What first inspired you to get involved with SURF US and the broader sustainable remediation movement?
My passion for the environment started early—back in the eighth grade, I was voted “Most Likely to Save the World,” which still makes me smile. Pursuing a career in the environmental field felt like a natural path for me, which led me to selecting Jacobs and the environmental remediation industry. After a few years of working in this field, I found myself wondering about how we could be incorporating sustainability more deeply and frequently into our practices. That curiosity led me to connect with experts in the sustainable remediation space, which included Betsy Collins, a former SURF US President, who introduced me to the organisation. From the moment I joined, I felt an immediate sense of belonging and connection. SURF US offered not just a professional network, but a community of people who shared my values and vision. I served as Secretary for two years and was honoured to be elected President in early 2025. For me, SURF is about collaboration, innovation, and driving meaningful change—together.
SURF US has a strong history of international collaboration. What do you see as the biggest benefits of engaging globally—particularly between SURF US and SuRF ANZ?
International collaboration is one of the most exciting aspects of being involved with SURF for me. Despite the geographic distance (and wide range of time zones!), SURF US and SuRF ANZ share common goals and challenges, and our interactions have been incredibly valuable for me on a personal and professional level. Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with ALGA and SuRF ANZ leaders, and I’ve been consistently impressed by their experiences, insights, and innovative approaches. Engaging globally allows us to broaden our perspectives, challenge our assumptions, and learn from each other’s successes and setbacks. It’s a reminder that sustainable remediation is a shared responsibility—and that we’re stronger when we work together.
How do local political priorities drive SURF US’s direction and focus?
While SURF US is a non-partisan organisation, we are certainly influenced by the evolving political landscape. Shifts in policy and public priorities around climate change, environmental justice, and sustainability shape the conversations we have and the initiatives we pursue. Our members have shown incredible adaptability, rising to meet new challenges with creativity and resilience. Over the past few years, we’ve continued to advance our mission through webinars, technical initiatives, and strategic partnerships. We’ve also focused on strengthening our community—supporting conference participation, fostering mentorship, and creating spaces for open and candid dialogue. As political dynamics continue to evolve, we remain committed to promoting sustainable remediation practices that benefit both people and the planet.
SURF US and SuRF ANZ have been working together on joint initiatives. Can you share what you’ve been collaborating on, why this collaboration is important, and what opportunities you see it creating for the sustainable remediation community?
Our most recent collaboration has been around preparations for the upcoming ecoforum 2025 event, which has been a fantastic opportunity to align our efforts and share knowledge. Beyond that, we’ve exchanged ideas on environmental justice, member engagement strategies, and emerging technical tools and initiatives. Specifically, hearing about the work that Stephen Maxwell and David Tully are supporting within the SuRF ANZ organisation around beneficial soil reuse and waste reduction has been directly applicable to some of the challenges we encounter in the US. This collaboration is especially meaningful during times of political uncertainty as it reinforces the idea that sustainable remediation is a global movement, not just a local effort. By learning from each other and supporting one another, we are creating a more resilient and informed community—one that’s better equipped to tackle all of the simple and complex environmental challenges we face.
You’ll be travelling to Brisbane for ecoforum 2025—what are you most looking forward to about the event and visiting Australia?
I am so excited to be attending ecoforum 2025 in Brisbane! After time spent collaborating virtually, I’m especially excited to meet SuRF ANZ members in person and deepen those connections. The event itself has an incredible lineup of sessions, panels, and networking opportunities that I feel lucky to be a part of. I’m particularly looking forward to the Sustainable Management Practices Green Tech: Energy, Ecology & Engineering session and the Climate, Chemicals & Consequences panel on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Best Practice or Bust: Real World Wins in Waste session sounds very interesting, and Thursday’s Insights for Smarter Site Management session also caught my eye. Overall, I am really looking forward to bringing back some great information from the event to share with the SURF US members. With so many compelling topics and impressive speakers, it’ll be tough to choose where to spend my time—but that’s a great problem to have!
You’re running a workshop at ecoforum 2025. What can delegates expect, and why should they make sure to attend?
The SURF workshop will be a hands-on, interactive session designed to immerse delegates in a real-world remediation scenario. We’ll walk through the use of a powerful decision-making tool (SURE by Ramboll) that helps evaluate the broader sustainability impacts of different remedial alternatives we consider on our projects. It’s a practical, engaging way to explore how sustainability can be embedded into technical decision-making. Attendees can expect meaningful takeaways they can apply to their own projects, as well as lively interactions and discussions with one another. Whether you’re new to sustainable remediation or looking to deepen your expertise, this workshop will offer valuable insights and tools to support your work. Hope to see you there!