Meet our 2026 Speakers!

Celinda Adair, CFM

Senior Planner II  |  AtkinsRéalis

Session: From Paper to Practice: How Henrico County Built a Floodplain Program That Works

Celinda Adair is a Senior Planner with AtkinsRéalis and the ASFPM Region 10 Regional Director, she has 18 years of experience in floodplain management, community planning, hazard mitigation, and outreach and training. She is a former State NFIP Coordinator for the State of Oregon, FEMA Risk MAP Coordinator for the State of Montana, and CRS Coordinator and Planner for Thurston County, Washington. She has extensive experience providing planning, permitting, outreach, training, and other technical assistance to local communities, state floodplain management programs, and FEMA.

Kathie Angle, PE, CFM

Chief of Civil Design  |  City of Newport News

Session: Lunch Plenary - City of Newport News' Watershed Master Planning 

More information coming soon!

Chad Berginnis, ASFPM

Executive Director  |  Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM)

Session: Panel Discussion – Lunch & Film Screening

Chad Berginnis became executive director of ASFPM in July 2012, after joining the association staff as associate director in 2011. Since 2000, he served the association as Insurance Committee chair, Mitigation Policy Committee coordinator, vice-chair, and chair. He has a Bachelor of Science in natural resources from Ohio State University. Since 1993, his work has focused on floodplain management, hazard mitigation and land use planning at the state, local and private sector level. As a state official, Berginnis worked in the Ohio Floodplain Management Program and was Ohio’s state hazard mitigation officer. As a local official, Berginnis administered planning, economic development and floodplain management programs in Perry County, Ohio. In the private sector, he was the national practice leader in hazard mitigation for Michael Baker Jr. Inc.

Ian T Blair, CFM, AICP, CBLP

Policy Program Director  |  Wetlands Watch

Session: Virginia Flood Policy After the 2025–2026 General Assembly: Implications for Floodplain Managers ; From Policy to Practice: Measuring the Impact of Virginia's Community Flood Preparedness Fund 

Ian T Blair is the Policy Program Director at Wetlands Watch, a Norfolk-based nonprofit advancing equitable flood resilience and wetland protection across coastal Virginia. He was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Virginia Floodplain Management Association and previously served on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Coastal Resilience Master Plan. Ian leads statewide initiatives on floodplain management, resilience funding, and nature-based solutions, translating policy into practical tools for local governments. He holds an academic background in regional planning and maintains interests in flood mitigation policy, coastal planning, and strengthening the science-to-policy pipeline.

Gavin Blevins, AICP, CFM, CZA

Planning Director  |  Mount Rogers Planning District Commission

Session: From Planning to Action: Galax's Innovative Path to Flood Resilience

Gavin is the Director of Planning for the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission. Gavin functions as the grant manager for regional planning-based projects, as well as community infrastructure-based projects, and is involved regionally in grant writing and management assistance pertaining mostly to economic development, flood resilience, downtown revitalization, and housing rehabilitation projects utilizing funding through organizations including Virginia DHCD, Virginia DOT, Virginia Tourism Corporation, EDA, and the USDA.

Emma Blythe, EI

Project Engineer  |  Timmons Group

Session: A Flood Reduction Strategy that also Helps Attain Bay TMDL Reductions: Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC) in Staunton, VA

Emma Blythe is a Project Engineer at Timmons Group in Virginia currently working in stream and ecological restoration and flood modeling. She holds a B.S. in Biological Engineering, with an environmental restoration and green infrastructure focus, from NC State University and a B.A. in Chemistry from Meredith College. She gained a year of stormwater experience in North Carolina before moving to Virginia to continue her career. She enjoys working with nature-based design solutions and emerging technologies in her approach to stormwater management.

CJ Bodnar, PE

Assistant City Engineer  |  City of Portsmouth

Session: Using Advanced Local Modeling to Improve Stormwater and Floodplain Management & Regulatory Compliance

Charles J. (C.J.) Bodnar, P.E. is a registered Virginia Professional Engineer and is the Assistant City Engineer for the City of Portsmouth. As the Assistant City Engineer, he leads a talented team which manages the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and stormwater modeling and master plan efforts. C.J. graduated in 1990 from the Virginia Military Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. Prior to joining the City of Portsmouth in 2025, C.J. was the Technical Services Program Manager for Virginia Beach Public Works, spent over 20 years as a land development consultant and served his country in the US Navy. While away from work, CJ enjoys a good game of darts and cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Secretary David Bulova

Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources  |  Commonwealth of Virginia

Session: Opening Keynote

David Bulova has over three decades of professional experience in environmental planning. Most recently, he served as a project manager for WSP USA, an international engineering and environmental consulting firm. In that role, Bulova specialized in water resources policy, Chesapeake Bay restoration, municipal and industrial stormwater permit compliance, stakeholder group facilitation, and stormwater finance. Prior to WSP, Bulova served as Director of Environmental Services for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission.

Bulova served in the Virginia House of Delegates representing the City of Fairfax and parts of Fairfax County from 2006-2026. In the House, he served in key leadership roles, including chair of the General Laws Committee, chair of the Commerce, Agriculture, and Natural Resources subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, and chair of the Chesapeake subcommittee of the Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee. He also served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which he chaired twice, and the State Water Commission. In addition, Bulova served as an elected member of the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District from 2004-2006.

In the General Assembly, Bulova worked with stakeholders to advance legislation and funding aimed at conserving and restoring Virginia's natural resources. Key initiatives included funding for the agricultural BMP cost-share program, upgrades to wastewater treatment facilities, management of invasive species, and a pay-for-outcomes pilot project to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. During the 2025 session, he partnered with environmental organizations, manufacturers, and water utilities to secure passage of bipartisan legislation designed to reduce PFAS contamination in one of Virginia's major drinking water sources. In 2019, VIRGINIAforever recognized Bulova with the Bridge Builder award for his contributions to natural resources stewardship.

Bulova and his wife Gretchen both grew up in Fairfax County and have three children. He received a BA in Government from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Tech. He is a 1997 graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. In their spare time, Bulova, Gretchen, and their youngest son, Grayson, enjoy hiking in Virginia's beautiful parks.

Anna Cherry, CFM

Planner II  |  Berkley Group

Session: Inside the Audit and Beyond: Essex County's NFIP Compliance and CFPF Funding

More information coming soon!

Robert Coates

Director, Grant Management and Recovery  |  Virginia Department of Emergency Management

Session: Debris in the Waterway – Yikes! Lessons Learned from Helene

Robbie Coates is the Grant Management and Recovery Director at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. He oversees pre and post disaster grant programs through FEMA and other state/federal funding sources. He has been with VDEM since 2007 and is a graduate of the University of Maryland, with a B.S. in Physical Sciences with a concentration in Meteorology.

Angela Davis, CFM

Division Director of Floodplain Management  |  Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)

Session: Re-introducing the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Division of Floodplain Management

Angela was a Federal Contractor for FEMA's Map Information & Insurance eXchange and was a FEMA Community Engagement and Risk Communications contractor where she led RiskMAP engagements in all ten FEMA Regions. At DCR, she currently serves as the Division Director of Floodplain Management. The Division oversees FEMA's Community Assistance Program, Cooperating Technical Partners programs, as well as administering the Community Flood Preparedness Fund and Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund. She has been a Certified Floodplain Manager for ten years. Angela is actively involved with advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion as a member of the National Urban League and MANNRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences).

Matt Dalon, PE, CFM

Office of Resilience Planning Program Manager  |  Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Session: DCR's Flood Resilience Resources for Floodplain Managers

Matt Dalon is the Office of Resilience Planning Program Manager for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation that is charged with developing and implementing the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan and the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan to increase flood resilience in Virginia. These efforts are supported by multiple contractors, a collaborative stakeholder network, and an advisory public body. Prior to joining DCR, Matt was a project manager in the private sector providing waterfront solutions with adaptative and sustainable frameworks.

Jen Pepson Elwood, ENV SP

Senior Resilience Planner  |  Dewberry

Session: Before the Storm: Building a Pre-Disaster Voluntary Acquisition Program in Henrico County

Jen Pepson Elwood is a Senior Resilience Planner with Dewberry. She is an experienced climate adaptation practitioner who works across local, state, and federal levels to advance safer, more inclusive, and environmentally sustainable community and infrastructure development. She supports the County's floodplain management program and helping lead its voluntary acquisition efforts, advancing flood mitigation strategies, aligning projects with funding, and strengthening long-term community resilience.

Stu Geiger, CFM

Senior Project Manager  |  Dewberry

Session: Approaches for Future Riverine Flood Risk Planning – Examples from New York

Stu Geiger is an interdisciplinary water resources scientist and senior project manager with a long record of leading integrated teams of engineers, geographers, and planners in the development of federal, state, and local flood risk identification and assessment projects. Stu has extensive experience with the National Flood Insurance Program and specializes in broad scale flood hazard analyses. He was also a key contributor to the Commonwealth of Virginia's Coastal Resilience Master Plan and oversaw the development of pluvial modeling for Virginia's coastal region. Stu received his Master's degree in water resources and geography from the University of Wyoming and his bachelor's in geography from the University of Mary Washington.

Adam Gold, PhD

Senior Manager, Coasts and Watersheds Science  |  Environmental Defense Fund

Session: Estimating the Number of People and Housing Units in High Flood Risk Areas in Virginia

Dr. Adam Gold is a Senior Manager of Coasts and Watersheds Science at EDF, where he works on flood resilience research and policy. Dr. Gold's research interests focus on watershed hydrology, water quality, and geospatial analyses that can inform policy that reduces flooding impacts. He supports EDF's work on flood resilience policy development nationally. He currently serves as Chair of NC Sea Grant's advisory board and also advises on multiple state flood resiliency efforts. Prior to joining EDF, Dr. Gold was a postdoctoral researcher at the UNC Institute for the Environment where he researched the impacts of recurrent "sunny day" flooding on coastal communities.

Genevieve Guerry

Flood Risk Project Staff  |  Wetlands Watch

Session: Building a Coastal Resilience Framework for Strategic Land Acquisition and Wetlands Migration

Genevieve Guerry is on the Flood Risk Project Staff at Wetlands Watch, where she helps foster community flood resilience across the state of Virginia. She helps chair the Coastal VA Community Rating System (CRS) Workgroup, a state-wide community of practice that supports comprehensive floodplain management by promoting emergency preparedness, community engagement, and flood risk education. She holds a B.S in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina and a M.S in Coastal and Ocean Policy from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is currently finishing her Ph.D in Integrated Coastal Sciences at East Carolina University, where she focuses on community perception of environmental hazards.

Yinghan Hua, PE

Wastewater Engineer  |  Arcadis

Session: A Complex Resilience Solution in the Heart of Virginia Beach

Yinghan Hua, PE is a water engineer at Arcadis with 7 years of experience in the resilience sector. She has accomplished stormwater and water resources projects of various scales through preliminary engineering, design and construction, and regulatory compliance. Her expertise encompasses projects that focus on stormwater management, drainage improvement systems design, site civil and process mechanical design, flood management and resiliency.

Thomas S. Hughes

Director, EM Mitigation Insurance & Resilient Communities (MIRC) Office  |  Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)

Session: Why FPM is Important to EM and FPMs – Some Best Practices in Pennsylvania

Director of PEMA's MIRC Office since 2023 with oversight of the state's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)/Floodplain Management (FPM), Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Program and the Resilience Office. He is responsible for the review and revision of 67 FEMA-required county Hazard Mitigation Plans, 14 State System of Higher Education Disaster Resistant University Plans, State Enhanced Hazard Mitigation, State Pre-Disaster Recovery Plans and various technical assistance and local and state mitigation, recovery and resiliency training programs. He is coordinator of the State Long-Term Recovery Task Force and is a current board member and past President of the National Hazard Mitigation Association.

Christina Hurley, AICP

Senior Hazard Mitigation Planner  |  Stantec

Session: From Planning to Action: Galax's Innovative Path to Flood Resilience

More information coming soon!

Peter Indovino

Business Development Representative  |  FloodMapp

Session: FloodMapp and RISE Resilience Innovations Deploy an Operational, Impact-based Forecast and Early Warning System Across Virginia’s Blue Ridge Region

More information coming soon!

Brett Laplante, CFM, PE

Senior Engineer II  |  AtkinsRéalis

Session: From One-Dimensional Assumptions to Urban Realities: Modernizing Floodway Analysis; Managing North Carolina's Flood Risk by Monitoring and Managing the State's Aging Dams 

Brett Laplante, P.E., CFM is a Senior Engineer II with AtkinsRéalis with 15 years of experience in water resources engineering, specializing in flood hazard analysis, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, and community-focused risk communication. Over the past decade, he has supported FEMA's RiskMAP program, delivering technical analyses and mapping for flood risk studies nationwide. In his free time, he competes with US Masters Swimming and serves as Secretary for the Potomac Valley LMSC Board.

Cameron Lancaster, PE, CFM

Water Engineer  |  Arcadis

Session: A Complex Resilience Solution in the Heart of Virginia Beach

Currently leading resilience efforts at Arcadis as a PE and CFM, Cameron Lancaster is a Cornell University and Imperial College London alumni with 9 years of experience in resilience. He has led a career dedicated to specializing in stormwater management, water resources, and flood risk management projects for esteemed principal clients across the United States. Primary projects have focused on enhancing urban drainage and implementing large-scale capital improvement projects to boost resilience.

Seth Lawler, PhD

Associate Vice President / Computational Scientist  |  Dewberry

Session: The Power of Openness: Improving Flood Hazard Management with Open Source, Standards, Data, and Science

Seth Lawler is an Associate Vice President at Dewberry, where he manages programs under the Resilience Solutions group. He has developed advanced software and engineering frameworks for FEMA, NOAA, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the USGS. Seth is a member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the American Meteorological Society (AMS), and is a former president of the National Capital Region section of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA).

Robert J. Martz, P.E.

Hydraulic Analysis Manager  |  Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD)

Session: Planning for Climate Change: Approach to Estimating and Adapting Flooding Exposure for HRSD Facilities

Robert Martz is a Civil Engineer and licensed Professional Engineer in Virginia with 28 years of public utility experience across Virginia, Florida, and Ohio. His expertise encompasses the operations, planning, design, and construction of sanitary sewer and water infrastructure. At HRSD, Robert coordinated the comprehensive 12-year development of a Regional Hydraulic Model as part of a US EPA Consent Decree. Currently, he manages the maintenance of this model and serves as the lead for HRSD's climate change planning, evaluating the impacts of increased rainfall and sea level rise on all facilities.

Pamela Mason

Senior Research Scientist (Retired); VIMS / Director; Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District

Session: The Role of Marsh Vulnerability Assessments in Flood Resilience Planning

Pam is recently retired as a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Coastal Resource Management at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She has been working on coastal resource issues for several decades with a focus on integrated management of shorelines, wetlands, and coastal community resilience. Her current research interest is multiple benefits of natural and nature-based features including living shorelines, tidal and non-tidal wetlands, environmental policy, and coastal management. She is an elected Director of the Colonial Soil and Water Conservation Board representing York County. She currently serves as Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Program Wetlands Workgroup and served on the Virginia Coastal Policy Team.

Benjamin McFarlane, AICP, CFM

Chief Resilience Officer  |  Hampton Roads Planning District Commission

Session: Using Advanced Local Modeling to Improve Stormwater and Floodplain Management & Regulatory Compliance

Ben McFarlane is the Chief Resilience Officer for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, the regional planning organization for southeastern Virginia. Mr. McFarlane has been with the HRPDC for seventeen years, working primarily on the Commission's coastal resources management efforts. He is the lead planner for the Commission's work on coastal resiliency, coastal zone management, and military-locality coordination. He received a B.A. in Economics and a Master's of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a Certified Floodplain Manager.

Jennifer McGee

Water Resources Engineer  |  WSP USA

Session: Turn PDFs into Insights: Custom AI-Driven Data Extraction Made Easy

Ms. McGee is a Water Resources Engineer with WSP. She has a background in FEMA's NFIP program and Public Assistance program for disaster recovery. Her primary work is developing data science applications for engineering projects. She is also the WSP Low Code Practice Areas Network (PAN) Lead, helping staff to upskill in the Microsoft Power Platform.

Jamie Monohan, PE, CFM

Project Manager  |  Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc. (JMT)

Session: Outfall Canal Road Bridge Replacement

Jamie Monohan is a project manager with JMT in Richmond, VA. He graduated from University of Virginia with bachelor and master's degrees in Environmental Science and Civil Engineering, respectively. He has been working actively in water resources engineering since 2001.

Kristine Mosuela

Water Resources Engineer  |  WSP

Session: Crowd-Sourced Flood Data from Navigational Mobile Apps

Ms. Kristine Mosuela is a water resources engineer at WSP in Herndon, Virginia. She works on hydrologic and hydraulic flood risk models for various watersheds in the mid-Atlantic region and manages a water technology group specializing in pro-code and low-code tools for water resources applications. She is a liberal arts graduate of the College of William and Mary, an engineering graduate of George Mason University, and her master's thesis at Virginia Tech focused on coastal resilience.

Jason Murnock, CPESC, CPSWQ

Mid-Atlantic Account Representative  |  OptiRTC, Inc.

Session: A Flood Reduction Strategy that also Helps Attain Bay TMDL Reductions: Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC) in Staunton, VA

Jason Murnock, CPESC, CPSWQ, has been assisting clients with solutions to water quality and stormwater management issues in the Chesapeake Bay area since 2002. Representing OptiRTC and their CMAC technology has been a great addition to this history, providing an innovative way for communities and owners of stormwater management facilities to see how the facility is functioning in real-time and enabling greater quality and quantity benefits over passive configurations.

Denise Nelson, P.E., CFM, ENV SP, LEED AP

Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineer  |  Denise Nelson Advising, LLC

Session: The Deluge of Data: Leveraging AI & Machine Learning for Proactive Floodplain Management

Denise Nelson, P.E., CFM, ENV SP, LEED AP (she/her) has over 20 years of experience in sustainable development, community resiliency, collaboration building, and winning grants. Her background as a design engineer and more recent work in community development, policies, and stakeholder engagement provides extensive transferable knowledge for optimizing operations and long-term planning.

Savannah Newbern, CFM

Senior Planner  |  Berkley Group

Session: Inside the Audit and Beyond: Essex County's NFIP Compliance and CFPF Funding

More information coming soon!

Ted O'Connell

Account Executive, Northeast US  |  AEM – Advanced Environmental Monitoring

Session: Floodplain Monitoring and Resilience Strategies Using Real-Time Environmental Intelligence

Ted is an Account Executive for State and Local Government with AEM. He has been in the industry for over 5 years. He holds a B.A. and M.A. from New Mexico State University.

Kristin Owen, AICP, CFM

Assistant Division Director, Design Division  |  Henrico County Department of Public Works

Session: From Exercise to Action: Enhancing Dam Safety and Flood Emergency Response in Henrico County; From Paper to Practice: How Henrico County Built a Floodplain Program That Works; Using Advanced Local Modeling to Improve Stormwater and Floodplain Management 

Kristin Owen is the Assistant Design Division Director with the Department of Public Works in Henrico County, overseeing both the Floodplain & Dam Safety and Assurance Control groups. Prior to this role, Kristin was the Floodplain & Dam Safety Manager for Henrico County where she implemented several program enhancements to reduce flood risk and increase resiliency, including revising the County's floodplain ordinance, creating a Floodplain Technical Guidance Manual, and joining the Community Rating System (CRS) Program as a Class 5*. Kristin is an AICP professional planner and a Certified Floodplain Manager, as well as the past-President of the Virginia Floodplain Management Association.

Justin Park, PLA, ASLA, WEDG

Senior Landscape Architect  |  Biohabitats, Inc.

Session: Transforming Baltimore's Middle Branch – Enhancing Shoreline Resilience Through Restoration

Justin Park is a Senior Landscape Architect with Biohabitats, located in the Baltimore office. He principally focuses his design work on implementing ecological design strategies within the context of the urban waterfront through the facilitation of habitat creation/restoration, waterfront development and access, floating wetlands implementation, and establishment of living shorelines. Prior to his work at Biohabitats, Justin worked on a range of project types, including mixed-use, institutional, residential, and urban design. He has a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Mary Washington.

Daven Patel, PE

Senior Project Manager  |  AtkinsRéalis

Session: From Paper to Practice: How Henrico County Built a Floodplain Program That Works

Daven Patel, PE, CFM has over twenty years of experience in water resources engineering. He has been with AtkinsRéalis since 2001 and is located in their Virginia and Maryland offices. In his roles as a Senior Project Manager and Senior Engineer, Mr. Patel has managed many diverse floodplain mapping and management projects and completed and performed quality control for hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and floodplain studies. He currently supports Henrico County with their floodplain plan review program and previously supported FEMA with their LOMR/CLOMR program. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a major in Water Resources Engineering and a minor in Environmental Engineering.

Jose Pillich, Ph.D.

Managing Director  |  IQSpatial

Session: The Deluge of Data: Leveraging AI & Machine Learning for Proactive Floodplain Management

Jose Pillich, Ph.D. is an accomplished technical subject matter expert experienced in conducting environmental/sustainability research and geospatial analysis related to climate change, urban planning, demographics, and ESG topics. Jose has extensive experience managing and contributing to private and public sector projects across multiple disciplines. He is a results-oriented professional with a proven ability to work individually and in team environments that involve collaboration with diverse groups.

Daniel Proctor, PE

Senior Project Manager  |  Kimley-Horn

Session: The Role of Marsh Vulnerability Assessments in Flood Resilience Planning

Daniel has more than 25 years of experience planning, designing, and managing environmental and engineering projects for both private and public sector clients. He specializes in understanding water's impact on human and natural environments, employing both conventional and nature-based solutions for stormwater and ecosystem restoration. Daniel is experienced with watershed management planning, stormwater master planning, flood protection, stream restoration, and shoreline stabilization. He also was an active participant on the DEQ Regulatory Advisory Panel for the development of Stormwater Technical Criteria and the Chesapeake Bay Program's Shoreline Management Expert Panel.

Thomas Ruppert, Esq.

Asst. Provost for Coastal Resilience; Director, Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative  |  William & Mary

Session: No Adverse Impact: Making Virginia More Resilient Through NAI ; Panel Discussion – Lunch & Film Screening

Thomas Ruppert, Esq., has over 20 years of experience in law and adaptation to rising seas and a changing climate from the perspective of local governments. He directs the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative at William & Mary, which supports dynamic, safe, healthy, and resilient Virginia communities by collaborating with community, academic, and government partners across the Commonwealth and beyond to enable scientifically informed, participatory decision-making for resilience. Mr. Ruppert has authored or co-authored numerous legal articles and book chapters, all touching on property, including the NAI Legal Guide. Mr. Ruppert speaks fluent Spanish and has traveled professionally and personally in Central and South America.

Kyle Spencer

Chief Resilience Officer  |  City of Norfolk

Session: Building Coastal Resilience: The Norfolk CSRM Project as a Model for Integrated Risk Management

Kyle Spencer is Chief Resilience Officer at the City of Norfolk, Virginia. He is responsible for implementing the City's Resilience Strategy by managing complex water management, environmental, urban planning, and smart cities projects. He regularly collaborates with regional partners on resilience innovations to support research projects with universities and develops business solutions in the resilience sector by turning Norfolk into a coastal community laboratory. His work in resilience has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, on NPR's Marketplace, and the Weather Channel.

Caitlin Verdu 

Resilience Coordinator  |  Virginia Office of Resilience

Session: Panel Discussion – Lunch & Film Screening

More information coming soon!

Ross Weaver, AICP, CFM

Floodplain & Dam Safety Manager  |  Henrico County

Session: Before the Storm: Building a Pre-Disaster Voluntary Acquisition Program in Henrico County

Ross Weaver is the Floodplain & Dam Safety Manager for Henrico County, VA where he oversees the County's floodplain management and dam safety programs, including the County's National Flood Insurance Program and Community Rating System program participation, the floodplain acquisition program, and local resilience planning. Previously, he was the Coastal Resilience Program Manager for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Program Assistant Director for Wetlands Watch, where he worked with localities and state agencies to promote natural infrastructure solutions to flooding. He is a Certified Floodplain Manager and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Christopher Williams, CFM

Senior Engineering Specialist  |  City of Newport News

Session: Using Advanced Local Modeling to Improve Stormwater and Floodplain Management & Regulatory Compliance

Christopher Williams, CFM, is the Floodplain, Resilience, & FEMA Community Rating System Coordinator for the City of Newport News. He studied Electronics Engineering at ECPI University, Construction Management at Lake Superior College, and Business Administration at Virginia Peninsula Community College.

Doug Williams, AIA

Director of Planning and Community Development / Zoning Administrator  |  City of Galax

Session: From Planning to Action: Galax's Innovative Path to Flood Resilience

Doug serves the City of Galax as the Director of Planning and Community Development as well as the Zoning Administrator. Doug leads a variety of planning efforts and projects shaping Galax's growth and community development. Doug has played a pivotal role in shaping Galax's resilience planning strategies and stormwater infrastructure improvements.

Thomas Williams, PE

Senior Water Resources & Software Engineer  |  WSP, Inc.

Session: Developing NCDOT RAFT: Resilience Analysis Framework for Transportation

Thomas Williams is a senior water resources engineer and software developer at WSP. Based in Richmond, his work is focused at the intersection of hydrology, hydraulics, GIS, and computer science.

Rob Young

Director, Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines  |  Western Carolina University

Session: Panel Discussion – Lunch & Film Screening

Dr. Young grew up in Newport News, VA and graduated from Denbigh High School and the College of William and Mary. He served on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Virginia Coastal Master Plan. He is currently the Director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, a joint Western Carolina University/Duke University Research Center.

Sherwin Zahirieh, PE, CFM, ENV SP

Civil Engineer / Resilience Planner  |  AECOM

Session: Flood Risk Mitigation and Resilience Planning in a Small City – Case Study on the City of Covington

Sherwin is a Water Resources Engineer, Project Manager, and licensed Professional Engineer at AECOM with a wide range of experience in civil engineering design, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, flood hazard analysis, and resiliency planning. He particularly enjoys working on multidisciplinary projects with other engineers, scientists, planners, and communication specialists. He has his B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from George Mason University and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. there as well on a part-time basis.