December 8-10, 2021

Governor Philip D. Murphy appointed Shawn M. LaTourette in June 2021 as New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection. Commissioner LaTourette is responsible for formulating statewide environmental policy while directing programs that protect public health and ensure the quality of New Jersey’s air, land, water, and natural and historic resources.

Commissioner LaTourette was born and raised in New Jersey. Commissioner LaTourette graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University and earned his
law degree summa cum laude from Rutgers Law School. The Commissioner has vast experience and a deep commitment to equity and protecting vulnerable
communities while facilitating public infrastructure development and advocating for environmental protection.

Mr. Adeem, a Newark native, began working for the City of Newark in 1991 in the Department of Engineering. In 2013, Adeem was promoted to superintendent of public works, where he oversaw daily maintenance operations of the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities. In 2018, he received his certification as a Public Works Manager and was appointed to his present position. He was a key player in various municipal projects, including the Queen Ditch Restoration Project, which helped address chronic flooding along Frelinghuysen Avenue that has plagued the area for more than 30 years. Director Adeem is credited with helping to rebrand the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities and upgrading the city’s infrastructure as it works to replace every lead service line. He is a dedicated public servant who has, and continues to, give back to his native community.

Kristin Epstein is a Project Technical Leader with CDM Smith and national expert in LCRR/LCRI compliance. She assists water systems across the country with their service line material inventories, LSL replacement program planning, and LCR/LCRR/LCRI compliance. She was the Assistant Director of Trenton Water Works (2018-2022) where she developed and implemented a $50 million LSL replacement program that replaced 9,500 LSLs in 2.5 years, including private and public portions of the service lines. She is a frequent presenter at national and regional drinking water conferences. 

Andrew Kricun is a Managing Director with Moonshot Missions, a non-profit focused on providing technical assistance to water utilities in underserved communities. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director and Chief Engineer of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, operators of an 80 million gallon per day wastewater treatment plant in Camden, NJ. He has 35 years of wastewater and biosolids management experience. He graduated with honors from Princeton University with a degree in chemical engineering. He also holds a professional engineer’s license in civil engineering and is a board-certified environmental engineer as well.

Andy serves on the USEPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council and also New Jersey Environmental Justice Advisory Council.  He previously served on the board of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and as the chair of its Utility of the Future committee and the Environmental Justice committee. He was the recipient of the Praxis Award for Professional Ethics, the President’s Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the One Water Prize from the US Water Alliance, and Environmental Quality Awards from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He was also chosen as governmental engineer of the year by the NJ Chapter American Society of Civil Engineers in 2018.

He serves as co-chair for the Jersey Water Works Steering Committee.

Larry Levine advocates for strong enforcement of, improvement of, and funding for national, state, and local policies on urban water quality, water infrastructure, and affordable access to safe and sufficient water and sanitation. His work includes developing and advocating for strategies to ensure that water and sewer service remains affordable for all, even as water infrastructure investment increases to meet clean water needs. Previously, he was a litigation fellow at NRDC and he also worked as a clinical fellow in environmental law at the Georgetown University Law Center. He is a graduate of Tulane University and Yale Law School. He is based in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

Mark McDonough is the principal external contact for New Jersey American Water, overseeing 850 employees who serve approximately 2.8 million people. McDonough’s previous roles with American Water included president of the Military Services Group and Chief Compliance Officer. 

Before joining American Water in June 2005, McDonough was an attorney. Prior to graduating law school, he was a special agent with the U.S. Government, serving in the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Energy, The National Passenger Railroad Corporation (Amtrak), and the General Services Administration. McDonough received his B.S. in criminal justice from the University of Delaware, his M.S. in justice from American University, and his J.D. from George Mason University.

Shereyl is a dedicated community organizer with a deep commitment to social justice. She began her academic journey at Mercer County Community College, where she earned an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Following her graduation, Shereyl spent five years as a substitute teacher for the Hamilton school district, where she gained valuable experience in educating the youth.

Later, Shereyl pursued further education at William Paterson University, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in social justice and history. This academic focus fueled her passion ever stronger for advocacy around EJ issues and community organizing.

In her role as a community organizer with the East Trenton Collaborative. Shereyl provides dynamic leadership, amplifies the voices of marginalized communities, and facilitates collaboration among individuals from diverse backgrounds. She is dedicated to developing a robust commercial and residential community in the East Trenton neighborhood and greater Trenton.

In 2021, the East Trenton Collaborative achieved a significant milestone by becoming a lead-free community hub. Now, Shereyl serves as the lead advocate for the Trenton Lead-Free Hub, focusing on early lead testing for children and working to eliminate barriers to accessing these tests.

Shereyl’s advocacy extends beyond testing; she is also instrumental in bringing together agencies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Rutgers EOHSI, the City Department of Health (DOH), Green&Healthy Home Initiative (GHHI), Trenton Health Team(THT), New Jersey Future, and other organizations, to address the high levels of lead in Trenton’s soil, house-paint, and water.

Shereyl firmly believes that the future of Trenton’s children depends on eradicating lead contamination, and she is dedicated to ensuring the next generation reaches their full potential in a lead-safe environment.

Jim Cosgrove recently founded One Water Consulting LLC to provide water resource services guided by the fact that ALL water (rainwater to wastewater) must be managed in an integrated manor. He is a registered professional engineer in New Jersey with over 35 years’ consulting experience in water resources management, with specific expertise in NJPDES permit support, water quality modeling, watershed and stormwater management, environmental impact assessment, and resiliency planning.

He received a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College and a M.Eng. degree in Water Resource Systems Engineering from Cornell University.

Jim has recently been active addressing PFAS monitoring issues for wastewater treatment plants.

Michael Furrey is the President of Agra Environmental and Laboratory Services, a company specializing in laboratory services and consultation to the water and wastewater industry. He holds a T-4 License, W-3 License, and aquatic pesticide applicator license for NJ and is the former chair for NJAWWA. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Cook College, Rutgers University. He is also an adjunct Professor at Rutgers University.

Trish Ingelido is the Director of Division of Water Supply and Geoscience. She has over 20 years of experience in water resources management at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. She previously served as the Assistant Director of the Water System Operations Element in the Division of Water Supply and Geoscience. She earned a B.S. in Environmental Science from Rutgers University, an M.S. in Environmental Policy from New Jersey Institute of Technology and is a Certified Public Manager.

Dan is Senior Director at the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA) of NJ, a trade association with members that deliver a wide range of infrastructure solutions for the public and private sectors. Dan’s subject matter expertise has him focusing on a wide range of environmental and utility issues. He serves on the Steering Committee of Jersey Water Works and is Chairman of the national Clean Water Construction Coalition, an organization of construction associations whose purpose is to promote federal legislation that improves water infrastructure. Prior to his role with UTCA, he served as an Assistant Commissioner at the NJDEP, Deputy Director of the NJ Office for Planning Advocacy, and in various roles in county government.

He is a licensed professional planner with a MCRP from Rutgers’ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy and a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Delaware. Dan serves as the Chair of Bordentown City’s Planning / Zoning Board and the Vice-Chair of the Burlington County Agricultural Development Board.

Nicole Miller, Principal of MnM Consulting, is a communications professional with nearly two decades of experience creating targeted publicity and marketing campaigns for a range of clients in private industry and the nonprofit sector. MnM Consulting specializes in media development, digital and print publishing, brand strategy, content creation, and clean energy/sustainability education for business and general audiences. MnM Consulting works with several small business, government, and non-profit clients on brand development, project management, event coordination and product deployment. Ms. Miller has a BA in Arts, Media, and Culture from the University of Washington and a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University in New York. Ms. Miller is a resident of Newark, NJ, a member of the Newark Environmental Commission advising the Mayor and City Council on sustainability issues, Chair of the Newark Green Team, and Co-Chair of NewarkDIG (Doing Infrastructure Green), which is dedicated to resilient and sustainable municipal stormwater management.

She serves as co-chair for the Jersey Water Works Steering Committee.

Rosana Pedra Nobre is the Water Quality Manager at the Hudson River Foundation and the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, where she works with partner organizations and agencies to manage water resources and improve water quality in the Harbor Estuary. She dedicates her time towards incorporating science, data collection, and community engagement into addressing water quality challenges and uses an educational lens to communicate science. Rosana has an Ed.M. in science education and a B.S. in environmental sciences from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Donald C. Shields, PE, is Vice President and Director of Engineering for New Jersey American Water, the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater to approximately 2.8 million people. Shields oversees a staff of over 50 professionals including construction managers, engineers, planners and geographic information systems (GIS) specialists. He is directly responsible for delivering New Jersey American Water’s capital investment program of more than $350 million per year. In his role, he also provides oversight to engineering activities in the other Eastern Division states, which includes New York, Virginia and Maryland.

Shields has more than 25 years of industry experience, joining American Water in 2001. Prior to his current role, he served as Engineering Director of New Business Development for American Water’s Corporate Engineering Group. While there, he supported American Water’s regulated and market-based businesses, offering technical guidance and expertise for project development and execution, including large water, wastewater and solids digestion/management/handling/energy production.  

He also spent ten years at American Water’s former subsidiary, Applied Water Management, where he managed a team of 30 construction managers and engineers. He has significant experience with designing, building and commissioning membrane bio reactors, a key technology used in water reclamation and reuse. 

Prior to joining American Water, Shields spent ten years working for Bergen County Utilities Authority in Northern New Jersey, where he worked on capital improvement projects ranging from automated meter systems and force main rehabilitation, to wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

Shields is a licensed Professional Engineer in New Jersey, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University.

Dr. Daniel Van Abs, is a Professor of Professional Practice for Water, Society & Environment at Rutgers University, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. He has 42 years of experience in water resources and environmental management with Rutgers, the Highlands Council, NJ Water Supply Authority, NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the Passaic River Coalition.  He is a member of Jersey Water Works Asset Management and Finance Committee and Jersey WaterCheck’s Data Advisory Committee. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, is a licensed Professional Planner in New Jersey and a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. See www.danvanabs.com for more details.

After thirty-five years as a dental professional, in my retirement, I evolved into a community activist for a better Paterson, my hometown of 51 years. As a Cuban American, I especially embrace and appreciate the many multicultural constituents of Paterson and recognize the need for a “no blame” solution approach. As a Paterson Civic Trustee, my environmental involvement is to research and bring forward practical solutions for a better community. 

Since 2018, I have been the chairwoman for the Paterson Green Team which allows me to bring resources to the community, like Recycling, Reducing and Reusing for a Green Clean Community. The Green Team’s Adopt a Catch Basin program has been instrumental in educating the community as to what a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) and has increased community outreach. The Paterson Green Team continues working with various partners, helping to make the City more sustainable. Currently, I am the captain of my neighborhood block watch where flooding persists, and an active citizen participant on the Sewage Free Streets and Rivers Committee on behalf of Paterson whose Combined Sewage Overflow infrastructure is mandated for long overdue upgrades. As  a current flood victim, I am dedicated to  advocating for action on sewer separation that needs to be implemented as soon as possible.  

I am particularly focused on bringing educational awareness about the recurrent and devastating flooding on Paterson streets because all Paterson residents need to  understand  how structural water infrastructure is so critical for our  health and livelihoods.  One of my key goals is having partnerships, open community outreach and dialogue so that the diverse communities within Paterson come together to engage in solutions that affect the quality of life for all. 

Ms. Brunton is a civil and environmental engineer with over 20 years of experience whose recognized leadership of multidisciplinary teams produced numerous successful civil and water infrastructure designs.  Ms. Brunton has dedicated her career to protecting communities from flooding, the protection of miles of shoreline, and the restoration of more than 1,000 acres of habitat restoration. Ms. Brunton excels at working with clients to articulate project goals, which she translates into her management of teams of technical specialists that derive the required data and craft designs that meet project needs, align with client objectives, and meet project scope, budget and schedule commitments. She effectively works with stakeholders during project development to establish requirements, opportunities, and constraints that are assimilated into the design process. Her expertise includes managing task order-based contracts, designing and overseeing the execution of technical studies, including natural resource studies and hydrologic, hydraulic and hydrodynamic modeling efforts; developing engineering plans, specifications, and cost estimates; providing construction supervision; conducting post-construction monitoring; and developing and implementing adaptive management actions. Ms. Brunton is also experienced in advancing projects to meet federal, state and local regulations and successfully obtaining applicable permits and approvals. She currently serves as the Chair of the ACEC-NJ Water and Wastewater Committee.

Rich is the Director for Ridgewood Water; one of the 25 largest utilities in the state, servicing over 61,000 customers in four municipalities. Rich is a licensed professional engineer and planner, with over 25 years’ experience. The hallmark of his career has been the last six years with Ridgewood, advancing government policies with sound engineering principles, to provide safe drinking water from a complex groundwater system.

Rina Dalal has 15 years of experience in environmental engineering consulting and specializes in vulnerability assessments and resiliency projects. She has worked alongside utilities and municipalities in NJ and throughout the east coast to develop public education and participation programs for key water infrastructure improvement projects including lead service line replacement programs and climate change planning projects. Ms. Dalal is a member of the Association of Environmental Authorities and oversees the association’s mentoring program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and is currently completing a master’s degree in Sustainability Management.

Richard S. Dovey is President of the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA), a position he has held since 1990. Mr. Dovey oversees a staff of 250, an annual operating budget of $60 million, and a capital budget averaging $5 million yearly.

The ACUA operates a 40 million gallon-a-day wastewater treatment plant in Atlantic City, NJ, a regional sewerage collection system serving 14 municipalities in Atlantic County and an extensive solid waste management system in Egg Harbor Township which serves 100,000 homes and businesses in Atlantic County. 

While Mr. Dovey has served as president, ACUA has been nationally recognized for excellence in innovation, efficiency, and environmental stewardship. 

As a strong proponent of renewable energy, he initiated many of ACUA’s green projects, such as a 500-kilowatt solar project, a landfill gas-to-electricity project, South Jersey’s first compressed natural gas (CNG) station and, most notably, the construction of New Jersey’s first wind farm at ACUA’s Wastewater Treatment Facility. 

His continued focus on delivering excellent customer service and engaging with the community has made ACUA a highly regarded agency both locally and throughout the state. 

Dr. Katy Hansen works to improve equity in local public service provision. As a Senior Advisor for Water at EPIC, she focuses on the allocation of federal financial assistance for water infrastructure. Prior to EPIC, Katy worked at the Environmental Finance Center at UNC-Chapel Hill,  Association for Water and Rural Development in South Africa, and Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in the Middle East. She led projects to digitize over 500 maps of water service areas for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and improve access to sanitation in rural Alabama with the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice.  She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Policy from Duke University and an MSc in Water Policy from the University of Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. 

Hector Herrera has spent the past 18 years as a public administrator in local government and is currently the Borough Administrator of the Borough of Bound Brook. Prior to obtaining his Master of Public Administration degree in 2010 from Rutgers University – Newark, Hector served in the United States Navy.  

Having grown up in poverty in Camden County, Renee Koubiadis is deeply committed to identifying and breaking down barriers that prevent many people and families from meeting their basic necessities. Renee has been an advocate and community organizer, helping disempowered populations use their voices towards social change throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania for over 18 years. Renee currently serves as the Anti-Poverty Program Director of New Jersey Citizen Action where she leads the Anti-Poverty Network as she has done since 2016. She previously served as the statewide Advocacy Coordinator of the National Association of Social Workers – NJ Chapter (NASW-NJ) and prior to that the Assistant State Campaign Director for the Citizens’ Campaign, a New Jersey non-partisan movement of hundreds of citizens dedicated to innovative government reform and promoting citizen leadership. Renee is co-creator of Garden State Leaders, a leadership and advocacy institute for people impacted by poverty. In her various roles over the last 18 years, Renee has educated thousands of people on issues of poverty, leadership, structural racism, and civic engagement. In late 2017, she served as co-chair for Governor-elect Phil Murphy’s transition team housing committee and in May 2020 was named to the New Jersey Restart and Recovery Advisory Council. Renee is a 2019 Lead New Jersey fellow and was recognized by New Jersey Citizen Action the same year with a Community Service Award. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Movement Alliance Project and the Steering Committee of the Latino Action Network. Renee is a Licensed Social Worker in New Jersey and holds an MSW from Temple University and a BASW from Rutgers University.

Zach McCue is the Deputy State Director for U.S. Senator Cory Booker with over a decade of experience in New Jersey government. As a senior advisor to U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Zach’s portfolio includes federal policy on energy, infrastructure, and the environment. Zach is responsible for helping Senator Booker to drive his legislative agenda, interface with all levels of government and public entities, and work to secure federal resources on behalf of New Jersey stakeholders.

Prior to joining Senator Booker’s office, Zach worked on coastal water policy as an organizer at Clean Ocean Action, and for the late U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Penn State University, and is a resident of Cranford, New Jersey.

Joel Rosa, Chairman of Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency, is a proud New Jersey native who was appointed by Mayor Helmin J. Caba as Perth Amboy’s lead person on the CSO Long Term Control Plan. In this capacity, Joel oversees economic development within the City’s redevelopment zone and ensures all approved projects provide infrastructure improvements that build storm resiliency. During his term, PARA approved over $1 billion in private investment, generated over $15M in annual tax revenue, created over 3,000 jobs, and produced more than $25M in infrastructure improvements.

Prior to his current role, Joel lead communities of empowered citizens to present solutions to their governing bodies in cities including Newark, Perth Amboy, Plainfield, Trenton, and Philadelphia as the Civic Trust Director for the Citizens Campaign Non-Profit. During his time there, he worked with public officials and school administrators throughout New Jersey to implement public safety policies, civic-based curriculums, and quality of life enhancement programs that address social justice and environmental issues. 

Joel is also a business professional with over 15 years of experience in managing companies in private, public, and voluntary sectors. He is committed to developing underserved communities and volunteers as a member of the Perth Amboy Green Team, Middlesex County Solid Waste Advisory Council, and Jersey Waterworks Steering Committee.

Marianna Schaffer is Vice President of Programs, a critical leader at the Foundation providing oversight and management of all programmatic activities. In her role, she ensures alignment with Foundation goals and values focused on equity, anti-racism, and justice. 

Marianna has nearly 20 years experience as a philanthropic nonprofit sector leader. She was the inaugural Director of Artist Initiatives at Creative Capital, an organization that provides adventurous artists across the country with substantial financial and capacity-building grants. While there, she ushered in the widest national diversity of applicants, awarded artists, and practitioners in the organization’s history. 

Prior to Creative Capital, Marianna was Program Officer at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, where she worked with individual artists and small arts organizations at the intersection of arts and social justice. She also managed the New Climate Initiative, a partnership with the Sundance Institute focused on climate change-related media projects. Before joining Rauschenberg, Marianna was Director of Programs at the David Rockefeller Fund. There she oversaw day-to-day operations and grantmaking focused on arts access and engagement, criminal justice reform, and climate justice and advocacy. 

Marianna serves on the Board of Directors of HI-ARTS, Outdoor Empowered Network, and the Scherman Foundation. She is the daughter of a Marlton native and mother of two. 

Scott Schreiber is the Executive Director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority. Prior to becoming the Executive Director, Scott served as the Budget Officer and Planning and Grant Administrator for the Authority. Scott focuses his time and energy on two important priorities. First, the Authority is undertaking a 5 year, $75 million capital improvement project as many of the originally constructed components of the system are at the end of their useful life. Second, the Authority has partnered with the County of Camden to address flooding in the City of Camden and the suburbs of the County.

Marcus Sibley is Newark, NJ native with a deep and profound commitment to justice and progress. He serves as the New Jersey State Conference NAACP Environmental & Climate Justice Chairman, the President of the Southern Burlington County NAACP, and the Chairman of the New Jersey Progressive Equitable Energy Coalition (NJPEEC). A Rutgers University alum with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Social Work, the Leadership Development Specialist presented across the country for the previous fifteen years prior to the pandemic. Today, he’s the Director of Conservation Partnerships for the National Wildlife Federation Northeast Region, building working to build capacity for the fights for animal, human, and environmental rights.

“Motivation can fade. But once empowered … there’s no limit to what one can accomplish.”

 – Marcus Sibley, MSW

Attorney: Tiffany Stewart, Esq.

Municipal Administrator/Director of Human Resources, City of Newark

Education       

George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services

Ø  BS in Public Health, 2006

Seton Hall University School of Law

Ø  J.D., 2012

Ms. Stewart is a Newark native who obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.   Thereafter, she worked for Washington, D.C. government on class action law suits.  She then went on to attend Seton Hall University School of Law, where completed her Juris Doctorate Degree.

Following law school, Ms. Stewart worked as a law clerk and then in the private sector where she predominantly practiced civil litigation.

She continued her career in public service by working for the City of Newark as Attorney for the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities and now serves as the Assistant Director and Attorney. As Assistant Director of the Utility she handled environmental regulatory compliance on a state and federal level for the City’s utility which is one of the largest publicly owned and operated utilities in the country. She also over sought various legal aspects of the Department’s operations, as well as administration, personnel, procurement, contract management, capital improvement and infrastructure projects.  Including in her tasks assisting the Director she helped managed and the Utility’s nearly $150 million budget, was involved in grant application and developing creative ways to increase collections as well as meet annual budget requirements.

While in her role as Assistant Director, Ms. Stewart was also been intimately involved in the City’s innovative Lead Service Line Replacement Program which is expected to replace over 22,000 lead service lines across the City in 24-30 months.  She was instrumental in the launch and continued operation of the filter deployment program across the City of Newark.  Ms. Stewart was also responsible for the development, creation and launch of the Department’s first educational program for students of Newark which has been named the Newark Watershed Science and Leadership Academy.  She continues her career in public service and looks forward to making her mark in the community in which she was raised.

She now serves as the Director of Human Resources for the City of Newark but continues to assist in any way she can. 

Ms. Stewart serves on several boards including, New Jersey Shares, NJ Lead in Drinking Water Task Force and Lead Free New Jersey.  She is also a Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment Fellow in their Water Innovation and Leadership Development Program.

Alua Suleimenova is a corporate sustainability strategist with 6+ years of experience and expertise in climate risk and opportunity assessment, water stewardship, sustainability strategy and ESG reporting. At WSP, Alua is working with Fortune 500 companies and other key players in the technology, financial services, healthcare, as well as public utilities. She helps clients to assess business risks and opportunities associated with the physical impacts of climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy, and develop roadmaps aligned with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD).