Southern Water Utility Roundtable: Shared Challenges, Innovative Solutions

Sonia Allman has served as the Manager of Strategic Communications at Metro Water Services (MWS) for over 20 years.  She manages all communications and public messaging strategies for MWS and is a member of the Emergency Management Support staff for the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in Nashville.   A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Sonia holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. It was her personal interest in the environment that led Sonia to a career in the water industry and she worked as an Environmental Compliance Officer, performing water quality work and stream bioassessments prior to her current role.

Sonia’s experience in water sampling and analysis, in addition to her experience in communications, made her a valuable member of the recovery team sent from Nashville to assist the Hancock County Water and Sewer District and residents in Mississippi recover after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  She was extremely involved in the May 2010 flood in Nashville and also led a deployment team to the Florida Key after Hurricane Irma to assist the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.

Sonia has been an active member of KY/TN AWWA since 2007, serving in multiple leadership roles, including Section Chair.  She currently serves at the Chair of TN WARN and is the TN trustee for the Section’s Member Experience Council.

Irela Bagué serves as the Director of Governments & Water Resilience for Florida & theCaribbean at Black & Veatch, a global leader in engineering, procurement, consulting, and construction. In this pivotal role, she champions resilient infrastructure solutions that protect water resources and strengthen communities against environmental challenges.

Previously, Irela made history as Miami-Dade County’s first Chief Bay Officer (CBO), where she led strategic efforts to safeguard Biscayne Bay’s ecological health. As a high-level advisor to the County Mayor and Commission, she played a key role in shaping water quality policies, securing over $70 million in state and federal funding, and launching resilience-forward pilot projects aimed at long-term bay recovery. She also represented the County on the USACE Project Delivery Team for the Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Restoration (BBSEER) plan, part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

Irela chaired the Biscayne Bay Task Force, authoring a blueprint for the bay’s restoration rooted in science, stakeholder collaboration, and sustainable investment. Her leadership emphasized resilience not just as a response, but as a proactive guiding principle.

As a former Vice-Chair of the Governing Board of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Irela helped launch one of the nation’s most ambitious ecological recovery efforts CERP while guiding policy on flood control, water quality, and ecosystem protection across a 16-county region. She also chaired the Miami River Commission, leading the successful dredging and revitalization of the river corridor.

Irela spent two decades leading Bagué Group, a consulting firm specializing in water policy, climate mitigation, strategic communications, and resilience planning. She has been a trusted partner to both public and private sector clients, and her work has consistently bridged the gap between science, policy, and public engagement.

A passionate advocate for sustainable development, Irela has served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, chaired its Resilience Committee, and led the City of Coral Gables Sustainability Committee. She is also a Presidential Leadership Scholar, a distinction awarded through the Bush and Clinton foundations, and currently is host of Resilient Forward, a podcast spotlighting resilience, and environmental solutions.

Paul Calamita has practiced municipal utility law for over 30 years.

Among other national representations, he serves as General Counsel to the NC and SC Water Quality Associations.

Beth Eckert began her career with the City of Gastonia where she worked and grew in the public utilities department for 13 years in various positions.  Currently, she is one of four Deputy Executive Directors at the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA), and her focus is Linear Assets, Safety, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Management and Sustainability for the organization while serving as a member of the executive management team.   She has been with the organization for 17.5 years and was a member of the original management team that facilitated the merger of the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County, two utilities that merged to form the CFPUA.

During Beth’s tenure at CFPUA, she has been instrumental in leading various portions of the merger, the EPA Consent Decree and its termination, addressing PFAS-GenX and 1,4 Dioxane, responding to hurricanes such as Florence and major raw water line breaks, a fluoride overfeed, and an E-coli positive event.  All of which eventually resulted in a success story on the back side with lessons learned and implemented.  She has overseen the success of emergency preparedness and safety programs, both of which have received multiple awards within the industry.  Additionally, she serves as the president of the NC Water Quality Association, Chair of the Lower Cape Fear River Program, NC – Urban Water Consortium Advisory member to the WRRI, and a member of AWWA, NCPC, US Water Alliance, and AMWA.

Beth’s skills, knowledge, and responsibilities have grown in each career step, but they have always focused on continual improvement, innovation, safety, environmental stewardship, sustainability, and service to the community.  Always striving to do the right thing at the right time for our community, our customers, and our employees.

Tom is General Counsel and Director of Compliance, Communications, and Regulatory Affairs at the Northern Kentucky Water District. Tom has served in this role since January 1, 2021 and has practiced law since 2013.  As General Counsel for NKWD, Tom provides legal counsel and guidance to the Board and Executive Management Team on all legal matters relevant to large public institutions including employee law, real estate, contracts, tax, insurance, public monies and purchasing.  Tom also works frequently with NKWD’s regulators including the Kentucky Public Service Commission and Kentucky Division of Water to ensure compliance by NKWD with various drinking water utility regulations.

Prior to working for NKWD, Tom operated a small private practice primarily focused on civil litigation and general legal services for municipalities and worked as an Assistant County Attorney where he provided general civil legal services, appellate advocacy, child support collection, and misdemeanor crimes prosecutions.

Tom has an Associates Degree in Information Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology from American Military University, a Master’s in Business Administration from American Public University and a Juris Doctorate from Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law.

Tom is admitted to practice law in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana and various federal courts. Tom is also member of the American Bar Association, Kentucky Bar Association and Northern Kentucky Bar Association.

Donnie Ginn is executive vice president and water solutions group portfolio leader at Black & Veatch. Ginn’s expertise includes water and wastewater facilities, collection and distribution systems, and combined sewer overflow and water conveyance tunnel programs. He has supported clients with planning and implementing billions of dollars of water infrastructure, saving hundreds of millions of dollars through innovative and cost-savings solutions. Ginn is passionate about helping utilities, technology companies, and state and local governments implement sustainable and resilient water solutions in a financially responsible manner.

Peter Goodmann serves as the Director of Water Quality and Research at Louisville Water Co. where he oversees water quality, the water-quality lab, treatment, and distribution system compliance, the cross-connection program, water-quality research, and source water protection. Peter also works in new business development and regionalization, and on water policy issues.  

 Mr. Goodmann was previously the Director of the Kentucky Division of Water for several years, having worked for the Department for Environmental Protection since 1993. Peter currently serves on the AWWA Water Utilities Council, the KY TN AWWA Board (KY WARN chair), KY WUC, AMWA’s Regulatory and Legislative committees, and the Kentucky Geological Survey Advisory Board. 

For more than 30 years, Susan has delivered digital and industrial cybersecurity solutions to clients across the government sector, energy, water and education industries. Partnering with clients to drive best-fit digitalization and cybersecurity efforts, Herman develops forward-looking solutions that enhance resilience, sustainability, quality, safety, security and transparency.

She joined Black & Veatch in 2021 after decades of digital and automation product and service innovation at companies such as Schneider Electric, Invensys and Texas Instruments.

Jo Ann Jackson leads Black & Veatch’s National One Water Planning Practice, bringing over 40 years of experience in integrated water solutions. Her work spans planning, permitting, design, and implementation of a wide range of water reuse programs—from urban and agricultural systems to environmental and potable reuse projects. She previously managed water, wastewater, and reuse systems for the City of Altamonte Springs, giving her both utility and consulting perspectives.

Jo Ann has held leadership roles with the WateReuse Association, contributed to national water reuse standards, and helped shape Florida’s potable reuse regulations.

Jorianne Jernberg is the director of the WIFIA Management Division.  In this capacity, she is spearheading the implementation of a federal infrastructure bank at EPA – overseeing the origination, underwriting, negotiation, and monitoring of loans to support water, wastewater, and stormwater projects around the country.   

Jorianne joined the WIFIA team in 2016 and has been the program director since the first loan closing in 2018. WIFIA’s portfolio now includes 140 loans representing $22 billion in WIFIA financing that promotes $48 billion in critical water infrastructure investment.  Prior to joining EPA, Jorianne served as the head of risk management and financial operations at the TIFIA program within the Department of Transportation where she was responsible for a team conducting a wide range of financial, programmatic, and credit functions.   

Jorianne has both an undergraduate and graduate degree from Cleveland State University.  

Francesca leads Black & Veatch’s Funding and Financing Practice and brings over 20 years of financial and commercial leadership in the water and energy sectors. Her expertise includes funding and financing assessment and strategy, grant applications, financial project structuring and public-private partnerships (P3s). Since 2017, Francesca has assisted Black & Veatch clients in navigating the funding landscape, submitting successful grant and loan applications for multiple funding programs, and complying with state and federal funding program requirements. Francesca has completed funding evaluations for projects totaling over $16 billion. She understands the nuances of federal, state and private funding programs and helps clients understand the funding landscape, which has become increasingly complex in recent months.

Francesca is a guest professor at the University of Pennsylvania and is in her 12th year of teaching a Masters of Environmental Studies class titled, The Future of Water: Climate Change, Sustainability, and Global Solutions. She has an extensive network of industry contacts including investors, regulatory experts, and policymakers, and frequently speaks at prominent water and funding conferences in the U.S. and globally. Prior to joining BV, Francesca was CEO of Abengoa Water USA. She also covered the water sector for Wall Street for six years, and served as a political appointee at the Department of Energy.

Tracy is Executive Director, Government Affairs, for the American Water Works Association (AWWA).  He was an independent consultant and served as Interim President of the U.S. Water Alliance and national Source Water Protection Coordinator for the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.  He is also an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University School of Law and Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College.  He was Principal with The Cadmus Group, Inc., an environmental consulting firm, from 2004 to 2014.  Mehan served as Assistant Administrator for Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2001-2003.  He served as Environmental Stewardship Counselor to the 2004 G-8 Summit Planning Organization (2004).  Mehan also served as director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes (1993-2001) and as Associate Deputy Administrator of EPA in 1992.  He was director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources from 1989 to 1992.  Mehan is a graduate of Saint Louis University and its School of Law.  Mehan served on the Water Science and Technology Board and now the Committee on the Mississippi River and the Clean Water Act for the National Research Council of the National Academies.  He was also an independent expert judge for the City Water Conservation Achievement Award program (2006 & 2011) sponsored by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and its Urban Water Council.

Mehan is a member of the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and a regular book reviewer for ELI’s flagship publication, The Environmental Forum.

Mehan serves on EPA’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board as well as the boards of the U.S. Water Alliance and the Great Lakes Observing System.  He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Environmental Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University and a past member of the board of the Potomac Conservancy (2006-2014).

John Nichols is the Utilities Director for Brunswick County, a coastal retirement and vacation destination in one of the fastest growing areas in North Carolina.  Prior to joining the utility, which serves a seasonal peak population of over 300,000 persons, worked as a consulting engineer specializing in water quality, water quantity, hydraulics, utility design, roadway design, and erosion control, for primarily municipal and state clients.  Received BS in Civil Engineering from N.C. State University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and is a Professional Engineer.

Dr. Schmidt is the Chief Administrative Officer of Greenville Water. His current portfolio includes numerous functions including Government Relations, Public Relations, Legal, Finance & Accounting, Internal Audit, Strategic Management, Fleet and Watersheds.

Prior to joining Greenville Water, Bob’s experience includes positions in academia both in the US and internationally, basic and industrial research, as well as senior management positions in private industry and consulting. As a consultant, Bob served as an advisor to numerous federal agencies as well as national and international public and private organizations. He has also served as an Environmental Hearing Officer and court appointed monitor/trustee.

Bob holds graduate degrees in Law, Demography, Organizations and Economics.

James Strayer is a Vice President in charge of Black & Veatch’s Water Solution Portfolio teams. In this role, he sits on the Governments and Communities Sector Leadership Team. James is responsible for the Water Solution’s capabilities – spanning Treatment, Civil Works (Dams, Tunnels, Pipelines), Program Management, Construction Management, and Water Resources and Community Planning. James has also planned iconic $B+ BV programs including Pure Water San Diego and the SNWA Horizon Lateral Program.

Todd Swingle serves as the CEO / Executive Director for the Toho Water Authority (Toho) in Kissimmee, Florida.  Toho serves approximately 170,000 connections with services including Water, Wastewater, and Reuse Water.  Mr. Swingle leads over 600 employees that operate 24 water and water reclamation facilities, over 4,600 miles of pipelines and 630 pump stations.

Before joining Toho, Mr. Swingle spent over 25 years serving in various environmental management roles in the utilities, consulting, and manufacturing spaces in the US and globally.  He is active in a variety of civic and professional organizations focused on community and the environment.  Professionally, Mr. Swingle serves as a board member for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the Water Research Foundation, and the Florida Water Environment Association Utility Council.  Mr. Swingle holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida, an MBA from the University of Florida, and is a registered Professional Engineer.

Steve Via is Director of Federal Relations for the American Water Works Association working in AWWA’s Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Via’s primary responsibilities are two-fold. First, working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies on the development of policy and regulations that affect the water sector, and communicating the basis and substance of federal policy and regulations to the water sector.

Mr. Via has 31 years’ professional experience in environmental regulatory compliance assistance related to federal and state drinking water, wastewater, and solid/hazardous waste regulations. His work experience includes supporting communities engaged in planning, financing, and managing infrastructure improvements.

Kenneth Waldroup is Executive Director of the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA), the primary drinking water and wastewater provider for New Hanover County, the City of Wilmington and the Town of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Ken has more than 32 years of experience in the water industry and is a licensed professional engineer who specializes in water sector design, operations, and maintenance. A graduate of the UNC-Chapel Hill Water and Wastewater Leadership Center, Ken holds a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from North Carolina State University, a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University, and a Master of Business Administration from UNC-Wilmington.

He has volunteered in water sector trade and professional organizations for most of his career, including turns as statewide chairperson of NC AWWA-WEA and the state mutual aid water/wastewater agency response network (NCWaterWARN). Nationally, Ken currently serves on the American Water Works Association Utility Advisory Council and the Board of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.

Melissa Westfall serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Charlotte Water, the largest regional public water and wastewater utility in the Carolinas, owned and operated by the City of Charlotte. With a regional customer base exceeding one million, Charlotte Water maintains a Aaa/AAA rating from Moody’s and S&P Global.

In her role, Melissa oversees all financial operations, including budget, accounting, procurement, compliance, records management, and fleet management activities for Charlotte Water.

She is responsible for the development and administration of Charlotte Water’s $275 million annual operating budget, ensuring fiscal integrity and strategic financial planning. Her duties include overseeing the establishment of rates and charges, the preparation of the Annual Financial Report, and the formulation of long-term financial strategies. Additionally, she administers a $2.25 billion five-year capital improvement program and coordinates a $2 billion debt portfolio.

Melissa is a seasoned leader and dedicated public servant driving organizational success in local government. Since joining the City of Charlotte in 2012, her leadership has enhanced the financial operations of two of the City of Charlotte’s largest enterprise funds. Before transitioning to Charlotte Water, Melissa managed transit grants and led capital budget development for the Charlotte Area Transit System, the largest transit agency in the Carolinas. Prior to her tenure with the City of Charlotte, she held key financial and human resources positions with the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners in Florida.