Officers
Mark Biddle, Chair
A Delaware native, Mark is a lead wetland scientist with more than 30 years of experience working for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Currently, Mark is within the Watershed Assessment Section, managing the Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program, and the Watershed Management Program. Mark has a wide background to draw from including involvement in Delaware’s regulatory and permitting responsibilities for tidal wetlands, subaqueous lands, 401 water quality certification, and drafting legislation and regulations for non-tidal wetlands. Mark has worked on the Delaware Wetlands Conservation Strategy, wetland restoration, compensatory mitigation and wetland banking, assessing restored wetlands for nutrient assimilation, serving as team leader for Delaware Whole Basin Management, and on various ecological and green infrastructure initiatives. Mark has participated on statewide and regional planning groups and represents Delaware on national wetland mapping and mitigation issues. Over the years, Mark has assisted in applying, receiving and either authoring or co-authoring 18 multi-year grants for wetland projects in Delaware involving comprehensive plans, mitigation banking, best management practices, mapping techniques, watershed restoration, wetland education, assessment and monitoring. Mark continues to produce reports on status and changes of Delaware wetlands using updated statewide wetland mapping efforts in partnership with the National Wetlands Inventory. Mark holds degrees in Natural Resource Management and Soil and Water Management and attended both Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. Residing in Dover, Delaware, Mark enjoys his time with his two daughters, and hopes that the future holds ample time for two of his other loves, hunting and fishing.
Samantha Vogeler, Vice Chair
Samantha Vogeler has worked for the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection since 2015. She is the Supervisor for the Water Quality Certification Section. She has served on the National Association of Wetland Managers Board of Directors as an ex-officio member since 2019 and participated in the NAWM Energy Workgroup and Capacity Building Workgroup. She is excited for the opportunity to continue to serve NAWM in a new capacity and continue to grow her network of colleagues. Her background is in regulatory, where she has experience implementing state and federal regulations for the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Samantha has conducted field research in Belize, Costa Rica, and South Africa and has a passion for all things science. She has a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Northern Kentucky University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, coaching track, playing sports, traveling, and being outdoors.
Amy Lounds, Secretary
For the past 7 years, Amy has served as the Wetlands, Lakes and Streams Unit Chief for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Amy has primary responsibility for implementation and administration of Michigan’s Wetlands Protection and Inland Lakes and Streams laws, and Michigan’s administration of Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act. Her duties include supervising state-wide staff in the Wetlands, Lakes and Streams Unit, ensuring compliance with federal requirements and state-federal agreements, developing program guidance for staff and the public, and resolving complex and controversial technical and policy issues. Amy has worked for the MDEQ for over 20 years and previously served as the statewide wetland policy specialist and the administrator of the wetland mitigation banking program.
Prior to working for the MDEQ, Amy worked for the Michigan Department of Transportation doing environmental reviews and permit applications for wetlands, inland lakes and streams, and floodplains. Amy has a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Michigan State University and a Maters in Landscape Architecture and Conservation Biology and Ecosystem Management from the University of Michigan. Amy currently lives in Holt Michigan with her husband and two daughters, and enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors.
Lauren Driscoll, Treasurer
Lauren Driscoll is the Manager of the Wetlands Program at the Washington State Department of Ecology, a position that she has held since 2005. She is responsible for ensuring statewide consistency in the implementation of 401 WQ certifications, technical assistance, and guidance for local wetland regulations. She is responsible for assisting and mentoring wetland technical staff statewide. She oversees the wetland compliance program and writes grants for wetland program activities. Since 2007 she has also served as the agency’s wetland policy lead doing bill analyses and legislative briefings, tracking national issues, and providing guidance on local wetland ordinances and their implementation. Lauren specializes in wetland policy and mitigation options such as wetland banks, ILF and advance mitigation.
Lauren began work at Ecology in 1998 when she was hired to develop a wetland banking rule and establish the state’s bank certification program. Before joining Ecology, Lauren worked for the Washington State Department of Transportation where she performed wetland studies on transportation projects statewide, designed mitigation sites, and participated in the development of the Washington Wetland Function Assessment model. Prior to that she worked for the two federal agencies: the US Forest Service doing trail work where she ran a pack string of mules; and the USFWS where she did Swampbuster work under the Farm Bill.
Lauren received her bachelor’s in environmental studies from the Evergreen State College where she studied ecology, botany, organic agriculture and computer sciences. Lauren and her husband live in Yelm, Washington and they have two fledging adult children along with a dog and two indoor cats (who are enjoying their new catio.) She enjoys gardening, doodling, card making, hiking and any excuse to get outside.
Collis Adams, Past Chair
Collis has served on the Board of Directors of NAWM (ASWM) for many years including several terms as Chair. Collis recently retired as the administrator of the Wetlands Bureau at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and is currently the owner/manager of Adams Environmental Consulting, LLC providing consulting services to property owners, engineers, municipalities, and others. During his tenure at DES he was responsible for all activities relative to the New Hampshire Dredge and Fill Law (NH RSA 482-A) and the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act (NH RSA 483-B). Prior to filling that role, he spent ten years with the DES Alteration of Terrain Program reviewing and permitting stormwater management plans for large scale developments and 5 years with the DES Subsurface Systems Bureau reviewing plans for on-site wastewater disposal systems. As administrator of the wetlands bureau he was instrumental in the implementation of an in-lieu fee program for wetland mitigation and then expanding that program to include streams and their riparian habitats. Before DES, Collis spent six years in private engineering consulting and prior to that, a five-year stint with the New England Division of the Army Corps of Engineers. In 1980 Collis graduated with a BSCE degree in civil/environmental engineering from the University of Massachusetts. Collis lives in Goffstown, New Hampshire with his wife Laura. He has two children, one of each, and is particularly proud that he has instilled in them his same sense of love for the outdoors. Collis particularly enjoys spending time along the varied coastlines of New England. Collis also serves on his local Select Board, Planning Board, and Conservation Commission.
Members At Large
Stacia Bax - Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Stacia Bax is the Environmental Manager in the Financial Assistance Center within the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Her section awards loans and grants to wastewater, stormwater, and nonpoint source projects across the State of Missouri. Stacia has over 21 years of experience with the department and has also worked most recently with the Section 401 Water Quality Certification Program for over 11 years, Section 402 NPDES program master general permits (industrial stormwater, industrial process water, construction/land disturbance stormwater, and municipal stormwater), and NPDES eReporting Rule. She also has worked with Section 319 Nonpoint Source grants, Water Quality Standards rulemaking, TMDL development, Montauk State Park as a seasonal naturalist, and fieldwork in the beautiful Ozarks of Southwest Missouri.
In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and son (and two dogs) hiking, camping, and kayaking as well as archery, scouting activities, and watching her daughter play college volleyball and son with shotgun sports. In her spare time, Stacia loves to read, cook and bake (pies are her favorite), explore new places, and craft fiber arts (knitting and crocheting namely, though she has a loom she would love to learn to weave on). She lives in Central Missouri.
Denise Clearwater - Maryland Department of the Environment
Denise Clearwater has worked in Maryland’s wetland programs since 1986. She has a background in developing and implementing programs in wetland regulation, wetland training, and mitigation, as well as managing special projects for grants and program improvement and assisting in policy development. She has represented the Wetlands and Waterways Program in the Maryland Department of the Environment on numerous interagency work groups for regulatory, wetland monitoring, restoration, preservation and stream health and is a past co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Program Wetland Work Group. She is also a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists. Denise has a B.S. in zoology from the University of Maryland and an M.S. in wildlife management from Frostburg State College (now University).
Andy Robertson, GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Andy Robertson is the Executive Director of GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In this role, he is responsible for oversight and management of all GeoSpatial Services projects, activities and staff. GeoSpatial Services is engaged in a wide variety of projects across the Lower 48 and Alaska including wetland inventory; National Hydrography Dataset updates; spatial data development; and, natural resource condition assessments. Andy has a diverse background in spatial information systems, watershed planning, wetland inventory, forest management, environmental impact assessment, desktop and server system support and database administration. He is a Registered Professional Forest Technologist (Alberta, Canada) and has experience leading natural resource projects for both private sector companies and public agencies across Canada and the United States including the Department of Interior, United States Army Corp of Engineers, NOAA, and the Department of Agriculture. Andy has a Forest Technology Diploma from Sault College of Applied Technology in Ontario, Canada, a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Waterloo and has completed postgraduate work in forest management at the University of Toronto. He is also a steering committee member for the Wetland Mapping Consortium and is co-chair of the Alaska GeoSpatial Council Wetland Technical Group.
Bill Ryan - Oregon Department of State Lands
Bill Ryan is the Deputy Director at the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) leading the Aquatic Resources Management Program which is responsible for implementation of Oregon’s Removal-Fill and Wetlands Conservation Laws. Prior to joining the DSL in June of 2010, Bill enjoyed 14 years at the Oregon Department of Transportation performing environmental compliance work including wetlands delineation and mitigation, mitigation banking, regulatory streamlining and process improvement. Bill started his professional career in Southern California in 1989 providing environmental planning and habitat restoration expertise for various planning and engineering firms. Bill has been a member of NAWM (ASWM) for nine years. He also serves on the Board of the Oregon Public Management Association which provides networking and low cost training opportunities for managers and aspiring managers in public service. Bill has an undergraduate degree in GeographyEcosystems Management from UCLA and a master’s in Biology from California State University, Fullerton. His master’s thesis topic was a study of succession in the alluvial scrub plant community following flood events in the Santa Ana River, California. In his spare time Bill enjoys hiking, camping, travel, skiing, singing acapella madrigals with the Sherwood Renaissance Singers and reading a good book.
Mary Ann Tilton - New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Mary Ann Tilton is the Assistant Wetlands Bureau Administrator with the State of New Hampshire, Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), Wetlands Bureau. Mary Ann oversees wetlands permitting and assists in overall wetlands bureau natural resuce management. She has been with NHDES for over 30 years in various management and supervisory positions. She helped develop the Wetlands Enforcement program and supervised wetlands compliance for 17 years. She has served as the Assistant Administrator since 2005 and oversees state wetlands rules development, program development, and wetlands permitting. She is the recipient of an EPA Merit Award (2019) for development of a Wetlands BMP, multi-year rules initiative, and development of stream crossing rules. She holds a BA degree in Botany and Zoology from Connecticut College, MS in Zoology from University of Rhode Island, and a JD from UNH Law School (formerly Franklin Pierce Law Center), and is a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) and member of the Society of Wetland Scientists. She lives with her family in Concord, NH and enjoys biking, hiking, skiing, and birding, and exploring amazing wetland habitats.