May 12 • 1:00–2:30 PM
SPEAKERS
Denise Nelson, P.E., CFM, Env SP, LEED AP, Director of Resilience and Grants, Launch! Consulting Inc.
Denise will report on the current status of climate, flood, and sea level rise regulations in the state and how the 2022 Virginia General Assembly results impact resiliency policy and programs. She will also review the relevant sections of the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and provide information on programs and funding.
Denise's Biography
Denise Nelson has 20 years of experience in design and application of best practices for water resources, sustainable development, and resilience across the globe. She is an Environmental Engineer, Certified Floodplain Manager, Envision Sustainability Professional, and a LEED AP. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
Denise is currently the Vice President for Resilience and Grants at Launch! Consulting. She is also the Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the American Public Works Association and is active in sustainability committees for the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Virginia Water Environment Association.
Jenn Clarke, Program and Operations Supervisor, City of Richmond Stormwater Utility
Jenn will update us on the progress of Richmond’s Green Infrastructure Master Plan and associated Ranking Tool. Created in partnership with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, these are instruments which will help the City as a whole to address flooding and pollution issues.
Jenn's Biography
Jenn is an optimistic gardener, an enthusiastic (if not slightly overzealous) board and card game player, an amateur but avid knitter, and a Program and Operations Supervisor with the City of Richmond’s Stormwater Utility and their integrated RVAH2O Clean Water Initiative. With diverse experience at the intersection of human and environmental wellness, Jenn is passionate about building relationships, partnerships, community, and infrastructure in an effort to effect positive hands-on change to improve the health of the James River and how life is enjoyed along it.
Jenn originally hails from Washington State, where she received her BA in Environmental Studies at the University of Washington.
Michael (Mike) Sanio, F.ASCE, CAE, ENV-SP, American Society of Civil Engineers
Mike will provide an overview of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ retrofit of their corporate parking lot to be a showcase of innovative options in stormwater management and pollution reduction for the highly urbanized Northern Virginia region. Mike will also discuss new initiatives from ASCE to support resiliency through industry standards.
Mike's Biography
Mike held the position of Executive Advisor on Sustainability at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) where he was responsible for providing exceptional leadership on sustainability globally.
One of his most notable accomplishments was his work on establishing a sustainability program that led to the formation of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure and the development of the Envision Rating System. Mike was also instrumental in the creation of a sustainable infrastructure standard, the development of ASCE’s new Sustainable Infrastructure Certificate Program, the creation of a series of successful International Conferences on Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI), and most recently in the formation of the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure.
Brad Kreps, Clinch Valley Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
Brad will inform participants about the Cumberland Forest Project, which includes acquisition of more than a quarter-million acres of forest with the goal of restoring natural diversity, minimizing climate impact, and enhancing environmental and economic resilience.
Brad's Biography
Brad Kreps joined The Nature Conservancy in 2001 and leads the Clinch Valley Program in Southwest Virginia and northeastern Tennessee—a community-based conservation program that has helped conserve more 200,000 acres of critical natural habitat in one of North America’s hotspots for biodiversity. Key projects include the 250,000-acre Cumberland Forest, the 23,000-acre Clinch Valley Conservation Forestry Program, the Clinch River State Park, rare freshwater mussel augmentation programs, and management partnerships with local farmers and communities.
In the Clinch Valley, the Virginia chapter is pioneering approaches to conservation that demonstrate its connection to the needs of people and how to achieve outcomes at a scale that can support TNC's continental vision and priorities.
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