Dave Bonner. Ph.D.
President and CEO of Adirondack Area Network
Potsdam, NY
Dave Bonner received a B.A. in Physics and B.S. in Mathematics from Statue University of New York at Pittsburgh. He then pursued an M.A. in Mathematics from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. and a M.S. in Mathematics from State University of New York Albany. He received his Doctorate from State University of New York at Albany. He is currently the President and CEO of Adirondack Area Network.
Jeffrey Lape
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C.
Jeffrey Lape is recognized as a national leader and expert on Federal water programs and policies. Mr. Lape has served in the Senior Executive Service for 15 years and is a national expert in watershed restoration, protection, and partnerships. Mr. Lape has extensive experiences implementing water resource protection programs at the Federal, State and Local levels of government and in the private sector.
Hollis Rutledge
President and Owner of Hollis Rutledge and Associates
Mission, TX
Mr. Hollis Rutledge, the founder of HRA, Inc., was called upon twice to serve as a Presidential Appointee in Southwest Region 7, first by President Reagan as a Special Assistant over five states with US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and then by President Bush as a Regional Administrator for the General Services Administration over eleven states. He was Executive Director of the Hidalgo-Willacy Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Program, former owner of Delta Systems Services, Inc. – an engineering and architectural firm, Director of Planning and Administration for the City of San Benito, City Manager for various municipal governments, real estate agent, owner of a marketing and consulting firm, Marketing Director for various professional service organizations and a Certified Teacher.
Andrew Ernest, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, D.WRE,
President and CEO of RATES
Edinburg, TX
Dr. Andrew Ernest has accumulated over 20 years of professional experience in Environmental and Water Resource Engineering and awarded over $20 million in grants and contracts throughout his career. Ernest has more than 100 publications in his name, including more than 40 masters’ theses he has supervised. His research focuses at the nexus of environmental informatics and water resource capacity development. Ernest bases his research efforts around his interest in investigating the role of innovation, entrepreneurship and engineering service in stimulating effort-based economies as a mechanism for promoting capacity development and sustainability.
Javier Guerrero, MS., E.I.T.,
Chief Community Development Officer of RATES
Edinburg, TX
Founded, Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) TPDES Stormwater Task Force – Facilitates the organization of a coalition of 31 local governments. Project topics: Stormwater management, non-point source pollution, watershed protection, estuary program initiatives, and flood drainage initiatives; 1998 Founded, LRGV Sports Complex and Municipal Parks Environmental Council – Coalition of 16 local governments represented by Parks and Rec Directors. Project topics: Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure planning and implementation; 2014 Founded, Lower Laguna Madre Estuary Program Partnership. Project is in the planning stages, strategic fund development funded by the Texas General Land Office, encompasses 6 counties (became a Texas non-profit organization in 2019); 2015 Developed a Regional Watershed based Stormwater Management Plan pursuant to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ’s) TPDES MS4 program. The plan was adopted by 25 MS4s in the LRGV; 2010 Founded, LRGV Low Impact Development Outreach, Education and Research Demonstration Site program. Comprised of over thirty (30) Best Management Practice (BMP) demonstration facilities located at 11 sites throughout the Lower Laguna Madre Watershed. B.S. Engineering Technology, Structural Analysis and Design, University of Houston-Downtown; M.S. Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Ph.D. Candidate, Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (May 2023)