Colonel (Ret.) Hildenbrand spent 30 years in the U.S. Army. In his last Army assignment he commanded 3500 soldiers in Iraq. He currently works for Dawson and Associates and focuses on energy policy, planning and operational execution for complex North American shale gas projects. He is an expert in strategic leadership, planning and complex program management. He also co-owns a Dallas-Fort Worth based construction company that focuses on projects that serve America’s Veterans.

Patriotic Opening: @ 8:20am

The Evolution of Aerial Data Management: @ 10:30am

Brent Huwa is the functioning CEO of Huwa Enterprises, one of the country’s largest land reclamation and construction companies. His knowledge of the industry and innovative mind has allowed Huwa Enterprises to be a highly respected and trusted brand. He strives to push the company daily, in search of new and more efficient ways to get the job done, all while maintaining a high safety record. Brent states the company’s success comes from its core values that are ingrained throughout the organization. Brent loves a challenge and finds joy in his job by working next to his best friends to build one of the most reputable brands in the industry. Brent’s family is a huge part of his life, they are his biggest supporters. In his down time he enjoys spending time with his wife Tonya, and their five children: Cody, Kylie, Austin, Trey, and Brealynn. Brent is an avid roper, cowboy, and farmer.

The 13 Stages of Reclamation and The Evolution of Rec-Tech-Science: @ 8:40am

Aaron DeJoia is a board certified Professional Soil Scientist and Agronomist (No. 33232) and North Dakota Professional Soil Classifier with 18 years of experience as a consultant for both international and domestic clients. He currently works as an Environmental Soil Scientist/Agronomist providing permitting, operational, reclamation expert witness testimony, and salinity remediation assistance to clients in the oil and gas sectors. Aaron’s technical strengths include soil science, nutrient management, water resources, agronomy, reclamation, and general environmental problem solving. His fields of expertise include: natural gas produced water management, salinity transport, water, soil, and plant interface interactions, agronomy, reclamation of disturbed lands, and remote sensing. Aaron’s specific experience includes development of produced water managed irrigation systems, crop and nutrient management plans, facility water management strategies to manage nutrient and salinity impacts, land application of biosolids, wastewater land application, nutrient cycling, and environmental soil chemistry including remediation of salinity impacted crop land. He has particular expertise in the beneficial reuse of high nutrient wastewater and low irrigation quality water.

The 13 Stages of Reclamation and The Evolution of Rec-Tech-Science: @ 8:40am

Alex Zimmerman brings over 20 years of large scale construction and reclamation experience to Erosion and Sediment Control and stormwater training. From large disturbance, linear, and single-family construction to restoration and emergency landslide repair, his experiences add to informative trainings on real world issues for construction site and facility operators, inspectors, and designers. Alex has been helping project teams succeed by planning for the productive and compliant completion of varied construction and restoration projects. Alex has been recognized by various associations and agencies for his professional course preparation and delivery. Developing custom trainings for audiences as varied as Alaska Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska Department of Transportation, South Dakota Solid Waste Management Association, Building Industry Association of Washington, North Dakota Solid Waste & Recycling Association, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Northwest Territories Department of Transportation, and the British Columbia Erosion and Sediment Control Association. Alex stays up to date and informed on the latest regulations and compliance challenges. He was a past recipient of the Educational Achievement award by the International Erosion Control Association.

Restoration for Productivity: Sequencing for Success: @ 9:00am

Christopher G. Peterson is a Member in the Business Law and Manufacturing industry groups, focusing primarily on coal, commercial litigation, and workplace safety and health. Christopher’s practice centers on representing general industry, mining, coal, oil and gas, energy, and construction clients in a variety of matters under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act. Not only is he an excellent attorney, he also uses his knowledge of the mining industry to aid safety professionals. He frequently presents on mine safety and health topics and routinely provides innovative training to safety professionals and supervisors under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act. His work actively supports the safety of those involved in mining operations, showing his dedication to actively creating a better workplace.

The Evolution of Aerial Data Management: @ 10:30am

Tobias Kraft has nearly 10 years of experience in the GIS and Remote Sensing industry and 5 years of targeted experience in the reclamation and oil and gas sectors. Tobias and his team at SolSpec specialize in the processing, enhancement, and aggregation of remotely sensed data. With a primary focus on North American shale gas projects, SolSpec generates actionable products that target project planning/permitting, regulatory compliance, event response, and long-term monitoring. By staying actively engaged in each portion of the project lifecycle, SolSpec’s data aggregation model uses lessons from the past and present to shape industry best practices of the future.

The Evolution of Aerial Data Management: @ 10:30am

Mr. Duncan is a board Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg), Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS), and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) with 20 years of professional experience as an agronomic and soil science consultant. Matt has worked in both the agricultural and environmental industries including ag-retail, precision-ag, and reclamation consulting for energy industry projects. Matt currently works as the Senior Agronomist for Nutrien, the largest Agricultural retail supplier in the world. Prior to this role Mr. Duncan was a principal soil scientist/agronomist providing permitting, operational, reclamation and other technical assistance to clients in both the private and public sectors of the energy and agricultural industries. Mr. Duncan is a past chairman of the National Soils Certification Board and was a member of the ethics committee for the Soil Science Society of America.

Compaction Causes, Consequences, and Mitigation: @ 11:00am

John S. Zakhem is a Member in the Business Law, Construction, and Government industry groups, focusing primarily on commercial litigation and real estate. John’s practice centers on the representation of business and real estate owners in labor and commercial litigation, corporate and business law, real estate development and finance, government affairs, election law and campaign finance, mergers and acquisitions, and private-placement securities offerings. He also provides construction counseling and litigation support to owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. John is active in the legal and political communities and has been appointed to various committees and boards by two Colorado governors, the State Senate president, and two Denver mayors throughout the past 20 years.John has been included in The Best Lawyers in America© in Government Relations since 2011, has been recognized as a Colorado Super Lawyer® since 2009, has a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating, and was included in the Colorado Statesman’s inaugural class of 50 for the Future.

Contract Review & Managing Risk: @ 11:45am

Amberley Snyder was born in California as the second to six children. Amberley fell in love with horses at a young age and began barrel racing when her family moved to Utah at her age of 7. She competed in junior rodeos and up into high school, winning multiple titles and awards. Her senior year she finished as the National Little Britches Finals and World All Around Cowgirl. Amberley was also serving as the Utah FFA State President in 2009. In January of 2010, Amberley was involved in a rollover truck accident, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Eighteen months after that day, with a seatbelt on her saddle, she returned to competing in rodeo. She now competes in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association in the barrel racing. Amberley has earned her place competing amongst professional barrel racers and has won multiple awards with the Cowboy and Cowgirl Hall of Fames. She shares her story of triumph over tragedy hoping she can motivate others to believe in themselves and get back on the horse.

Overcoming Adversity: @ 1:30pm

Gertrude Johnson joined the FERC in 2005 as a Mechanical Engineer, specializing in review of air quality, noise, and pipeline safety. She has managed National Environmental Policy Act document preparation and monitored environmental compliance on numerous pipeline and LNG projects. Gertrude is currently the Compliance Manager for FERC’s Office of Energy Projects, Division of Gas-Engineering and Environment (DG2E). She provides oversight of DG2E’s post-certificate compliance program and advises stakeholders regarding laws, regulations, and policy affecting natural gas facility construction and compliance techniques. Prior to her employment at the FERC, Gertrude worked as a manufacturing engineer on non-nuclear pipe fabrication at the Newport News Shipbuilding. Gertrude has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

The Evolution of Regulation & Restoration Expectations: @ 2:30pm

Dr. Arthur graduated Magna cum laude from the University Colorado, Boulder in Environmental Population Organismic Biology. She then went on to secure a Ph.D. from Colorado State University, Fort Collins in the Rangeland Ecosystem Science Department with an emphasis in Restoration Ecology. Dr. Denise Arthur joined the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), who regulates the oil and gas industry, four years ago. Her career spans 30 years in restoration ecology, including large scale native revegetation/restoration planning and oversight, specification development, project design/review, compliance and project management. For many years Dr. Arthur worked in environmental consulting serving a broad client base including private industry, regulatory agencies, and other governmental entities. In her current position as the COGCC Reclamation Supervisor, she is developing a reclamation/restoration group, within the Field Inspection Unit, who focuses on ecological restoration and management of stormwater issues on lands disturbed by oil and gas.

The Evolution of Regulation & Restoration Expectations: @ 2:30pm

Amy McGregor graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. degree in Agronomy and from the University of Idaho with a M.S. in Soils. Amy has spent 12 of her 16 years as a Federal Employee with the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) in Denver, Colorado. Amy began her career with OSMRE as a soil scientist and currently serves as a mine permit coordinator for a large surface coal mine located within the Hopi and Navajo reservations in Arizona. Amy strives for strong partnership between the Tribal Nations, the coal mine permittee, and OSMRE as the regulatory authority, to reclaim lands disturbed by coal mining activities and return the land to a higher and better use. Amy’s experience not only includes reclamation of soils on large surface coal mines but also with the implementation of the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, the Surface Mining and Control and Reclamation Act in cooperation with other Federal Agencies, States, Tribes, and Non-Governmental Organizations.

The Evolution of Regulation & Restoration Expectations: @ 2:30pm

Douglas J. Crouse is an Associate in the Coal and Energy industry groups, focusing primarily on litigation. Doug’s practice involves environmental litigation at the state and federal levels, as well as advising clients on permitting, surface mining, water discharge, and other environmental issues. He’s defended numerous energy companies in federal court against Clean Water Act citizen suits filed by environmental activist groups, and represented and counseled energy companies in a variety of cases and appeals. A people-person at heart, getting to know his clients is Doug’s favorite part of what he does and what keeps him motivated every day.

The Evolution of Regulation & Restoration Expectations: @ 2:30pm

Greg has worked with a range of environmental issues in his career, beginning with his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal. He worked in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Program, in Washington, DC, the southeast, and California. There, he worked with companies to assess the impacts of hazardous waste releases, and work with those companies towards agreements for site remediation. He then studied soil and restoration ecology to complete his doctoral program at the University of Georgia, before moving on to become Director of Science and Stewardship for the Nature Conservancy Pennsylvania Chapter. There, he oversaw invasive plant, fire and restoration management of multiple preserves while working with partners to enhance the protected area portfolio in the Mid-Atlantic states. He then returned to the federal government in 2000 with the Park Service. Here he has engaged in a range of issues and special projects, including fuel treatment and fire restoration with the Park Service Wildland Fire Program, guidance on the development of ecological integrity and desired future condition criteria, consultation to parks for restoration assessment and planning, and other resource condition assessments, including those related to external energy and other infrastructure development. He has served as the Department of Interior Representative to the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, a Federal Advisory Committee, and on the Operations Science Advisory Team for the BP Oil Spill.

The Evolution of Regulation & Restoration Expectations: @ 2:30pm

Mr. McGahan graduated from Georgetown University in 2004 with a BA in English. A professional project manager, Mr. McGahan helped produce numerous film festivals, large-scale events, and a host of documentary films and television shows while living in New York City. Mr. McGahan left New York in April of 2010 to travel around the world, visiting 25 countries on 5 continents in 18 months. Upon his return to the United States, he founded RETREET to redefine disaster relief and, through it, find fulfillment and purpose through community. An avid cyclist and amateur arborist, Mr. McGahan is also the president of Texas Urban Forestry Council and a 2015 graduate of Municipal Forestry Institute.

The Evolution of Regulation & Restoration Expectations: @ 3:45pm