Presenter Biographies
May 30, 2024
Spokane Convention Center
John Matthews, Executive Director Alliance for Global Water Adaptation
John has been working at the intersection of water with climate adaptation and resilience since 2007. His work explores how we define, develop, and accelerate the uptake of our emerging set of best practices for climate resilience.
John started and led WWF’s freshwater climate adaptation program in 2007 before co-founding the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA) in 2010, where he remains the Executive Director. He has led the development of a variety of climate risk reduction methodologies that have been used in dozens of countries, prepared green bond criteria that have certified more than 15 billion USD in water resilience investments across six continents, and advised well over 100 countries on their national climate commitments.
Current work includes developing a new generation of resilience indicators, leading the development and implementation of a national climate planning tool, working with businesses to incorporate resilience within operations, heading a program to engage macroeconomic planners and central bankers to blend resilience with traditional economic evaluation approaches, and contributing to large-scale technical climate risk assessments.
Beyond AGWA, John is a Senior Water Fellow at Colorado State University and Water Resources Courtesy Faculty at Oregon State University, an advisor to the Shockwave Foundation, and on the board of Living in Kindness. John received a doctorate in ecology, evolution, and behavioral ecology from the University of Texas, Austin, and a Bachelor of Arts in ethnomusicology from the University of Chicago. Before becoming a freshwater ecologist, John worked as a book editor in publishing for 12 years. He lives in Corvallis, Oregon, with his wife and son.
John Porcello, GSI Water Solutions
John Porcello is a principal groundwater hydrologist at GSI Water Solutions in Portland and has 30 years of experience working in the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer System. He is the developer of the numerical groundwater flow model that is being used for a variety of groundwater resource and wellfield planning needs, including climate-change analyses and related water system planning work for the City of Spokane and the Spokane Aquifer Joint Board.
Marcia Davis, City of Spokane
Marcia Davis is a civil engineer and has worked for the City of Spokane since 2006. She currently oversees the capital programs for sewer, stormwater, transportation, and water. Marcia has been leading the 20-year planning work for water, sewer, and stormwater in the last 5 years.
BiJay Adams, Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District, Idaho Washington Aquifer Collaborative (IWAC)
BiJay Adams is the General Manager for the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District. BiJay is responsible for implementing the policies and objectives established by the Board of Commissioners and carrying out the District’s Mission. As General Manager, BiJay has the overall management responsibility for all aspects of District operations.
Tonilee Hanson, Spokane Aquifer Joint Board
Tonilee Hanson directs the Spokane River Forum EnviroCertified program which recognizes businesses for their environmental practices protecting the river and aquifer. She manages the Spokane Aquifer Joint Board’s Wellhead Protection Program and assists the Idaho Washington Aquifer Collaborative. Tonilee believes in collaboration and innovation that protects our water and inspires our regional future.
Amy Sumner, Spokane County
Amy Sumner is the Water Resources Manager for Spokane County in Spokane, WA. Amy and her dedicated team implement the County’s water resources activities including water education programs and the Spokane Valley – Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) Long-Term Monitoring Program.
Tirrell Black, City of Spokane
Tirrell Black, AICP is Assistant Director for City of Spokane Planning & Economic Development. Tirrell has worked at the City for 17 years on a variety of projects including shoreline master planning, land use planning, and housing policy. She holds her Master’s Degree in Planning from EWU.
Mark Papich, City of Spokane
Mark Papich, PE, is a Senior Engineer in the City of Spokane’s Integrated Capital Management Department and is responsible for capital project scoping, funding and programming the City’s utility projects. He has designed and programmed water, sewer and stormwater capital projects, following projects from inception to completion of construction.
Elva ‘Cookie’ Allan, Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Elva “Cookie” Allan worked as the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Strategic Initiatives & Development Director since 2019. She recently stepped down to complete a PhD in Education at the University of Idaho. Her areas of focus are planning and research, systems alignment, and cross-sector collaboration.
Necia Maiani, Kootenai County Aquifer Protection District
Necia is a Principal with Welch Comer and a KCAPD Board Member since 2016. With 22 years of public water system planning and design experience, she focuses on serving water purveyors throughout North Idaho and Eastern Washington, the majority of whom utilize the SVRP Aquifer.
Rob Lindsay, Spokane County
Rob Lindsay has served Spokane County as a leader in the County’s Water Resources Program since 2004. Their work involves the protection of ground water and surface water resources in Spokane County. Rob is a member of the Spokane River Forum board.
Jeremy Jenkins, SAJB President and IWAC Member
Jeremy is the Environmental Manager for LLSWD, a Special Purpose Water & Sewer District, in Liberty Lake. He is responsible for lake and watershed management, coordinating monitoring efforts, invasive species control, and administering stormwater permitting within the Liberty Lake watershed. He also is responsible for special projects applying to the drinking water and sewer utilities LLSWD has operated for over 50 years!
Conor Giorgi, Spokane Tribe of Indians
Conor has degrees from Gonzaga and Eastern Washington Universities. Since 2001 he has worked for federal, state, and tribal agencies, as well as the private sector, researching aquatic ecosystems of the greater northwest. For the past eight years Conor has been the Anadromous Program Manager for the Spokane Tribe of Indians functioning as the Tribe’s technical lead on fish passage and reintroduction. While in this role he has contributed to many of the projects that fall within the UCUT’s phased approach to reintroduction and performing cultural and educational releases of salmon to the Tribe’s waters.
Dr. Laura Laumatia, Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Laura Laumatia is the Environmental Programs Manager for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, where she oversees programming in climate adaptation, wetlands restoration, environmental health, air quality, brownfields, renewable energy, and pesticide regulatory enforcement. Her work includes research partnerships with area universities focusing on energy, water, fire, and drought resilience.
Vince McGowan, WA Department of Ecology
Vince McGowan leads the Water Quality Program at the Washington State Dept. of Ecology. He has spent most of his career working in environmental regulation, with a focus on permitting. He currently enjoys supporting the program’s 300+ innovative, hard-working staff in their clean water work across the state.
Chad Pritchard, Eastern Washington University
Chad Pritchard is a geology Professor at EWU and PI for the West Plains PFAS Fate and Transport Study (EWU-City of Medical Lake- Ecology). Dr. Pritchard research focuses on the West Plains from uranium-lead age determination of the isolated buttes to the regions paleochannels.
Caroline Keever, Upper Columbia United Tribes
Caroline Keever recently earned her Law degree from Gonzaga University. She currently works for the Upper Columbia United Tribes, managing the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Lead Entity (CRTRLE) Project. The Project seeks to eliminate toxics in the fish, waters, and wildlife of the Upper Columbia Basin.
Jamie Brunner, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Jamie Brunner is the supervisor for the Coeur d’Alene Lake Management team at the Idaho department of Environmental Quality, which is responsible for lake monitoring and data reporting, education and outreach, phosphorus-reduction project coordination, and other activities in state jurisdictional waters. The lake management team works in conjunction with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and other local decision-makers to manage lake health.
Robin Fox, National Weather Service
Robin Fox is the Service Hydrologist at the National Weather Service office in Spokane. She is also a meteorologist and assists on the weather desk. She is active in outreach, ranging from educational outreach to briefing partners on weather and water hazards.
Marlene Feist, City of Spokane
Marlene Feist is the City of Spokane’s Public Works Director. Marlene directs the City’s utility operations, including water, wastewater, and solid waste, along with streets, engineering, and capital programs. She leads a staff of 760 employees and manages operating and capital budgets totaling over $300 million a year.
Bruce Howard, Avista
Bruce Howard is Sr. Director of Environmental Affairs at Avista, leading natural resource management, environmental compliance and real-estate related efforts. He has an additional 20 years’ experience in environmental management and business development at several other firms and in state government and has lived in Spokane since 1985.
Caj Matheson, Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Caj Matheson is the Director of Natural Resources for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and also is an enrolled member of the Tribe. He oversees the policy development and implementation over several programs including Fish & Wildlife, Forestry and Lands Management, Water Resources, Air Quality, Hazardous Waste Management, Cultural Resources, Recreational Programs, and Wildland Fires.
Jeremy Jenkins, SAJB President and IWAC Member
Jeremy is the Environmental Manager for LLSWD, a Special Purpose Water & Sewer District, in Liberty Lake. He is responsible for lake and watershed management, coordinating monitoring efforts, invasive species control, and administering stormwater permitting within the Liberty Lake watershed. He also is responsible for special projects applying to the drinking water and sewer utilities LLSWD has operated for over 50 years!
Kyle Twohig, Spokane County
Kyle Twohig is a Spokane native and the Senior Director of Public Works for Spokane County. In this role he oversees the county’s road network, stormwater, wastewater system, wastewater treatment plant, water programs, and solid waste transfer stations.
Katelyn Scott, Spokane Riverkeeper
Katelyn Scott is Water Protector and lead attorney for Spokane Riverkeeper. Katelyn leads the Clean Water Defense and River Flow Protections programs, utilizing citizen enforcement and public participation tools to shape water policy and protect the Spokane River.
Brook Beeler, WA Department of Ecology
Brook began her career at Ecology working with communities encouraging environmental stewardship through education and outreach. Prior to her appointment as Region Director, Brook supported the agency with strategic communications and media relations on complex regulatory topics. She also represents the agency in a variety of forums including the Washington State Conservation Commission and Idaho’s Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission.