Research Advisory Committee
The Water Tower's Research Advisory Committee (RAC) is comprised of high-caliber experts in the water field who help guide TWT's applied research agenda and prioritize projects. Below you will find more information about each of these experts.
For over 20 years, Katherine Atteberry has worked for the government and the private sector to plan and implement stormwater management and watershed protection programs. Currently, she is the Stormwater Planning Manager for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. In this role, she provides planning and regulatory support to improve and preserve water quality through community partnerships, education, and policy guidance.
Dr. Charles B. Bott joined HRSD in 2009 and is the Director of Water Technology and Research. He manages technology innovation and research and development for HRSD’s sixteen wastewater treatment plants (249 MGD combined capacity) and collection/conveyance systems. Dr. Bott is also an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech and Old Dominion University.
Dr. Gail Cowie has over thirty years of experience with water management, public participation, and environmental policy in Georgia. She is currently a Senior Research Professional at the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University, with responsibilities for applied research and outreach on some of Georgia’s most pressing water management challenges. Her experience includes 13 years with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, where she had a key role in developing the state’s regional water planning program and managed the modeling and stakeholder involvement that finalized the Total Maximum Daily Load allocation for Lake Lanier.
RAC Chair
Dr. Daigger is currently a Professor of Engineering Practice at the University of Michigan and President and Founder of One Water Solutions, LLC, a water engineering and innovation firm. He previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for CH2M HILL (now Jacobs) where he was employed for 35 years, as well as Professor and Chair of Environmental Systems Engineering at Clemson University. Actively engaged in the water profession through major projects, and as author or co-author of more than 200 technical papers, five books, and several technical manuals, he contributes to significantly advance practice within the water profession. He has advised many of the major cities of the world, including New York, Los Angles, San Francisco, Detroit, Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Beijing. Deeply involved in professional activities, he is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Water Research Reuse Foundation (WRF) and a Past President of the International Water Association (IWA). The recipient of numerous awards, including the Kappe, Freese, and Feng lectures and the Harrison Prescott Eddy, Morgan, and the Gascoigne Awards, and the Pohland Medal, he is a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), a Distinguished Fellow of IWA, and a Fellow of the Water Environment Federation (WEF). A member of a number of professional societies, Dr. Daigger, is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineers.
Michael Diaz's career spans over twenty years in the water and wastewater industry. It began at the University of Georgia by researching and developing a pilot-scale mobile UV-enhanced ozonation system for the reuse of food-processing wastewater. After working at UGA, his studies and research were applied to the municipal water and wastewater field as a Civil Engineer with a Professional Engineer licensure. Michael is passionate about preserving our water resources for future generations. He currently serves as Associate VP and Area Manager at Arcadis.
Chris Haney helps major utilities identify their most critical water resource needs and develop solutions to address them. His 25 years of experience spans water, wastewater, stormwater, and environmental compliance projects, including treatment, pumping and conveyance, resource recovery for energy, nutrients and water reuse, sustainability, and resiliency improvements. Chris has worked across the U.S. and Puerto Rico with major wastewater management, treatment, and conveyance projects in Georgia, Florida, and Texas. His alternative delivery experience includes progressive design-build, design-build, and construction manager at-risk projects. Chris is an Envision Sustainable Professional and holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree in Environmental System Design from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Kevin Middlebrooks brings over 16 years of experience in a variety of water resource fields, including water resources planning and permitting, stormwater and watershed management, and ecosystem restoration. Kevin works closely with utilities, businesses, governments, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders to understand and comply with water- and environmental-related regulatory requirements and develop creative, cost-efficient solutions to improve water quality and enhance communities. Kevin is a Senior Associate at Hazen and Sawyer in the Atlanta office and a native Gwinnettian.
Jason Mingo is a skilled and passionate professional active in the water sector for 10+ years. He led the development of key forums and programs for integrated water management and water technology research, development, and innovation. He has strong leadership and integrity skills with 7+ years of management experience across contract management, strategy, and program development. He currently serves as Manager of Environment and Technology Research at the Water Services Association of Australia.
Stéphanie Rinck-Pfeiffer has been involved in the water industry for the past 22 years, working predominantly in Research and Innovation, and has managed multi-disciplinary research programs at State, National, and International levels, encompassing government, industry and not-for-profit sectors mainly in Europe and Australia. She currently serves as Managing Director of the Global Water Research Coalition.
Dr. Orren Schneider is an expert in evaluating and designing advanced coagulation, clarification, filtration, disinfection, and membrane technologies for water treatment. He utilizes data analytics for the optimization of water quality and efficiency at treatment plants and is a go-to person for problem-solving, implementing solutions at existing facilities, and helping to launch new pilot plants and operations.
Rebecca Shelton has over twenty-three years of progressively responsible experience in municipal infrastructure with expertise in the areas of utility management, public outreach and media relations, strategic planning, operations & maintenance, organizational management, budgeting and business plan preparation, regulatory compliance, capital program development and delivery, asset management, and building effective teams. She currently serves as Assistant Director at Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources.
Dr. Eva Steinle-Darling is the Director of the Water Reuse Technical Practice at Carollo and is also leading the company’s response to addressing clients’ challenges with per- and polyfluoro alkyl substances, or PFAS. Her areas of technical expertise include membrane processes, advanced oxidation, filtration, disinfection, and other advanced treatment processes for microconstituent removal and management of microbial risks, and has been responsible for over $2 million in applied research on those topics.