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Final Program


Program Agenda (pdf)

Full Schedule

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Full Schedule

  • Wednesday, April 29, 2026
  • 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM ET
    WEATHER CHANGE to THURS - ! Inaugural EMC Miles for Markets 5K Run/Walk
  • 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM ET
    Light Continental in Exhibits
  • 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM ET
    MAIN STAGE: Big Ideas in Environmental Markets
    Welcome: Allyson Donohue – AEMI
    Moderator: Travis Hemmen – Westervelt Ecological Services
    Speaker: Todd BenDor – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Speaker: Martin Doyle – Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions
    Speaker: Gwen Busby, Dr. – Nuveen Natural Capital
  • 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM ET
    Networking Break in Exhibits
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET
    SESSION 20: Emerging Practices in Infrastructure & Transportation
    Moderator: Michael S. Ruth, PG – K2 Geological Services, LLC
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET
    SESSION 21: Designing Water Quality Markets - Legal Authority and Regulatory Frameworks (part 2 of 3 in water market series)
    Moderator: Ansley Tilley – EcoStasis, LLC
    Speaker: Jenny Thomas – Naturion
    Speaker: Andrew Ketchel – Capital City Consulting
    Speaker: Katie Y. Merritt – NC Department of Environmental Quality - Division of Water Resources
    Speaker: Derick Winn – Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET
    SESSION 22: Is it Winter Yet? Challenges, Options, and Responses for Stranded Mitigation Credits.
    Facilitator: Royal Gardner – Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy, Stetson University College of Law
    Facilitator: Steven Martin – Coastal Resources Group
    Speaker: Tara Disy Allden – The Law Offices of Tara Disy Allden, LLC
    Speaker: TJ Mascia – Davey Mitigation
    Speaker: Jim Stanfill – NC Department of Environmental Quality
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET
    SESSION 23: Biodiversity Markets - How and Where They're Working
    Moderator: Ryan Sarsfield – Environmental Policy Innovation Center
    Speaker: Chelsea Smith – Qarlbo Biodiversity
    Speaker: Julia K. Grant – Green Diamond Resource Company
    Speaker: Chad A. Rischar – Manulife Investment Management Timber & Agriculture
    Speaker: Dan Rockefeller – Ramboll
  • 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM ET
    Networking Break in Exhibits
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET
    SESSION 27: Improving Permitting and Mitigation Outcomes in Puget Sound: Insights from the PSI Evaluation
    Moderator: Michelle L. Mattson – Institute for Water Resources (IWR), USACE
    Speaker: Maria T. Lantz – Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
    Speaker: Lindsey Lefebvre – USACE Institute for Water Resources
    Speaker: Shane Skaar – US Army Corps of Engineers
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET
    SESSION 24: Current and Emerging Mitigation Practices in Tennessee
    Moderator: Angel Fowler – EcoGenic
    Speaker: Ross Rogers – TN Department of Environmental Conservation
    Speaker: Sydney Norman – TN Department of Environmental Conservation
    Speaker: William E. Worrall – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, Regulatory Division
    Speaker: Brent J. Sewell – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET
    SESSION 25: Tribal & Indigenous Communities Increasing Impact & Value - Benefit of Biodiversity in Carbon
    Moderator: Jake Stanton – National Indian Carbon Coalition
    Speaker: John Hendrix – Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
    Speaker: Sarah Medlock – Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
    Speaker: Melissa Ann Ehrenreich – Indigenous Conservation Council
    Speaker: Bryan Van Stippen – Indian Land Tenure Foundation
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET
    SESSION 26: In Lieu Fee (ILF) Successes and Lessons
    Moderator: Patrick A. Guerra – NC Department of Environmental Quality - Division of Mitigation Services
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM ET
    SESSION 28: INVEST CONNECT (Speed Networking)
    Facilitator: Mac Shropshire – Mac Shropshire Consulting
  • 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM ET
    Grab Lunch and Join Session
  • 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM ET
    MAIN STAGE: Market Trends and Intelligence
    Moderator: George Kelly – Earth Recovery Partners
    Speaker: Michelle L. Mattson – Institute for Water Resources (IWR), USACE
    Speaker: John Yarchoan – Magnolia Land Partners
    Speaker: Alex Procton – Allied Offsets
    Speaker: Simas Gradekas – bloomlabs
    Speaker: Todd L. Gaston – WestWater Research
  • 1:30 PM - 1:45 PM ET
    Networking Break in Exhibits
  • 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM ET
    SESSION 29: Field Data, AI, and the Future of Shared Intelligence
    Moderator: Becca Madsen – Environmental Policy Innovation Center
    Speaker: Sean Connolly – SC Department of Transportation
    Speaker: Matt Petty – Kimley-Horn
    Speaker: Lee Lance – Ecobot
    Speaker: Tara Disy Allden – The Law Offices of Tara Disy Allden, LLC
    Speaker: Gina O'Neil – Center for Geospatial Solutions
  • 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM ET
    SESSION 30: Innovative Funding Strategies for Scaling Water Resiliency (part 3 of 3 in water market series)
    Moderator: Brett Berkley – GreenVest, LLC
    Speaker: George Kelly – Earth Recovery Partners
    Speaker: Rebecca Power – Walton Family Foundation
    Speaker: Sophie Beavin – U.S. Forest Service National Partnership Office
    Speaker: Mark Evans – Freese & Nichols
    Speaker: Samantha Rose – South Baltimore Gateway Partnership
    Speaker: Kyle Graham – Ecosystem Investment Partners
  • 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM ET
    SESSION 31: Conservation Banking: Overview of Banks and Various Approaches to Establishing Them
    Moderator: Greg Kernohan – Ducks Unlimited
    Speaker: Justin Williams – Ducks Unlimited
    Speaker: Adam Riggsbee – RiverBank Conservation
    Speaker: Greg DeYoung, AICP – Westervelt Ecological Services and ERBA
    Speaker: Preston W. Smith – Wildwood Environmental Credit Company
  • 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM ET
    SESSION 32: Mitigation Banking & Ecological Restoration Case Studies
    Moderator: Joshua Frost – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District
  • 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM ET
    Networking Break in Exhibits
  • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM ET
    SESSION 33: Advance Permittee-Responsible Mitigation Sites: A Time and a Place in The Hierarchy of Mitigation Options
    Speaker: Shane Skaar – US Army Corps of Engineers
    Speaker: Michael Neal – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Portland District
    Speaker: Laura Shively – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
  • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM ET
    SESSION 34: Environmental Markets Ignite - Lightning Rounds & Idea Exchange
    Moderator: Karen Berg – Creekbank Associates
  • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM ET
    SESSION 35: Australia's Expanding Environmental Markets
    Moderator: Evan Branosky – National Association of Home Builders
    Speaker: Amy Basnett – Eco-Markets Australia
    Speaker: Abel Immaraj – Aurecon
    Speaker: Tim DeGraff – Resource Environmental Solutions (RES)
  • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM ET
    SESSION 36: Deeper Dive into Status & Trends
    Moderator: Michael LaDouceur – WRA, Inc.
  • 4:15 PM - 4:30 PM ET
    Networking Break in Exhibits
  • 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM ET
    MAIN STAGE: Industry's Legislative, Policy & Courts Update
    Moderator: Adam Riggsbee – RiverBank Conservation
    Speaker: Todd Willens – The Bernhardt Group
    Speaker: Derb S. Carter, Jr. – Southern Environmental Law Center
    Speaker: Kyle Graham – Ecosystem Investment Partners
  • 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM ET
    EMC Reception in Exhibits