Indiana, appointed by Governor Mike Braun. Her responsibilities as Secretary include providing policy leadership and coordination for a group of state agencies, including the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and the Indiana Office of Energy Development. Among other responsibilities, she has been charged by Governor Braun with implementing Executive Order 25-63, which calls for the development of a state water resource inventory, a state water management plan, and a strategy for improving the state’s water monitoring network. Secretary Jaworowski has a variety of private-sector and public-sector experience, having been Executive Director of Stakeholder Services at MISO Energy, Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Policy & Communications in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy during the first Trump administration, director of communications and government relations at Hallador Energy, and founder of Ryder Research Consulting, where she advised energy companies, utilities, and industry associations.

Shannon Killion, P.E., is a Senior Program Manager with the White River Alliance. Before joining the White River Alliance, Shannon spent over 8 years as an engineering consultant, helping communities meet their stormwater, drinking water, and wastewater needs. Most recently, she worked as the Stormwater Administrator for the City of Indianapolis, overseeing the stormwater capital program, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) permit, high-hazard dams, miles of levees, urban forestry, and land stewardship teams. Shannon has a bachelor’s degree in biological systems engineering and a master’s in Environmental Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Jim McGoff is the Public Finance Director of the State of Indiana and previously served as the Finance Authority’s Chief Operating Officer, Director of Environmental Programs and General Counsel.  Mr. McGoff has worked at the Finance Authority for 24 years. Prior to joining State government, Jim was a partner in the Indianapolis law firm of Bingham McHale LLP (currently, Dentons, LLP), where he was a member of the firm’s public finance practice group, representing the State and many Indiana cities and towns with their municipal borrowing needs. He is a past member of the US EPA Environmental Financial Advisory Board (2016-2021), US EPA SRF State Workgroup and Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities, serving as President from 2020-2022. Jim was also a member of the Great Lakes Protection Fund – Advisory Board. He graduated with a degree in Accounting from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and earned a J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

Kumar Menon is the Director of Fort Wayne City Utilities and has served in that role for more than 18 years. He leads the region’s largest municipally owned water, sewer, and stormwater utility, overseeing a $200 million annual budget and serving nearly 400,000 residents across Northeast Indiana. He has expanded the utility’s infrastructure and customer base through strategic regionalization. Prior to his role as Utilities Director in Fort Wayne, Kumar served in leadership roles with the City of Indianapolis. He received a Master’s degree in Economics and Business from Indiana University – Bloomington.

Ryan Mueller, P.E., serves as Deputy Director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Prior to this appointment, he served the Department as the Director of the Division of Water from 2017 – 2021. Previously, Ryan served as Executive Director for the Interstate Council on Water Policy (ICWP), a national non-profit organization focused on amplifying the scientific and policy voice for local, state and interstate water management agencies, and as the Director of Water Resources at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources from 2006 – 2014. In addition to his public service, Ryan’s career includes over a decade of experience as an environmental manager in the private sector and as a research assistant and lecturer in academia. Ryan earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geological Engineering from the University of Missouri – Rolla.

Amanda Trakas is the Source Protection Specialist with the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water, where she works with rural communities, public utilities, state and federal agencies, and local partners to protect drinking water sources across Indiana. Her work focuses on groundwater protection, wellhead protection planning, education and outreach, providing and connecting communities with technical assistance and resources. Amanda joined the Alliance team in 2024, after working as Statewide Water Information Manager at the Arizona Water Resources Research Center. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Arizona State University.

David Van Gilder is Senior Policy and Legal Director with the Hoosier Environmental Council. David has a life-long interest in the environment, natural resources, and humankind’s relationship with the natural world. He brings to HEC decades of environmental legal work, teaching experience, and advocacy to administrative agencies and to legislative bodies at local, state, and federal levels. David has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Bowling Green State University and a Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law. He is a partner in the Fletcher Van Gilder LLP law firm, Fort Wayne, Indiana. David has been on the HEC staff since July 2023 and served on the Board of Directors for two decades beginning in 1991.

Rachel Walker is Principal Geologist at Mundell & Associates, Inc. Rachel joined Mundell in 2015 as a staff scientist after previously working in the oil and coal industries and manages a number of environmental investigation and remediation sites. She is a licensed professional geologist and received both a master’s and PhD in geological sciences from Indiana University. She works alongside John Mundell (founder of Mundell & Associates) on the Technically Qualified Person (TQP) program ensuring compliance with the City of Indianapolis wellhead protection ordinance, as well as on the Marion County Wellfield Education Corporation (MCWEC) program, both of which are aimed at protecting wellhead areas and the groundwater resources of Marion County.

Jonathan Witham is the Executive Director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS). He was appointed by Governor Mike Braun to lead the department in September 2025. Whitham joined IDHS in 2014 as the general counsel and legislative director after practicing law in the private sector for five years. An Indiana native and Hoosier for life, Whitham began his public safety career in Bloomington while attending Indiana University, where he received a degree in telecommunications, business, and political science. He was a volunteer firefighter and EMT for the Bloomington Township Fire Department before moving to Indianapolis. There, he joined the White River Township Fire Department while attending law school and earned his juris doctor degree from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law in 2009.

Clint Woods serves as the 10th Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), appointed by Governor Mike Braun in February 2025. Before joining IDEM, Woods previously served in several governmental positions, including as Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA) Office of Air and Radiation (2017 – 2019), Executive Director of the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (2014 – 2017), and a Professional Staff Member with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (2011 – 2014). He also worked in senior roles with Hexion Inc., Americans for Prosperity, The Ohio State University, American Legislative Exchange Council, and the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.

David Abbott is the State Representative for Indiana House District 18, which includes parts of Elkhart, Kosciusko, Noble, and Whitley counties. He was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2018. Rep. Abbott is Assistant Majority Caucus Chair, Vice Chair of the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee, and serves on the Employment, Labor & Pensions and Natural Resources committees. His prior public service includes serving as a member of the Noble County Commissioners and Rome City Town Council, and the board of the Rome City Conservancy District.

Mike Aylesworth (R-Hebron) is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing District 11 in Lake and Porter counties. Representative Aylesworth was first elected to the Indiana House in 2014. He serves as Chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and as a member of the Environmental Affairs and Commerce, Small Business & Economic Development committees. Prior to his service in the Indiana House, Rep. Aylesworth was a business owner, a Porter County Council member, a Porter County Commissioner, and president of the Indiana Corn Growers Association (1997-2002) and of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (2000-2003).

Bob Barr is a Research Scientist at the Center for Earth and Environmental Science at Indiana University – Indianapolis, with expertise in fluvial geomorphology. Bob’s research and community engagement activities center primarily on achieving and maintaining health stream systems in a continuously changing landscape. Among the many projects he has worked on are the Indiana Fluvial Hazard Mitigation Program, the School Branch National Water Quality Initiative, and the Indiana Stream Quantification Tool.

Maureen Bauer is State Representative for Indiana House District 6, which includes the City of South Bend. She was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2020.  Representative Bauer is a member of the House Courts and Criminal Code, Environmental Affairs, Judiciary, and Public Health committees. She also co-chairs the Indiana General Assembly’s Future Caucus and the Rural Caucus. Outside the legislature, Rep. Bauer serves on the Corm Marketing Council’s board of directors and on the Indiana University South Bend (IUSB) Advisory Board.

Alex Burton is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, serving House District 77 which includes Evansville. Rep. Burton was elected to the Indiana House on November 5, 2024, and served previously on the Evansville City Council. He is the Ranking Minority Member on the House Natural Resources Committee, and a member of the Family, Children, & Human Affairs, Judiciary, and Utilities, Energy, and Telecommunications committees. Rep. Burton is a graduate of Indiana State University and Western Kentucky University.

Kendell Culp is the State Representative for Indiana House District 16, which includes parts of Jasper, Pulaski, Starke, and White counties. He was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2022. Rep. Culp is Vice Chair of the House Environmental Affairs Committee and a member of the Elections & Apportionment and Utilities, Energy, & Telecommunications committees. A farm owner from Rensselaer, Rep. Culp previously served as a Jasper County Commissioner, a member of the Jasper County drainage board, Northwest Indiana Solid Waste District board, Jasper County Community Corrections Board and the Jasper County Economic Development Board.

Wendy Dant Chesser represents District 71 in the Indiana House of Representatives, serving portions of Clark and Floyd counties. She was sworn into office on June 4, 2024. Rep. Dant Chesser serves on the House Commerce, Small Business & Economic Development, Financial Institutions, Insurance, and Roads and Transportation committees. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), serves as Legislative Committee Chair and Past Chair of the Indiana Economic Development Association, and was President and CEO of the regional chamber One Southern Indiana for over a decade. In 2002 and 2023 the Indianapolis Business Journal included her among its “Indiana 250” list the most influential business leaders in the state.

Dr. Kyle Doudrick is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses on the treatment of emerging contaminants, including PFAS, micro- and nanoplastics, and other priority pollutants. His work spans physical-chemical treatment technologies, fate and transport of chemicals, novel analytical methods, and water and waste management systems. Dr. Doudrick also serves on the U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board and previously served as a Fulbright Scholar in France. He holds an NSF CAREER Award for his early career contributions to environmental engineering research and education.

Michael (Mike) Dunn is Director of Strategic Partnerships with The Nature Conservancy – Indiana. He previously served as TNC’s Director of Freshwater Conservation Programs for 10 years. Before that, Mike held management positions with the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and worked at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in permitting and rule writing. Mike has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Louisiana Tech University and a master’s in Environmental Management from Duke University.

Dr. Rachel Havrelock is Director of the Freshwater Lab at the University of Illinois – Chicago (UIC), where she is a Professor of English. The UIC Freshwater Lab communicates water issues to the general public, especially regarding the Great Lake, and convenes events and programs for elected officials, researchers, students, and artists. Among her primary interests is water recycling and reuse as a means of addressing a full range of water issues and problems. Dr. Havrelock received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California – Santa Cruz and her master’s and Ph.D. from the University of California – Berkeley.

Matthew Hobbs, P.E., has held the position of Senior Director of Engineering at Indiana American Water since 2023. He directs a staff of engineering personnel to deliver planning, design, and construction of source of supply, treatment, production, transmission, and distribution facilities for Indiana-American, and to provide engineering support to daily operations.  Additionally, he leads the economic and private development team for Indiana.  Prior to joining American Water, he worked for a national water and wastewater engineering consulting firm as a project manager and section leader for 18 years.  Matt received a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from Purdue University in 2003.  He is an active Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Indiana.

Jill Hoffmann is Executive Director of the White River Alliance, and President and Principal Owner of Empower Results, LLC., an environmental consulting company focused on public engagement and education. She has over 20 years of experience in environmental planning, natural resource assessment, and public involvement programming, in both the public and private sectors. Jill has been recognized with several state and local awards for her work and is a charter member of the Indiana Water Monitoring Council’s Board of Directors. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Public Affairs from Indiana University, as well as a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Hasaranga (Hasi) Jayathilake is a Ph.D. student and Research Assistant in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering at Indiana University Indianapolis. He completed a master’s in Applied Data Science from the Luddy School in 2024. Before coming to IU Indianapolis, Hasi was a Lecturer in the Human Resources Management Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He volunteers as an instructor in math and English with Brightlane Learning for unhoused students attending Indianapolis Public Schools.

Lauren Nielsen, P.E., is Senior Engineer for Land Services with KERAMIDA in Indianapolis. She has 15 years of experience in environmental engineering and environmental permitting, with particular expertise in compliance assistance, due diligence, environmental management systems, underground storage tank compliance, and engineered remediation systems. In 2023, Ms. Nielsen was recognized by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management with their Partners for Pollution Prevention Ambassador’s Award. Also, that year, she was named to the Indiana Underground Storage Tank Financial Assistance Board. Lauren received her bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University.

Dr. Julie Peller is a Professor of Chemistry at Valparaiso University and holds a Visiting Scholar position at the University of Notre Dame’s Radiation Laboratory. Her current research focus is the study of micro- and nanoplastics, particularly in water media. Dr. Peller has published studies on the pollution of plastic microfibers in the Great Lakes, and works with students to monitor plastic pollution along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Her collaborative laboratory research investigations have contributed to knowledge of the fates and properties of plastic particles in water. Dr. Peller also works with a team of scientists, policy experts and community leaders, collectively known as the Northern Lake County Environmental Partnership, to investigate air, water and sediment pollution, especially for communities overburdened with pollution in northwest Indiana. Dr. Peller, along with the Porter County Recycling and Waste Reduction District and others, formed the Plastic Reduction Alliance, a nonprofit organization which works to spread awareness about the plastic pollution crisis, to sponsor activities for plastic waste reduction and to partner with other organizations for solutions to the global crisis of plastic pollution.

Ben Reinhart is Technical Services Manager with Ecosystem Services Exchange. He holds a BS in natural resources and a MS in ag systems management from Purdue University. Prior to joining the ESE technical team, Ben worked as Director of Operations and Ag Water Management for Clark Farm Drainage Inc. in Indiana, where he was responsible for drainage project planning, design and delivery. He also has more than 10 years of experience in the public and academic sectors, which has ranged from leading conservation programs for local watershed projects in Indiana to serving as project manager for a $5 million, multi-state research project focused on increasing water storage in tile-drained landscapes to improve water quality and availability. He has authored multiple publications and on-line tools on innovative ag water management practices, including drainage water recycling, controlled drainage, and saturated buffers.

Michelle Stockness is a professional civil engineer, registered lobbyist, and the Executive Director at Freshwater Society, a Minnesota-based nonprofit focused on water education and engagement, applied research, and water policy across the Great Lakes region. Prior to joining Freshwater, Michelle served as an AWWA Vice President and worked as an engineering consultant, contributing to drinking water, water treatment, and resiliency projects with cities, communities, and private industry.

Dr. Jennifer Tank is the Galla Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. She also directs the university’s Environmental Change Initiative. Dr. Tank’s primary research area is ecology and environmental biology, with particular interests in land use effects on water quality, nutrient cycling and transport, and agricultural conservation practices. She received her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in ecology from Virginia Tech.

Anne Tavalire is one of two Regional Pretreatment Program Specialists within the Water Resources Division Emerging Pollutants Section at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). She has worked at EGLE for 15 years. Prior to her role in the Emerging Pollutants Section, Anne handled NPDES and Industrial Pretreatment Program compliance and enforcement for municipal wastewater treatment plants in Southeast Michigan. Anne has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Bowling Green State University, and a master’s degree in environmental policy from the University of Michigan.