Our Instructors

Paul Davis, PE, Tennessee Water Pollution Control Director (Retired)

Retired from TDEC after 38 years of service, including 24 years as Director of Water Pollution Control, Paul is a dedicated environmentalist who understands the complexities of stormwater permitting and permit enforcement. Paul is a licensed engineer with a BS in Engineering Science and a MS in Water Resources. He is a US Masters Swimmer and lives in Tennessee.

It is with great honor that we announce the Harpeth Conservancy has awarded Mr. Paul Davis its 2023 River Steward Award!  Paul served Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation for 40 years, 28 of which were as its Director of Water.  For more than a decade Paul has been a valued instructor for National Stormwater Center.

Paul's depth and breadth knowledge of stormwater is unparalleled.  His advocacy for Clean Water positively impacts the waters of the great state of Tennessee every day, and he accomplishes this through public outreach, remaining active and involved in organizations such as the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance and the Water Environment Federation. 

The National Stormwater Center celebrates Paul, his contributions to our nation's water, and his achievement as the 2023 River Steward Award Recipient!

https://harpethconservancy.org/

Don Green, LEED AP

With a specialty in stormwater, Don’s background includes project management, sustainability, water quality, policy development, developing partnerships, and environmental education for Tennessee DOT, TDEC, City of Franklin, and City of Chattanooga. Working as the state's Assistant Manager of the Nonpoint Source Water Quality program, he was Project Manager of Project Wet, WaterWorks! And TVA’s Tennessee Growth Readiness and NEPA process. Green developed the Stormwater Program for Franklin, TN and became the Stormwater manager and Water Quality Supervisor for Phase 1 MS4 Chattanooga, TN.  He supervised industrial inspections and post construction, water quality program. He is a LEED AP where his interests include green infrastructure, energy efficiency and sustainability.

Jeff Hutton

Jeff is a retired Environmental Protection Specialist from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. He also served as a Technical Assistant at the Illinois Natural History Survey. Jeff has a Bachelor’s degree majoring in Zoology with a minor in Chemistry from Eastern Illinois University. As an Environmental Protection Specialist, Jeff worked on a number of tasks including reviewing permits issued by the Bureau of Water, reviewing the general NPDES Permit Program for stormwater, and dealing with issues regarding the land application of sludge containing technically enhanced radiation. He also reviewed documentation supporting Federal and State construction grants for water and sewer facilities.

Marcia Willhite

Marcia served as Water Bureau Chief for Illinois EPA for almost 15 years. In this capacity, she managed programs in water pollution control, drinking water, watershed management, groundwater protection and water infrastructure loans. Marcia worked with other states and U.S. EPA on various water program policy and implementation issues, serving as national president of the Association of Clean Water Administrators in 2006-07. Marcia resides in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin and continues to work on water quality protection.

2018-2022, Wisconsin DNR, Chief, Water Evaluation Section (Retired), 2001-2016, Illinois EPA, Chief, Bureau of Water (Retired), Past President, Association of Clean Water Administrators, Past Chair Upper Mississippi River Basin Association, Master’s Degree, Toxicology, University of Kentucky, Bachelor’s Degree, Wildlife Biology, Eastern Kentucky University

Jim Newton

Jim Newton served for over 9 years at U.S. EPA. Jim has an extensive background in civil engineering and engineering science. In addition to writing NPDES permits, Jim also has extensive regulatory compliance experience in RCRA, OSHA, Air Permits, TSCA, HazCom, and HAZWOPER.

Bruce Curtis, P.E., Ph.D., C.F.M.

With over 40 years of professional engineering experience, National Stormwater Center is pleased to announce Dr. Curtis has joined our instruction staff.  His background includes the planning, design, project management, project coordination, stakeholder involvement and communication, and regulatory interaction of engineering projects ranging from very small projects to very large.  A unique and diverse skill set that includes expertise in a wide range of water-related disciplines, including numerous hydrologic and hydraulic modeling studies, flood control and management analyses, master drainage plans, stormwater quality BMP analyses and designs, channel stabilization and flood control design, CLOMRs/LOMRs, detention basin design, wetland analysis, storm sewer system projects, several large-scale studies analyzing hydrogeologic and hydrologic environments, alluvial fan mud and debris flow analysis, geomorphic analyses, sediment transport and scour analyses, geomorphic studies, hydrogeologic modeling studies, water supply and treatment facility design, expert testimony in water rights, well design, and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) projects. 

Karen Sadowski

After joining National Stormwater Center in 2008, Karen quickly became passionate about Industrial stormwater permits and the Industrial sectors.  She works closely with industrial permittees to help them gain and maintain compliance with permit requirements. Karen likes to say that she reads industrial permits every day of her life and loves it.  We like to call her our stormwater nerd!  She began teaching industrial permittees in 2019.  ​

Dan Ahern, PE, BCEE, U.S. EPA Region 4 (Retired), Stormwater Utility Manager, Beaufort, SC (Retired)

Retired from the U.S. EPA after 35 years of service, and recently retired from Beaufort County, SC where he served as Stormwater Utility Manager. During his tenure in Beaufort County, he oversaw the adoption of runoff volume controls and has published a number of articles on post-construction controls. Dan serves on a WEF national stormwater committee and has degrees in Civil Engineering and a MS in Sanitary Engineering. He lives and gives flying lessons in South Carolina.

Gianna Castro Muniz, CSI

Gianna is President of C&G Environmental Group in Puerto Rico. She was previously a chemist with the Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and a Masters of Science from the University of Lowell in Massachusetts.