DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 441 G STREET, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20314-1000 CECW-P MAY 2 1 2018 MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD SUBJECT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) National Water Resources Certified Planner Program Selections 1. I am pleased to announce the second round of selected certified planners as part of the National Water Resources Certified Planner Program. This program sets a standard of excellence for the USAGE planning profession and supports the continuing development of a highly capable planning workforce. This hallmark program advances the technical capability of individual planners, strengthens the quality that USAGE planning produces, and recognizes USACE's national planning capability. By identifying Water Resources Certified Planners, the organization can help resource managers match complicated, controversial, and highly visible studies and initiatives with a very capable lead planner, regardless of where that planner is located. 2. The following individuals were newly designated as Water Resources Certified Planners based on their applications, essays and interviews. USAGE National Water Resources Certified Planner 2018 Certifications Dan Abecassis, Jacksonville District Rebecca Albert, Huntington District Karen Ashton, New York District Barbara Blumeris, New England District Craig Carrington, Nashville District Mark Cornish, Saint Paul District Travis Creel, New Orleans District Jodi Creswell, Saint Paul District Susanne Davis, Chicago District Michelle Gomez, Baltimore District John Grothaus, Kansas City District Mark Habel, New England District Michael Hallisy, Los Angeles District Daniel Hughes, Norfolk District Jim Hutchison, Los Angeles District Michelle Kniep, Saint Paul District Fay Lachney, Headquartera Kathryn McCain, Saint Paul District Sean Mickal, New Orleans District Larry Oliver, New England District Todd Randall, New England District Marsha Raus, New Orleans District Byron Rupp, New England District Jeff Tripe, Kansas City District Tiffany Vanosdall, Omaha District Jonathan Vivanti, Los Angeles District Michael Wyatt, Honolulu District Kendall Zaborowski, Huntington District
SUBJECT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) National Water Resources These planners are a cadre of highly qualified planners - plan formulators, economists, environmental specialists and cultural resources specialists - with broad experience and training in USAGE civil works planning. They are capable of leading complex water resources planning efforts, technical reviews and planning task forces throughout the enterprise. 3. Role of Water Resources Certified Planners. Certified planners should be utilized to tackle the Nation's complex water resources challenges. They can serve on or lead Product Development Teams (PDTs); support planning activities by mentoring individuals; advise PDTs, Districts, MSCs or Headquarters; conduct reviews; and provide input on policy and process. For more information on the Water Resources Certified Planner Program, the application process, and the qualifications, please visit the Planning Community Toolbox, People tab (www.corpsplanning.us). 4. Your support and execution of this program is needed in order to achieve the intent of the USAGE Campaign Plan and the Civil Works Strategic Plan. I request each of you to review your planning portfolio and utilize Water Resources Certified Planners and other highly qualified planners on your challenging, complex planning activities. I also ask that you encourage your top performing planners to apply for this professional certification and continue to invest in development of all planners to encourage them to strive toward this standard of excellence. All Certified Planners are identified in the Planner Database and in Enclosure 1. You can contact a certified planner directly or work with the appropriate National Planning Center of Expertise to identify a certified planner with the desired expertise. 5. Thank you to all who applied. The selection process was rigorous and the standard high. The certification is not just about completing required training, but requires a mix of training, experience, knowledge, and leadership. Interested individuals submitted an application describing their knowledge of planning policy and the planning process; planning experience; education and training; and their experience with communication, mentoring and leadership. Experience was validated by their supervisor. The applicants further demonstrated planning expertise through an interview and essay. Applicants that were not selected often had an impressive knowledge of planning or considerable depth in experience, but many need to broaden their experience or more fully document their experience in order to qualify in the future. The MSC Planning Chiefs will provide individual feedback to the applicants to help them continue to work toward certification 6. The Water Resources Certified Planner Program is voluntary- we know that there are many more highly qualified planners and we encourage them to apply. Novice and journeymen planners are encouraged to consider this as a career goal, as they build experience and expertise in water resources planning. 2
SUBJECT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National Water Resources 7. Again, please join me in congratulating the new USACE National Water Resources Certified Planners! I thank you for your assistance and support in this initiative. The point of contact for this initiative is Susan B. Hughes, Deputy Chief Planning Community of Practice, Planning and Policy Division, at 202-761-4121. Encl ~d JeS<{*Dalton, P.E. Director of Civil Works DISTRIBUTION: PACIFIC OCEAN DIVISION, (CEPOD) SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION, (CESPD) NORTHWESTERN DIVISION, (CENWD) SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION, (CESWD) MISSISSIPPI VALLEY DIVISION, (CEMVD) GREAT LAKES & OHIO RIVER DIVISION, (CELRD) NORTH ATLANTIC DIVISION, (CENAD) SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION, (CESAD) ALBUQUERQUE DISTRICT, (CESPA) LOS ANGELES DISTRICT, (CESPL) SACRAMENTO DISTRICT, (CESPK) SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT, (CESPN) KANSAS CITY DISTRICT, (CENWK) OMAHA DISTRICT, (CENWO) PORTLAND DISTRICT, (CENWP) SEATTLE DISTRICT, (CENWS) WALLA WALLA DISTRICT, (CENWW) MEMPHIS DISTRICT, (CEMVM) NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT, (CEMVO) ST. PAUL DISTRICT, (CEMVP) ROCK ISLAND DISTRICT, (CEMVR) ST. LOUIS DISTRICT, (CEMVS) VICKSBURG DISTRICT, (CEMVK) BALTlMORE DISTRICT, (CENAB) NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT, (CENAE) NEW YORK DISTRICT, (CENAN) NORFOLK DISTRICT, (CENAU) PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT, (CENAP) CHICAGO DISTRICT, (CELRC) (CONT) 3
SUBJECT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) National Water Resources DISTRIBUTION: (CONT) DETROIT DISTRICT, (CELRE) HUNTINGTON DISTRICT, (CELRH) NASHVILLE DISTRICT, (CELRN) LOUISVILLE DISTRICT, (CELRL) PITISBURGH DISTRICT, (CELRP) BUFFALO DISTRICT, (CELRB) ALASKA DISTRICT, (CEPOA) HONOLULU DISTRICT, (CEPOH) CHARLESTON DISTRICT, (CESAC) MOBILE DISTRICT, (CESAM) SAVANNAH DISTRICT, (CELAS) JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT, (CESAJ) WILMINGTON DISTRICT, (CESAW) FORT WORTH DISTRICT, (CESWF) GALVESTON DISTRICT, (CESWG) LITTLE ROCK DISTRICT, (CESWL) TULSA DISTRICT, (CESWT) 4
SUBJECT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National Water Resources ENCLOSURE 1: Water Resources Certified Planners Dan Abecassis, SAJ Rebecca Albert, LRH Nicholas Applegate, SPK Karen Ashton, NAN Barbara Blumeris, NAE Samantha Borer, SAJ David Bucaro, LRC Craig Carrington, LRN Kimberly Carsell, SPK Susan Conner, NAO Mark Cornish, MVP Mark Cowan, SPK Travis Creel, MVN Jodi Creswell, MVP Susanne Davis, LRC Mark Doles, SPA Craig Evans, MVP Tim Fleeger, NWD Craig Forgette, LRB Brad Foster, SAJ Jerry Fuentes, SPK Miki Fujitsubo, SPK Elden Gatwood, SAW Michelle Gomez, NAB John Grothaus, NWK Mark Habel, NAE Michael Hallisy, SPL Daniel Hughes, NAO Jim Hutchison, SPL Alicia Kirchner, SPK Michelle Kniep, MVP Camie Knollenberg, MVP Rhiannon Kucharski, SPK Fay Lachney, HQ Eric Lynn, NWK Andrew Macinnes, MVN Kathryn McCain, MVP (CONT) 5
SUBJECT: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) National Water Resources ENCLOSURE 1: (CONT) Judy McCrea, SPD Rachel Mesko, MVP Sean Mickal, MVN Gregory Miller, MVD Karen Miller, LRH Jason Norris, LRH Patrick O'Donnell, SAD Larry Oliver, NAE Marshall Plumley, MVP Todd Randall, NAE Marsha Raus, MVN Byron Rupp, NAE Monique Savage, MVP Brooke Schlenker, SPK Heather Schlosser, SPL David Schulenberg, LRB Sara Schultz, SPK Lawrence Skaggs, HQ Gregory Steele, NAO Brad Thompson, NWO Jeff Tripe, NWK Tiffany Vanosdall, NWO Jonathan Vivanti, SPL Michael Wyatt, POH Kendall Zaborowski, LRH 6