Moderators

J. David Naughton, CIC, CES, Commercial Risk Management, Acentria Insurance

J. David Naughton, CIC, CES, is a commercial insurance and risk management professional with more than 30 years of experience helping businesses identify, manage, and mitigate risk. With Acentria Insurance, David develops comprehensive insurance and risk management programs for growth-focused organizations and has played an active role in the development and growth of the firm’s environmental specialty practice.

David has extensive experience working with environmentally sensitive risks and takes a comprehensive approach to risk management that extends beyond insurance coverage to helping organizations strengthen safety cultures and better manage overall program costs.

Prior to joining Acentria in 2018, David spent 20 years as a Partner, Producer, and Stockholder with Insurance Office of America. He holds the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Environmental Strategist (CES) designations and has been actively involved in Florida’s insurance and environmental professional communities.

Eugene (Gene) Jones, Executive Director, Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.

Gene Jones serves as Executive Director of the Southern Waste Information Exchange (SWIX), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which has been operating since 1981 assisting businesses and municipalities with their waste management and remediation issues. 

With over 40 years of experience, Gene specializes in building strategic relationships with waste and remediation firms.  He brings a vast knowledge of various  environmental sectors from organizing and managing conferences such as;

•  the PFAS Forum,

•  the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Conference & Trade Show, 

•  the Waste Conversion Technology Conference & Trade Show, 

• the Southeast Recycling Conference & Trade Show, 

• the New Life for Closed Gas Stations Conference and Exhibition, 

•  the International Symposium on the Redevelopment of Manufactured Gas Plant Sites, 

•  the National Conference on Waste Exchange and Resource Reuse, and 

•  Florida Remediation Conference.

as well as in managing associations such as:

•  Florida Agricultural Plastics Recycling Cooperative

•  Florida BioFuels & BioEnergy Association, Inc., 

•  Recycle Florida Today, Inc.,

•  International Society of Technical & Environmental Professionals, Inc., 

•  Florida Brownfields Association, Inc., and

•  Keep Florida Beautiful, Inc.

Gene is a Martial Arts practitioner and has his 8th degree black belt in Shaolin GoJu and a 5th degree black belt in Nisei GoJu. Gene is also the Author of Instant Self-Esteem: Empowering Self-Confidence and The Mindful Sensei.

Gene is also the inventor of the Soap Bag Saver, which he designed for the reuse of leftover soap bars.  

Howard E. Nelson, Esq., Partner, Head of Environmental Practice, Bilzin Sumberg 

Howard has more than 30 years of experience in environmental law and land development. He represents clients throughout all phases of the development process from site location through permitting and construction, as well as in permit appeals and defense of environmental enforcement matters. Howard represents several notional homebuilders throughout Florida and the eastern United States in pre-acquisition site analysis and post-acquisition remediation. He works closely with a network of environmental professionals, including engineers and planners. He also represents a variety of other types of businesses In contamination assessment and remediation. Howard has extensive experience representing clients in complex wetland matters, including issues related to protected and sensitive wetlands, preservation efforts and enforcement defense.

Dr. Kesavalu M. Bagawandoss, Ph.D., J.D. Industries & Environment Technical Director North America, SGS North America, Inc.

Dr. Doss has spent more than 40 years in the analytical chemistry arena. Dr. Doss’ expertise  spans chemistry, environmental analysis, hydrocarbon chemistry (gas and liquids), forensics,  industrial hygiene laboratory services (American Industrial Hygiene Association [AIHA]  accredited), Air analyses (TO compendium methods), emerging contaminants - PFAS, 6PPD, 6PPDQ, biota analyses, hazardous waste management, client services, management of  laboratories, laboratory builds, data validation, data management, sampling, laboratory audits  and litigation support.  Dr. Doss received his Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center and was a Law  Review Editor. He is licensed to practice law in Louisiana. He earned his Ph.D., Engineering  (Environmental Science) from the University of Oklahoma, his M.S., Chemistry from Wichita  State University and his B.S., Chemistry from Loyola College, University of Madras.

Donna Cline, P.E., Senior Associate, Terracon

Ms. Cline is an effective technical writer for remedial action plans for environmental cleanups, remedial alternative studies, and construction implementation plans for remediation systems for hazardous waste, non-hazardous waste, pesticide, petroleum, and chlorinated solvent sites pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Recovery and liabilities Act (CERCLA), and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) programs.  She routinely interfaces with the clients, regulators, and other project personnel in her role as the Engineer-of-Record. 

She has evaluated, designed and implemented in-situ remedial technologies to include air sparging, bio sparging, soil vapor extraction (SVE), chemical oxidation, dual phase extraction (DPE), Nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) recovery, and innovative in-situ technologies such as lactate, soybean oil and zero valent iron (ZVI) injection, and oxygen infusion. 

She has also authored and received approval for Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans, Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP) and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit application plans.

Specialties: Remedial Engineering Design, Environmental Site Investigation,
Risk Based Management Options

Chad Northington, P.E., Senior Remediation Engineer, Geosyntec

Mr. Northington has over twenty-six years of experience as an environmental engineer in the areas of site investigation/assessment, remediation system engineering, construction, and maintenance, project management, in situ remediation design and application, implementation of innovative technologies, and technical sales and support.  Mr. Northington also founded and directs a Florida non-profit specializing in community development and outreach focused primarily on water supply, treatment, and distribution in Africa.