2025 NALMS Election Candidates
The 2025 election for officers and directors is underway. Voting in the annual election is an important way for NALMS members to provide input in the management of the Society. Our officers and directors are all volunteers who serve without pay.
All members may vote for President-Elect, Treasurer, and At-Large Director.
- The President-Elect serves for one year in that position after which they serve as President for one year and Past-President for one year.
- The Treasurer serves for three years and may succeed themselves for one additional term.
- The At-Large Director serves for three years and may serve up to two consecutive terms.
Members may also vote for a director to represent their NALMS Region. Regional Directors are elected for a three-year term and may serve up to two consecutive terms.
Student members may also vote for a student director. Student Directors are elected for a one-year term and may serve up to three consecutive terms.
In positions with multiple candidates, the candidates are listed alphabetically.
Todd Tietjen attended his first NALMS meetings in 1995 and has been working in Reservoir Limnology and Lake Management for 35 years. Todd received a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama and joined the Southern Nevada Water Authority in 2008 to work on water quality issues in Lake Mead and the Lower Colorado River System. Todd has served on the NALMS Board of Directors representing region 9, and served as Treasurer, and is currently an associate Editor for Lake and Reservoir Management and serves on the Conference Advisory, Ethics and Publications Committees. Todd was Co-Chair of the NALMS Lake Tahoe Conference Host Committee.
“I am excited at the prospect of returning to the NALMS Board of Directors as the society continues to grow but faces significant changes in our path forward. NALMS has had a series of successful conferences and stable membership for several years. These factors have combined to provide a strong financial reserve on which to base our future directions”.
“NALMS needs to continue its legislative outreach activities to ensure that our position as a leader in lake management and water quality is not diminished by the changes occurring in the agencies. NALMS also needs to continue our outreach to parts of North and Central America that we have largely ignored in the past, growth in these areas will benefit all involved”.
“As we seek to expand our reach in traditional and non-traditional areas NALMS also needs to continue to develop capacity in our core functions. The members that lead committees and programs do important work for NALMS, but there is a constant need for assistance to expand our reach and effectiveness. LakeLine, Lake and Reservoir Management, and conference planning are all led by NALMS members that receive stipends to compensate them for some of the time they commit to the Society. We owe it to them, and to the Society to help. Whether it is volunteering to review a manuscript, writing an article for LakeLine, organizing a special session at the conference, or joining a committee (sponsorship always benefits from more people) I will work to bring more members into a volunteer relationship with the Society”.
“While we have seen political retreats from JEDI initiatives and programs it is essential that NALMS continue and even expand our efforts in these areas. JEDI efforts have become embedded in our conference planning process and these events, whether they were special sessions or topics, field trips or plenary presentations, they have been well received by the broader membership. Both LakeLine and Lake and Reservoir Management have embraced these initiatives, inviting and including material from groups we would not have heard from in the past. NALMS is constrained by resources from implementing all of the ideas that have been suggested, but continued commitment to making JEDI goals a part of who we are is important”.
Shannon Brattebo, PE, has been an environmental engineer and limnologist for Tetra Tech, Inc. in Washington State since 1999. Shannon’s work has focused on lake and reservoir water quality, restoration, and management both in the Pacific Northwest and across the nation. Shannon has B.S. in Civil/Environmental Engineering from Seattle University and an M.S.C.E in Civil/Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington. Shannon has been a member of NALMS since 2001 and is the current treasurer of NALMS. Shannon is also a past Region 10 NALMS Direction (2015 – 2018). Shannon has also served as a board member and past secretary of the Washington Lakes Protection Association (WALPA), an affiliate member of NALMS.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to renew my service to NALMS and the NALMS Board of Directors in the capacity of NALMS Treasurer. I have been an active member of NALMS since 2001 and currently serve on the NALMS Executive Committee, Ethics Committee, Conference Committee, and as Treasurer, chair the NALMS Financial Advisory Committee. During my previous time on the Board, I worked alongside the NALMS Treasurer and others during multiple financial breakout sessions to discuss and strategize the necessary steps to improve NALMS financial health. I have continued those discussions and strategy planning over these past three years as Treasurer. Efforts made by the Board over the past several years have resulted in NALMS currently being in a financially stable position, which is vital to NALMS success over the next several years as the society weathers an unpredictable political climate. My goal for a second term as Treasurer is to continue to secure and expand NALMS financial stability while also ensuring that the society utilizes our current resources, efficiently, to grow and support our diverse community and to promote the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs throughout North America.”
Lizzy Gallagher is an aquatic scientist at the Lakes and Ponds Program of the Vermont Department of Conservation, primarily focusing on cyanobacteria and aquatic invasive species. With a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Tampa, Gallagher began her career in freshwater conservation in Florida, where she worked in environmental consulting, primarily on restoration projects. Afterwards, she received an M.S. in Biology, undertaking aquatic ecology research at Miami University (Ohio). In 2022, Gallagher was employed with 7 Lakes Alliance (Maine), where she was introduced to NALMS. Gallagher went on to present at the 2023 and 2024 conferences.
“As a newer member of NALMS, I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the Region 1 Director position. I’m interested in growing the early career membership and believe my experience supervising many who are brand-new to the world of lake management gives me an understanding of the needs of this group. In addition to early career members, I hope to draw on my experiences in consulting, non-profit, academic and government settings to ensure that the needs of all members from Region 1 are met. I believe my strong communication skills will ensure collaboration across the regions. I’m interested in serving in this position because my experiences at NALMS conferences and the connections I’ve made through the organization have been formative in my career, and I hope to create similar experiences for current and future members. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to me means that everyone should have a seat at the table, and the voices at the table should be equally valued. I plan to incorporate the sprit of JEDI in my work at NALMS by consulting best practices in environmental justice, continuing to educate myself on these topics, and creating opportunities for diverse backgrounds to be celebrated at NALMS.”
Maxwell Maynard is an aquatic biologist with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, where he focuses on surface water quality monitoring and assessment. His work includes lake trophic surveys, river biomonitoring, and aquatic invasive species monitoring. Max has participated in the 2018–2019 National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA), co-led the 2023–2024 NRSA, and will serve as lead coordinator for New Hampshire’s participation in the 2027 National Lakes Assessment (NLA). He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Energy & Natural Resources from Southern New Hampshire University and draws on that background in his work monitoring the state’s rivers and lakes.
“I’m interested in serving on the NALMS Board because the Society’s scope and mission align well with the kind of work I’m already engaged in. Through my experience regularly monitoring surface waters across New Hampshire and in assisting with large-scale projects like the National River and Stream Assessment, I bring a strong foundation in project logistics, interagency coordination and collaboration, and applied fieldwork. I also understand the operational challenges state and federal programs face and would bring that perspective to future discussions around lake management. I welcome an opportunity to engage more actively with NALMS initiatives and help expand upon the meaningful work of this organization.
To me, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion means bringing people together with all sorts of different backgrounds, especially those who have been historically excluded, to collaborate on identifying and removing barriers so that everyone has access to a healthy and clean environment. If elected, I’d look forward to working with others to make lake science more accessible and to support the protection and responsible management of lake ecosystems across my region and throughout North America.”
Shannon Junior is the Eastern Water Quality Technical Specialist for EutroPHIX and focuses on water quality restoration and cyanobacteria management for lakes that are impaired with phosphorus pollution. She has worked in the Aquatics industry as an aquatic ecologist and business development professional since 1999 and has managed a wide range of ecological assessment and lake management projects. Shannon earned her BS in Biology from George Mason University in 1995 and continued her graduate studies there in Environmental Science and Public Policy. Shannon has been a member of NALMS since 2014 and is a Certified Lake Manager. She serves on various committees and workgroups for NALMS and is a founding member and the Editor for Women of Aquatics.
“Our planet is facing widespread ecological disasters, the most devastating of which to me are impairment of our aquatic resources and the endangerment of the organisms that rely on them. The mission of NALMS to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs is very personal for me, and if elected as the Region 3 Director, I would welcome the opportunity to engage in advocacy efforts for the protection and restoration these precious resources. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion should be the baseline of any professional organization. As a woman who has worked her entire career in a historically male dominated industry, I understand the importance of fostering a culture that values equal opportunities and the unique contributions of all individuals. I have learned so much through NALMS, not only from the content of LakeLine and the Symposia presentations, but also from the valuable relationships I have developed with other members. I have felt so supported by the professional mentors that have encouraged me throughout my career and want to ensure that others receive the same support.”
Joe Bischoff is a Senior Limnologist with Barr Engineering Co. in Minneapolis, Minnesota specializing in nutrient management and phosphorus inactivation. With over 25 years of experience, he has developed management plans for over 100 lakes in the Upper Midwest implementing phosphorus inactivation projects, aquatic plant management activities, and Harmful Algal Bloom control. Joe attended his first NALMS conference in 2001 and has been a consistent member of NALMS since 2012. He is a co-instructor for the Sediment Phosphorus Inactivation Workshop held annually alongside the NALMS symposium. He co-chaired the Host Committee for the 2022 Symposium bringing NALMS back to Minneapolis for the first time since 1996. Building on the momentum from the 2022 NALMS symposium, he led the establishment of the Minnesota Lake Management Society (MLMS) which became an official affiliate of NALMS in 2025. Joe is currently acting as President of MLMS.
“My interest in serving on the NALMS Board ties directly to the NALMS mission and an ardent desire to provide active lake managers with science-based solutions in lake management. I’ve personally benefited from the many connections made at NALMS providing mentors and diverse scientific approaches to lake management problems. Over two decades of participation in NALMS has broadened my view of lake management with perspectives from lake users, regulators, other scientists, and researchers. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with other lake managers and want that opportunity for other scientists. As a practitioner that relies on sound scientific approaches, my goal on the NALMS Board would be to continue to advance the mission of NALMS in shaping how the Society communicates these messages and shares scientific lake management approaches.
Diversity and inclusion are critical aspects of lake management, expanding our science-based understanding by considering perspectives from other cultures. I recognize that I had the privilege of growing up on a lake skiing, fishing, and swimming, a privilege not everyone has due to systematic inequalities in access to lakes. In planning the 2022 NALMS Symposium, we reached out to local tribes and minority scientists to broaden our perspectives on lake management leading to a logo designed by an Indigenous artist and special sessions to hear tribal perspectives on lake management. I also strongly support the JEDI Committee’s efforts to recruit more diversification in our Board and membership as well as engaging with underrepresented groups. The Minnesota Lake Management Society is working to build Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion locally in Minnesota. My goal as the Region 5 Director is to connect the National NALMS group with local groups to broaden connections with diverse communities and scientists to build diversity in NALMS.”
Lauren Knose is a Biologist with the U.S. EPA and past NALMS Student Director. She uses her Master’s in Public Health and PhD in Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology to research how humans and aquatic ecosystems interact and works closely with lake communities to improve water quality and monitoring. She developed and led public workshops on harmful algal blooms (HABs) for Pennsylvania lake communities and watershed workshops for K-12 schools in Ohio and Kentucky. As a NALMS member, she led efforts to highlight students and support student programs, advocated funding lake monitoring and management through the 314 Working Group, and co-chaired the Inland HABs Program.
“I seek support as the Region 5 Director to further NALMS mission and give back to this incredible organization through service. My goals include enhancing collaboration across different sectors, raising funding and engagement for programs, and actively participating in the board’s decision-making process. I will bring energy and dedication, as well as experience serving on the board, to enhance initiatives and strategic growth. My experience in aquatic research and science communication can bring together different stakeholder groups and support JEDI principles. Justice means fairness under common law. I will work with the 314-working group to advocate for the fair protection and restoration of lakes from human impact and enhance inter-organization initiatives with shared goals of safe and healthy lakes. Equity means equal share and access to resources and decision-making. I will seek, listen, and represent the needs of affiliates and members from my region. Diversity is the participation of people with different experiences and socioeconomic backgrounds. I will work with the JEDI program to recruit and engage members from underrepresented groups. Inclusion means providing opportunities for all to participate. I will work to reduce barriers, through fundraising and mentorship of student and early career members, and support efforts to provide a welcoming and safe environment.”
Anne Wilkinson is a Water Resources Engineer and Limnologist with nine years of experience in research and environmental consulting. She completed her PhD at University of Minnesota (SAFL), studying the interaction between turbulence and cyanobacteria blooms. Anne applies her interdisciplinary expertise in physics and lake ecology to devise innovative management for lakes across the Upper Midwest. Anne has been an active member of NALMS since graduate school and has presented at the annual symposiums and attended workshops. Additionally, Anne was the planning committee co-chair for the annual conference in Minneapolis and is a member of the Early Career committee.
“I have loved lakes and science my entire life and I am so grateful to find a home in the NALMS community. I will provide critical thinking to sustain our budgetary, policy, and membership in a way that maintains scientific fortitude. I will use my interdisciplinary expertise in physics, chemistry, ecology, and engineering to provide a broad perspective in long term sustainable visioning and leadership. The incorporation of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is all the more vital in this changing political climate. With the early career committee, I advocated for the inclusion of statements of attendance barriers in the scoring rubric for travel grant recipients to provide a just and equitable evaluation of applicants, which may not have been captured in a traditional resume. I understand that to ensure the health of the organization, we need to provide opportunities to all passionate individuals. I admire NALMS as a center for scientific exploration and information sharing which thrives on diverse perspectives to serve diverse landscapes. As the planning committee co-chair, I promoted the inclusion of local indigenous communities as speakers, artists, committee members and attendants, because of the importance of those voices in the story of lake management in Minnesota.”
As Moleaer’s Senior Limnologist, Dr. Denise Devotta leads the application of nanobubble technology to restore impaired waterbodies worldwide. She holds an MSc and PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a focus on limnology. She has over 15 years’ experience determining and managing the impacts of watershed-based nutrient and contaminant loading in lakes. In addition to private industry, community, and non-governmental organizations, Dr. Devotta has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Congress as a NOAA Sea Grant Fellow, NOAA, the Singapore government, and the United Nations Environment Programme on sustainable lake management. Denise is relatively new to NALMS, having joined and presented at the NALMS conference last year, after transitioning back to the U.S. from Asia-based work. She is looking forward to presenting at the NALMS conference again this year, and keen on getting more involved in the NALMS community.
“Over my career, I have built partnerships with diverse stakeholders—from Alaska Native elders to policymakers in Washington D.C.— aimed at sustainable water resource management. My work in Congress, which included helping draft federal and California-specific freshwater legislation, provided invaluable experience navigating complex water regulations nationwide, particularly in western states. Currently, I lead Moleaer’s restoration efforts at Lake Elsinore and other waterbodies, benefiting communities in NALMS Region 9. My qualifications blend keen interpersonal and advocacy abilities with robust technical expertise in limnology. This uniquely positions me to help achieve NALMS’s mission of coalition-building among citizens, scientists, and professionals to protect and manage lakes. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are foundational values to me, guiding my commitment to listen to and advocate for every member I serve. As Region 9 director, I will use this perspective to actively learn about the unique challenges Region 9 states face, and champion both regional and NALMS-wide objectives.”
Stephen McCord, Ph.D., P.E., is President of McCord Environmental and part-time staff at the University of California Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clemson University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil & Environmental Engineering from UC Davis. As a Professional Engineer and Certified Lake Manager, Dr. McCord has over 25 years of consulting, research and teaching experience around the world. He is a past President of the California Lake Management Society and works on lakes to address bioaccumulation, eutrophication, dam safety, water rights, drinking water quality, sedimentation, and more.
“As a volunteer leader of the California Lake Management Society since 2011, I have led and supported various initiates for Region 9 such as revamping the website and email listserv, hosting webinars, writing/reviewing annual newsletter articles, developing a statewide lake managers database, and hosting the annual conference (including the NALMS conference in 2024). I bring relevant experience as chair of three nonprofit boards, service on NALMS’ CLM Committee, and countless technical review roles (including peer reviewer for NALMS’ Lake & Reservoir Management journal). Related to the JEDI principles, by working on lakes on five continents I have learned to understand and appreciate diverse stakeholders perspectives in addressing environmental problems. I currently mentor the 2025 NALMS JEDI intern as we strive to engage lake managers throughout Latin America and would continue that and other outreach efforts in collaboration with other NALMS leaders and staff.”
Chris Doyle graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Natural Resource Management. He has 30+ years experience as an Aquatic Biologist, including 20+ years focusing on Lake Management. Mr. Doyle has been active with NALMS since 2005, and became a CLM in 2011. He served a term as the NALMS Region 2 Director (2018-2021) and previously served as the co-chair of the conference advisory committee. Currently he serves on that committee as a member, and a member of the Professional Certification Committee. He has served as the NALMS Conference Program Co-chair in 2020 and 2025. Mr. Doyle works as a private consultant in both aquatics and publishing.
“Since 2018, I’ve been very active supporting NALMS, as a past Director, on committees, attending conferences and as an important part of conference host committees. I have recently relocated to Pennsylvania, and retired from my full-time career in book publishing and I’m eager to reapply myself in the field of aquatics, and specifically lakes. With my decades of experience working in the private sector, managing water bodies in the Northeast, and having more time to focus on non-profit organizations, I’m enthusiastic to contribute to a society I strongly believe in, and has been an important part of my professional career since 2005.
While on the Board of Directors, I advocated for the support of the 2019 Diversity Statement and the dedication of 2020 as the Year of Diversity. I’ll continue to support NALMS efforts to create a diverse, and inclusive organization, while advancing lake management and aquatic sciences. Over my decades of experience, I’ve had the honor to mentor early career biologists from underrepresented groups, and the pleasure to see them advance their careers in private and public sectors. I shall champion these mentoring programs, recruitment of underrepresented groups and continual engagement to maintain a welcoming and inclusive society.”
Luke Peterson is the executive director of the Utah Lake Authority. He holds nearly 20 years of experience in public policy, journalism, public relations, academia and environmental management. Luke completed his graduate work at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he received the Presidential Fellowship for commitment to public service. His career has spanned work in local, state, and federal policy making and administration. He also served as a Global Policy Leadership Fellow with the European University Institute. Luke is an active member of the NALMS 314 Working Group.
“My background in public policy qualifies me to serve NALMS well. I have been a policy advisor to executives at all levels of government, worked closely with U.S. Senator John Curtis on a variety of water-policy issues, and successfully lobbied for over $10 million in federal appropriations for Utah Lake just in the past 18 months. I served as full-time faculty in public policy for seven years at Utah Valley University where I built their undergraduate program in public policy and founded a research center in partnership with the cities of Boston and Philadelphia. While it may be an unorthodox CV for a lake manager, I feel my background would benefit NALMS in these unprecedented times. We have not seen this level of policy disruption in living memory. Relentless challenges will crash against the Clean Water Act, the EPA, and much more, over the next few years. We will need to meet these challenges with energy and practiced wisdom. Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion constitute the lifeblood that will keep NALMS vibrant and effective, and I will seek to promote them through policy and practice. To this I bring practical experience having twice built programs to assist better workforce integration of neurodivergent employees.”
Having recently completed her MS in Natural Resource Conservation at Paul Smith’s College, Mikala L’Hote is a current PhD student at Dartmouth College studying in the Ecology, Evolution, Environment and Society program. Her research interests have revolved around the intersection of environmental science and public health, leading her to pursue questions that highlight complexities pertaining to water use and management. Over the past two years, Mikala has served as Student Director of NALMS, dedicating herself to representing and progressing the role of student membership within the society, and beyond.
“In recent years, NALMS has given me the platform to meet and learn from individuals passionate about lake and reservoir management across North America. These interactions have encouraged me to integrate different perspectives into aspects of my position as Student Director and career as a whole. Stepping into collaborative and leadership roles has given me the opportunity to advocate for student membership and associated programs while meeting individuals across various disciplines and backgrounds. As co-chair of the newly formed Education, Communication, and Outreach (ECO) committee, I hope to continue uplifting and incorporating student perspectives across facets of NALMS. Additionally, my involvement with CASS has encouraged me to collaborate with others leading student programs, sharing insight and aspirations with one another. Throughout this upcoming year, I look forward to pursuing initiatives that cultivate a space accessible not only to student members, but to a membership of different voices, backgrounds, and experiences.”