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12:30 pm: Major General William “Butch” Graham Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Major General William (Butch) H. Graham, Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations Graham, received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1989 from the University of Pittsburgh. He is an Engineer Officer who has commanded Soldiers at all levels up to division.
1:00 pm: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Employee Award Presentation
1:05 pm: ASBPA Congressional Friend of the Coast Award Presentation
Senator Ted Lieu
Senator Corey Booker
1:15 pm: Break
1:35 pm: Collin O’Mara, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Wildlife Federation
Collin O’Mara serves as President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, America’s largest wildlife conservation organization with 53 state and territorial affiliates and nearly six million hunters, anglers, birders, gardeners, hikers, paddlers, and wildlife enthusiasts. Under O’Mara’s leadership, the National Wildlife Federation is focused on recovering America’s wildlife ranging from bison and bighorn sheep to pollinators like monarch butterflies and native bees, improving management of and access to public lands, restoring America’s water bodies, advancing environmental education (including publishing Ranger Rick® magazines), and connecting every American child with the great outdoors.
2:00 pm: Mark S. Osler, Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Mark Osler is the Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). His leadership advances coastal inundation science and the ability of decision makers to prepare for and respond to changes affecting the nation’s coastlines.
2:30 pm: “Currents of Change: How BOEM adapts to partner needs.” Dr. Megan Carr, Chief of the Strategic Resources Program, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
As Chief of the Strategic Resources Program, Dr. Megan Carr directs a varied portfolio. She oversees development and implementation of the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program; the assessment and inventory of oil, gas and other mineral resources; maintenance of official maps and geographic data; economic evaluations to ensure the receipt of fair market value for offshore resources; and the identification and mitigation of financial risks associated with leasing activities.
3:00 pm: Coastal Trivia Game Break led by ASBPA’s Students and New Professionals Chapter
Join in on trivia by going to PollEv.com/anniemercer384 on a computer or mobile device.
Sponsored by Ducks Unlimited
3:30 pm: Reflections on the 117th Congress
Rep. Garret Graves, Louisiana
4:00 pm: ASBPA’s Science & Technology and Government Affairs agendas by Nicole Elko, ASBPA Science Director and Peter Seidle, ASBPA Government Affairs Committee Chair
Nicole Elko, Ph.D. has 20 years of experience managing/assisting with more than 20 beach preservation projects along the U.S. Southeast and Gulf coasts. Dr. Elko received her Ph.D. (Geology) from the University of South Florida after working with the USGS Coastal Marine Geology Program, St. Petersburg, and while serving as the coastal coordinator for Pinellas County, FL.
Coastal Engineer for Applied Technology & Management, West Palm Beach, FL, Mr. Seidle is a project manager with over 20 years of experience providing domestic and international clients with effective shoreline and inlet solutions.
4:25 pm: ASBPA National Coastal Conference preview by Gordon Thomson, 2021 National Conference Co-chair
Thomson is an Associate Principal and Senior Coastal Engineer at Baird & Associates. He has designed, permitted and constructed a wide array of beach nourishment, marsh restoration, and coastal structure projects along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Thomson has developed numerous reports and federal documents combining coastal principles and numerical modeling. He is a licensed professional engineer in eight states and is accredited by COPRI as a Diplomate in Coastal Engineering. He received a B.Sc.Eng and an M.Sc.Eng from Queen’s University, Canada.
5:00 pm: Happy Hour with ASBPA Officers
Stick around and join a coastal conversation with one of ASBPA’s Officers! Select a name to open a short biography and view the link to their Happy Hour.
President: Tony Pratt
Vice President: Phil Roehrs
Vice President: Joan Pope
Vice President: Lee Weishar
Vice President: Gordon Thomson
Secretary: Gary Jones
Treasurer: Cameron Perry
President: Tony Pratt
Tony Pratt is the retired Administrator of the Shoreline and Waterway Management Section within the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control where he oversaw programs related to beach nourishment, beach construction regulation, coastal hazards mitigation, waterway management, and flood mitigation. He was a member of the National Research Council Committee on Beach Nourishment and Protection, and the Heinz Center Panel on Risk Vulnerability and the True Costs of Coastal Hazards. He served elected office in Lewes, a coastal town in DE, four years of which were as Deputy Mayor. He currently serves on the Advisory Board to the Department of Homeland Security Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence based at UNC, Chapel Hill.
Vice President: Phil Roehrs
As Water Resources Engineer, Roehrs leads the City of Virginia Beach’s Coastal and Storm Water Engineering Divisions. Programs under his supervision include beach replenishment, shore protection works, maintenance of navigation channels and marine facilities, storm water system capital improvements, storm water quality initiatives, and the City’s National Flood Insurance Program. Roehrs is a past-president of the Virginia Shore & Beach Preservation Association and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Public Works Association and the Engineering Club of Hampton Roads.
Vice President: Joan Pope
In 2012, Joan retired from US Army Engineer Headquarters after a career with the Corps involving a variety of practicing coastal geology and engineering, research, and management positions. At the time of her retirement she oversaw the Corps water resource research and development Program. During her career she directed several major projects including the development of the Coastal Engineering Manual, the National Shore Erosion Demonstration Program, and Regional Sediment Management. Since retiring she has been employed as a consultant with the Corps.
Vice President: Lee Weishar
A Senior Scientist with the Woods Hole Group since 1989, He has more than 40 years’ experience in the fields of oceanography, coastal engineering, sediment transport, ecological restoration, environmental impact assessment, and project/program management. Prior to joining the Woods Hole Group, he was employed by the USACE Waterways Experiment Station (now ERDC). Dr. Weishar specializes in coastal engineering and wetland/marsh restoration and the integration of biological, ecological, and hydraulic data into wetland restoration designs to ensure that the design will meet the restoration objectives.
Vice President: Gordon Thomson
Thomson is an Associate Principal and Senior Coastal Engineer at Baird & Associates. He has designed, permitted and constructed a wide array of beach nourishment, marsh restoration, and coastal structure projects along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Thomson has developed numerous reports and federal documents combining coastal principles and numerical modeling. He is a licensed professional engineer in eight states and is accredited by COPRI as a Diplomate in Coastal Engineering. He received a B.Sc.Eng and an M.Sc.Eng from Queen’s University, Canada.
Secretary: Gary Jones
As Director for the County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors, he is responsible for 30 miles of non-contiguous coastline in Los Angeles County, including Marina del Rey, the largest small craft harbor in the U.S. Jones has 25 years of experience in real estate, development and urban planning. Educated in Great Britain, he received his B.S. degree in Biology from Southampton University and his M.S. degree in Real Estate Studies from De Montfort University in Leicester.
Treasurer: Cameron Perry
Perry is the Coastal Practice Lead with HDR Engineering, Inc. A graduate of Texas A&M University Galveston with a B.S. in Maritime Systems Engineering, Perry spent six years working in Florida and the Caribbean on various beach nourishment, dredging, and coastal projects. In early 2004, he joined HDR Engineering, Inc. in Corpus Christi, Texas and has been performing numerous shoreline protection, nourishment, numerical modeling, coastal design and marsh restoration projects. Perry also serves on the board of directors for the Texas Chapter of ASBPA.