Annual Conference – Speaker Bios – VEC Vermont Environmental Consortium

Dr. Nefeli Bompoti is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Bompoti serves as the Project Manager of the University of Connecticut Technical Assistance for Brownfields Program EPA Region 1 where she assists communities with brownfield redevelopment projects in New England, collaborates with partners and state agencies, mentors students, and conducts program outreach. She received a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Connecticut, a M.Sc. in water resources science and technology and a Diploma in civil engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece.

Dr. Kevin Custer is a Program Manager in Emerging Contaminants with Pace.  He has been with Pace since 2017, and works in the areas of compliance drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater.  Dr. Custer has been Adjunct Faculty at the Wright State University and University of Dayton where he has taught upper-level courses in Environmental Toxicology, Rivers and Lakes, and Environmental Field Techniques.  He received his B.S. degree from The Ohio State University, and his M.S. and Ph.D degrees from Wright State University in Aquatic Toxicology.   

Kristie Farnham is the Director of Business Support within ACCD’s Department of Economic Development. Her service with State Government began in April of 1999. Her primary work is in managing programs for the Department, specifically the Brownfields Revitalization Fund and the Northern Border Regional Commission. Kristie collaborates with Vermont municipalities, businesses, nonprofits, governmental entities, regional partners and other stakeholders to advance economic and community development efforts.

Julie Moore is the Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), the state agency with primary responsibility for protecting and sustaining Vermont’s environment, natural resources, wildlife and forests, and for maintaining Vermont’s beloved state parks. Moore was named to that position by Governor Phil Scott in January 2017. As ANR Secretary, Moore shapes Vermont’s environmental agenda, focusing on water quality, the forest economy, and the importance of conservation. She currently serves on the boards of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Vermont Council on Rural Development, as well as ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center.

Before her appointment, Moore worked as the Water Resources Group Leader at Stone Environmental, an environmental consulting firm headquartered in Montpelier, Vermont. She led a variety of watershed planning and assessment projects, and has a deep understanding of water quality concerns associated with runoff from developed land and agricultural areas, as well as stream channel processes and flooding. Moore has diverse experience engaging the public in watershed management programs and activities.

Prior to joining Stone in 2011, Moore spent seven years at ANR where she led the state’s efforts to reduce phosphorus pollution in Lake Champlain. In that role, she coordinated a multi-million dollar budget and grant allocations, and served as the primary Agency liaison to related programs at the agencies of Agriculture, Food & Markets and Transportation.

During her years outside of state service, Moore volunteered her expertise for several organizations dedicated to improving Vermont’s water resources, including: Friends of Northern Lake Champlain Advisory Council (Chair); Friends of the Winooski River and Watersheds United (Board of Directors); Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (Associate Supervisor); Rumney Memorial School Board (Chair). She also served two three-year terms on the Citizens Advisory Committee on the Future of Lake Champlain, including two years as Chair.

Moore earned a B.S. in civil engineering, cum laude, from the University at Buffalo and an M.S. in environmental science and policy from the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. She is a registered professional engineer in Vermont and New Hampshire.

Moore currently resides in Middlesex, Vermont with her husband, Aaron, and their two children.

Kurt Muller. As VHB-Director of the Site Investigation and Remediation in Vermont, Kurt's 20 years of engineering experience encompasses project management, hazardous site assessment, PCB investigation and remediation design, site clean-up, litigation support, and stakeholder coordination. Kurt’s focus is on brownfield environmental consulting work and managing large site characterization and remediation projects. He has acted as the lead project manager and Environmental Professional on more than 65 EPA-funded brownfield site investigations, dozens of municipal and private redevelopment efforts, several PCB remediation projects that required EPA/TSCA approval, and 4 large CERCLA-compliant soil management and remediation projects for the National Park Service. His experience includes preparation of complex work plans, site investigation reports, and clean-up plans that address a wide variety of contaminants in a manner that is project-goal focused and compliant with regulatory requirements.

Eamon Twohig joined the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation in 2012 and holds the unofficial record of serving in the greatest number of Agency Divisions over the shortest time. In 2017, he joined the Waste Management & Prevention Division as the manager of the Residuals Waste & Emerging Contaminants Program. Chief among the duties of this Program is ensuring that the beneficial reuse of residual materials, such as biosolids, is performed in a matter that protects the environment and human health. The Program also assists the State with investigations and regulatory response to per and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in our environment. Prior to working for the State of Vermont, he conducted research on wastewater treatment via constructed wetlands and phosphorus filters at the University of Vermont, where he earned a master’s degree in Plant & Soil Science. Eamon has lived in Burlington, VT since 1999, after fleeing to Vermont to escape the impending Y2K fallout.

Dan Voisin leads the Environmental Assessment & Remediation team at Stone. Dan holds a B.S. in Geology from Bates College and an M.S. in Earth Science, Geochemical Systems from the University of New Hampshire. Since 2005, Dan has managed over 50 Brownfield site investigations performed under US EPA and VTDEC approved Quality Assurance Project Plans. Dan routinely utilizes high resolution site characterization (HRSC) techniques within dynamic work plan strategies to rapidly assess site conditions leading to expedited redevelopment timelines. Dan has a deep understanding of brownfield redevelopment issues and routine collaborates with planners, economic analysts, architects, and engineers to find creative solutions to complex projects.

Sarah Bartlett has been with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Sites Management Section since 2005, and the Brownfields Response Program since 2012. She specializes in working with the Vermont development community to balance the needs of varying stakeholders while ensuring the protection of Vermont’s natural resources. She has represented VT DEC on the VEC board since 2019, and has previously served as the Region 1 representative on the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) Brownfields Focus Group. She graduated with honors with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Vermont, and holds a Certificate in Public Management (CPM) from the Vermont Center for Achievement in Public Service.

Tom Broido is a Branch Manager and Principal Scientist for ATC Group Services, LLC in Williston, Vermont. ATC is a national company which performs a wide range of environmental engineering and consulting activities including environmental site assessments, hydrogeological consulting, industrial hygiene monitoring, indoor air quality studies water/wastewater engineering and construction materials testing. Mr. Broido has received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Forest Biology from the State University of New York at Syracuse and a Master’s of Science Degree in Natural Resources Planning from the University of Vermont. Mr. Broido has been active in the Vermont Environmental Consortium. He has chaired the Projects Committee, has served on the VEC Board of Directors and as its Treasurer.

Over the last ten years Dominic Cloud has directed the comprehensive redevelopment of St. Albans from his position as City Manager. Under his tenure the City has demonstrated the power of forming public / private partnerships to advance economic development projects. Mr. Cloud previously served as Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns Municipal Assistance Center and as a lobbyist in the Statehouse. He received an MPA from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a B.A. in Government from St. John’s University. He lives in Essex, Vermont.

William Colvin is the assistant director of the Bennington County Regional Commission and the director of that organization’s Community & Economic Development Program. He also acts as the director of the affiliated regional development corporation, the Bennington County Industrial Corporation. Bill has worked in the community and economic development field in Southern Vermont, in both the public sector and the private sector, since the early 1990’s and has been involved in many of the largest development efforts in that part of the state; including as point person for the $32,000,000 Phase 1 of the Putnam Block Redevelopment in Bennington. Bill received his undergraduate degree from Middlebury College and later went on to attain a Masters in Business Administration. He lives in Bennington with his wife, Jessica Chapman, a professor at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts and their daughter Mia.

Patricia Coppolino is the Senior Program Manager for the Sites Management Section. Patricia is responsible for the managing the Superfund, PreRemedial and Brownfields programs as well as the Voluntary Cleanup Program within the SMS. Patricia is responsible for oversight of hazardous waste sites, superfund sites and promoting brownfield redevelopment which includes providing technical assistance to developers, establishing and maintaining effective relationships with brownfields practitioners in the public, quasi-public sector and private sector. Patricia has over 25 years of professional experience in the private and public sectors in the development and oversight of environmental remediation and brownfield redevelopment projects. Patricia holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Chemistry from Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. She is also an avid mountain biker, soccer coach and mother to two amazing daughters.

Prior to Shawn Donovan's current regulatory role as a Site Manager with the VTDEC Sites Management Section & Brownfields Program, he worked in the private sector as a Project Geologist on Brownfields and other hazardous sites throughout New England. Experience includes performing soil, groundwater, fractured bedrock and vapor intrusion assessments and corrective action planning. As a Site Manager with the VTDEC Mr. Donovan is currently focused on promoting efficient and cost-effecting cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties while ensuring compliance with State and Federal environmental regulations.

Bob Flint has served as the Executive Director of SRDC since 2005. During that time, he has been involved in several projects including the remediation and redevelopment of the One Hundred River Street property, the successful sale and redevelopment of the North Springfield Fellows Gear Shaper facility and the construction of Blake Hill Preserves and Vermont Farmstead Cheese in Windsor. Bob is the Past-President and current Treasurer of the Regional Development Corporations of Vermont, the Chair of the River Valley Technical Center Board as well as other local, regional and statewide boards, including the Vermont Aviation Advisory Council and Clean Water Board. Prior to SRDC, Bob was the Executive Vice-President of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce for 7 ½ years. During his time at the Chamber, Bob was elected to 3 terms as the President of the Vermont Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and served 2 terms on the Board of Directors of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. He also worked in broadcasting for 20 years, including 14 years as the Operations Manager/Program Director of WCFR Radio in Springfield. Flint has a B.S. (Telecommunications Management) from Syracuse University and was selected to participate in the 2001 Class of the Vermont Leadership Institute through the Snelling Center for Government.

Scott Harding has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, and is a licensed Environmental Professional Engineer. He has worked for Nobis Engineering for more than 27 years (actually his second job). Scott has been the lead engineer and manager for many environmental investigation and remedial projects throughout New England over this time. Scott currently serves as the Program Manager for Nobis’ Small Business Superfund Remedial Action Contracts for EPA Regions 1, 2 and 3. Under these contracts, Nobis performs Remedial Investigations, Feasibility Studies, Remedial Designs, and Targeted Brownfield Assessments. Scott has served as the Project Manager for the Putnam Block Brownfield Site since 1997. In his spare time, Scott enjoys many outdoor activities and most recently has been coaching his daughter’s middle school softball team.

Kristi Herzer is an Environmental Analyst for the State of Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Kristi is a project manager in the Brownfields Program and the Contaminated Sites Section, and promotes the Vermont Brownfields Reuse and Environmental Liability Limitation Act (BRELLA). Kristi is the Division representative on VTDEC’s Environmental Justice Team, an active member in a cross-agency PFAS workgroup, and co-author of multiple internal and external guidance documents for the regulated community. Since 2017, Kristi has served as a member and subgroup leader for the Sampling and Analysis section of ITRC’s PFAS team. Kristi holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Physics and Biology from Guilford College and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Vermont.

Kurt Muller’s engineering expertise includes project management, investigation and remediation design, clean-up oversight, and stakeholder collaboration for brownfield sites. Specifically, Kurt focuses on managing complex projects that require coordination with a variety of stakeholders including EPA, DEC, attorneys, municipalities, transportation agencies, developers, and the public. He has served as lead project manager and Environmental Professional on more than 100 brownfield site investigations across Vermont and four large CERCLA compliant soil management and remediation projects for the National Park Service. Kurt currently serves as VHB’s Vermont - Director of Site Investigation and Remediation and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Vermont with 18 years of experience in the private sector.

Lee Rosberg received his B.S. in Geology from St. Lawrence University in 2005 and joined Stone Environmental in 2007. He spent four years traveling the world, one chemical plant at a time, conducting high resolution site characterization of complex contaminated sites. His focus since 2011 has been performing environmental site investigation and remediation projects at Vermont Brownfields sites where PCB-related issues have ranged in scale and complexity. He enjoys navigating clients through all the challenges that Brownfield redevelopments and PCBs present. Lee lives in Middlesex, VT with his family and enjoys running, skiing, hiking, and all the outdoor opportunities Vermont provides.

Michael D. Rossi is the program manager for Pace Analytical’s mobile lab services including the PFASTTM Mobile lab and the COREDFN bedrock sampling and analytical services. Mike has over 25 years of experience in the fields of analytical chemistry and environmental consulting. Mike holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Manhattan College and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Vermont. Since 1996, Mike has been building and improving various analytical chemistry and hydrogeologic testing tools that have become key components in the area of high resolution site characterization. Mike continues to support the environmental consulting community by bringing his extensive experience and knowledge to project teams during the planning and execution phases of national and international field services projects.

Steve Zemba, a Project Director in Sanborn Head’s Burlington office, has three decades of experience assessing health and environmental risks. His projects encompass fate‐and‐transport modeling, exposure assessment, and risk assessment. Steve has provided litigation support and expert witness testimony for private and public sector clients. He is a frequent presenter at conferences and has published numerous articles on topics related to PFAS, environmental modeling, and risk assessment. Steve received his undergraduate engineering training at Carnegie Mellon University, and he earned a master’s degree and PhD in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

2022 Annual Conference - Speaker Bios