Advisory Committee

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Non-point Source Planning Coordinator, NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Allie Dinwiddie joined the WRRI Advisory Board in 2021. Her role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide expertise on areas such as non-point source impacts and management, agricultural best management practices including nutrient and waste management, agriculture rule implementation in NC nutrient sensitive watersheds, geographic information systems (GIS), eutrophication, climate change and resiliency. She is currently the Non-point Source Planning Coordinator at North Carolina’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) in the Division of Soil and Water Conservation (DSWC). The NCDA&CS – DSWC works with the WRRI to cross-pollinate ideas to maximize natural resource management successes and improve water quality in NC.

Previously, Dinwiddie was a Central Regional Coordinator for the NCDA&CS-DSWC where she carried out policies and procedures put forth by the NC Soil and Water Conservation Commission, NCDA&CS, and DSWC, and, amongst other duties, provided direct support to fifteen local Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Before that, she was a Water Quality Planner for the Addison County Regional Planning Commission through the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation’s ECO AmeriCorps program.

Dinwiddie received her bachelor’s in environmental engineering from North Carolina State University in 2018.

Deputy Executive Director of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Cape Fear Public Utilities Authority; Urban Water Consortium

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Associate Director for Hydrologic Studies, U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center

Mary Giorgino joined the WRRI Advisory Board in 2019. Her role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide expertise on hydrologic and water quality monitoring and assessment; sediment chemistry and quality; analysis of trends and loads; reservoir limnology; macrophyte ecology; emerging contaminants; harmful algal blooms; and water chemistry. She also represents the USGS on the board. WRRI cooperates with the USGS to support, coordinate and facilitate research through a variety of grants and programs. She currently serves as the Associate Director for Hydrologic Studies at the USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center, leading a team of about 40 scientists conducting water-resources research and decision support.

Before accepting her role as associate director, Giorgino was a project chief, Water Quality Specialist, and section supervisor for the USGS in North Carolina.  Prior to the USGS, she worked with the North Carolina Division of Water Resources, leading the Special Studies Unit and the Lakes Assessment Program.

Giorgino holds a Master’s of Science degree in aquatic biology/limnology from the University of Notre Dame. She received her bachelor’s in environmental biology from Tusculum University.

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Coastal Economies Specialist, North Carolina Sea Grant

Jane Harrison joined the WRRI Advisory Board in 2016. Her role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide an economic perspective by giving expertise on areas such as economic analysis, social science, and qualitative research methodologies, economic impacts of beach closures and river restoration, stakeholder decision-making, education and outreach. She regularly collaborates with city planners and elected officials, private businesses, and residents to safeguard natural resources and make smart, long-term investments in infrastructure. 

Harrison is currently the coastal economics specialist at North Carolina Sea Grant. Sea Grant is the sister program to WRRI. The partnership between Sea Grant and WRRI provides competitive funding and research opportunities.

Additionally, Harrison is a graduate faculty member in the College of Natural Resources and an affiliate faculty member in the Agricultural and Resource Economics Department at NC State University. She teaches economic development, a course on the unique development challenges of, and strategies being pursued in rural and urban areas of North Carolina.

Harrison previously worked as an Environmental Social Scientist for the Wisconsin Sea Grant. Before that, she was a policy analyst for the US Forest Service.

Harrison holds a Ph.D. in natural resource management from Oregon State University. She received a Master’s in agriculture, environmental, and development economics from Ohio State University.

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Water Planning Section Chief, NC DEQ Division of Water Resources

Karen Higgins joined the WRRI Advisory Board in 2020. Her role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide her expertise on anything dealing with ground or surface water quantity and quality; chemical, physical and biological water quality in natural systems; fate and transport of nutrients; eutrophication; toxicity assessments; water quality & quantity monitoring;  water quality standards; wastewater management; stormwater management; wetlands functions; aquifer hydrogeology; wastewater reuse management; concentrated animal wastewater management; physical, chemical and biological laboratory analytical methods); in-stream flow, drought management, water conservation and basin modeling. She is the Water Planning Section Chief at NC DEQ’s Division of Water Resources, which partners with WRRI on water resources related projects and research. The Water Planning Section develops standards, basin plans, models, rules and management strategies for the protection of water quality, prepares the biennial Integrated Report and 303(d) list, provides guidance to local water systems and administers the Drought Management Advisory Council.

Before her current position at the NC DEQ, Higgins managed the 401 Water Quality Certification and Riparian Buffer Program within NC DEQ.  Prior to working at NC DEQ, Higgins worked as a biologist with the U.S. Forest Service in Oxford, Mississippi and with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California. 

Higgins received a Master of Science degree in Zoology from Miami University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Kansas.  Rock chalk Jayhawk! 

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Watershed Planner, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services; Stormwater Consortium

Jason Hunt joined the WRRI Advisory Board in 2015. His role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide expertise on surface water quality, stormwater control measures, stormwater best management practices, watershed planning, water quality monitoring, PAHs, stream toxicity and green infrastructure. As the Watershed Planner for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services, he helps develop watershed management plans that identify stream or lake impairments and improvement strategies. He also represents the Stormwater Consortium, which is organized and developed by the WRRI. The group sponsors research and technology transfer on urban stormwater and management issues.

Prior to his work with the City of Charlotte, Hunt worked for the Philadelphia Water Department’s Planning & Research Division and the Surface Water Protection Program of the Office of Watersheds.  In these capacities, he developed Source Water Protection Plans, oversaw a real-time surface water quality early warning system for Philadelphia’s drinking water sources, participated in emerging contaminant monitoring and research, oversaw wastewater treatment optimization efforts to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and worked on efforts to convert methane from the wastewater treatment process to electricity.  

Hunt has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and an M.S. in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from Villanova University.

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Michael Jordan has been a WRRI advisory board member since 2013.  His role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide the board with his expertise on water resources, hydrogeology, surface water, contaminant migration, remediation, and water treatment.  He is currently a Vice President and Director of Operations for Terracon Consultants in Raleigh, NC.  His main technical focus is the investigation and restoration of environmental concerns related to impacted soil, groundwater, and surface water.  He regularly collaborates with public and private clients to manage risk and navigate regulatory and technical challenges.  In his role at Terracon, Michael provides expert witness testimony for litigation and serves as a national remediation expert for a multitude of sites including industrial facilities, landfills, and department of defense installations.    He supports environmental justice initiatives through his work with communities to secure and implement EPA Brownfield and Land Revitalization grants. 

Jordan holds a MS in hydrogeology,  BS in geology, and BS in science education from NC State University.  He is a licensed geologist and is a registered site manager with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

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Laboratory Manager, Charlotte Water; Urban Water Consortium

Gina Kimble has been a WRRI advisory board member since 2017. Her role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide her expertise on water quality; water treatment; drinking water regulations; laboratory/analytical methods for chemistry and microbiology; Cryptosporidium and Giardia; disinfection by-products; and emerging contaminants. She is currently a Laboratory Manager at Charlotte Water under the City of Charlotte. Under this role she directs the operation of Charlotte Water’s Laboratory Services Division. She is also a representative of the Urban Water Consortium, a group organized and administered by the WRRI. The consortium comprises 12 of North Carolina’s largest water/wastewater utilities, and was established to provide research and development, and technology transfer on water resources issues shared by urban areas and water utilities in the state.

Before her role as Laboratory Manager at Charlotte Water, she was a Laboratory Supervisor and a Laboratory Analyst there. Under those roles she was a Method 1623 Principal Analyst for Cryptosporidium and Giardia and conducted other microbiological analyses, performed analysis of disinfection by-products, and completed research and method development projects.

Kimble holds a Ph.D. in infrastructure and environmental systems and a master’s of science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She received her bachelor’s in forensic science from Eastern Kentucky University.

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Retired, formerly of CH2M Hill Global Business Group

Bill Kreutzberger has been a WRRI advisory board member since 1998. His role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide the board with his expertise on water quality regulatory programs, water quality assessments, non-point source impacts and management and water quality modeling, especially nutrients. He is retired and was previously Vice President and Fellow water resources and water quality specialist for CH2M.

Kreuztberger received a master’s in public health from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s environmental sciences and engineering department. He earned his bachelor’s in environmental science and biology from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

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Lead Scientist, Duke Energy Water/ Natural Resources

Brett Hartis is a lead scientist for Duke Energy Corporation’s Water Resources Team, located in Charlotte, NC. His current responsibilities include addressing threats posed by invasive species to Duke Energy project reservoirs and generation assets, developing collaborative management plans, and implementing effective management strategies.

Brett earned his BS in Fisheries Science at East Carolina University and his MS and PhD in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from North Carolina State University (NCSU).   After completing his PhD, Brett worked as an extension and research associate with NCSU’s Department of Crop Science, focusing on aquatic plant management issues in reservoirs across the southeastern US.  Following work with NCSU, Brett joined the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as manager of the multi-state public utilities’ aquatic plant management program. 

Brett has expertise in aquatic resources monitoring, management, and policy, and the experience to provide realistic and adaptive solutions to large scale invasive species management programs. His professional goals include the development and implementation of advanced techniques for assessment and management of natural resources, especially in aquatic communities. More specifically, broadening the understanding of interconnectedness within aquatic and terrestrial communities, assessing the direct and indirect impacts of invasive species, and providing education and outreach to various groups regarding these issues.

Brett currently serves as President of the Aquatic Plant Management Society and past president of the Midsouth Aquatic Plant Management Society.  Brett is a native of Marion, NC and spends most of his free time in the outdoors with his wife and two sons.

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Deputy Director of Environmental Services, Wake County

Caroline Loop is the Deputy Director of the Wake County Environmental Services Department. In this role, she leads initiatives impacting water quality, solid waste, and animal services. She has served as an advisory committee member for the North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute since 2018. Previously, Dr. Loop worked as an environmental consultant focusing on remediation at contaminated sites including providing scientific expertise for litigation. Dr. Loop is a licensed geologist and received her Ph.D. in geosciences from The Pennsylvania State University. She earned her bachelors in geology and economics from Smith College.

Senior Manager, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, RTI International

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Stormwater Program Manager, City of Raleigh Engineering Services Department; Stormwater Consortium

Wayne Miles joined the WRRI Advisory Board in 2021. His role as an advisor for the WRRI is to provide expertise on a variety of urban wet weather and water quality issues. He also represents the Stormwater Consortium on the board. The Stormwater Consortium is organized and developed by the WRRI. The group sponsors research and technology transfer on urban stormwater and management issues. Wayne currently serves as the Stormwater Program Manager for the City of Raleigh’s Engineering Services Department. In this role he oversees all aspects of the city’s stormwater program, including budget and financial management; regulatory compliance; development reviews and inspections; floodplain management; water quality improvements; and capital improvements planning, design, and construction.

Before his current position under the City of Raleigh, Wayne was Senior Vice President at CDM Smith. During his 30 years there, he served in a wide variety of roles including program manager, technical/quality director, regional technical services manager, strategic initiative leader, and project manager. He also served as a national expert on utilities management, asset management, and sanitary sewer overflow compliance programs.

Miles holds both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida.

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Senior Scientist, EnviroScience, Inc. 

Eric Romaniszyn has been an WRRI advisory board member since 2013. His advisory role for the WRRI board is to provide his expertise on benthic macroinvertebrate communities, fish communities, stormwater, erosion and sedimentation, riparian buffers, bacteria, nutrification, water chemistry, land use planning, headwaters, urban and rural development and steep slope development. He is currently Senior Scientist with EnviroScience, Inc. where he coordinates environmental assessments, environmental impact statements, biological assessments, ecological risk assessments, and ecological inventories.  Prior to this position, he spent 18 years as Executive Director for the nonprofit Haywood Waterways Association, where he  was responsible for organizational management and implementing strategies of the Pigeon River Watershed Action Plan to reduce impacts from nonpoint source pollutants.

Romaniszyn received a Master of Science in Entomology from the University of Georgia; and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Kent State University.