SMC

☀️🌳 HAPPY ARBOR DAY! 🌳☀️
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https://bluewaterbaltimore.org/event/epics-free-tree-adoption-at-johns-hopkins-eastern-campus/

This LEADER IN STORMWATER is a Founding Partner of the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Program - Amanda Rockler, Watershed Restoration Specialist, University of Maryland (UMD).

Raised in a household of diverse perspectives, Amanda parents’ insight brought invaluable insight in shaping her interest in choosing a career that tackles both environmental and social equity, working in the ever evolving world of stormwater management (SWM). Amanda explains that stormwater "can be transformed from a challenge to an asset that contributes to [both] environmental and social well-being...an area where science, design, and community engagement intersect, and that cross-disciplinary approach keeps it exciting...”. Fortunate to have Doug Lipton and Heather Gewandter as instrumental mentors early on in her career provided Amanda with vital guidance that laid down the groundwork for the role she has today.

Now working within UMD’s AGNR Sea Grant Extension Program, Amanda has found a deep interest in translating sound science into practical, community-driven solutions. For 20 years, she has built programs focused on watershed restoration and environmental resilience, and feels privileged to mentor and teach students, transforming science into actionable strategies for sustainable community planning. Dubbed by colleagues as the “Kevin Bacon of Maryland” speaks to the connections Amanda has made across many different fields and communities, bringing a variety of people together in meaningful ways.

Amanda says that both natural systems and infrastructure components are essential for creating sustainable, resilient environments. Natural systems provide the foundation for ecological health; infrastructure plays a crucial role in managing human impact and ensuring systems function effectively. And the social dynamics that drive community engagement are critical to restoration. She notes a challenge facing the industry in how to design, install, and maintain SWM infrastructure that not only restores ecological function but also addresses the socio-economic of planning and community engagement. She says, “This involves balancing competing interests—economic development, environmental protection, and social equity—and lacks a one-size-fits-all solution. Communities faces unique challenges based on geography, demographics, and existing infrastructure which makes developing universally effective strategies difficult. ...The problem requires cross-sector collaboration between planners, scientists, engineers, and local communities. This issue demands innovative, adaptive solutions integrating natural systems with infrastructure while ensuring community participation and buy-in.” She goes on to say that, “By bridging science, policy, and community engagement, I strive to ensure complex scientific concepts are accessible, actionable, and impactful, creating tangible benefits for the environment and the people who depend on it.”

This Leader in Stormwater played an integral part in Ecosystem Services' creation of the first P3 for water quality improvements related to TMDLs in Virginia, and the first nutrient bank that utilizes stream restoration as the pollutant reduction practice - Kip Mumaw, PE, Co-Founder/Principal Engineer, Ecosystem Services, LLC.

Raised in Floyd County, Kip regularly spent his childhood exploring the forest and creek around his family’s property. His love for the natural world translated to a career as an Engineer specifically solving issues in the hydrology and hydraulics field as applied to natural systems. In a market dominated by large multi-service firms, Kip saw an opportunity for a small natural resource consulting firm dedicated specifically to stormwater and ecological restoration challenges; and in 2011, together with Jon Roller, Kip co-founded Ecosystem Services, a firm focused on helping localities address the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. Kip explains, “Restoring natural environments tend to avail more significant ecological uplift than other stormwater infrastructure which is rewarding…seeing how a natural system responds to an intervention. It’s an astounding and enriching experience to see old ecological wounds start to heal.” He goes on to say, “We do occasionally work in more developed watersheds involving conventional drainage systems. These environments require approaches that typically have different goals associated with them. Working in urban areas is enjoyable because it tends to be about social engagement and envisioning how people will interact and benefit from our services.” Kip is inspired by making a difference in the landscape of a community, and providing those within the numerous benefits ecosystems have to offer.

Most of Kip’s day is oriented around supporting and facilitating the work of his employees. He manages projects and feels fortunate to participate in the associated field work. His days are diverse and, like most of his colleagues, he wears many hats which keeps things interesting. Kip explains that the complexity associated with designing stormwater and natural resource interventions is something that will always inspire and attract him to the field. The discipline is still relatively new for an applied science, and since it’s an active area of research, the field is constantly adapting to incorporate new information. He gives a nod to the character of those working within the stormwater industry - specifically to Richard Starr and Joe Berg for their generosity with their time and knowledge towards him early in his career; and David Hirschman for modeling exemplary leadership and humility towards subject matter, clients, and colleagues.

Outside of work, Kip occasionally volunteers with regional environmental non-profit organizations and sponsors local and regional groups advancing environmental missions. Beyond that, he stays active with his wife, Sarah and their dog, Mala with all sorts of outdoor adventures.

This LEADER IN STORMWATER was involved in stormwater legislation passed by the VA Virginia General Assembly, and wrote the first MS4 permits that included Chesapeake Bay TMDL requirements - Ginny Snead, PE, CFM, Director of Environmental and Water Resources with AMT Engineering (AMT).

Ginny began her career in the stormwater industry 30 years ago and has dipped a toe into each of what she calls the environmental “3-legged stool” - government, private, and nonprofit work. She says, “All three serve roles in furthering positive movement for water resources, and it is important for [them to] thrive and collaborate together when possible.” Ginny has worked in smaller and larger engineering firms as well as in state government. These experiences have brought her to a place of appreciation for the opportunity that her current role with AMT brings. AMT - a mid-sized civil engineering firm specialized in stormwater, floodplain management, and resilience - gives her team a flexible platform to handle a variety of clients and project types. In addition to the day-to-day collaboration, she oversees industry committees and workgroups, and manages focused client support. Occasionally, she’ll also find herself in the field to stay connected to her projects.

Ginny says, “The stormwater field is a playground for applied science [as it is] so varied and our understanding is ever evolving.” Ginny’s interests are piqued by stormwater complexities and how the industry continues to learn more on how to best manage it. She stresses stormwater resilience is an important priority in need of our attention - resilience to climate change and its effects on increased frequency and duration of rain events and the impact on property, infrastructure, water quality and implemented BMPs. And she is drawn to engineering solutions that maximize natural systems, using infrastructure to best allow those systems to function over time.

Ginny has immersed herself in nonprofit work throughout the span of her career. Early on, she spoke at the Race For The Baltic’s Scandinavian conferences, comparing efforts here in the Chesapeake Bay to those in the Baltic Sea. She also served on the board of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay for many years - working with watershed residents to achieve clean streams and rivers. And more recently, she’s spent time on the board of VIRGINIAforever, a diverse coalition advocating for increased water quality and land conservation funding. Throughout her stormwater career, Ginny has been inspired by Jim Lape, her first boss who diligently worked to move the needle forward in the industry and always stressed that “the relationships with the people we work with are the most meaningful part of what we do.”

Ginny and her family live in downtown Williamsburg, Virginia, in the home that her great-grandparents built. When home restoration projects aren’t taking up their time, they enjoy outdoor sports, traveling, and quality time with their dog, Libbie.