Presenter Name: Marian Azeem-Angel

Organization: Wisconsin Coastal Management Program

Title: Keillor Sea Grant - Wisconsin Coastal Management Fellow

Presenter Bio: Marian recently graduated with her Masters in Environment & Resources from UW - Madison, her thesis focused on extreme summertime precipitation and social vulnerability to flooding in Madison. She's now bringing her expertise and growing new knowledge as a P. Keillor Coastal Management Fellow, working at the intersection of science, policy, and community engagement to strengthen climate resilience and hazard preparedness in Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coastal communities. In 2022-2023 she was awarded a Fulbright Research/Study grant where her project focused on carbon and nitrogen sequestration in restored Danish Floodplains. She completed her B.S at the University of Florida in Environmental Science with a Minor in Soil & Water Science. Marian is passionate about bridging social & physical science through interdisciplinary perspectives, and addressing water resource challenges at local, regional, and global levels.

Presenter Name: Rania Bashar

Organization: Moonshot Missions

Title: Senior Program Manager

Presenter Bio: Senior Environmental Program Manager with over a decade of experience leading water and infrastructure initiatives that strengthen environmental compliance, system resilience, and community sustainability. She oversees multi-contract portfolios funded by Moonshot's foundation partners guiding cross-functional teams and collaborating with utilities, regulators, and community stakeholders. Active with the Water Research Foundation (WRF) and CSWEA, Rania contributes to advancing applied research and professional knowledge-sharing. A graduate of the AWWA Transformative Water Leadership Academy (TWLA 2025), she is recognized for people-centered, data-driven leadership that integrates technical innovation, financial performance, and ecosystem stewardship across the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay regions.

Presenter Name: Bridget Brown

Organization: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

Title: Chief Programs Officer

Presenter Bio: Bridget leads the Cities Initiative's municipal education and technical support programs for drinking water, climate and coastal resilience, and water quality. Her team has supported over 100 municipalities with coastal and climate resilience planning and financing. Prior to joining the Cities Initiative, Bridget’s positions included community-based outreach (Oregon Sea Grant), higher education student engagement (UW-Milwaukee), and international water policy research (World Bank). Bridget grew up in the Michigan and currently lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Presenter Name: Jake Brunoehler

Organization: PaveDrain

Title: National Sales Manager (PaveTank)

Presenter Bio: Jake Brunoehler, P.E. is the National Sales Manager for PaveTank, a division of PaveDrain, where he specializes in stormwater modeling, infrastructure design, and sustainable construction practices. A licensed professional engineer in Wisconsin, Jake holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Valparaiso University and has held engineering roles with Patrick Engineering, SME, and Norfolk Southern Railway. He is the past president of ASCE’s Southeast Branch and serves as director-at-large for the Wisconsin Section, contributing to multiple Infrastructure Report Cards. Outside of work, Jake enjoys woodworking, home-brewing, and performing in a traditional Irish band with his wife.

Presenter Name: Rick Eilertson

Organization: AECOM

Title: Senior Project Engineer/Manager

Presenter Bio: Rick earned his Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Madison in Civil & Environmental Engineering in 1993 and has worked in the municipal engineering field since 1990. Rick’s early interest in community involvement and environmental issues began in 1972 when, as a child, he helped his parents (Orie & Kit) create a recycling drop off program through their church in the Village of Mukwonago. Rick absorbed much of his interest in environmental conscience and responsibility through his parents and grandparents as he grew up on a Sand County Farm in Wisconsin, practicing firsthand Aldo Leopold’s land ethic of striving to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.

Presenter Name: Jake Kolanowski

Organization: Wisconsin Coastal Management Program

Title: Coastal Resilience Coordinator

Presenter Bio: Jake Kolanowski is a Coastal Resilience Coordinator with the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (WCMP). In his role, he coordinates two regional coastal hazards communities of practice: Collaborative Action for Lake Michigan (CALM) Coastal Resilience and Coastal Hazards of Superior (CHAOS). As part of his current role, he contributes to the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) through its Coastal Resilience Working Group. Prior to joining the WCMP, Jake worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the city of Madison. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in environmental conservation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Presenter Name: Will Kort

Organization: Delta Institute

Title: Specialist, Nature-Based Climate Solutions

Presenter Bio: As a Specialist in Delta Institute’s Nature-Based Climate Solutions portfolio, Will helps communities research, plan, finance, and implement innovative environmental projects that enhance climate resilience. Will has over a decade of experience as a water policy consultant in the Great Lakes region, with expertise in green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, local food systems, watershed planning, and drinking water quality and access. He has worked with the public and private sectors, environmental NGOs, civil society, and academia to advance equitable environmental policies. He has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences. Will has a Master of Urban Planning/Public Administration, and a PhD in Freshwater Sciences from UW-Milwaukee.

Presenter Name: Alexis Laverdiere

Organization: Greenprint Partners

Title: Senior Program Specialist

Presenter Bio: Alexis develops and implements equitable climate resilience and green infrastructure strategies for municipalities, counties and water utilities. She leads collaborative efforts with clients, community-based organizations, property owners and residents to ensure solutions are tailored to local needs and grounded in community priorities. Alexis is passionate about building more just, resilient communities and is driven by the belief that inclusive planning can lead to long-term environmental and social benefits. She brings deep expertise in community engagement, strategic communication and stakeholder facilitation, with a talent for listening and responding to community priorities that inspire action.

Lead Presenter Name: Amy Lentz

Organization: Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership

Title: Interim Executive Director

Presenter Bio: Amy Lentz is the Interim Executive Director of Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership, stepping into this role with 10 years of experience in nonprofit work. She specializes in community building and environmental advocacy. Amy has a bachelor’s degree from UW- Madison in Environmental Science and History, and a Masters in Freshwater Science and Technology from UW- Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Science.

Presenter Name: Lexi Montes

Organization: Wisconsin DNR

Title: Stormwater Specialist

Presenter Bio: Lexi has been with the DNR for 3.5 years, implementing the municipal stormwater program (i.e., MS4 Permit) by leading the region's MS4 compliance efforts in Southeast Wisconsin. Lexi enjoys coordinating/managing projects and places a strong value on relationship building in the workplace. Beyond Lexi's core work activities, she finds it important to connect with individuals who are looking for career advice and/or help answer questions about careers at the WDNR.

Presenter Name: Janee Pederson

Organization: HNTB

Presenter Professional Title: Water Resources Project Engineer

Presenter Bio: Janee Pederson, P.E., is a Water Resources Project Engineer at HNTB in Milwaukee. Locally, she has worked on several watercourse and green infrastructure projects for MMSD over the past decade. She was the project engineer for MMSD’s recently completed Port Milwaukee Overpass Green Infrastructure project and is the project engineer for the next project site in the MMSD’s Green Highways program, the Holt Avenue Overpass Green Infrastructure project. Janee received her Master of Engineering in Environmental and Water Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is a licenses Professional Engineer (PE) in Wisconsin.

Presenter Name: Emily Peters

Organization: Johnson's Nursery

Title: Wholesale Sales Representative

Presenter Bio: Emily is a wholesale sales representative with Johnson's Nursery, she has over five years of experience working in the green industry, she has several years of experience working in ecological restoration in the Milwaukee area and currently helps to support a variety of non-profit organizations in their tree procurement for community tree projects. She also has a bachelor's degree in Conservation and Environmental Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Emily is passionate about improving Milwaukee's green spaces and communities through supporting tree programs and educating others on the value of native plants in our urban community!

Presenter Name: Christy Poniewaz

Organization: Ruekert & Mielke, Inc.

Title: Senior Environmental Scientist

Presenter Bio: Christy Poniewaz is a Senior Environmental Scientist with Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. Christy specializes in storm water permit compliance program development and management, storm water quality modeling, and a variety of environmental surveys, inspections, and planning services.

Presenter Name: Stu Schwartz

Organization: University of Maryland Baltimore County

Title: Senior Research Scientist

Presenter Bio: Stu Schwartz is a Senior Research Scientist at CUERE at UMBC. His research focuses on water resources management, green infrastructure, and urban hydrologic science. Before joining UMBC, he directed the Center for Environmental Science Technology and Policy at Cleveland State University; was Associate Director of the Water Resources Research Institute at the University of North Carolina, and Directed the Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations (COOP) at the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.

Presenter Name: Thomas Slawski

Organization: Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

Title: Chief Biologist

Presenter Bio: Thomas Slawski has over 30 years of experience in aquatic ecology specializing in stream habitat and fisheries assessments, design, and restoration techniques. He has received a B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, in 1991, and Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in 1997. He has been employed at the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission since 1998 and currently holds the position of Chief Biologist of the Natural Resources Planning and Management Division, which specializes in wetland delineation and primary environmental corridor assessments, natural areas and critical species habitat protection, as well as lake and stream management/restoration planning.

Presenter Name: Monica Vincent

Organization: Mead & Hunt

Title: Project Engineer

Presenter Bio: Monica is a Project Engineer at Mead & Hunt with experience in stormwater, green infrastructure, water treatment, H&H modeling, and collection systems. Monica has a B.S. from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Civil Engineering and a M.S. from Milwaukee School of Engineering in Water Resources Engineering and is a credentialed Envision Sustainability Professional.

Name: Nicholas Ward

Organization: D&D Products Inc., Aquarius Systems Division

Title: Sales & Business Development Manager

Presenter Bio: Nicholas Ward is the Sales & Business Development Manager for Aquarius Systems, the world’s leading manufacturer of surface water management equipment. The company and its customers play a vital role in environmental stewardship. This is achieved by deploying aquatic plant harvesters, marine debris skimmers, and other specialty equipment to keep waterways clean and trash free. In his role, Nicholas focuses on building long-term partnerships, expanding global markets, and supporting communities in implementing surface water solutions that protect natural habitats and promote sustainable waterway management.

Presenter Name: Mauricio Wesson

Organization: SmithGroup

Title: P.E.

Presenter Bio: Mauricio Wesson is a civil engineer with over 20 years of professional experience specializing in coastal and environmental engineering. In 2002, he completed a postgraduate program in Hyogo, Japan, focused on the planning and design of coastal structures, during which he worked with Japan Port Consultants. He later earned a Master of Science degree from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, following an Erasmus Mundus program that included studies in Norway, Barcelona, and the Netherlands. Mauricio has extensive expertise in environmental numerical modeling, which he leverages to provide valuable insights into a wide range of coastal and water-related projects.

Presenter Name: Cailin Young

Organization: Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and Wisconsin Sea Grant

Title: J. Phillip Keillor Fellow

Presenter Bio: Cailin Young is a Wisconsin Sea Grant J. Phillip Keillor Fellow where she is working with the Coastal Management Program on Great Lakes coastal resilience projects. She is a recent graduate of University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability, where she focused on environmental policy and water resources management.