TTW Conference Speakers

Loren C. Scott
Professor Emeritus of Economics, LSU

Loren C. Scott & Associates, Inc. is a 35-year old firm that provides economic consulting and public speaking services for a wide range of clients. Dr. Scott was on the Economics Department faculty at Louisiana State University from 1969 to 1998, where he went from Assistant Professor to the holder of the Freeport-McMoran endowed Chair of Economics. He is presently Professor Emeritus of Economics at LSU. He has received 7 awards for outstanding classroom teaching.

Dr. Scott is co-developer of the Louisiana econometric model used for providing annual forecasts of the Louisiana economy. He was a co-investigator on over $1 million in grant research at LSU and is the author of over 75 articles and technical reports in addition to reports written for consulting clients.

As an energy specialist, Dr. Scott is one of the 32-member National Business Economic Issues Council and has been appointed to the Economic Advisory Board of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. Additionally, he has been interviewed for television on multiple occasions and his work has been cited in numerous notable publications.

Kevin Stafford
North Mississippi Manager, Neel-Schaffer

Kevin joined Neel-Schaffer in 1999 and now serves as the firm’s North Mississippi Manager, working out of the Columbus (MS) office.

Kevin has nearly 20 years of engineering design experience in project management, grading and drainage, sewer, water, roadway, traffic, and civil site design.

He has administered all aspects of projects, including schematic and conceptual development to final design; preparation of plans, specifications and contract documents; cost estimating, bidding and construction administration. Kevin coordinates workloads and manages projects with numerous public and private entities. He also serves as the engineer of record for numerous local public agencies.

Kevin is very active in the Golden Triangle region, volunteering on several boards.

He has served as president of the Columbus Air Force Base Community Council, was president of the Columbus Main Street Association, and recently was elected to the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Main Street Association.

He has been an executive board member of the Columbus-Lowndes Development Link, president of the Columbus Planning Commission, vice president of the Columbus Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals, and an active member of several other local organizations.

Bruce Lambert
Gateway Director, Pacific Northwest & Alaska

Lambert previously served in the same role as the Gateway Director, Pacific Northwest and Alaska and worked as the Executive Director at the Institute for Trade and Transportation Studies. At the Corps of Engineers,  Lambert served as the Secretary to the U.S. Section of the International Navigation Association (PIANC). Before that, Lambert worked at the Federal Highway Administration and managed the Freight Analysis Framework. He received the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Award of Meritorious Achievement in 2004.

Before joining FHWA, Lambert worked as a Senior Economist at Standard and Poor’s DRI (now IHS Global Insight). He also spent six years at the Port of Long Beach as the Port’s Trade Analyst and spent a year at LSU as a researcher studying the importation of Latin American produce into the Gulf South.

After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree from Louisiana State University, Lambert earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Tennessee. He is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Antwerp in Applied Economics.

Angeline Rodgers
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Project Leader, Lower Mississippi River Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office

Rodgers joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ten years ago. Her office, based in Tupelo, MS, focuses on habitat restoration for the benefit of native species, provides coordination support to the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee, and engages in the national effort to manage and control invasive carp.

Prior to joining the Service, Rodgers worked for the State of North Carolina for twelve years as an aquatic biologist, both for North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program.

Rogers grew up in Mississippi and returned to her home state in 2012 to help conserve its natural resources. She loves being outside and enjoys camping, bonfires, and keeping up with her husband and two energetic daughters.

Gov. Tate Reeves
Mississippi

Governor Reeves has a strong record as a conservative leader who fights to guard taxpayers’ dollars, improve educational opportunity, and grow new careers so that our state’s best and brightest can raise their families and thrive here at home. When elected in 2003 for his first public office, Governor Reeves became the youngest state treasurer in our country and the first Republican to hold the office in Mississippi. He was then elected in 2011 and re-elected four years later as the 32nd Lieutenant Governor, leading the Mississippi Senate. Upon being elected governor, he tackled issues within government agencies to provide for the safety and dignity of all Mississippians, while he simultaneously led our state through historic flooding and tornadoes, and a worldwide pandemic.

Governor Reeves’ commitment to long-term growth that creates better careers led him to propose the largest tax cut in state history through the Taxpayer Pay Raise Act, lowering the personal income tax and enabling Mississippi employers to invest in jobs and compete in the global marketplace. Additionally, his management helped fill our state’s Rainy Day Fund to over $550 million and reduce the overall debt burden. His upbringing in public schools also made him driven to reform the education system to increase opportunity for all Mississippians. His new mission for our state is to give us more national board-certified teachers per capita than any state in the nation.

A Rankin County native, Governor Reeves is a graduate of Florence High School and an honors graduate of Millsaps College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Governor Reeves and his wife, Elee, are the proud parents of three daughters, Tyler, Emma, and Maddie.

Rep. Robert Aderholt
Alabama

Now in his 13th term representing Alabama, Aderholt is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, in which he is an advocate of fiscal responsibility, truth in budgeting and a federal government that operates within its means. He also serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science and as a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Subcommittee and the Defense Subcommittee. Additionally, Aderholt serves as a commission member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (commonly known as the Helsinki Commission). A staunch supporter of his community, district and the state of Alabama, Aderholt believes the federal government serves a critical role in assisting state and local projects regarding economic development. He continues to support pro-growth initiatives that create jobs, strong immigration standards, and robust national security.

Prior to his election to Congress, Aderholt served as Assistant Legal Advisor to Governor Fob James as well as Municipal Judge for the city of Haleyville, Alabama. Educated through Alabama’s public school system, Aderholt went on to receive his B.A. from Birmingham Southern College and his J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.

Born on July 22, 1965, and raised in Alabama, Aderholt and his wife, Caroline, have their residence in Haleyville along with their daughter, Mary Elliott, and their son, Robert Hayes. When Congress is in session, his family joins him in Washington, D.C. area.

Tim Pickering
Office of Ports & Waterways Planning, Maritime Administration

Tim joined the Maritime Administration’s Office of Ports & Waterways Planning in 2015 as the Operations Development Manager for America’s Marine Highway Program. His Program Office seeks to fully integrate waterborne transport into the nations surface transportation network. He works with public and private entities to develop freight services on the America’s Marine Highway System. His office makes Marine Highway Route and Project Designation recommendations to the Maritime Administrator and Secretary of Transportation. He also manages the Marine Highway’s Grant Program.

Before coming to MARAD, Tim worked for over 20 years at the Navy’s Military Sealift Command as the Transportation Officer.  His office chartered commercial ships and activated ships from the government-owned surge fleet to support operations and exercises around the world.  He is also a retired naval reserve officer, who served 23 years as a Supply Corps Officer.

Tim is a graduate of West Virginia University’s Institute of Technology and has a master’s degree from the Naval War College in Newport, RI.  He is married to Dr. Yana Rachinskaya and they reside in Owings Mills, MD.

Col. Jeremy Chapman
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District

Colonel Jeremy Chapman assumed command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District as its 54th Commander on June 28, 2021. Col. Chapman graduated and received his commission from the United States Military Academy 1998. While at the Academy, he played offensive lineman on the Army football team. Beat Navy! Col. Chapman previously served as Deputy Commander of the Mississippi Valley Division, Vicksburg, Miss. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from the USMA and a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Stanford University. Chapman’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (2 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (6 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), GWOT Expeditionary and Service Medals, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (3 CS), Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, and Ranger Tab. He is married to Renee with three sons.

Lt. Col. Joe Sahl
Nashville District

Lieutenant Colonel Joe M. Sahl assumed command of the Nashville District July 2021. Lt. Col. Sahl previously served as the Deputy Commander of the Jacksonville District. Lt. Col. Sahl received his commission in 2004 from OCS and has served in leadership and staff positions in Iraq, Europe, and multiple locations in the United States. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Lt. Col. Sahl graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in 2000. He holds a master’s degree in geological engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology as well as a master’s degree in military studies from the Marine Corps University. Lt. Col. Sahl’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2), the Meritorious Service Medal (6), the Army Commendation Medal (4), the Army Achievement Medal (4), the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Army Superior Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal (with four campaign stars), the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Combat Action badge. Lt. Col. Sahl is also a recipient of the Army Engineer Association’s Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal. Lt. Col. Sahl is married to Kathy and they are the proud parents of two sons, Joey and Cody.

Justin Murphree
Operations Project Manager

Justin is a native of Clarksdale, MS and he earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University. Justin began his career in January of 1997 as a co-op student with Mobile District’s Construction Division at Columbus Air Force Base. After graduation, he worked for 5 years as a Mechanical Engineer and Project Engineer at Redstone Arsenal, AL, where he was involved in large construction projects for agencies such as the FBI, Missile Defense Agency, Space and Missile Defense Command, and the Army. In 2006, Justin moved back to Columbus, where he served as a Project Engineer at Columbus Air Force Base.  After obtaining his PE license in 2008, he became the Resident Engineer for the Corps of Engineers at Columbus AFB.  While the Resident Engineer, he administered contracts for the construction of the Mission Support Group building, Child Development Center, Fire Station, and various other projects on Columbus AFB. In 2012, Justin transitioned over to Operations Division, where he became the Site Manager at the Bay Springs Site Office on the north end of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.  As the Site Manager, he managed the navigation, natural resources, and recreation business lines from Amory, MS to the north end of the project at Pickwick Lake. In 2018, Justin became the Operations Project Manager for the waterway.  As the Operations Project Manager, Justin is responsible for the management of the entire waterway, which includes navigation, recreation, and wildlife mitigation business lines.

Nelson Sanchez
Operations Division Chief, Mobile District

Nelson is currently the Chief of Operations Division, Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which he manages over $170M worth of Operations and Maintenance services for Navigation, Hydropower, Natural Resources, Emergency Management, Flood Control and Environmental Stewardship for the States of Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and the pan handle of Florida. He graduated in 1985 from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering.

Nelson began his career with the Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, in 1985, He served as a Civil Engineer in Construction Division before transferring to Mobile District in 1991 into the Operations Division. Nelson has played a vital role in the District’s navigation program, serving as Chief of the Navigation and Chief of Coastal Management Branch were after Hurricane Katrina he partnered with the US Coast Guard and Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association to develop a successful Hurricane Protocol that has been used as a model for other navigation recovery efforts after an hurricane disaster. In 2011 he was the Recovery Field Office Commander leading over 450 team members to perform recovery efforts in the aftermath of the devastating Tornados in Alabama on April 27, 2011 where they removed over 5M cubic yard of debris within 100 days.  

Among Nelson’s awards and recognition are Planning Team of the Year Award, South Atlantic Division Winner, 1998; South Atlantic Division Outstanding Planning Achievement Award for 2004; Commander’s Awards for Civilian Service, 1999, 2000 and 2002; and Superior Civilian Service Award 2005, the 2006 HENNAC Civil Engineer Distinction Awarded and Commander’s Awards for Civilian Service 2011. In 2017 received the Outstanding Public Agency Member of the Year from Society of American Military Engineers.

Brad Collett
Professor, University of Tennessee Department Plant Sciences and School of Landscape Architecture

Brad is a Professor in the University of Tennessee Department Plant Sciences and School of Landscape Architecture. His teaching, research and creative activity center on regional water resource stewardship through landscape planning and performance. Brad was a 2016 U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Slovenia, and is a licensed landscape architect. Since 2016 he has served as director of the Tennessee RiverLine. Under his leadership, a consortium of organization, agency and community partners collaborates with UT Knoxville and TVA to realize the vision for North America’s next great regional trail system and the economic development, public health, resource stewardship and equitable access benefits it promises future generations.

Dan Keown
SDI

Dan began his career in 1991 with National Starch and Chemical Corporation, serving in many different roles from engineering through department management. IN 1998, Dan accepted a position with Steel Dynamics, Inc. in Ft. Wayne, IN as a process engineer and subsequently production supervisor within the Iron Dynamics Division.  In 2003, he relocated to Pittsboro, IN as a casting supervisor assisting in the re-engineering, start-up, and ramp up of the Engineered Bar Products Division.  In 2008, Dan assumed the responsibility of Meltshop Manager and was promoted to Operations Manager in 2014 where he managed the ramp up of the small diameter rolling mill expansion.  In 2017 he was promoted to General Manager of the Engineered Bar Products Division assuming responsibility for the division P&L and commercial activities.  In 2021, Dan assumed the role of General Manager of SDI’s flat roll division in Columbus, MS. 

Dan earned his BS in Chemical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 1991, and further earned his MS in Engineering Management from Rose-Hulman in 2011 while serving as Meltshop Manager in Pittsboro, IN. Dan and his wife Dawn have been married for 29 years and are the proud parents of 2 daughters, Jessie (22) and Jaelyn (19).

Jason Burt
Cyber Security Advisor, Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Jason Burt is a Cyber Security Advisor (CSA) with the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) assigned to Federal Region IV. CISA is the Nation’s risk advisor. The Agency protects the Nation’s critical infrastructure from physical and cyber threats by working with partners to defend against today’s threats and collaborating to build a more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future. CSAs are the front-facing cyber experts supporting regional operations capabilities. Mr. Burt serves as the liaison and focal point for communications, coordination, and outreach. He promotes cyber preparedness and resiliency, incident response, risk mitigation and situational awareness, and manages major cyber engagements; championing cyber resilience to public and private sector partners. Region IV encompasses eight states, including Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Mr. Burt has been with the Department for eight years. Prior to becoming a CSA, he held positions as a Senior Watch Officer for CISA’s National Cyber Protection System (NCPS) Network Operation Center (NOC), as well as serving as a Network and Systems Administrator for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, Mr. Burt is also a retired Air Force Cyber Intelligence Officer. In this role, he provided direct support to Air Force Cyber Protection Teams tasked with defending key Air Force assets and resources against cyber threats.