Speakers

Dennis Peters
Environmental Manager
Hart Crowser/Haley & Aldrich

Dennis Peters is a Registered Environmental Manager with more than 29 years of experience in: environmental planning, permitting, site assessments, and audits; remedial design & construction; storm water management; industrial wastewater treatment; and solid and hazardous waste management.  He has worked extensively on projects for the Department of Defense, as well as at municipal and industrial facilities and commercial properties.  He has spent over a third of his career focusing on performance-based contracts, conducting CERCLA Remedial Investigations and Remedial Actions, including sites in the Military Munitions Response Program containing contaminated soil and munitions and explosives of concern.

Rona Farley, AICP, CEP, PMP
Senior Professional Associate, Resources Environmental Director
HDR

Rona is a senior environmental project manager at HDR with 20 years of experience managing multi-disciplinary teams for a wide variety of projects for both public and private clients. She has managed the environmental review process for complex and high-profile projects in the Pacific Northwest and served as environmental manager for the SR 520 Bridge Replacement Program. Rona is a Project Management Professional (PMP) certified by the Project Management Institute (PMI). She served as President of the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) (2021-2023) and is a Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) by the Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals. She holds certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is a member of the American Planning Association. She has been recognized by HDR as a Senior Professional Associate for her commitment to quality and technical excellence. Rona is the Environmental Director for HDR's Power, Industrial, and Waste Sectors.

Melanie Hernandez, Esq., CEP
Environmental Attorney
Scout

Melanie Hernandez is a licensed attorney and the co-founder and Vice President of Scout, an environmental and engineering company headquartered in San Diego, CA. With over 20 years in NEPA and environmental law, she leads as a senior NEPA project manager, serving clients like the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and the Coast Guard. Her expertise includes managing multidisciplinary NEPA teams for projects involving new military systems, construction, and public land access. Her responsibilities also extend to developing training on environmental laws including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Executive Order 12114, and more. Prior to Scout, she led some of the most complex Environmental Impact Statements for the Marine Corps in the Pacific and Japan, where she lived for five years. Melanie holds a B.S. from Andrews University and a J.D. from George Washington University Law School, and is admitted to the bar in Maryland and D.C.