Joel Weber

Joel Weber is a driven entrepreneur known for his perseverance, adaptability, and ability to anticipate industry shifts before they happen. Raised on a family farm in Manitoba, Joel developed an early work ethic baling hay, repairing equipment, and learning firsthand the value of resilience and problem-solving.

Neurodivergent and proudly ADHD, Joel leverages hyperfocus, pattern recognition, and relentless curiosity as competitive advantages in business. With a strong foundation in vocational drafting and engineering, he began his career at SAMSON Engineering, where he advanced from junior CAD technician to Computer Aided Design Manager. There, he led multidisciplinary project teams and worked on large-scale commercial, industrial, and civil developments across Western Canada.

Joel later returned to his agricultural roots, building a commercial hay and straw operation that serviced customers across Canada and the United States. After a life-altering tractor accident ended his conventional farming career, he pivoted — transforming adversity into innovation.

In 2017, Joel founded Fresh Forage Farms Ltd., a vertical farming company that has achieved consistent annual growth of 130–150%. Under his leadership, the company supplies microgreens, edible flowers, and specialty crops to major grocery chains including Loblaws, Sobeys, Save-On-Foods, CO-OP, and premium restaurants. Joel built the company from the ground up — overseeing production systems, regulatory compliance, packaging, business strategy, and team development.

His passion for environmental solutions led him to found Lakewater Nutrient Capture Ltd. in 2024, focused on addressing phosphorus pollution in Lake Winnipeg. The company has completed advanced startup programming through North Forge, filed Canadian and U.S. patents for its filtration technology, and won the Audience Choice Award at the 2024 MEIA Cleantech Conference Green Dragons’ Lair Pitch Competition. Joel is actively collaborating with industry leaders, Indigenous communities, and policymakers to bring scalable water remediation solutions to market.

Known for his ability to solve complex problems with practical, engineered solutions, Joel thrives in high-pressure environments and excels at building resilient, adaptable businesses. Whether in agriculture, engineering, or cleantech innovation, he approaches every challenge with strategic vision and relentless execution.

Alan Roberson

Alan Roberson, P.E. is a nationally recognized leader in drinking water policy, regulatory strategy, and public health protection with more than 46 years of experience spanning engineering, government affairs, association leadership, and water quality research. He is widely regarded as an expert in Safe Drinking Water Act implementation, water security, regulatory compliance, and utility risk management.

Alan currently serves as a Water Policy Advisor, providing senior-level guidance to utilities, government agencies, consulting firms, and nonprofit organizations on federal and state drinking water policy. Throughout his career, he has played a critical role in shaping regulatory frameworks, evaluating public health impacts, and developing cost-effective compliance strategies. He has also served as an expert witness in international water regulatory matters.

From 2017 to 2025, Alan served as Executive Director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), where he led national efforts to address emerging contaminants, including PFAS, oversaw revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule, and strengthened coordination among state and federal drinking water programs. Prior to ASDWA, he spent 25 years with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) as Director of Federal Relations, directing national regulatory and water security initiatives, leading research programs, and serving as a key spokesperson on drinking water policy.

Alan has also contributed extensively to academia and professional development. He is an instructor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, teaching drinking water policy and regulatory risk management. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and technical research studies addressing drinking water regulations, contaminant risk assessment, and utility management strategies.

He currently serves on the Fairfax Water Board of Directors, where he has held leadership roles including Treasurer and Chair of the Water Quality & Supply Committee. His contributions to the water industry have been recognized with numerous honors, including the AWWA Fuller Award, ASDWA Career Achievement Award, and induction into the Water Industry Hall of Fame.

Alan holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Manny Teodoro

Manuel (Manny) Teodoro is a Professor of Public Affairs whose work lies at the intersection of politics, public policy, and public management. His research focuses on U.S. environmental policy and implementation, with particular emphasis on drinking water governance, environmental justice, and the management, policy, and finance of public utilities. Teodoro is widely recognized for combining rigorous empirical research with applied scholarship, and he works directly with governments and water sector leaders across the United States to address pressing policy and management challenges.

Teodoro is the editor of Safe Drinking Water Act: The Next Fifty Years (Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming 2026), which examines the future of federal drinking water policy. He is also the author, with Samantha Zuhlke and David Switzer, of The Profits of Distrust: Citizen-Consumers, Drinking Water, and the Crisis of Confidence in American Government (Cambridge University Press, 2022). This award-winning book argues that reliable basic services are foundational to government legitimacy and links the rise of the bottled water industry to declining trust in American democracy. His first book, Bureaucratic Ambition: Careers, Motives, and the Innovative Administrator (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011), advances a theory of administrative ambition, demonstrating how career motivations shape innovation, political engagement, and democratic governance within public organizations.

In addition to his theoretical contributions, Teodoro pursues an extensive program of applied research on utility management, rate design, affordability, and equity. He has developed novel methods for analyzing utility rate equity and affordability and regularly collaborates with public officials, regulators, and utility leaders to inform policy design and operational decision-making. His work on public management and bureaucratic politics emphasizes labor markets as political phenomena and as predictors of organizational performance.

Teodoro’s scholarship and teaching have received numerous honors. His awards include the Donald R. Boyd Award from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and the Hydro 20 Award from WaterLoop and Sciens Water in 2025; the Lynton Keith Caldwell Prize from the American Political Science Association for The Profits of Distrust in 2024; the Robert F. and Sylvia T. Wagner Distinguished Faculty Award from the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Letters & Sciences in 2023; the Evan Ringquist Best Paper Award from the APSA Science, Technology, and Environmental Politics Section in 2022; multiple Best Paper Awards from the American Water Works Association Management & Leadership Division (2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021); the Herbert Simon Book Award from the American Political Science Association for Bureaucratic Ambition in 2016; the Best Book Award from the American Society for Public Administration’s Section on Public Administration Research in 2013; the Norton Long Young Scholar Award from the APSA Urban Politics Section in 2010; the Fredric Jablin Dissertation Award from the International Leadership Association and the NASPAA Dissertation Award in 2007; and the Lurie Teaching Prize from the University of Michigan Honors Program in 2003.

Gary C. Ganzi and Peter Lando

Gary C. Ganziis an Intellectual Property Attorney and Professional Engineer with extensive experience in corporate IP and technology management. He brings to his legal practice a rare combination of executive-level business insight and deep applied technical expertise across chemical engineering, materials science, polymers, electrochemistry, and water and wastewater treatment and reuse.

Widely respected for his ability to bridge legal, technical, and business domains, Gary provides comprehensive guidance in IP portfolio management and strategic IP and technology development to drive profitable growth. His background spans startup environments through large multinational corporations, enabling him to align IP strategy with technology maturity, budget constraints, and long-term business objectives.

Gary’s signature IP approach integrates patent filing and prosecution strategy, IP valuation and licensing, risk mitigation, and freedom-to-operate analysis with broader business and R&D strategy. His work routinely includes contract review; website, product, and technical literature analysis; protection of know-how and trade secrets; and strategic guidance to support commercialization and competitive positioning.

Peter Lando practices across all areas of intellectual property law and related business transactions, advising clients on the strategic development, protection, and commercialization of IP assets. He is routinely engaged in intellectual property due diligence for acquisitions and divestitures, representing clients ranging from early-stage ventures to companies valued in excess of $1 billion. Peter has served as primary negotiator or lead counsel in dozens of licensing, collaboration, and technology-driven business transactions.

Peter frequently prepares patentability and freedom-to-operate opinions and has prosecuted a substantial portfolio of patents that have been successfully enforced in court and/or licensed. His practice also includes providing creative and strategic trademark counsel, resulting in distinctive registration and enforcement approaches, as well as drafting comprehensive trade secret policies and protection strategies to safeguard clients’ proprietary information.

Recognized by clients as a “big-picture thinker” and “talented portfolio developer,” Peter is valued for his ability to move beyond traditional patent prosecution to address the real-world challenges companies face as they grow, scale, and expand into new markets. His counsel integrates legal rigor with commercial insight to help clients build resilient, high-value IP portfolios.

Peter has extensive technical experience across the chemical process industries, water and wastewater treatment technologies, medical devices, polymers, particulate materials, specialty metals and ceramics, and mechanical and industrial designs. He is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading intellectual property attorneys in clean and green technologies, making him a trusted advisor to investors and companies in these sectors both nationally and internationally.

Active in the intellectual property community, Peter regularly speaks to industry groups, clients, and students on a wide range of IP topics, including portfolio strategy, emerging technologies, and innovation-driven growth.

Elliot Stand

Elliot Strand, Ph.D. is a materials scientist, entrepreneur, and climate-tech innovator specializing in printed electronics, sensors, and precision agriculture. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of PAGE Technologies, where he leads the commercialization of scalable, low-cost printed sensor platforms to transform soil and water quality management. Since founding PAGE in 2023, Elliot has secured over $1.75M in non-dilutive funding, serves as Principal Investigator on NSF and Colorado OEDIT grants, and has grown the company from two to seven employees.

Elliot earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder, completing the program in four years with a 4.0 GPA and receiving the MDPI Sensors 2023 Best PhD Thesis Award. His research focuses on fully printed electrochemical and organic electronic sensors for plant health, nutrient monitoring, and environmental sensing, resulting in multiple patents, high-impact journal publications, and invited talks at international conferences. Prior to his doctorate, he earned a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he also conducted machine-learning–driven materials research and held multiple engineering internships in semiconductor manufacturing, nuclear materials, and medical isotopes.

Beyond research and startups, Elliot is deeply committed to mentorship, STEM outreach, and inclusive leadership, having founded the MSE & Beyond Mentorship Program and volunteered for over a decade with organizations such as Best Buddies International. His work sits at the intersection of advanced materials, sustainability, and real-world deployment, with the goal of enabling smarter, more resilient environmental systems.

Will Dubin

Will Dubin is the Founder & CEO of ManholeMetrics, a venture-backed, multi-award-winning wastewater sensor and analytics company transforming how cities monitor and manage sewer networks. Since founding the company in 2021, Will has raised £878k from leading investors including Ascension, BDF, and prominent industry angels, secured projects with utilities and infrastructure owners across the UK, Europe, and North America, and led the development of patented sensing technologies now deployed by organisations such as Toronto Water, Network Rail, EBMUD, and the Cities of Phoenix and Windsor.

Will is a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellow and a recipient of numerous competitive national awards, including Mayor’s Entrepreneur of the Year (Tech), Innovate UK funding, and grants from the Citibank Foundation and Cranfield University, where ManholeMetrics delivered a £50k research project. He has built the business from the ground up—driving early customer traction, managing a multidisciplinary team, overseeing product certification and IP (five patents filed), and representing the company in media, accelerators, and global pilot programmes.

He holds a First Class MEng in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London, graduating with exceptional distinction and multiple honours from the City and Guilds Institute, including the Medal for Excellence and President’s Award. During his studies, Will worked on major infrastructure projects with Vinci Construction, Balfour Beatty–Vinci, Arup, and Bechtel/Crossrail, gaining hands-on experience in site engineering, project controls, and large-scale delivery. He was also a finalist for UK Construction & Engineering Undergraduate of the Year and has spoken by invitation at the Institution of Structural Engineers’ Annual Academics Conference.

Beyond industry, Will has founded and led high-impact student and professional initiatives, including the Intercollegiate Engineering Alliance, connecting over 25,000 engineering students globally. He is fluent in French, proficient in Spanish, and brings a strong blend of technical depth, commercial execution, and leadership to the future of resilient urban infrastructure.

Cassie Braswell

Cassie Braswell is a Customer Success Manager in agricultural technology, specializing in advanced water management solutions for vineyards and specialty crops across Northern California. With more than a decade of experience spanning irrigation systems, agri-business operations, and customer relationship management, Cassie serves as a key connector between growers, technology innovators, and regulatory agencies. Her expertise centers on helping farms optimize water resources, improve irrigation efficiency, and meet evolving compliance requirements through data-driven tools and sustainable practices.

In her role at HotSpot AG, Cassie partners with growers to deploy automated irrigation, fertigation, pump control, and remote monitoring systems designed to enhance crop performance and reduce water use. She provides on-site consultations, technology demonstrations, and hands-on software training to ensure seamless adoption. Working closely with engineering teams, she analyzes water-use data to develop performance metrics that highlight ROI and long-term sustainability outcomes. Cassie also leads initiatives that integrate groundwater well, reservoir, and storage tank monitoring to support statewide water regulations.

Previously, Cassie served as Assistant Branch Manager and Customer Service Manager at Watersavers Irrigation, Inc., where she managed B2B and B2C sales, coordinated drought-related grant opportunities, and expanded the company’s digital presence—contributing to a 20% annual sales increase. Her career also includes operational and customer-facing roles at Keller Estate Winery and VinoPro, where she supported DTC sales programs, streamlined operations, and developed training systems for one of Inc. 500’s fastest-growing companies.

Cassie holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a B.A. in Art Studio from Sonoma State University, and an A.A. in Art Studio from College of the Sequoias.

Her areas of expertise include irrigation and water resource management, pump control and fertigation automation, data analytics, groundwater monitoring and regulatory compliance, project management, and customer success leadership.

Cassie frequently collaborates with growers, conservation districts, and groundwater sustainability agencies to advance responsible water use across the region. She also participates in educational outreach, speaking to university and community college students about the role of technology in modern agriculture and inspiring the next generation of innovators committed to protecting natural resources and strengthening agricultural resilience.

Kerry Hoffman

Kerry Hoffman
Director – Utility Technology Solutions | Ferguson Enterprises

Kerry is an experienced technology leader with over 15 years in the water and utility technology sectors. As Director of Utility Technology Solutions at Ferguson, Kerry leads strategic initiatives that bring cutting-edge municipal and utility technologies to communities across the U.S., helping utilities modernize operations, enhance asset performance, and build smarter infrastructure.

Before joining Ferguson, Kerry spent eight years at Trimble Utilities, serving as Regional Business Director and Business Manager for the Northeast, where he led sales, channel development, and strategic partnerships across key markets. His work focused on delivering Smart Water Network solutions that improved operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making for utility customers.

Earlier in his career, Kerry held leadership positions at Telog Instruments, where he managed regional growth and business development for nearly six years, helping utilities deploy advanced monitoring and data acquisition systems.

Kerry holds a Master of Science in Business Leadership from Walden University and a Bachelor of Science from Roberts Wesleyan University. He is passionate about leveraging technology to create sustainable, resilient, and intelligent water systems for the future.

Bruce Alderman

CEO, ROTEC USA | Water Industry Leader | Expert in Commercialization, Sales, and Process Innovation Bruce J. Alderman is a passionate, process-driven leader with a proven record of bringing disruptive water technologies to global industrial and municipal markets. Over his 25+ year career, Bruce has combined technical expertise with commercial insight to drive growth, innovation, and successful market penetration across the water and wastewater industry.

As CEO of ROTEC USA, Bruce is leading the company’s expansion in the United States, building on a legacy of leadership that includes his tenure as North American Industrial Sales Director at DuPont Water Solutions and Vice President of Sales at Desalitech. At Desalitech, he built and led a team of sales, process, and product specialists, achieving more than 200 system sales to over 50 major companies—including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, ADM, Cargill, Tesla, Ford, and Southern California Edison—and successfully entering the municipal market with a 16 MGD system. Bruce also led the process that culminated in Desalitech’s sale to DuPont in 2020 and guided its seamless integration.

Known for his ability to unite technical rigor with strategic decision-making, Bruce has excelled in roles spanning R&D, commercialization, marketing, sales, product management, process engineering, and field services. His leadership has consistently delivered revenue growth, with DuPont’s industrial sales under his direction rising more than 20% between 2020 and 2022.

Core Skills:
Coaching & Motivating • Strategic Decision-Making • Technical Expertise • Process Optimization • Communication & Team Leadership • Market Expansion

Education:

Accolades:

Megan Glover

Megan Glover is the Co-Founder and CEO of 120Water, a leading provider of cloud-based software and services that help government agencies, public water systems, and facilities execute safe and compliant drinking water programs. Since launching the company in 2016, Megan has guided 120Water into becoming a trusted end-to-end platform that empowers clients to protect public health by managing complex water quality initiatives with efficiency and accuracy.

With more than two decades of experience in marketing, business development, and executive leadership, Megan has built a career at the intersection of technology, public health, and innovation. Prior to founding 120Water, she served in senior leadership roles at hc1.com, RICS Software, Delivra, Compendium Blogware, and DyKnow, where she drove revenue growth, spearheaded demand generation strategies, and positioned companies for long-term market success. She also founded 3 Dots Marketing, a consultancy focused on delivering high-impact B2B marketing and lead generation strategies.

Megan began her career at DePauw University, where she served as Assistant Director of the Annual Fund, and later held roles in brand enforcement, online marketing, and advertising at Angie’s List. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her ability to scale organizations, navigate new markets, and inspire teams to achieve ambitious growth targets.

Passionate about using technology to solve real-world challenges, Megan continues to lead 120Water in advancing the future of water program management, ensuring communities across the country have access to safe, reliable drinking water.