John A. Yellich, CPG, director of the Michigan Geological Survey at Western Michigan University, has more than 40 years of geologic experience in mineral exploration and development, environmental consulting, business operations, and safety compliance. He has worked in more than 30 states conducting mineral, petroleum, and environmental assessments in the United States, in addition to Canada, Australia, and China, now with a focus on water resources and impacts in the Great Lakes region. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from WMU and his professional geologist certification from the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

James J. Butler Jr., Ph.D., is a senior scientist and chief of the Geohydrology Section of the Kansas Geological Survey at the University of Kansas. His major research focuses on high-resolution subsurface characterization, well responses to natural and anthropogenic stresses, and assessment of aquifers that support irrigated agriculture. During the last 20 years, he has led numerous projects focused on the use of direct-push technology for characterization of the hydraulic properties of unconsolidated sediments.

Well-known for his teaching and outreach activities throughout the groundwater industry, Butler served as the 2007 Groundwater Foundation’s Darcy Lecturer, was an associate editor of Groundwater® from 2002-2017, and has given 120-plus lecturers in more than 14 countries on applied hydrology. In 2020, Butler received NGWA’s M. King Hubbert Award, which is presented to those who have made major scientific or engineering contributions to the knowledge of groundwater through research, technical papers, teaching, and practical applications.

Butler received a B.S. in geology from William & Mary and a Ph.D. in hydrogeology from Stanford University.

Chuck Kile is the director of marketing at Adapt Digital Solutions, a digital marketing firm that specializes in the groundwater industry. With a background in residential construction, he has made his way up in the marketing world by mastering the fundamentals, starting with his family’s remodeling company. Kile’s message is simple — businesses that have found success offline are sitting on a goldmine when it comes to upgrading their online presence. A solid marketing foundation is all most groundwater businesses need in order to turn the people searching online into happy customers.

Kyle E. Murray, Ph.D., a hydrogeologist for the Oklahoma Geological Survey at the University of Oklahoma, has more than 20 years of experience working as a consultant and researcher on water resources, water management, environmental protection, energy production, and seismicity. He is partnering with other geoscientists and engineers to overcome new challenges including water reuse, resource recovery from produced water, and to mitigate seismicity.

Murray has published his groundwater-related work in several journals including Groundwater®, Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, Environmental Earth Sciences, Environmental Science & Technology, and Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering. He earned an M.S. in hydrogeology from Wright State University and a Ph.D. in geological engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Dylan Eberle, Ph.D., a scientist at Geosyntec Consultants, assists clients with the characterization and remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with both priority pollutants and emerging contaminants. His work with emerging contaminants includes working on sites impacted by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-dioxane, along with lead authorship on articles appearing in Chemosphere and Environmental Science and Technology.

Eberle’s PFAS experience has included leading site investigations for clients, development and evaluation of conceptual site models, environmental forensics, litigation support, risk assessment, and research into destructive remediation technologies. He has helped develop standard operating procedures for PFAS sampling and has led field investigations at military bases, airports, and manufacturing facilities.

In addition, Eberle has worked on several confidential PFAS litigation support cases involving industrial facilities, landfills, airports, and drinking water supplies. His litigation support experience includes conducting research regarding contaminated site history, regulatory compliance, drinking water distribution networks, remedial efficiency, contaminant exposure and duration, and forensic evaluations. His findings have been used to assist expert witnesses in developing their professional opinions.

A specialist in PFAS and emerging contaminants; innovative remediation technologies; environmental hydrogeology; and litigation support, Eberle holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in environmental and Earth sciences, and a B.A. in geology.

Sara Brock is a program manager with the Groundwater Foundation. Since 2016, she has managed the Groundwater Guardian program, a grassroots network of volunteers who conserve, protect, and educate communities on the importance of groundwater. She provides resources and learning opportunities to experts and the public, demonstrating groundwater education tools that complement existing curriculum and standards. As founder and former president of a college-based community engagement group, Drake University’s Community Action Board, Brock trained individuals and groups to build strong relationships with the public with the goal of fostering a meaningful exchange of information and bringing about positive, long-term change.

Jason C. Bellino is a hydrologist and currently the project chief of the Floridan Aquifer System Groundwater Availability Study at the U.S. Geological Survey Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center. His interests are in groundwater flow modeling and he has extensive experience with ArcGIS and enjoys developing python code for data analysis. He received both a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and policy and a master’s degree in geology from the University of South Florida.

Thomas Valachovics is a hydrogeologist with the Ohio Geological Survey. Specializing in glacial aquifer systems, his current projects include the statewide mapping of groundwater vulnerability in Ohio. Valachovics brings additional experience in geomorphology, geochronology, and geophysics to the survey, and has worked previously with the Indiana Geological and Water Survey. He earned a B.S. in geology from Grand Valley State University and an M.S. in geology from the University of Toledo.

Krista Hardin is with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey, in Columbus, Ohio, where her primary duties involve mapping groundwater vulnerability and assisting with Ohio’s Groundwater Observation Well Network. Originally from Cleveland, she holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Kent State University and is currently working toward a master’s degree in geographic information science.

James Raab is a hydrogeologist at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey, in Columbus, Ohio. He earned a B.S. in geology from the University of Toledo and an M.S. in geology and Earth science from Michigan State University.

Karen Kinsella, Ph.D., is a biogeochemist at GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. in Glastonbury, Connecticut. She has more than 40 years’ experience in the agricultural, analytical, construction, energy, environmental, and radionuclide sectors. Her consulting practice focuses on applying biochemical and geochemical processes for active remediation and natural attenuation of soil and groundwater contaminants. Kinsella has taught chemistry and environmental science at the secondary school level. She earned an M.S. in chemistry from Central Connecticut State University in 1996 and a Ph.D. in soil chemistry and microbiology from the University of Connecticut in 2009.

William M. Alley, Ph.D., is the NGWA director of science and technology. Previously, he served as chief, Office of Groundwater for the U.S. Geological Survey for almost two decades. Alley has published more 100 scientific publications and coauthored with his wife, Rosemarie, High and Dry: Meeting the Challenges of the World’s Growing Dependence on Groundwater. Among other awards, Alley received the USGS Shoemaker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communication and the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award. He holds a B.S. in geological engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, an M.S. in hydrogeology from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University.

Edd joined Baker Hughes as a Technical Sales Engineer for Oilfield Completions in 1980. During his tenure, he supervised cement, acid and frac completions both onshore and offshore across the West Coast and Alaska. In 1998 he joined Johnson Screens as a Regional Sales Representative. A majority of Edd’s experience has been across the Southwest in well drilling and well completions. He was recently promoted to Technical Sales Manager for the Chemical Product line from Johnson Screens. Edd served as the 2007 NGWA McEllhiney Lecturer for Water Well Technology.

Thomas “Thom” M. Hanna, PG, is employed as a technical director for water well products/hydrogeologist for Johnson Screens where he works in areas of well design, construction, rehabilitation, and development. Before working for Johnson Screens, he worked for more than 20 years as a hydrogeologist for several groundwater consulting firms including Hydrologic Consultants Inc., S.S. Papadopulos & Associates Inc., and Golder Associates.

His experiences include hydrogeologic investigations, and design and optimization of well efficiencies for mine dewatering and water supply investigations. Hanna has authored or coauthored many publications including the Operational Stage of the Well, three chapters of the third edition of Groundwater & Wells, and numerous technical papers. He has been an instructor and invited lecturer for many groundwater organizations and universities.

Hanna received a B.S. in geology from Michigan State University and an M.S. in geology from Western Michigan University.

Christopher S. Johnson, PG, CHg, has nearly 40 years of applied industry experience in groundwater assessment, hydrogeology, well design and construction, well rehabilitation, groundwater aquifer testing, geochemistry, and hard rock aquifer assessments.

Key project experience ranges from deep water supply wells designed to avoid naturally occurring contaminants and project manager for groundwater monitoring at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco to the technical lead on the Deep Groundwater Monitoring Well Installation Program for the Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory in New Mexico. Johnson has assessed aquifers for the source of naturally occurring arsenic and uranium, then successfully designed high-capacity municipal supply wells with little to no reportable concentrations of these constituents present. He has been the principal hydrogeologist on several large-scale groundwater assessments that included modeling and testing aquifer performance of deep, high-capacity test wells.

Knowledgeable of both technical and regulatory requirements, Johnson has significant experience in conducting cost-benefit analysis for new wells, new wellfields, well rehabilitation, and aquifer assessments. He is also well versed in dealing with regulatory requirements related to water quality, production, and basin yield.

Michael “Mike” Schnieders is a professional geologist and hydrologist (groundwater) and senior consultant for Water Systems Engineering in Ottawa, Kansas. His work involves water resource characterization and consulting on well rehabilitation projects. Schnieders and WSE’s work crosses numerous disciplines and fields involving geology, chemistry, microbiology, water resource and watershed management, corrosion control, and water system management. He has served on numerous state and national training programs focusing on rehabilitation and maintenance of water wells and groundwater systems. Mike served as the 2017 NGWA McEllhiney Lecturer for Water Well Technology.

Tabatha Dellwo is currently a territory sales representative at Pentair Flow Technologies. For the three years she’s been with Pentair, she’s held sales positions focused on both commercial and residential pumping applications. Dellwo has more than 15 years of experience in the water industry and holds a B.B.A. degree from the ITT Technical Institute.

Richard A. Mest is president of Master Water Conditioning Corp., a manufacture of a variety of water treatment products, services, and technical support for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. His responsibilities include executive decision-making, product development, identifying new technology opportunities, educational program development, and customer training. He has worked at the company since 1978.

Mest is an active member in the Water Quality Association and is a past president. He is on the Water Quality Research Foundation Board of Directors, where he serves as vice president, and is a member of the Water Systems Council, where he serves on the board of directors as immediate past president. Mest is also a member of the Oregon Ground Water Association, where he serves on the board of directors, and Lifetime Wells International, where he serves on its board of directors. He previously served on the National Sanitation Foundation task force for the development of testing protocol for the water softener testing standard 44. He continues to serve on many water quality and water resource industry committees and task forces where he guides policy, government affairs, consumer outreach, and technical advancement.

In addition, Mest is an avid educator and has performed seminars for water treatment-related trade associations, health departments, and children’s programs. He has written many technical articles on water treatment technology, as well as seminar formats approved for state certification continued education. He recently received WQA’s “Award of Merit” and “Key Award” for his dedication to educating members of the water industry.

Fred Rothauge, CWD, is drilling fluids and well rehabilitation manager for Hydro Resources and past owner and president of Quality Drilling Fluids, a company he started and owned for 22 years. He has over 38 years’ experience in oil and gas, mining, water well drilling, and well rehabilitation.

Rothauge serves on the NGWA Contractors Board and served as president of the Colorado Water Well Contractors Association in 2019. He has coauthored papers on drilling fluid products and is a coauthor of Johnson Screen’s third edition of Groundwater & Wells. His primary interests are in groundwater resources development and well rehabilitation. Rothauge holds water well driller licenses in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. His NGWA certification includes air rotary drilling, mud rotary drilling, reverse circulation drilling, and well servicing and maintenance.

Todd Krause, PE, has 11 years of experience in the design and management of water systems, and currently sits on the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Technical Advisory Group for Well Construction.