Tuesday, October 6
Lunch + Opening Plenary Session
Kevin McOmber, P.E., Regional Administrator
U.S. EPA Region 4
Kevin’s impressive 37-year career is distinguished by his dedication to community service and a deep commitment to environmental and municipal development. As a Professional Engineer (PE), he has led the design and execution of numerous large-scale public works projects across Georgia and the Southeast, focusing on sustainability, quality control, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Notably, Kevin has been a trusted partner to local and state agencies, navigating complex permitting processes and fostering collaborative relationships that drive impactful outcomes. Prior to joining the EPA, Kevin served as Executive Vice President and National Community Practice Leader at CPL Architecture, Engineering, and Planning.
Frank Lopez, Extension Director
North Carolina Sea Grant and the Water Resources Research Institute
Frank López is the Extension Director for North Carolina Sea Grant and the Water Resources Research Institute. He leads statewide teams providing applied research, technical assistance, and public engagement to address critical coastal and water resource challenges. With over 25 years of experience in coastal management, watershed planning, and habitat restoration, his background includes directing the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve in Ohio and serving as a NOAA Coastal Management Fellow in South Carolina. Currently Chair of the Sea Grant Mid-Atlantic Region, Frank has secured over $14 million in research and outreach funding. He holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Wednesday, October 7
Breakfast Plenary Session: One Water: From Silos to Systems
Water does not recognize the boundaries we have created between drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, groundwater, and lakes and rivers—but our policies, programs, and infrastructure often do. This plenary panel brings together leaders from local government, watershed advocacy, groundwater science, and regional water management to explore what changes when we manage water as one interconnected cycle. Panelists will discuss opportunities to break down silos, strengthen collaboration, and build more resilient water systems for North Carolina’s future.
Dr. Peter Thibodeau, National Technical Director for Hydrogeology
Stantec
Dr. Peter Thibodeau is the National Technical Director for Hydrogeology at Stantec, and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. As part of this role, he coordinates and builds groundwater specialists across the US, as well as groundwater modeling teams across the globe. He is widely recognized as a groundwater solution provider and strong client advocate. Peter has 25+ years of experience conducting, leading, and reviewing complex groundwater, mining, Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR), water supply, and remediation projects encompassing a broad spectrum of environmental problems. Peter routinely leads and coordinates development of site conceptual models to evaluate all aspects of the water cycle and develop holistic analyses of water demand concerns and uses.
Nancy Daly, Water Resources Program Manager
Wake County
Ms. Daly currently serves as Water Resources Program Manager for Wake County. In this role, she manages development and implementation of the Wake One Water Plan, a 50-year plan that integrates all forms of water to help ensure Wake County has the water it needs to support all aspects of its growing population. Ms. Daly has over 25 years of water resources work in the public, private, and non-profit sectors with a focus on planning and implementing strategies to address water resource challenges through collaboration and partnerships. Ms. Daly has a B.S. in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill and a M.S. in Biology from UNC Wilmington.
Victoria Taylor, Chair
Catawba-Wateree Initiative
Vicki is a founding member of Catawba Wateree Initiative which has now joined the Source Water Protection Committee, which she chairs, of the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group. The committee works with land trusts, corporate partners and communities to identify and help fund land protection and restoration opportunities that preserve and improve water resources. She also chairs the Advisory Committee of the CWWMG. She has also served as the Executive Coordinator for the Catawba-Wateree Relicensing Coalition since 2000, an organization that won a national award for “inspired collaboration”. Vicki serves on the board of directors of the Low Impact Hydropower Institute and the board of the Friends of Lake Norman State Park. Vicki holds a degree in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin and a law degree from the University of Colorado and is a member (inactive) of the California Bar. Vicki has owned and operated a small international consulting business since 1990 and has lived in Australia, Germany and England. As a founding partner of Riff Ideas, LLP, Vicki designs and facilitates programs that help people use their creative capacity to foster innovation, identify opportunities and discover new approaches to chronic problems and new challenges. She loves being outdoors and being near, in or on water. In all her work she strives to achieve inclusion, equity and creative collaboration.
Edgar Miller, Executive Director
Yadkin Riverkeeper
Edgar Miller became executive director of the Winston-Salem based Yadkin Riverkeeper (YRK) in October 2018. He served as both the Riverkeeper and executive director from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2026 and continues to serve as the organization’s executive director. Yadkin Riverkeeper is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect and enhance the Yadkin River and its lakes and tributaries through education, advocacy, and action. Prior to working with Yadkin Riverkeeper, Miller served as the director of government relations for the Raleigh-based Conservation Trust for North Carolina for 17 years. As a registered lobbyist he represented NC land trusts before the NC General Assembly and US Congress advocating for increased conservation funding and tax incentives. He also served on the NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund advisory committee from 2006-2018 and the NC Local Foods Advisory Council from 2015-2018. He is a former board member of the Tourism Recreation Investment Partnership (TRIP) for Davidson County, serving as president between 2011-2020. In that role, he led efforts to establish the Yadkin River Park and Daniel Boone Heritage Canoe Trail on the Yadkin River and improve access to and appreciation of the Yadkin River in Davidson County. He helped establish the Davidson County Local Food Network and Keep Davidson County Beautiful and is the coordinator of the First Reformed United Church of Christ Community Garden in Uptown Lexington. He lives south of Lexington, in the Abbotts Creek watershed, with his wife Kivi. He has two daughters, Jianna, a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill and Avalon, a recent graduate of NC State University. Miller holds a BA in Botany from Duke University and a Masters of Environmental Management from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.
Wednesday, October 7
Lunch + Student Scholarship Awards + Sponsors & Exhibitors Networking Extravaganza
NCEC2026 is excited to kick-off our Student Scholarship Awards presentations as we recognize our Student Scholarship winners.
Then we will introduce our Sponsors and Exhibitors at a networking-focused extravaganza which gives each participant unlimited access as we recognize the unwavering support and expertise of our incredible Sponsors and Exhibitors. Join in the networking and information exchange available throughout our Exhibit Hall.
Door prizes will be announced at this time and more surprises are in store…
Click here to check out our incredible Sponsors & Exhibitors.