NAFSMA Staff

  • Susan Gilson, Senior Policy Advisor

    Susan Gilson has worked with NAFSMA since 1989. She has an extensive background in water resources policy issues and works closely with the congressional staff, and officials of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency/Department of Homeland Security and others on legislative and regulatory issues. Prior to becoming NAFSMA's Executive Director on a full-time basis in January 2008, Susan was a managing associate in the Water Resources, Transportation and Environment Practice at Carmen Group, Inc. Ms. Gilson received her B.A. degree in Political Science.

  • Sunny Simpkins, Executive Director

    Sunny is a seasoned professional in water resources management. Prior to her role at NAFSMA, Sunny served as the deputy director for a levee district where she focused on permitting, project implementation, and government relations. Her ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and build effective partnerships was crucial in successfully executing capital and environmental projects that address critical water infrastructure needs. In her role as Executive Director of NAFSMA, Sunny remains dedicated to championing the interests of flood and stormwater management agencies, advocating for policies that prioritize community safety, environmental sustainability, and effective water resource management. Before joining NAFSMA, she served as one of the co-chairs for Flood Management Committee and as a board member at NAFSMA. Sunny received her B.S. in Geology from University of Texas at Austin and M.S. in Geology from Portland State University. Sunny is a board member on the Upper Deschutes River Watershed Council and on the Networking Committee for Women in Environment.

Executive Committee

  • Steve Parrish, President, General Manager/Chief Engineer of Clark County Regional Flood Control District

    Steven C. Parrish is the General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Clark County Regional Flood Control District in Southern Nevada. The District is a planning and funding agency tasked with development of master plans and the implementation of major flood control infrastructure in Clark County.

    Mr. Parrish is a licensed civil engineer with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. He has been working on flood management issues for 30 years. Mr. Parrish serves as Chair of the Storm Water Management Committee and is past chair of the Las Vegas Valley Watershed Advisory Committee.

  • Jason Uhley, Secretary, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District

    Jason Uhley is the General Manager-Chief Engineer at the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Jason has served the District for 26 years since joining the District as a Junior Engineer and is a strong advocate for integrated approaches to stormwater management.

    Jason is a licensed civil engineer in California and holds a Master of Public Administration degree with an emphasis on Water Agency Management from California State University San Bernardino and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from San Diego State University.

  • MaryLynn Lodor, Treasurer, General Manager, Miami Conservancy District

    MaryLynn Lodor was appointed by MCD’s Board of Directors on May 4, 2022, to serve as MCD’s 11th general manager. She has overall responsibility for a staff of approximately 45 employees engaged in flood protection, water resource preservation, and river corridor recreational development. Previously, MaryLynn served as chief operating officer/deputy director of the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD). She obtained a Master of Science degree in Environmental Management and Policy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York, Oswego.

  • Mark Pestrella, Immediate Past President, Director of Los Angeles County Public Works

    Mark Pestrella is the Director of Los Angeles County Public Works. In this capacity, he serves as the County Engineer, the County Road Commissioner, and the Chief Engineer of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. With an annual budget of more than $2.7 billion and a workforce of 4,000 employees.

    Mr. Pestrella is a licensed civil engineer and a 34-year veteran of Public Works and has held a variety of management positions. He is a native of Southern California and attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in civil engineering with concentrations in structural engineering and water resource management.

Directors

  • Chris Hakes, Chief Operating Officer, Watersheds, Santa Clara Valley Water District

  • Laura Kroeger, Executive Director, Mile High Flood District

  • Catherine O'Connor, Director of Engineering, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

  • Mike Davis, Director of Storm Water Services, City of Charlotte

  • Dan Buhman, General Manager, Tarrant Regional Water District

  • Kelli Chandler, Regional Director, Flood Protection Authority-East, New Orleans

  • Jim Middaugh, Executive Director, Multnomah County Drainage District, Portland, Oregon

  • Tina Petersen, Executive Director, Harris County Flood Control District

  • Bill Sheppard, Chief Engineer, Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board

  • Chris Lief, Executive Officer, Central Valley Flood Protection Board

  • Derek Boese, General Manager, San Antonio River Authority

Committee Chairs

  • Flood Management-Carolina Hernandez, Assistant Deputy Director, Los Angeles County Public Work

  • Flood Management-Mark Strudley, Executive Director, Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency

  • Flood Management-Joan Valle, Chief of Regulatory, Riverside County Flood Control & Water Conservation District

  • Flood Management-Colin Rowan, Deputy Director, Multnomah County Drainage District List Item

  • Floodplain Management-Erin Cavazos, Senior Engineer, San Antonio River Authority

  • Floodplain Management-Brooke Seymour, Engineering Services Manager, Mile High Flood District

  • Floodplain Management-Tim Murphy, Project Branch Manager, Flood Control District of Maricopa County

  • Stormwater Management-John Tennert, Environmental Mitigation Manager, Clark County Regional Flood Control District

  • Stormwater Management-Sarah White, Stormwater Project and Program Manager, Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas and Wyandotte County

Advisory Board

  • Karin Jacoby, Partner, Husch Blackwell

  • Scott Shapiro, Managing Partner, Downey Brand, LLP

  • Mike Taylor, Vice President, AECOM

  • Jeff Sparrow, Senior Vice President, Moffatt & Nicholl

  • Russ Poppe, Federal Programs Consultant, HNTB

  • Melissa Bryant, Senior Project Manager, RESPEC