20th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop: Session 1
Opening Plenary
Speaker biographies for Session 1 of the 20th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop.
September 12, 2023 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. ET
See the full workshop agenda for all sessions.
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Gregory Sayles, Ph.D. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Greg is the director of EPA's Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER), one of four research centers in the Agency's Office of Research and Development. CESER research helps develop solutions to challenges around the built environment, including water infrastructure. He has conducted and led research programs for EPA for over 30 years. Greg holds a Ph.D., an M.S., and a B.S. in chemical engineering.
Ashley Voskuhl, B.S. | Association of State Drinking Water Administrators
Ashley is a senior policy analyst with ASDWA, where she focuses primarily on the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), regulatory implementation, engineering and standards, and compliance and enforcement. Prior to joining ASDWA in January 2022, Ashley spent five years as an environmental specialist with Ohio EPA’s Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, working on regulatory development and implementation with a specific focus on the LCR, unregulated contaminants, and engineering standards. She previously worked at U.S. EPA’s Office of Research and Development where she conducted research on the impacts of corrosion on lead in drinking water. Ashley received her B.S. in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University.
Keynote Addresses
Chris Frey, Ph.D. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Chris is the assistant administrator for research and development and the Agency science advisor. Before his confirmation, he served ORD as the deputy assistant administrator for science policy. Prior to joining EPA, Chris was the Glenn E. and Phyllis J. Futrell Distinguished University Professor at North Carolina State University, where he served on the faculty since 1994. His research includes measurement and modeling of human exposure to air pollution, measurement and modeling of vehicle emissions, and applications of probabilistic and sensitivity analysis methods to emissions estimation, risk assessment, and technology assessment. Chris has served EPA in a number of advisory roles, including as a member of the EPA FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel, a member of the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, chair of the CASAC, and a member of the EPA Science Advisory Board. He was also the president of the Society for Risk Analysis in 2006. Chris holds a Ph.D. in engineering and public policy from Carnegie Mellon, an M.E. in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia.
Bruno Pigott, M.A. | EPA Office of Water
Bruno is the deputy assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water. The Office of Water works to ensure that drinking water is safe, wastewater is safely returned to the environment, and surface waters are properly managed and protected. Prior to joining EPA, Bruno held multiple roles at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, serving most recently as the commissioner, Agency chief of staff, and assistant commissioner in the Office of Water Quality. He started his state service as chief of the State Revolving Loan Fund Program in Indiana. Bruno holds an M.A. in public and environmental affairs from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a B.A. in political theory and economics from James Madison College at Michigan State University.
Invited Guest Speaker
Yolanda Barney, M.H.A.| Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency
Yolanda is the environmental department manager of the Surface and Ground Water Protection Department of Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency. She oversees the Navajo Nation Water Quality (NNWQ) Program, the Navajo Nation Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NNPDES) Program, the Navajo Nation Public Water System Supervision (NNPWSSP) Program, the Navajo Nation Underground Injection Control (NNUIC) Program, and the Navajo Nation Domestic Wastewater Program. The NNWQ regulates the lakes, rivers, and streams within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation. The NNPWSSP regulates the drinking water that is piped to homes, businesses, and other connections. The NN Domestic Wastewater Program regulates the lagoons and septic tanks of homes, businesses, and other connections. The NNUIC ensures underground sources of drinking water are protected from the mining activities of the oil and gas industry. The NNPDES Program regulates the discharge of treated water from wastewater treatment plants. Yolanda holds a Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) from the University of Phoenix and a B.S. from the University of New Mexico. She is also an avid farmer, rancher, mother, wife, and grandmother.
Agenda Review, Logistics, and Networking Icebreaker
Thomas F. Speth, Ph.D., P.E. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Tom serves as senior science advisor for EPA’s Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in the Office of Research and Development. He is a professional engineer who has worked in the field of water treatment research at EPA since 1986. At EPA, Tom has served as branch chief of EPA’s Treatment Technology Evaluation Branch from May 2005 to January 2009. From January 2009 to March 2018, he served as division director of EPA’s Water Supply and Water Resources Division. During this time, from September 2015 to December 2016, he served in a detail with EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water’s Standards and Risk Management Division as a senior engineering advisor assigned to the Flint Enforcement Team. From March 2018 to April 2023, he served as the associate director for science for the Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response. Tom is a member of AWWA, ASCE, and ACS. He has served as trustee for AWWA's Water Quality and Technology Division, an associate editor for ASCE's Journal of Environmental Engineering, a member of Journal AWWA’s Editorial Advisory Board, and as a trustee and chair of AWWA’s Water Science and Research Division. Tom has a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Cincinnati, an M.S. in civil/environmental engineering from Michigan Technological University, and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University.
Michelle Latham, M.Ed. | EPA Office of Research and Development
Michelle is a communications specialist with EPA’s Office of Research and Development, where she has led the outreach and stakeholder engagement support for the cross-cutting national research programs since 2019. Prior to her current position, she served as the technical communications and outreach lead for ORD’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research Program from 2014-2019 and as the technical communications lead for the Water Supply and Water Resources Division of ORD’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory from 2008-2014. A large portion of Michelle’s efforts at EPA focus on drinking water issues, response, and communication. She is the co-chair of the annual EPA drinking water workshop and is a member of EPA’s Response Support Corps. Michelle holds an M.Ed., a B.S. in biology, and a B.L.A. from Xavier University; an A.A.S. from Shoreline College; and a C.G. in advanced medical lab technology from the Naval School of Health Sciences.