2023 South Carolina Forests and Water Consortium

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS DIRECTOR, THE LONGLEAF ALLIANCE

Lisa will be speaking about the genesis, development, challenges and future opportunities of the Savannah River Clean Water Fund, a partnership that was developed a decade ago to protect clean water for the citizens and communities in the lower basin through forest conservation.

Lisa Lord is the Conservation Programs Director for The Longleaf Alliance. She leads several of the Alliance’s conservation, ecosystem service, and wildlife recovery programs, bringing strategic focus and purposeful engagement to the Alliance’s various local and range-wide conservation initiatives. She also provides landowner technical assistance and supports the Alliance’s outreach efforts in multiple states. Through her work, Lisa collaborates with partners to bring more focus to the benefits of forest retention and stewardship for water resources, including drinking water. She holds a BS in Wildlife Science and Master of Education from Auburn University and an MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from Clemson University.

VICE PRESIDENT, QUANTIFIED VENTURES

Tee brings 15+ years of water financing and environmental equity experience to Quantified Ventures. Most recently, she served as the Water Finance Director for the state of Vermont. In this role, she managed more than $500M worth of loans, grants, and contracts related to water financing. She wrote and helped pass Act 185, which overhauled the state's Clean Water State Revolving Fund to expand the program to fund natural infrastructure through new mechanisms, including a sponsorship program. She created the Natural Infrastructure Interim Financing Program, which deployed $15M in its first two years of operations, protecting and restoring more than 11,000 acres of land including wetlands, streams, drinking source water protection areas, and river corridor easements. Tee has also been active with the Vermont Legislature, working on water quality policy and legislation related to environmental equity. Prior to her tenure in Vermont, Tee worked with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' Drinking Water Program and later with the Iowa Department of Transportation as the National Environmental Policy Act Manager. Tee combines her expertise in the mechanics of the EPA's Clean Water Act Funding Programs (Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds) with her passion for natural infrastructure. She's a strong believer in the potential power of public financing to be the catalytic super investor in this fast emerging field of nature-based solutions, while simultaneously and aggressively advancing equity and resilience agendas across the country. Tee loves surfing, reading obscure non-fiction, and volunteering as an English teacher.

RON HARGROVE, CITY OF CHARLOTTE; VICKI TAYLOR, ADVISORY COMMITTEE; FRED CASTLES, CHESTER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

Hear from a CWMMG Board of Director’s member, a Advisory Committee member, & one of the represented utilities in the partnership.

COORDINATOR, SOUTHEASTERN PARTNERSHIP FOR FORESTS AND WATER

Kathy will establish a framework for successful collaboration through a discussion of partnerships that use innovative strategies and financing to protect healthy forests for clean drinking water.

Kathy Hawes is the Coordinator of Southeastern Partnership for Forests & Water and a champion for collaboration. Formerly Executive Director of Tennessee Clean Water Network and Coordinator for Mississippi River Collaborative, she has been a clean water advocate since 2012, with a devotion to bringing together public and private partners to achieve mutual goals for protecting cherished natural resources.

Kathy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, and she has accumulated over 25 years of experience in both for-profit and nonprofit management. In addition to environmental interests, she advocates for more robust child development and animal welfare protections.

kathy@kathyhawes.com

VICE PRESIDENT, DISCIPLINE LEADER - REGIONAL & STATE WATER SUPPLY PLANNING

John is an environmental engineer with three decades of diverse experience in water resources assessment & planning, source water protection, solid waste planning and design, as well as hazardous waste investigation & remediation. He is professionally inspired by "clients that recognize the importance & power of water resources planning, provide a framework to support it, & have the perseverance to implement the plan."

He has both contributed to & managed state water planning, source water protection programs, water allocation studies, watershed master plans, flooding studies, stream & wetland mitigation programs, & groundwater management programs.

His proudest project involved the creation of a groundwater flow model for Suffolk County, New York. "In addition to being a great learning experience which drove me into water resources modeling & planning as a career, I take comfort in knowing that the model continues to be enhanced & applied 25 years later to understand & solve complex water resources problems," he says. John has extended his services internationally as well, performing flood studies & assessing water resources potential in Saudi Arabia.

ZACH CLIFTON, KEEPING FORESTS COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS; LAUREN WARD, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

In 2021, Zach was brought on as an intern before being hired full time to serve as the Communications Specialist on their partnership with Keeping Forests, a diverse coalition of forest advocates, conservation experts, business leaders, and everyday people working in defense of southern timberlands.

Lauren moved into the role of Director of Strategic Initiatives in 2022 and is an interdisciplinary problem solver experienced in forestry and natural resources law, policy, and management with a strong background in collaborative conservation, research, teaching, and service in the forestry, wildlife, and natural resource communities.