A&WMA Leadership Training Academy
Faculty Biographies
April 17-19, 2015
Dallas Baker
Dallas Baker has served as an environmental engineer at the Mississippi Department
of Environmental Quality for almost 22 years. His tenure started in the Air Division
and he has progressed to various permit writing roles in the multi-media
Environmental Permits Division. Dallas has managed the development of hundreds of
environmental permits in all types of media while at MDEQ, including permits for
power generating plants, the wood products industry, printers, steel manufacturers,
and other heavy manufacturing. Having air, water, remediation, solid waste, RCRA
and storm water project management experiences affords Dallas a big picture view of
the regulatory role played by a state agency in administering permitting programs.
Dallas has worked closely with USEPA, local governments, other states’ agencies and
members of industry to navigate the permitting process and enhance MDEQ’s ability
to serve citizens and companies in his State. Recently, Dallas was appointed MDEQ
Air Director and Chief of the Air Division.
Dallas earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a MS in Environmental
Engineering from the University of Mississippi. He earned an MBA from Mississippi
College and is a Certified Public Manager with the State of Mississippi. He is a
licensed Professional Engineer and is a Board Certified Environmental Engineer with
the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. Dallas has held
offices in the Mississippi Chapter and Southern Section, and currently serves the
Association as its President.
He is happily married to Marla Webb of Birmingham, Alabama and is a proud parent
to two children, Paris (13) and William (11). Dallas is Head Coach of the 11/12 year
old Northwest Lightening baseball team, working on the next Major League Baseball
prospect.
Diane Freeman
Diane Freeman is a Professional Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Canada. Diane
works as an Associate with Conestoga-Rovers & Associates Limited. She has over 20
years of environmental engineering experience with more than 15 years of experience
specifically in the Air Quality.
In 2006 and again in 2010 Diane was elected as a Councillor for the City of Waterloo.
For the 2010-2011 Council term of Office, Diane served as the President of
Professional Engineers Ontario. PEO is the Provincial licensing body for engineers
with over 80,000 license holders.
Mentoring a heart of volunteerism and serving the broader community are core values
for Diane so in addition to her work already noted, Diane participates as a board
member on a variety of not-for-profit Boards of Directors. In 2009 Diane was awarded
the KW Oktoberfest Rogers women of the year in the Professional Category recognizing
her work as both a Professional Engineer and active volunteer. Diane was also
privileged to be one of only 230 Canadians chosen to attend the 2012 Governor
General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.
A&WMA Leadership Training Academy
Faculty Biographies
April 17-19, 2015
Michele Gehring
Michele has spent her entire career in the waste industry, providing services to clients
in 25 different states and nine of the ten USEPA regions. After graduating from the
University of Maryland with a degree in Biological Resources Engineering, Gehring
joined a small engineering firm that specialized in the handling and incineration of
unique hazardous wastes and materials. She has continued her work in this field as
she moved between consulting firms and eventually started her own firm in 2008.
Gehring continues to provide the high quality, never compromising service to the
waste industry that she has since the beginning. Her favorite projects involve those
that incorporate the design or troubleshooting of waste combustion devices and
strategic permitting efforts, and those that provide training for clients, helping
operators to better understand the complexities of their combustion and air pollution
control processes and helping management understand ways to optimize their process
and reduce environmental deviations. Ms. Gehring has been recognized by multiple
organizations for her contributions to the profession, receiving awards for her work
mentoring younger employees, contributing to industry organizations and conferences,
and making outstanding achievements in the science and art of waste management.
Michele joined A&WMA in 2000 while registering for a A&WMA specialty conference.
She attributes many of her current relationships to the networking opportunities
afforded her through A&WMA membership and conference participation. Over the
years, she has assisted with courses and presented papers at many A&WMA specialty
conferences. Ms. Gehring is a active participant in the Delaware Valley Chapter,
serving on the board of directors since 2007. She served as Vice Chair of the DVC
between 2010 to 2011, Chair from 2011 to 2012, and is currently the Treasurer for
the Chapter. Ms. Gehring has also been an active participant on the A&WMA Section
& Chapters Council since 2007. Currently Gehring is leading the local associates
task force on the Council and was recently elected to the A&WMA Board of Directors.
Amy Gilligan
Amy Gilligan is a managerial, financial, and consulting professional with more than 25
years of experience in several arenas including nonprofit, government, and for profit
manufacturing, IT, sales and transportation industries. Amy is currently working for
three small non-profits in part time financial management positions, including Urban
Innovation21, City of Asylum Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Library Association,
where she manages all financial and HR aspects of these organizations. At ACLA, she
is also providing accounting services to 5 small libraries.
Prior to this, Amy worked at Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh as Treasury
Manager, where she managed the Loan, Bond and State Audits for the Finance
Department. She also worked at Bethlehem Haven and at the Carnegie Science Center
(CSC) as Director of Finance and Administration. At CSC, She worked on several
projects including the fundraiser for imploding Three River’s Stadium, designed and
managed the UPMC SportsWorks Snack bar, developed and implemented a study that
examined the factors that affect attendance after an expansion. The attendance
predictions from the study were used to develop a detailed five-year expansion
business plan. Amy was also the Treasurer for A&WMA from 2004-2014.
Prior to CSC, Amy worked for Sears Home Improvement Products as Manager of Sales
and Marketing Analysis, Baker Engineering as Administrative Engineering Manager,
A&WMA Leadership Training Academy
Faculty Biographies
April 17-19, 2015
Carnegie Mellon University as the Business Manager for several departments
including development, and as a Management Engineer for Port Authority of New York
and New Jersey.
Amy has her MBA from Barnard M. Baruch College in NY and BS from Carnegie
Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She has lived in the City of Pittsburgh since 1990
with her husband and two cats.
Stephanie Glyptis
Stephanie Glyptis is a member of the Executive Director for the Air & Waste
Management Association. She has been with the Association since 1999. Her
expertise includes working with not-for-profit organizations and for-profit corporations
in the areas of communication, strategic business planning, market research,
leadership training and program development, and cultural audits. Ms. Glyptis
obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication, Bachelor of Science in
Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management, and a
Master of Business Administration all from Duquesne University. She has also
pursued coursework toward a Ph.D. in Rhetoric with an emphasis in Organizational
Communication and Integrated Strategic Marketing. As a guest lecturer at Carnegie
Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, and Duquesne University, Ms. Glyptis has
taught classes in their respective business schools and communication departments.
Additionally, she has been active in various professional organizations including the
American Society for Association Executives (ASAE) where she served as a member of
the Power of A Awards Committee. She has also served on the Board of Directors of
CCI (Conservation Consultants, Inc.) and GTECH Strategies (Growth Through Energy
+ Community Health) both headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.
Jayme Graham
Jayme Graham hails from the Allegheny Mountain Section where she was past Chair,
Vice Chair, Secretary, and Board member. Jayme is a past Chair of the Sections and
Chapters Council, and presently serves on the Board of Directors. She is also Vice
Chair of a very small and quiet Technical Council Committee, and a past, past, past
Public Education Division Chair of Education Council. Jayme has been employed at
the Allegheny County Health Department’s Air Quality Program in Pittsburgh for 34
years, specializing in dispersion modeling, SIP development, regulation development,
public outreach, and grants management. Last May she became the Manager of the
Program. Jayme has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the
University of Pittsburgh.
Harry Klodowski
Harry Klodowski (BA Biology, BA Geography (1976), JD (1979) SUNY Buffalo) has
practiced environmental law in Pittsburgh, PA for thirty years and has been an
A&WMA member since 1987. He has served as the Chair of the Sections & Chapters
Council’s Membership Committee, the Allegheny Mountain Section Membership
Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors Governance and Membership
Committees. He is a Fellow Member of A&WMA and has served in leadership positions
including Education Council Chair, Director on the A&WMA Board, Sponsorship Chair
of the 2007 ACE Local Host Committee, and received special recognition for setting an
ACE fundraising record in 2007. He is a Past Chair of the Section, received the
Section’s O’Hara Award and the Sections and Chapters Council’s Silver Spoon Award,
A&WMA Leadership Training Academy
Faculty Biographies
April 17-19, 2015
twice, for exceptional and occasionally comical service to the Association. He has held
other national and section offices at A&WMA and other organizations. Harry currently
serves on the A&WMA Board of Directors as a Vice President and as the Chair of the
Sections and Chapters Council.
Tony van der Vooren
Tony van der Vooren is the senior manager at AMEC Foster Wheeler responsible for air
quality. AMEC Foster Wheeler is a leading provider of environmental services and
engineering solutions to infrastructure, manufacturing and process industries. Tony
has been involved in environmental issues for offer 25 years. His expertise includes
industrial air pollution control (all industrial sectors), compliance testing, regulatory
review, environmental assessment (industrial facilities, landfills, incinerators,
contaminated sites) and impact modelling (air quality, regulatory, stochastic risk
assessment, multi-media pathways). In this capacity, he has developed extensive
expertise in air pollution control and environmental legislation.
His graduate degrees (M.A.Sc. and Ph.D.) are from the University of Toronto,
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Science. He is a licensed
Professional Engineer in Ontario and is also a QEP (Qualified Environmental
Professional). He is a Fellow Member of the Air & Waste Management Association in
recognition of his work in the environmental profession.
Tony has been involved with the Air & Waste Management Association for over 20
years. He has been active in both the Ontario Section (at all levels, including Section
Chair in 1993-94) and the international Association. He was the President of the
Association during A&WMA’s Centennial Year (2007). Throughout his work with the
A&WMA Tony has been involved extensively with leadership training academy.
James Walker
Mr. Walker currently works for Consumers Energy in Jackson, Michigan as the Air
Quality Supervisor for the Environmental Department. His prior work experience
includes being the Corporate Environmental Manager for Rea Magnet Wire Company
in Fort Wayne, Indiana and Environmental Supervisor for Ford Motor Company in
Dearborn, Michigan.
Mr. Walker has served as the Secretary and Chair for the East Michigan Chapter as
well as on the Board of Directors for the Indiana Chapter and the East Central
Section. He currently serves as the Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee for the
East Michigan Chapter, the Chair of the East Central Section, and the Membership
Chair for the Board of Directors and the Section and Chapters Council.
His education includes BSE, Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan- Ann
Arbor,1987 and MBA, Operations Management Concentration, Oakland University,
1994.