Speakers
Below you will find the biographies for the speakers at the 72nd Michigan Onsite Wastewater Conference.
Yvonne Alexander, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Yvonne is a Groundwater Permit Writer within the Permits Section of the Water Resources Division (WRD) for EGLE. The EGLE Groundwater Permits Unit issues wastewater discharge permits to the groundwaters of the state authorized under the Part 22 Groundwater Quality Administrative Rules. Previously, Yvonne worked with EGLE’s Remediation and Redevelopment Division as a project manager for Part 201 contamination facilities. She has also spent time working for private consulting companies, carrying out groundwater and soil sampling and analyses. Yvonne has a bachelor’s degree in environmental geosciences from Michigan State University.
Carley Allison, Michigan State University (MSU)
Carley is a master's student in the Michigan State Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering program. Her research focuses on biological wastewater treatment. She is currently working with on-site treatment at small volume wineries, breweries, and cideries. Her work involved designing the current large lab-scale system and building it, as well as maintaining it and analyzing the nutrient data. The lab scale system uses a greenhouse ecosystem with plants. Her research is focused on how the plants interact with the wastewater, both visually and how well they uptake nutrients. Her prior work included nutrient analysis from agricultural runoff and how soil conditions affect the amount of nutrients released. Carley was born and raised in Michigan and will graduate from the Biosystems program in December 2023, and hopes to continue on with earning a PhD.
Jason Buck
Jason graduated from Ball State University in 2000 with a Bachelors of Science in Natural Resource Studies. Shortly after graduation, he began work in the field of limnology and aquatic biology. This field led to the realization that local onsite system are responsible for a large part of Michigan’s nutrification of aquatic biomes that could be solved by small onsite wastewater systems rather than large wastewater treatment plants. In 2004, he started at the Kent County Health Department. Since 2014, he has been reviewing subdivisions, non-residential facilities, and alternative wastewater systems for the Local Health Department.
Dave Cotton, Michigan EGLE
Dave is a Professional Engineer working for EGLE since the spring of 2014. He graduated from Michigan Tech and has worked in the field of decentralized wastewater management his entire career. Dave has worked in many aspects of the onsite industry, including design, regulation, installation, manufacture, training, and operation & maintenance.
Eric Daniels, Eljen Corporation
Eric Daniels is the Senior Technical Lead at Eljen Corporation. He is responsible for leading Eljen’s Technical Department. Mr. Daniels was a First-Class Petty Officer in the US Navy. He served 11 years onboard 3 nuclear submarines as a Sonar Technician and Sonar Supervisor. Since 2016 Eric has specialized in technical training and plan reviews for the onsite wastewater community nationwide. Much of his work is in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Idaho, Georgia, and Indiana.
Joel East, Wightman
Joel graduated from Ferris State University’s Surveying/Engineering program in 2012 and holds licenses as a Professional Surveyor in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio. As an active member of the Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors, he is dedicated to advocating for the surveying profession. With a diverse background, Joel has contributed to various projects, including boundary surveys, riparian determination, construction staking, land divisions, and lot line adjustments. Joel’s commitment to the next generation of surveyors is evident in his leadership of Wightman’s annual Winter field surveyor training program. Additionally, he oversees the Certified Survey Technician training initiatives at Wightman. Joel serves as the Chapter Representative for the Southwestern Chapter of MSPS, contributes to the MSPS Legislative Committee, and was recently elected to the MSPS board of directors.
Marisa Faraldo, Michigan EGLE
Marisa has a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Master of Science in Environmental Health. Both degrees were received from Old Dominion University. She also an REHS/RS with the National Environmental Health Association. She previously worked at Kent County Health Department as a general sanitarian before coming to Michigan Department of EGLE as an Environmental Quality Analyst in the Onsite Wastewater Program in 2021.
Sara Heger, University of Minnesota
Dr. Sara Heger is a researcher and instructor at the University of Minnesota in the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program where she is faculty in the Water Resources Science program, teaching Sustainable Waste Management Engineering. For over 20 years, she has been conducting research and providing education and technical assistance to homeowners, small communities, onsite professionals, and local units of government regarding decentralized onsite wastewater treatment. Sara coordinates the research program at the U of MN with current projects evaluating contaminants of emerging concern and the addition of biochar and iron enhanced sand into septic systems. She regularly provides training across the US and Canada and contributes regularly to the Onsite Installer and Pumper providing technical information regarding the science of wastewater treatment including design, installation, and management. Sara is the past president of the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association, serves on the NSF International Committee on Wastewater Treatment Systems and chairs Minnesota’s SSTS Advisory Committee. She has a BS in Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering and a MS and PhD in Water Resource Science.
Kevin Green, Calhoun County Public Health Department
Kevin has been working in Environmental Health for the last 20 years. He has worked in two states: Michigan and Georgia. He has held many different roles in Environmental Health over the years. He is currently the Environmental Public Health Director for Calhoun County Public Health Department.
Taylor Irwin, Central Michigan District Health Department
Taylor Irwin graduated with her BS in Environmental Health and Safety and Masters of Public Administration from Central Michigan University. She worked for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe as a Watershed Outreach Coordinator for 5 years before coming to Central Michigan District Health Department. She is an REHS and has been working with CMDHD for 4 years now.
Matt Johnson, Infiltrator Water Technologies
Matt is the Area Sales Representative for Infiltrator Water Technologies, a plastics manufacturing company that provides septic tanks and gravel-less technologies for onsite wastewater recycling systems. Matt’s territory is most of Michigan and Northern Indiana. Prior to his career at Infiltrator, Matt worked in the undergound piping industry as a distributor of sanitary sewer, watermain and storm sewer products for commercial and municipal projects. Matt is a board member of the Michigan Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association which provides education to installers, regulators and designers in Michigan. Matt has 39 years of experience in the wastewater and water industry.
Catherine Kirkland, Orenco
Curtis Kuttnauer, Golden Circle Advisors
Curtis, along with Fred Manuel are Co-Founders and Senior Partners with Golden Circle Advisors, with offices in both Traverse City and Plymouth. Golden Circle Advisors is a business intermediary and business brokerage advisory firm specializing in working with small to mid-size privately held businesses specializing in the wastewater treatment industry. They are focused on working with owners to provide a professional market valuation, position, and market their businesses for sale. Using a comprehensive process, they can identify appropriate acquirers through various marketing methods and utilizing an extensive network, including private equity firms, owners of privately held corporations and individual investors. Their goal is taking every measure to obtain the highest possible price for every seller.
Ron Lindsay, Milan Supply
Ron has a BS in Geological Science and worked 10 years in the soil and groundwater remediation industry. For the past 28 years Ron has worked at Milan Engineered Systems representing various treatment technologies and provides technical consulting support to on-site industry professionals in Michigan. The assistance he provides includes site inspection, technology application, design, installation, troubleshooting, O&M and various trainings.He was an instructor at the Michigan Onsite Wastewater Training and Education Center during its years of operation.
Greg Merricle, Michigan EGLE
Greg has an MS in Hazardous Waste Management from the College of Engineering at Wayne State University and over 21 years of experience managing wastewater in various programs at EGLE, including the Biosolids, CAFO, Industrial Stormwater, Part 5, and Septage Programs.
Fred Manuel, GCA
Fred, along with Curtis Kuttnauer, are Co-Founders and Senior Partners with Golden Circle Advisors, with offices in both Traverse City and Plymouth. Golden Circle Advisors is a business intermediary and business brokerage advisory firm specializing in working with small to mid-size privately held businesses specializing in the wastewater treatment industry. They are focused on working with owners to provide a professional market valuation, position, and market their businesses for sale. Using a comprehensive process, they can identify appropriate acquirers through various marketing methods and utilizing an extensive network, including private equity firms, owners of privately held corporations and individual investors. Their goal is taking every measure to obtain the highest possible price for every seller.
Anne Mitchell, Michigan EGLE
Anne graduated from MSU with a Masters Degree in Public Health and graduate certificate in Toxicology in 2015. For six years, she worked at Ingham County in the Land and Water Program as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist where she is involved in onsite wastewater permitting, the Point of Sale Program, Surface Water program, residential well permitting, serves as the current Non-Community Water Supply Program coordinator, and sits on various county-wide committees.
Drew Nickoli, Eljen GSF
Drew is a Technical Specialist for Eljen Corporation, assuming this role in April 2022. Previously, he served as a national sales representative for Norweco, Inc., a field technician for North American Testing and as a Combat Engineer in the US Army for eight years.
Patrick O’Boyle, Michigan Saves
Pat is the director of business development for Michigan Saves, the nation’s first nonprofit green bank. Founded by the State of Michigan in 2009, Michigan Saves' mission is to promote accessible, equitable, and just investments in energy efficiency and clean energy to support healthy and thriving communities. Pat manages relationships with the Michigan Saves network of authorized contractors and lenders, while also developing new relationships with community organizations, local governments, and other project partners.
Todd Parker, Michigan Saves
Todd Parker is vice president of Michigan Saves, the nation’s first nonprofit green bank. Founded by the State of Michigan in 2009, Michigan Saves' mission is to promote accessible, equitable, and just investments in energy efficiency and clean energy to support healthy and thriving communities. Todd implements Michigan Saves' strategic plan, manages the organization's residential and commercial financing programs, and develops new programs that fill market gaps.
Randy Redmer, Michigan Waste and Environmental Services Inc.
Randy is a serial entrepreneur. Since opening his first business at age 17 he has started numerous businesses in a diverse number of industries. currently, as it relates to onsite systems, he is an owner of 5 companies that do business in the industry. One of the companies he owned and operated, was a company called Inside View Specialty Inspection Service, which performed Cause and Origin inspections for almost every Insurance company in Michigan until ultimately selling the business.
Kristine Rendon, Michigan EGLE
Kristine is the Groundwater Permits Unit Supervisor in Permits Section of Water Resources Division (WRD) for the department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The EGLE Groundwater Permits Unit issues wastewater discharge permits to the groundwaters of the state authorized under the Part 22 Groundwater Quality Administrative Rules. Previous to coming to WRD, Kristine worked in the Onsite Wastewater Program for the Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division. She has also worked for two district health departments as a Sanitarian. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master of environmental health degree. She is a registered environmental health specialist with the National Environmental Health Association.
Jeffrey Ross, Michigan EGLE
Greg Rouland, MSU
Greg is a master's student in the Michigan State Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering program. His research focuses on wastewater treatment, currently working with on-site treatment at small volume (<20,000 gallons/day) meat processors and slaughterhouses. This research focuses particularly on the use of coagulation and flocculation as a pre-treatment technique. His prior work under Dr. Steven Safferman includes the modeling of phosphorus transport through Michigan soils and characterization of meat processor wastewater. Greg is born and raised in Michigan and plans to graduate from the BAE program in May 2024.
Jeremy Rubio, Michigan EGLE
Jeremy works for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), with the Water Resources Division, as an Environmental Quality Analyst. His main roles are compliance manager for Groundwater Discharge and NPDES for multiple counties that the Kalamazoo District covers.
Larry Stephens, Stephens Consulting
Larry has spent over 50 years now in the onsite wastewater treatment industry, first as a state regulator for 12 years and then as the owner of Stephens Consulting Services, PC for the last 40 years. Stephens Consulting Services is a design engineering company located in Haslett, MI. Onsite wastewater treatment systems, both large and small, have become his focus and specialty. Larry holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University and a Masters of Engineering from the University of Florida. He is a registered professional engineer in Michigan and Ohio. Larry is active and has held leadership positions in both the Michigan Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association and the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association.
Dolores Thomas, Michigan Center for Truck
Dolores was a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officer for 30 years with the Michigan State Police. She is now a safety specialist for the Michigan Center for Truck Safety and strives to share the knowledge she has accumulated throughout the past 35 years.
Geoff Williams, Consultant and Blog Host
Geoff began working in the water well and plumbing industry in his family pump wholesale business in 1965. He worked for several industry manufacturers as a district, regional and national sales manager. He became a manufacture’s representative in 1980 and joined Sales Service Plus in 1988. He has spent the last 34 years with Sales Service Plus, and had the primary responsibility for the Zoeller pump company. Geoff retired in 2022, and now does some consulting. He also started a blog devoted to different aspects of waste water systems.
Rob Wolfe, Michigan EGLE
Rob has worked at the State of Michigan for over 25 years. He started in the wetlands determination section of DNR, then went into the Groundwater Section, Solid Waste Section, Hazardous Waste Section, and finally landed in the Environmental Health Programs beginning in 2001 in the Marquette District. Rob is the regulatory consultant for all of the Upper Peninsula counties working in EGLE’s Well Construction Section, Septage Program, Onsite Wastewater Program, and Biosolids Land Application Program for the Water Resources Division.
Alissa Yanchoko, EGLE
Regina Young, EGLE
Regina serves as an Environmental Quality Analyst with the EGLE, Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division, Environmental Health Programs Unit, Onsite Wastewater Management Unit. Prior to joining EGLE in 2019, Regina served her community for thirty (30) plus years as a Registered Sanitarian, supervisor, and director in the Environmental Health Division of a local public health department. Regina seeks to share her enthusiasm in onsite wastewater management for the betterment of Michigan’s residents and visitors.
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