Science Conference & Environmental Summit: Agenda, Posters, Bios

Executive Director
Delaware River Basin Commission

Ms. Collier was appointed Executive Director of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) on August 31, 1998. The DRBC is an interstate/federal commission that provides a unified approach to water resource management without regard to political boundaries. Before joining DRBC, Ms. Collier was Executive Director of Pennsylvania’s 21st Century Environment Commission. Governor Tom Ridge formed the Environment Commission in 1997 to establish the Commonwealth’s environmental priorities and to recommend a course of action for the next century.

At the time Governor Ridge asked Ms. Collier to serve as executive director for the 21st Century Environment Commission, she was Regional Director of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Southeast Region. Prior to PADEP, Ms. Collier served 19 years with BCM Environmental Engineers, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pa., beginning as a student intern and ultimately becoming Vice President of Environmental Planning, Science and Risk.

Ms. Collier has a B.A. in Biology from Smith College and a Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Professional Planner licensed in the State of New Jersey, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and a Certified Senior Ecologist. In 1997 she was presented the Touchstone Award from the Society of Women Environmental Professionals and in 1998 the Woman of Distinction Award from the Philadelphia Business Journal. In 2007 the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) presented her with the Mary H. Marsh Medal for exemplary contributions to the protection and wise use of the nation’s water resources.

She is a member of her township’s environmental protection advisory board, on the Boards of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) and the newly formed Clean Water America Alliance (CWAA), teaches environmental management courses at the University of Pennsylvania and has published on environmental and water-related topics. She has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania Legislature. In 2004 she was a member of a nine person U.S./China/Japan team to assist the People's Republic of China with river basin management.  Ms. Collier has also participated in water management and sustainable forest practice events along the Yangtze River in China and in the rain forests of Ecuador. She thinks proper management of water resources is the key to our economic and environmental future.

Director of Planning & Research
Philadelphia Water Department

Christopher oversees a staff of 30 that conducts infrastructure planning, asset management, water and wastewater applied treatment research, energy management, renewable energy projects, stormwater management plan reviews, stormwater rate credits, water quality studies, air emissions and land management, and regulatory compliance support for the Philadelphia Water Department.  Chris has over 15 years of experience in the water, stormwater, and wastewater industry participating and leading innovative projects to improve customer service, performance, revenue, and regulatory compliance. He has been responsible for stormwater and CSO compliance and managed teams to accomplish green infrastructure and watershed management approaches. Some accomplishments include leading the source water protection programs, development and implementation of new stormwater management requirements for development and studies of impervious cover based stormwater billing for non-residential customers. Under Chris' leadership, his teams have won numerous local, state, and federal awards. He has also been involved in several national and worldwide groundbreaking environmental projects using information technology for early warning systems for drinking water supplies and public notification for recreation. His current focus is on energy management including biomethane and renewable resources and asset management.

Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director
Environmental, Earth & Ocean Sciences Dept., University of Massachusetts / Boston

John Duff received his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in Boston and his LL.M. from the Law and Marine Affairs Program at the University of Washington.  He also holds degrees in business (B.S.B.A.) from the University of Lowell and Journalism (M.A.) from the University of Mississippi.  Over the course of the last twenty years he has worked as a newspaper reporter; an attorney in  private practice; served as general counsel to a nonprofit organization focusing on marine habitat protection issues; and, has directed the marine law research programs at the law schools of the universities of Mississippi and Maine.  His work earned him a Fulbright Senior Fellowship in 1998. Since 2004, Prof. Duff has served as a faculty member in the Environmental, Earth and Ocean Sciences Department at the University of Massachusetts/Boston where he teaches courses on climate change and clean energy law, environmental policy, ocean and coastal law and land use. Prof. Duff is currently working on research related to ecosystem-informed management, ocean planning and the increasing privatization of offshore public resources.  Virtually all of the work that he has been engaged in deals with the interface of natural resource assemblages, technology and public policy.

Prof. Duff’s research has been published in a variety of journals and professional reports. He is a co-editor of the book International Ocean Law; he serves on the editorial board of Ocean Development and International Law; and, he is a past president of The Coastal Society.  He is a Faculty Advisor in the United Nations-Nippon Foundation Law of the Sea Fellowship Programme
and a consultant to municipal, state, federal and intergovernmental agencies.

Environmental Communications Consultant, Water Words That Work, LLC

Eric is fascinated by the intersection between language, technology, and the environment. He blogs on the topic at http://waterwordsthatwork.com. Eric’s company, Water Words That Work LLC, helps nature protection and pollution control organizations professionalize and modernize their communications efforts. The company helps its clients plan and deliver pollution prevention, fundraising, and issue advocacy campaigns.

From its early days as hobby blog, Eric has grown the company to a team of four market research and campaign experts and a stable network of graphic designers and other contractors. The company produces websites, videos, advertising campaigns, email blasts, and other marketing materials.

Since opening its doors, Water Words That Work has assisted more than 50 conservation organizations. Clients include the National Park Service, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Before launching Water Words That Work, Eric led advocacy and fundraising campaigns, managed media relations, and oversaw web and print publishing activities for a variety of conservation organizations. He has appeared in on CNN and in the pages of the New York Times. He is a frequent speaker at environmental, marketing, and technology conferences.

Regional Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3

Hoffman Digital Media

Whitney Hoffman has been involved in New Media and Social Media for the past five years, both as a content producer and as the organizer of Digital Media conferences.  She has organized Podcamp conferences in Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and as Director of Operations for the Podcamp Foundation, consults with organizers of similar conferences in other cities around the Country and overseas.  Most recently, she helped organize the Web2Open sessions at O'Reilly's Web 2.0 Expo in New York City in November, 2009.

She is CEO of Hoffman Digital Media, producing the LD Podcast, an internet radio show about learning and learning disabilities featuring interviews with well-known experts including Dr. Robert Brooks, Anne Ford, and Marcus Buckingham. She also produces OB-GYN To Go, a podcast focusing on resident and physician education.  She has spoken at many blogging and podcasting conferences including BlogPhiladelphia, Podcamp conferences, and at Podcasters Across Borders in Ontario Canada in 2008 and 2010.  She presents regularly to business and non-profit groups and conferences on a variety of topics including using social media tools for marketing and PR, and Business Strategy Using the Social Web.

She has an undergraduate degree in developmental biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a JD from the Dickinson School of Law of Penn State.  Whitney co-authored Public Assembly Facility Law with Turner D. Madden for the International Association of Assembly Managers and presented at their annual conference.  While working with Mr. Madden, Whitney helped design the Americans with Disabilities Act access program for the National Football League and the SuperBowl, as well as providing on-site services for the event for eight years.
 

Whitney has blogged for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly.com as part of Philadelphia’s Great Expectations Project.  Her personal blog, discussing finance, business, social media and more can be found at www.whitneyhoffman.com.  She is a regular contributor at GNM Parents www.gnmparents.com, and The LD Podcast, www.ldpodcast.com.  

U.S. Representative, New Jersey's 2nd District

A boy named Frank LoBiondo grew up in constant admiration of his father; a man who knew the balance between the demands of operating a successful business, serving as an elected public servant, being active in his community, and providing for his family. As a young man Frank loved the time he spent on his grandparents farm helping where needed. Frank became a successful small businessman, working at the family trucking company for 26 years. Frank also became an active participant in numerous civic and charitable pursuits, including the SPCA, the Cumberland County Guidance Center, and the local YMCA. Frank’s achievements in the community eventually led to his nomination by local leaders and private citizens to further serve the community through public office.

Frank has served South Jersey on the county, state, and federal levels since his first successful election to the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1984. Following his three-year service as a Freeholder, he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly where he represented the First Legislative District from 1988-1994. In November 1994, Frank became the representative of the Second Congressional District in the House of Representatives where he serves South Jersey to this day.

On Capitol Hill, Congressman LoBiondo is a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Frank also serves as the Top Ranking Republican on the Subcommittee for Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. He is also on the Water Resources and Environment and Aviation, which have jurisdiction over critical issues that affect New Jersey’s growing transportation needs.

Congressman LoBiondo is a staunch advocate for strengthening our nation’s security while ensuring a future for New Jersey’s military bases and service personnel with noted attention to issues of military pay and benefits. Frank has championed this cause with his service on the House Armed Services Committee. Frank also serves on the Air & Land Forces Subcommittee, Readiness Subcommittee, and Terrorism, Unconventional Threats & Capabilities Subcommittee.

In Washington, Frank LoBiondo is known as a fierce supporter of veterans, and he continues to work hard to expand access to community-based health care providers which minimizes the need for South Jersey veterans to commute outside the state for VA-approved services. Frank has always maintained a strong commitment to protecting the environment, a result of a childhood devotion to the outdoors. During his time in public office, he has striven to protect fragile wildlife and wetlands, and has stood up for projects that endeavor to preserve and restore the New Jersey coastline. Congressman LoBiondo has won recognition for his environmental work from the Audubon Society, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Sierra Club.

Frank has been a strong voice for the private business sector having once owned and operated his own small business. He believes government intervention is not responsible for the creation of jobs and economic growth, but the hard work and success of private businesses.

Frank was born on May 12, 1946 in Rosenhayn, Cumberland County. He went on to receive his B.A. in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia before returning to his home in Cumberland County. Frank currently resides in Atlantic County with his wife Tina and their two rescued Weimaraners, Lola and Luca.

Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Demonstrating his commitment to building a strong, experienced team, Governor Chris Christie nominated Bob Martin to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.

An accomplished business and industry leader with recognized expertise in energy and utilities, he served as a key policy adviser throughout Governor Christie’s gubernatorial campaign. He assisted in shaping and drafting then-candidate Christie’s Energy Policy and Environmental Policy, and provided policy guidance on other major issues. In recent years, he also has served as a respected and trusted adviser, primarily in energy policy, to several other candidates for U.S. Senate, congressional and gubernatorial seats.

In 2008, he retired as a partner with Accenture LLP after more than 25 years. Accenture is the world’s largest business and technology consulting firm with more than 140,000 employees around the globe. 

Highly experienced in consulting, he has achieved impressive results working with a variety of businesses and industries – particularly energy and utility companies – to improve efficiency and enhance performance in an increasingly competitive marketplace. He has expertise in all aspects of business and management consulting, including business strategy and planning, business transformation and re-engineering, IT strategy, systems implementation, and change management. He also has considerable experience in project management of large systems integration and in business re-engineering projects.   

Commissioner Martin also has extensive international experience. While living in England from 1991 to 1995, he worked with several large U.K. water and electric utilities as the companies privatized and the markets deregulated.  He also spent significant time working with utility and energy companies throughout Europe and Canada.

Actively involved in the community, he was a candidate for State Senate in New Jersey’s 15th District in 2007. He formerly served as the Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Mercer County Republican Committee. He served on the Salvation Army Advisory Board of Greater New York from 2001 until January 2010, and as its Chairman from 2007 until January 2010. He served on the Princeton Healthcare System Foundation Board in 2008 and 2009. He also served on the Board of Trustees at the Chapin School in Princeton from 1996 to 2008, and on the Finance Advisory Committee for Hopewell Township from 2005 to 2007. He has been active in coaching youth soccer and lacrosse in Hopewell Valley for more than13 years. 

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Commissioner Martin earned a bachelor of arts in Economics and Sociology from Boston College in 1979 and an MBA from The George Washington University in 1982.

He and his wife, Brenda, have lived in Hopewell Township for more than 14 years. They have three children: Andrew, 24; Sara, 21; and Caroline, 12. Mrs. Martin is a teacher at the Cambridge School in Pennington.

Director, Office of Watersheds, Philadelphia Water Department

Howard Neukrug is responsible for establishing policies and programs for Southeast Pennsylvania’s stream and river network for the protection of water supply for 2 million persons, the propagation and protection of fish and wildlife habitat, and in support of the region’s recreation, ecotourism and sustainable riverfront re-development efforts. 

He oversees a “best in nation” source water protection program for the City of Philadelphia which is currently implementing over 65 restoration and protection projects involving abandoned mine drainage reclamation, agricultural buffers, stormwater management, sewage overflows and public education.  He is responsible for Philadelphia’s CSO program which is implementing an adaptive watershed management approach to CWA attainment goals using coordinated outreach, education and stakeholder support throughout the planning and implementation stages of watershed programming, comprehensive watershed monitoring, hydrologic/hydraulic engineering, green development and infrastructure and stream enhancements.

Mr. Neukrug has over 25 years experience in utility planning and management and is an expert in drinking water quality and treatment.  He is a Professional Engineer, a graduate in Civil and Urban Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Neukrug has often been asked to testify before Congress and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) on environmental, financial, infrastructure and other utility management issues, and to speak before hundreds of local, national and international forums.

Secretary, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Collin O’Mara serves as Secretary of the Environment and Energy for Delaware Governor Jack Markell. In this role, he serves as the chief steward of Delaware’s natural resources and leads the state’s efforts to ensure access to clean water, improve air quality, remediate contaminated sites, reduce flood damage, expand youth outdoor experiences, and restore wildlife habitat. He also oversees implementation of the Governor’s goal to make Delaware a leader in the global clean energy economy.

When Governor Markell appointed Secretary O’Mara in 2009, he was the youngest state cabinet official in the nation. Since joining the administration, he has worked to modernize Delaware’s energy sector with a focus on reducing pollution, stabilizing costs, improving reliability, and seizing economic development opportunities. He has negotiated the shutdown of the most polluting coal units in the state, facilitated switch-fueling of units, overseen installation of cutting-edge pollution controls on the largest coal unit in the state, and is helping to facilitate a wide range of renewable energy projects. He has led an aggressive energy efficiency campaign in collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Utility and local utilities, including the implementation of the nation’s first HomeStar program.

Under the Governor’s leadership, Secretary O’Mara has championed a range of innovative legislative initiatives, including the Energy Conservation and Efficiency Act and the Clean Energy Jobs Act. These bills established statewide goals reducing per capita electrical and natural gas consumption by 15 percent and 10 percent, respectively by 2015, strengthened the state’s renewable portfolio standard, expanded renewable rights, enhanced net-metering, modernized renewable energy incentives, enabled vehicle-to-grid technology, and strengthened building codes for energy efficiency. He has also launched statewide efforts to prepare Delaware for increasing threats from sea-level rise and other climate impacts, particularly in the coastal communities.
In addition to his work in energy and climate policy, Secretary O’Mara also helped spearhead the state’s landmark universal recycling legislation, which, for the first time, requires trash haulers to provide curbside recycling pickup statewide without increasing cost to consumers. He also is leading the effort to modernize DNREC through restructuring, the first significant reorganization of the agency since 1972, in an effort to make the agency leaner and more efficient in carrying out its mission. 

Secretary O’Mara serves on numerous boards including the Executive Committee of the Sustainable Energy Utility Oversight Board, State Water Supply Coordinating Council, Vice Chair of the Ozone Transport Commission, Executive Committee of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Executive Council of the Chesapeake Bay Program, Board of the Climate Prosperity Project, the Delaware Cancer Consortium, Open Space Council, Nutrient Management Commission, and the Center for the Inland Bays.

Prior to joining Governor Markell, Secretary O’Mara served as the Clean Tech Strategist for the City of San Jose, and was the primary architect of the city of San Jose’s Green Vision, built upon the belief that environmental sustainability and smart economic development are inextricably linked and entirely compatible. He helped San Jose attract more than 50 clean technology companies, which created more than 3,000 new jobs and generated nearly $2 billion in new investment. Previously, Secretary O’Mara led a division of Syracuse city government where he was responsible for overseeing the modernization of city services and leading the cutting-edge accountability and efficiency program as Director of SyraStat.

Professor of Oceanography
College of Marine and Earth Studies, University of Delaware

Jonathan H. Sharp received BA (Biology) and MS (Biochemistry) from Lehigh University; PhD (Oceanography) from Dalhousie University; post-doctoral research experience at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.  He has lived in Lewes for past 37 years with wife, Gwyneth.  He raised his son and daughter here and both are now successful PhD environmental scientists.

Jonathan’s research interests include: microbial biogeochemistry (estuarine, coastal, and oceanic), Analytical methodology for routine aquatic analyses, Translation of estuarine research results to resource management. He has published over 100 papers (in refereed literature) and reports including 30 papers in the refereed literature from his research group specifically about the Delaware Estuary. He has also published a number of newsletter articles and guest newspaper editorials on estuarine science and policy. 

Dr. Sharp has been heavily involved with research, resource management, and outreach on the Delaware Estuary for over 30 years, including being primary advisor for 16 MS and PhD projects about the Delaware Estuary from 1981-present.  He served as the chairman of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee for the Delaware Estuary Program (DELEP) planning stage from 1989-1996; then became the chairman of its Monitoring Implementation Team and first Chairman of the Board of the non-profit Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE). He continues to serve on Monitoring Advisory Committee of DELEP and Advisory Board of PDE. He has served formally on a number of advisory committees and given informal advice to Delaware River Basin Commission for over 25 years. He has provided informal advice and assistance to Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the similar agencies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania regarding measurements and interpretation of data on estuarine resources.  He has provided various consulting activities on about Delaware Estuary science for Delaware River Basin Commission, Public Service Electric and Gas Company, Duffield Associates, DuPont Company.  He has had some similar advisory and technical committee involvement with Maryland and California on Chesapeake and San Francisco bays, respectively.  Recently, he has served on two national advisory committees (for NOAA and EPA) assisting management of estuarine nutrient problems. http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/people/profile.aspx?jsharp

Assistant Commissioner for Economic Growth & Green Energy
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Prior to joining the Department of Environmental Protection as its first Assistant Commissioner for Economic Growth and Green Energy, an office newly established by DEP Commissioner Bob Martin, Michele N. Siekerka, Esq. was president and CEO of the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce.  Commissioner Martin’s vision statement for the Department recognizes that a healthy environment and healthy economy go hand in hand. Siekerka’s experience with New Jersey’s business community coupled with her legal background provide the foundation for understanding the economic impact of regulatory processes, especially for small businesses and entrepreneurs. 

Siekerka’s new role is designed to work with all stakeholders—environmental advocacy organizations, large and small businesses and industry, local governments, and residents—to identify and create opportunities for economic growth while maintaining the highest standards of protection for the environment.  She is the DEP’s point person to help New Jersey tap the full potential of renewable energy by coordinating efforts with other state agencies and working to help businesses develop more opportunities for wind and solar power. 

The Robbinsville resident was with the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce for over six years.  Siekerka recently completed a year-long Ford Foundation Fellowship for Regional Sustainable Development, working with Chamber of Commerce and business leaders from across the nation to develop regional action plans.  She also served on Governor Chris Christie’s Red Tape Review Group. Prior to the Chamber of Commerce, Siekerka worked with the Automobile Association of America as a senior legal consultant and vice president of human resources; prior to that, she was a partner in a Mercer County law practice. Siekerka earned a BA in Political Science and German from Rutgers University and a JD from Temple University School of Law. 

Science Communicator, EcoCheck

Caroline Wicks is a science communicator with EcoCheck, a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). Caroline received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Master of Science in Biological Oceanography from the University of Maryland. While Caroline’s education is in research science, she has attended and taught numerous science communication workshops. Her current job focuses on product development for EcoCheck, including newsletters, reports, and books, which requires collaboration with many federal and state agencies.

Science Communicator, Integrated and Application Network

Joanna L. Woerner is a Science Communicator with the Integration and Application Network (www.ian.umces.edu), a collection of scientists interested in solving, not just studying, environmental problems. As a Science Communicator, she has taught numerous courses on how to communicate science more effectively and has collaborated with various partners to create documents which convey complex scientific concepts to broad audiences. Joanna has received a B.S. in Marine Science from The Richard Stockton College and a M.A. in Technical and Scientific Communication from Miami University.