2022 Indiana Water Summit

David Abbott (R – Rome City) is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing District 82 in northeast Indiana. Representative Abbott was first elected to the Indiana House in 2018. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee and as a member of the Employment, Labor & Pensions and the Government & Regulatory Reform committees. Prior to his service in the Indiana House, Rep. Abbott served on the Rome City Town Council and as a Noble County Commissioner, in addition to a career in auto manufacturing and design engineering.

Jerry Acy assumed the position of Executive Director for the River Ridge Development Authority (RRDA) in May, 2008. His primary responsibilities include the planning and redevelopment of approximately 6,000 acres of property that was formerly part of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant. Jerry manages a multi-million dollar operations and construction budget. He is also responsible for marketing and industrial recruitment in cooperation with local, regional, and state economic development partners. During his tenure at RDDA, Jerry has coordinated $150 Million in infrastructure improvements and site preparedness, resulting in over $700 Million in new private investments and the recruitment of over 17,000 regional jobs.

Beth Admire is IDEM’s Special Projects Coordinator, developing solutions and action plans for agency matters that affect all programs. She is also the State Natural Resource co-trustee. She has more than 30 years of experience with IDEM. Beth works with IDEM’s Office of Water Quality to develop strategies for CSO management and abatement that affect Indiana’s communities. She handles IDEM’s federal litigation issues in Clean Water Act cases. Before she came to IDEM, Beth worked for the Indiana Attorney General’s office in the Federal Litigation section, and for the Cook County State Attorney’s Office in Illinois.

Kristen Arnold is the Chief of the Watershed Assessment and Planning Branch in the Office of Water Quality at IDEM. She has served many different roles in her 18 years at IDEM. The main function of the Watershed Assessment and Planning Branch is to monitor surface water in order to fulfill requirements of the CWA 305(b), 303(d) and 314 sections to assess all waters of the state to determine whether they are meeting their designated uses and to identify those waters that are not. Kristen has a master’s degree in aquatic ecology from Eastern Illinois University.

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 Vice Chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and as a member of the Environmental Affairs and the Courts & Criminal Code 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).

Portia Bailey-Bernard is the Vice President of Indianapolis Economic Development for the Indy Chamber, focusing on facilitating long-term investments in giving Marion County and Indianapolis a competitive advantage while ensuring that more residents can connect to economic opportunities. Bailey-Bernard most recently served as an attorney at Kroger Gardis & Regis and previously worked at Barnes & Thornburg where she advised businesses and local government entities with respect to state and local government incentives for economic development projects. Additionally, she assists counties, cities, towns, redevelopment commissions, and other special taxing districts to finance public buildings, infrastructure, and other local public improvements by issuing tax-exempt and taxable bonds. While an undergraduate at Indiana University, she was a varsity letter winner on the women's track and field team.

Mark Basch is a hydrogeologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water. Mark received his Undergraduate Degree in Geology from Ball State University in 1979. He then worked three years for Reynold's Supply, Inc., a well installation and service company, prior to obtaining a Master's Degree in Geology from Indiana University. Mark has been employed with the Division of Water since 1984, and currently heads up the Division's Water Rights and Use Section.

Megan Baumgartner is the Director of Economic and Community Development with the City of Fishers. Megan started with the city as the Assistant Director of Economic Development in July 2015 and was promoted to Director in 2019. In 2020, her role expanded to Economic and Community Development, which now includes management of the Planning & Zoning Department. She leads business engagement and recruitment efforts, redevelopment projects, and strategic planning throughout Fishers. Prior to joining the Fishers team, Megan worked at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation as a project manager helping expanding companies in Indiana receive state incentives.

Brad Beaubien is an award-winning certified urban planner who serves as the Director of Destination Development for Visit Indy, working to leverage the economic and inclusive power of tourism for the long-term benefit of Indy’s people and places. Previously, he served as the Administrator for Long-Range City Planning for the City of Indianapolis, where he was responsible for leading all long-range planning functions of the City-County. In that role, Brad was the lead planner and project director for the White River Vision Plan. Brad is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Dr. Stuart Carlton is the Assistant Director of the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program and head of the Coastal and Great Lakes Social Science Lab in the Department of Forestry & Natural Resources at Purdue. The lab group researches the relationship between knowledge, values, trust, and behavior in complex or controversial environmental systems. Stuart is also the host and executive producer of Teach Me About the Great Lakes, a twice-monthly podcast in which he asks smart people to teach him and his co-hosts about the Great Lakes.

Seth Charde, PLA, LEED AP, is the Senior Manager for Green Infrastructure at DC Water. Seth has been implementing DC Water's green infrastructure program for combined sewer overflow control under the DC Clean Rivers Project since 2013. Seth holds an MBA from the University of Maryland, and an MA in sustainable land use planning and design from the Conway School.

Daragh Deegan has been the aquatic biologist for the City of Elkhart since 2009. His program, which is co-funded by the City of South Bend, monitors biological communities in the St. Joseph River Watershed in Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties. During this time, Daragh has been the City of Elkhart’s representative on the St. Joseph River Basin Commission, serving several terms as the Chair and other executive committee roles. He has been a long-term board member of the Friends of the St. Joseph River Watershed Organization and served as a board member of the Elkhart River Restoration Association from 2007 to 2018.

Jerry Dittmer currently serves as IDEM’s Office of Water Quality Permits Branch Chief. Jerry has over 28 years of experience in the NPDES arena. Jerry has a B.S. in Natural Resources & Environmental Science- Environmental Protection Specialty / minor in chemistry from Ball State University, as well as an A.S. degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from Vincennes University. Jerry’s previous work experience includes roles with IDEM’s Drinking Water Branch Compliance Section; environmental compliance specialist with former Allison Engine Company in Indianapolis, Indiana; and with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as a wildlife crews specialist at Patoka Lake, Birdseye, Indiana. Jerry currently resides in Morgan County, Indiana and is a lifelong outdoorsman who spends his free time hunting and fishing.

Jarrod M. Hahn is the Wells County Surveyor, now serving in his fifth term. He was first elected Surveyor in 2004. Mr. Hahn has been recognized with the County Surveyor President’s Award (2010) and the Outstanding Surveyor of the Year Award (2011). He is past President of the Indiana County Surveyors Association (2019-2020) and currently a member of the Legislative Committee for both the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors and the Association of Indiana Counties. Mr. Hahn is a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM). Among other organizations, he serves as a voting board member of the Upper Wabash River Basin Commission and is a voting member of the Maumee River Basin Commission.

Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives representing District 87 in Marion County. Representative Hamilton was first elected to the Indiana House in 2016. Currently, she serves as Assistant Democratic Leader, as a member of the House Ways & Means, Family, Children & Human Affairs, and Utilities, Energy & Telecommunications committees, and on the State Budget Committee. Prior to serving in the Indiana General Assembly, Rep. Hamilton owned an environmental consulting firm and was Executive Director of the Indiana Recycling Coalition.

Julie Harrold is the Program Manager for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and Water Quality Initiatives for the IN State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), Division of Soil Conservation (DSC). As the Program Manager, Julie provides leadership and management for the Indiana CREP, the Indiana State Nutrient Reduction Strategy, and other water quality initiatives undertaken by the ISDA, and provides Indiana representation on the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force Coordinating Committee. Julie is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Landscape Horticulture and Design, and has over 24 years of experience as a conservation professional. She has held a number of different positions within the Division of Soil Conservation over the years, and has been in her current position since July of 2015.

Stacy Haviland, ASLA is a registered Landscape Architect and Community Development Administrator with the City of Fort Wayne. She is responsible for overseeing the design and implementation of downtown streetscapes, open space, and green infrastructure as well as managing some of the many Redevelopment private/public partnership projects. She is currently lead project manager overseeing the design of phase II of the City’s Riverfront Public Open Space

Mark Heirbrandt is a Hamilton County Commissioner, first elected in 2013 and reelected in 2016 and 2020. He is currently President of the Hamilton County Commissioners and Vice President of the Indiana Association of County Commissioners. Prior to serving at the county level, Mr. Heirbrandt was a member of the Board of Public Works for the City of Westfield. He has more than 20 years’ professional experience in the water and energy-efficiency sectors.

Tom Henry is serving in his fourth term as Mayor of Fort Wayne. He has focused on neighborhood infrastructure improvements, downtown development, job creation, business expansions, advances in public safety, and enhancements to the City’s world-class park system. Before being elected Mayor, he served from 1983-2003 on Fort Wayne City Council, representing northwest Fort Wayne. His private-sector career has included being CEO of a group purchasing organization serving hospitals, and then owner of a local insurance agency and healthcare consulting firm.

Jordan Hoewischer is the Director of Water Quality and Research for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. He received a B.S. in Turfgrass Science with a minor in Animal Science from The Ohio State University and Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Masters from the University of Illinois. Jordan grew up as part of the 5th generation on his family hog and grain farm in Sidney, Ohio and currently lives in Columbus.

Jason is currently the Branch Chief of Compliance and Enforcement in IDEM’s Office of Water Quality since 2019. He previously held various roles in IDEM’s Office of Water Quality’s Permits Branch since 2005. Before his roles at IDEM, Jason was an environmental specialist in the State of Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources conducting wastewater/storm water inspections and writing state NPDES permits. Jason has an environmental science degree from Indiana University – Bloomington.

Ethan Manning (R-Denver) is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives representing District 23 which includes portions of Miami, Cass, and Fulton counties. Representative Manning was elected to the Indiana House in 2018 and reelected in 2020. Currently he serves on the House Agriculture and Rural Development, Public Health, and Utilities, Energy & Telecommunications committees. Prior to serving in the Indiana General Assembly, Rep. Manning was elected to the Miami County Council in 2014 and served as Council President 2016-2018. He is also a real estate broker with Carriger Oldfather Realty and owner Manning Auctions.

Jim McGoff is Chief Operating Officer and Director of Environmental Programs of the Indiana Finance Authority. He also serves as president of the nationwide Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities. Prior to his current position, Jim served as Director of Environmental Programs and General Counsel for the Authority. Prior to joining State government, Jim was a partner in the Indianapolis law firm Bingham McHale LLP (currently, Dentons, LLP), where he was a member of the firm’s public finance practice group, representing the State of Indiana and many Indiana cities and towns with their municipal borrowing needs.

Matt Prater is a Branch Chief for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) – Drinking Water Branch and has worked for IDEM since 2011. Work duties at IDEM include helping staff implement the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations, assisting Public Water System owners/operators, responding to media questions, responding to emergency events and working on special sampling projects. Matt graduated from Ball State University in 2009 with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Management and a Minor in Chemistry. He also received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Bellevue University in 2013. Matt currently resides in Indianapolis, IN with his wife and four children.

Sarah Reed is the Community Development Director for the City of Noblesville and a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners. She was appointed by Mayor Chris Jensen to this newly created deputy mayor level position, over both the Economic Development and Planning departments, in January 2020 after serving the past four years as the city’s Director of Planning and Development and an Economic Development Specialist prior. Sarah has been with the City of Noblesville for over 8 years and has been responsible for many of the major initiatives that the City of Noblesville has conducted including the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Update. In addition, Sarah has led the development of the Residential Market Analysis and the Noblesville Downtown District Streetscape Master Plan to create a clear vision for one of Noblesville’s most unique assets, its authentic downtown.

Jill Reinhart is the Assistant State Conservationist for Partnerships at the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Indiana State Office. She is responsible for managing targeted landscape initiatives, building and maintaining relationships with partner agencies and organizations, and reaching out to underserved audiences. Prior to this position Jill was an NRCS liaison to the Conservation Technology Information Center, a national nonprofit organization, as a water quality specialist. Before working for NRCS, she spent almost 8 years with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's Watershed Management Section, working on watershed planning and managing the Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant program.

Brian C. Rockensuess was appointed commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) by Governor Eric J. Holcomb in December 2021. Mr. Rockensuess has worked at IDEM since 2013, serving as the chief of staff since 2016. Prior to being named chief of staff, he worked as the agency’s director of governmental affairs and was the business, agricultural and legislative liaison. Prior to his service at IDEM, he worked for the Indiana State Senate. Mr. Rockensuess earned an undergraduate degree from Ball State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Connie Stevens is the Executive Director for the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water. She joined the Alliance in February 2012. Connie has 35 years of previous experience as a utility manager and served as a clerk treasurer for 13 years. She lobbys for the water and wastewater industry at the state and national level.

Nancy Stoner is president of Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN). Since June of 2018, Nancy has been running PRKN, the leading nonprofit combining assessment, advocacy, enforcement, and community engagement to protect the Potomac and Shenandoah River watersheds. Before she joined PRKN, Nancy has worked to protect water and other environmental resources since 1987 as an attorney, policy expert, and advocate at US Department of Justice, US Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Pisces Foundation. Nancy has a B.A. from University of Virginia and at J.D. from Yale Law School.

Richard Strick is the Mayor of the City of Huntington, Indiana. He was elected mayor in 2019 as an Independent. Prior to his election as mayor, Mr. Strick served on the Huntington City Council from 2015 to 2019. He was the pastor of St. Peter’s First Community Church and an Associate Director on the national staff of the organization Love In the Name of Christ (LoveINC).

Marty A. Wessler is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wessler Engineering in Indianapolis. He is a Professor Engineer (P.E.) with expertise in wastewater collection and treatment systems. Mr. Wessler has served on the state’s Water Infrastructure, Wastewater, and Stormwater task forces. In 2018 his contributions to the water service industry were recognized by the Indiana Section of the American Water Works Association with its George W. Fuller Award.

Julie Westerlund is the One Watershed, One Plan Program Coordinator for the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), where she’s helping lead Minnesota’s transition to watershed-based, multi-jurisdictional partnerships for local natural resource management. Prior to joining BWSR, Julie worked at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. Julie’s work has included watershed and natural resource-based planning, community engagement, education for local officials and water professionals, stormwater management, lake protection, climate change, and interagency coordination and collaboration.

Ben Wicker is the executive director of the Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance (IANA), a partnership of agriculture groups, government agencies, conservation organizations and academia working to improve soil health and nutrient management practices on Indiana farms. Before assuming this role, Wicker held positions as an independent crop consultant and agronomist, and has spent time with Indiana Pork Producers and The Nature Conservancy. Wicker holds a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy from Purdue University and is an active member of his family’s diversified grain, forage and cattle operation in east central Indiana.

Jack Wittman is Vice President and Principal Water Resources Hydrologist at Intera, Inc. Prior to joining Intera, Dr. Wittman founded his own consulting firm, Wittman Hydro. He works and loves in Bloomington, Indiana, and has consulted for state agencies, the Indiana General Assembly, and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, in addition to clients across the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Wittman holds a Ph.D. in environmental science from Indiana University and is a Certified Ground Water Professional (National Ground Water Association) and a Professional Hydrologist (American Institute of Hydrology).

Brian Wolff has served as the Branch Chief of Surface Water, and Operations for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the last 7 years. The branch regulates Wetlands, Stormwater, MS4’s, as well as overseeing budgets, contracts, grants, and other operational duties for Indiana’s water program. Prior to joining Water Quality, Brian served 10 years as manager of the Special Projects Section in the Office of Air Quality, and evaluated human health risk assessments for 5 years in the Office of Land Quality. Brian has a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Indiana University with a focus in Ecology.

Landon Yoder is an Assistant Professor in the Indiana University O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Prior to that he was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the O’Neill School and as Associate Instructor in the IU Department of Geography. Professor Yoder received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Indiana University and his bachelor’s degree from Goshen College. He teaches graduate courses in Environmental Management and Sustainable Agriculture. His research focuses on how farmers, government, and society cooperate on combining agricultural production with conservation, with a focus on water quality. Prior to pursuing his academic career, Dr. Yoder worked as an editor with the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C., and volunteered with the Peace Corps as a community development worker in St. Lucia.