2026 NALMS Election Candidates

The 2026 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 and Secretary.

  • 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 Secretary serves for three years and may succeed themselves for one additional term.

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.

Ballots have been sent by email to all current members. All ballots must be completed by October 3, 2026. If you did not receive a ballot, let us know .

President-Elect

Dendy Lofton

Bio to come…

 

 

Secretary

Caleb Owen is the Water Quality Administrator for the City of Thornton, Colorado where he leads regulatory affairs, compliance programs, and the source water monitoring, management, and protection of more than 40,000 acft of water across 16 lakes and three watersheds. He has worked for Thornton since 2015, initially performing water sampling and lab analysis. Caleb served as Region 8 Director for NALMS for 3 years and served on the executive committee for CLRMA for 5 years. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry and an Area of Special Interest in Environmental Science and Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.

“I love volunteering my time for NALMS and am willing to take on any task that is needed to serve the society. I have extensive experience with secretarial duties from time spent on other boards and commissions and have filled in for the current NALMS Secretary when they were unavailable to attend meetings. As Secretary, I’ll support JEDI principles by ensuring everyone’s point of view is accurately recorded and ensure Robert’s Rules are being followed during meetings so that everyone is able to provide their perspectives.”

 

Region 4 Director

The Region 4 Director represents NALMS members in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Brendan Binns is the Water Plant Operations Manager for the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) in South Carolina, where he oversees two drinking water treatment plants and two source water reservoirs serving local communities. With more than a decade of experience in water treatment, reservoir management, and utility operations, he is committed to providing safe, reliable drinking water while promoting sustainable water resource stewardship. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from the University of West Florida and a Master of Engineering Management from the University of Colorado Boulder. As a licensed water treatment professional, he works closely with utilities, regulators, and industry stakeholders to address water quality challenges, optimize system performance, and support long-term sustainability. He has been active in professional organizations, including the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Young Professionals program, and advocates for utility participation in the Partnership for Safe Water program.

“As a candidate for NALMS Region 4 Director, I would bring a practical perspective grounded in utility operations, water resource management, and reservoir stewardship. Throughout my career, I have worked to balance water supply reliability, environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder engagement. I value NALMS’ role in advancing science-based lake and reservoir management, fostering professional development, and connecting practitioners across disciplines. To me, Justice means ensuring decisions affecting aquatic resources are fair and transparent; Equity means addressing barriers to participation; Diversity means valuing a broad range of backgrounds and experiences; and Inclusion means creating meaningful opportunities for all voices to be heard. As a Board member, I would promote collaboration among diverse stakeholders, strengthen member engagement, and support opportunities for professionals and students from all backgrounds. My goal is to help advance NALMS’ mission of protecting and enhancing lakes, reservoirs, and watersheds for future generations.”

 

Region 8 Director

The Region 8 Director represents NALMS members in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Alex Gerling is a Source Water Quality Scientist with Hazen and Sawyer specializing in water quality monitoring, watershed management, and drinking water treatability. She works with utilities to improve water quality and develop strategies to address emerging contaminants, eutrophication, and HABs. Originally from the Finger Lakes region of New York and now based in Colorado, she brings a passion for lake and reservoir management informed by both personal and professional experience. She has participated in NALMS for nearly a decade. Alex holds an M.S. in Biological Sciences from Virginia Tech and degrees in Geoscience and Environmental Studies from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

“I bring a combination of technical expertise, practical lake management experience, and a strong commitment to collaboration. I have worked with utilities, lake managers, and regulatory agencies to address water quality challenges including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, cyanotoxins, and watershed protection. My involvement with NALMS has allowed me to build relationships across the lake management community and gain an appreciation for the diverse perspectives needed to protect and restore aquatic resources. I am interested in serving NALMS because it has played an important role in my professional development, and I would like to contribute to its mission while helping strengthen connections among members throughout Region 8. To me, justice means ensuring that all communities have the opportunity to benefit from healthy lakes and water resources; equity means recognizing that communities face different environmental, economic, and geographic challenges and ensuring that lake management resources, knowledge, and opportunities are accessible to all; diversity means valuing a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives; and inclusion means creating an environment where everyone feels respected, welcomed, and empowered to participate. As a member of the NALMS Board, I would work to promote engagement from a wide range of voices, support opportunities for emerging professionals, and encourage open collaboration that advances lake management.”

 

Region 11 Director

The Region 11 Director represents NALMS members in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.

Cameron Deacoff is a Surface Water Quality Program Lead with Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, leading provincial work on water quality objectives, monitoring programs, technical assessments, policy tools, and blue-green algae response. He spent 13 years as a Water Resources Specialist with Halifax Regional Municipality, leading and supporting lake, watershed, beach, cyanobacteria, and pollution-control initiatives. Cameron holds a Master of Marine Management from Dalhousie University and a B.Sc. Honours in Environmental Science from the University of Guelph. A NALMS member since 2011 and Certified Lake Manager since 2010, he has chaired NALMS’ Education and Outreach Committee, now leads the Professional Certification Program, and serves on the 2026 Symposium Host Committee. Cameron brings governance, communications, and project-management experience through his PMP designation, Toastmasters leadership roles, pension committee service, and completion of Advanced Trust Management Standards training.

“I would bring to the Region 11 Director role two decades of lake and watershed management experience, public-sector environmental decision-making experience, and a long-standing commitment to NALMS. I have completed formal training in leadership, trust management, and diversity and inclusion, bring board-relevant experience through PMP certification, Toastmasters leadership roles, and pension committee service, and have attended NALMS Board meetings through my committee and Professional Certification Program roles. I am interested in serving because NALMS has been central to my professional growth and to the lake management community connecting scientists, practitioners, students, and volunteers. To me, justice means addressing barriers that limit participation or influence; equity means recognizing that different people and communities need different supports to participate fully; diversity means valuing the range of identities, perspectives, disciplines, geographies, and experiences within lake management; and inclusion means ensuring people are welcomed, heard, and able to contribute meaningfully. I would bring these commitments to board discussions, semi-annual meetings, committee work, outreach, certification, and symposium planning.”

 

Student Director

The Student Director represents all student members of NALMS.

Benjamin Harris is a first-year Ph.D. student in Biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He earned a B.A. in Biology and an M.Ed. in Environmental Education from Bard College, where his undergraduate research examined lake eutrophication trends and his graduate work focused on educational programming for lake association members. Before beginning his doctoral program, Benjamin managed volunteer freshwater monitoring programs at Raritan Headwaters Association in New Jersey and was adjunct at Raritan Valley Community College. A NALMS member since 2020, he has presented at multiple symposia and serves on the Student Programs and ECO Committees.

“My first experience with NALMS was as a student presenter during the COVID pandemic. Even in a virtual setting, I found a welcoming community that invested in its students. That experience has since kept me engaged with NALMS as a student, early-career member, and now student once again. Throughout my academic and professional experiences, I have worked at the intersection of research, education, and community engagement. I have advised and taught high school and college students, developed and coordinated community science programs, and secured funding to support lake research and education. These experiences have reinforced my belief that strong science depends not only on rigorous research but also on investing in the people who carry that work forward. Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion mean ensuring that everyone has a meaningful opportunity to participate and contribute. Students represent the future of the Society; we have a responsibility to equip them with the resources needed to succeed in this field. As Student Director, I will work with the NALMS community to strengthen engagement and explore new ways to support student participation through fundraising and sponsorship. I look forward to helping continue the Student Program’s strong legacy and ensuring it remains welcoming and rewarding for the next generation of professionals.”