2021 Agenda (Subject to change)
Lioncrest Ballroom - 63 Deer Park Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
Stream Cleanup Service Project (optional) - Wednesday Dec 8th
2-4 pm - Riverlink
Day 1 – Thursday December 9, 2021
8am – Registration Opens/ Welcome Breakfast at the Lioncrest Ballroom
Morning Workshop (9 AM) Innovation in
Workforce Development Programming
Presented by Charlotte Water: Carolyn Ross, Sherri Jones, and Hayley Williams
During this interactive workshop, attendees will learn:
·
Charlotte Water’s approach
to succession planning combined with bridging community economic gaps
·
How an inclusive hiring
process can successfully fill utility staffing needs
·
Why soft skills training and
career pathing are key for staff mobility and retention
Luncheon Keynote (11:30 AM) – Dr. Michael Walden
Dr.
Walden is the William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department
of Agricultural and Resource Economics at NC State University and member of the
Graduate Economics faculty with The Poole College of Management. Dr.
Walden specializes in the Southeast’s regional economy and is the author of
“North Carolina Beyond the Connected Age: The Tar Heel State in 2050”. He will
discuss the nexus of the economy and water.
Session 1 (1:30-3 PM) – Strengthened Economies
A case-study level discussion about the intersection of
economic development and utility services needed to support that development.
Moderator: Lisa Muzekari – Principal/Environmental Engineer, Thomas & Hutton
Speakers:
· Mike
Hopkins, Newton County Water & Sewer Authority, Executive
Director & Serra Hall, Newton County Office of Economic Development
Senior Project Manager
· Will Williams,
Economic Development Partnership, President and CEO
·
Brittany Brady, Henderson
County Partnership for Economic Development, President and CEO
Session 2 (3-5 PM) – Resilient Environment
Various views on the dynamic challenges, goals, and
perspectives on our environmental resilience and sustainability.
Moderator:
Pam Flasch, Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer
Authority, Director of Public Affairs
Speakers:
·
Jimmy Bagley, Deputy
City Manager of Rock Hill, SC & Chair of the Catawba-Wateree Water
Management Group
·
Forrest Westall – Executive
Director, Upper Neuse River Basin Association
·
Emily Barrett,
Triangle J Council of Government, Natural Resources and Resilience Program
Manager
·
Brock Ashburn, Highland
Brewing Company, Vice President
Social Hour (5-6 PM) – Light
refreshments and networking.
Day 2 – Friday December 10, 2021
Morning MoJo
Breakfast
Session 3 (8-10am) – Emerging Regulatory Concerns
A well-rounded discussion on a very relevant and important topic: emerging contaminants. What can we learn from one another’s approach?
Moderator: Rob Osbourne – Project Manager, Black & Veatch
Speakers:
· Jeaneanne Gettle, US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Water Division Director
· Kim Nimmer, North Carolina Dept. of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Resources, Emerging Compounds Coordinator
· James A. “Jac” Capp, Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Watershed Protection Branch Chief
· Doug Kinard, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Drinking Water Protection Director
Session 4 (10am-12pm) – Equitable Communities
An honest conversation on incorporating equitability and representation into design, regulation, and affordability. A chance to hear engaging, real stories.
Moderator: Ron Hargrove, Charlotte Water, Deputy Director
Speakers:
· Suzanne Burnes, Just Growth Director, Partnership for Southern Equity
· Bonnie Ammons, South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority, Executive Director
· Katherine Baer, Vice President of River Programs, River Network