Staff News
The Engineering and Survey Section added two new positions to assist with the additional infrastructure project funding for Lead and Emerging Contaminants. Heather Baron (prior North Country Sanitary Surveyor) is the new Lead Control and Remediation Specialist and Braden Rambo (prior Hydrologist at the North Dakota Department of Water Resources) is the new Emerging Contaminants and Capacity Development Geologist. You will likely be hearing from Heather as we launch new Lead Service Inventory guidance and outreach initiatives, and from Brady with assistance and project oversight for the new emerging contaminants and disadvantaged community funding priorities.
Katie Curtis was promoted to the Infrastructure Sustainability Manager in the Sustainability Section for DWGB in June. Katie will be managing the Asset Management program which provides technical assistance and funding for various asset management activities. Katie has worked at NHDES for almost 10 years, moving within the Bureau from Source Water Protection to the Engineering and Survey Section. Katie will use her DWGB experience to take the asset management program into the next decade.
Kala Day has joined DWGB under the new Federal Provisions Subsection and will be assisting with federal compliance for drinking water infrastructure funding projects and environmental reviews. Kala previously worked in NHDES’ MtBE Remediation Bureau, reviewing and evaluating compiled environmental sampling data.
The DWGB Enforcement Section is pleased to welcome Michelle Higman to the team as an Enforcement Specialist. She brings along valuable experience, having been a member of the Monitoring Section specializing in the Lead and Copper and Disinfection Byproduct programs. When Michelle’s not protecting public health and the environment, she can be found with her beloved corgi, Winry, competing in nose work trials across New England.
Kim Kelliher is now the Administrator of the new Federal Provisions Subsection. Kim’s new role will include managing the “federal cross cutters” section of our drinking water funding programs, which includes environmental reviews and compliance with American Iron and Steel, Davis-Bacon, Build America-Buy America and others. Kim will also be assisting with managing applicants through the funding agreement process.
Debra McDonnell is a second welcome addition to the DWGB Enforcement Section. She is an Enforcement Specialist and brings valuable experience, having been a member of both the Monitoring and Information Management Sections. For many years, Deb has volunteered countless hours to Operation Santa Claus – a worthy charity spreading cheer to less fortunate children. When Deb’s not protecting public health and the environment, she can be found soaking up the sun and surf along New Hampshire’s Seacoast.
Mariah Mitchell is the new West Zone Sanitary Surveyor of small public water systems, taking the area over for retiree Dave Kelly. Mariah joins us from the MtBE Remediation Bureau and has extensive experience working with the public (as a conservation aide to Merrimack County Conservation District and as a past intern with Wetlands, Exotic Species, and Rivers and Lakes), and in training and mentoring. If you have any questions about small water systems mostly west of Interstate 93 up to Littleton, Mariah is a great resource.
Stephanie Nistico has moved from her emergency planning and cybersecurity position to a new position in the Sustainability Section managing lead service line inventory grants and contracts. Stephanie is in charge of the new Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program, which provides financial assistance to public water systems for lead service line replacement projects and associated activities directly connected to the identification, planning design and replacement of lead service lines.
Molly Thunberg joined the new Federal Provisions Subsection in March and is currently coordinating environmental reviews and managing Davis-Bacon, AIS and BABA compliance for federally funded water infrastructure projects. Molly has spent the past year at NHDES managing the Trust Fund Source Water Protection and Water Supply Land Protection grant program and looks forward to adding the DWSRF program to her knowledge base.
Welcome to Erin Waters, who took over as small systems North Zone Sanitary Surveyor from Heather Baron. Erin comes to us with experience from several NHDES programs, including Pollution Prevention, the MtBE Remediation Bureau (sampling team lead), and the Exotic Species program (intern). Erin has extensive experience in coaching. She serves the North Country from Pittsfield to Pittsburg. If you like long, rugged hikes and want to see a back-country water system, Erin is your contact!
Laura Weit-Marcum is excited to be returning to NHDES as the Drinking Water & Groundwater Trust Fund - Source Water Protection Grant Program Coordinator. She returns to NHDES from having worked at the Piscataquog Land Conservancy as their Land Protection Specialist, where she helped landowners conserve their land. She is looking forward to working with entities across the state to protect drinking water supply lands.