STAFF, BOARD & COMMITTEES
MEET OUR STAFF
Executive Director EkOngKar Singh Khalsa enjoys more than twenty five years professional experience in environmental protection and restoration, low impact and Brownfields development as well as broad understanding of the public policy issues associated with these arenas.
Throughout his career, Mr. Khalsa has navigated a wide variety of environmental, design, planning and engineering challenges in pursuit of an intelligent approach to land use and environmental restoration.
Mr. Khalsa’s background includes extensive training and experience in environmental science and due diligence including: wetlands delineation and regulation, stormwater management system design and installation, soil and groundwater preservation and restoration as well as hazardous waste investigation, management and remediation. He has broad experience and background in land use planning, zoning and land use regulations and with commercial site planning and development, residential subdivision design and construction, and professional land surveying and engineering.
Prior to his work as Executive Director, as Director of Development for the Hallmark Companies, Mr. Khalsa was responsible to oversee and manage the multi-disciplinary project teams responsible for a variety of major real estate development projects.
His education includes a BA from the University of Oregon and post graduate work in environmental studies, land use planning, and real estate development at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Northeastern University, Boston University and the University of Alaska.
Mystic Monitoring Network Director Patrick Herron, a PhD in Plant Ecology from the University of Connecticut, joined MyRWA in June 2009 as the full-time Water Quality Monitoring Director. He recently completed postdoctoral fellowships at the Rowland Institute at Harvard University and Marine Biological Laboratories at Woods Hole. He has performed research in Costa Rica, Utah and Connecticut and published research in a variety of areas including invasive species, nutrient cycling, and microbial biosensors. Patrick has broad training in ecology and microbiology and will seek to foster the interest of the scientific research community in water quality issues in the Mystic River watershed.
Outreach Coordinator Beth Meserve began working at MyRWA in June 2009, where she is eager to grow the membership base and develop innovative and fun outreach events and and programs. She received her B.A. in environmental studies and anthropology at Tufts University, where she volunteered with MA Community Water Watch as the education coordinator. Her professional experience comprises various educational and community organizing endeavors including four years of work with the National Park Service as an interpretive park ranger. More recently, Beth earned her M.S. in environmental studies with a concentration in environmental education at Antioch University New England. Beth is passionate about sustainability, enjoys outdoor activities, and hopes to create a more involved and healthier watershed.
;)
Office Manager Kimberly Provo is a resident of Woburn and has lived in the Mystic River Watershed most of her life. She is currently the Office Manager for MyRWA. She is also a member of Woburn Residential Environmental Network (WREN) where she has helped with clean-ups around the city. Her degree is in Accounting from Newbury College but chooses to focus most of her attention on family and the environment.
MyRWA's 2010 BOARD of DIRECTORS
President
John Reinhardt, a long time resident of the Watershed, living in Somerville, is active on environmental issues professionally and as a citizen. Professionally, he is the Branch Chief for Industrial Wastewater Policy and Regulations for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Reinhardt has over 25 years of professional experience in environmental policy analysis, ranging from policy analysis, industrial wastewater, drinking water, toxic substance control strategy development, and hazardous waste. He has served on the Somerville Conservation Commission since 1994. His long term involvement with MyRWA started in 1988 as part-time executive director for 3 years; chairing the Water Quality Committee since 1999; serving on the Board of Directors since 1997, including president from 1997 to 1999, as well as the current president since 2007.
Vice President
Patrick Johnston is a Police Officer for the City of Everett assigned to the Marine Unit. He has been the Agent of the Everett Conservation Commission, Chairperson of the Waterfront Development Advisory Committee as well as having served on the Mystic Watershed Collaborative (a collaboration of Tufts University and MyRWA). Patrick also serves on the MyRWA policy committee.
Treasurer
Minka vanBeuzekom has been a Cambridge resident for more than 25 years. She holds a Master's degree in public health with concentration in epidemiology & environmental health. She has been active in Cambridge environmental issues for more than 15 years including three years volunteering and working with MyRWA on financial and water quality issues. Minka's professional work experience includes fifteen years managing business concerns in the biotech sector. She is committed for the sake of her own grandchildren and others to revitalize the Mystic River, an urban jewel that deserves our attention.
Secretary
Erin Smyth is a Cambridge resident and has been on the board since 2008. She is currently working on the completion of her Master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning. As part of her course work, she participated in a sophisticated and well-researched set of three case studies of urban waterfronts which have been or currently are being restored despite multiple and sometimes conflicting jurisdictions. These studies were initiated at the request of MyRWA for the purpose of establishing effective urban waterfront restoration practices. Erin works for The Nature Conservancy as a Project Information Manager in the Legal Department.
Members
Michael Fager comes to the Mystic River because of his love for the natural environment. He feels that we, as stewards of the Mystic River watershed should take an ecosystem approach to preserving and protecting all aspects of the Mystic River ecosystem. Michael believes that this starts with understanding and preserving the often neglected, but surprisingly resilient biodiversity of the watershed. Our job is to enhance the quality of the natural environment that is the Mystic River watershed. Michael has a B.S. in Natural Resource Studies and is currently an attorney in the private practice of law in Somerville. He is on the Policy Committee, enjoys bird and wildlife watching, hiking, reading and watching the Red Sox.
Karen Grossman is a resident of Arlington who has lived near the Mystic River and within sight of the beautiful Spy Pond for 32 years. She has been active in community building and environmental advocacy and has assumed leadership roles in other nonprofit organizations. As a long-time member and President of the Friends of Spy Pond Park, Karen continues to promote appreciation and respect for our natural resources that she learned growing up on the edge of the woods in Pennsylvania. As a newly elected MyRWA Board member, she hopes to engage in outreach projects to educate others, encourage membership, increase involvement, and to further the mission of the organization. Karen enjoys canoeing, short distance bicycling, traveling around the world, choral singing, and reading, She earned a B.S. from Syracuse University, a M.Ed. from Boston University, and is a retired speech and language pathologist.
Mark Jacobson is an Arlington resident and has spent much of his life in the Mystic River Watershed. He has an MS in environmental science from UMass/Boston, and currently is the manager of Charles River Canoe & Kayak and the Weston Ski Track. For the past four years he has organized the paddling portion of the Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle, and in 2006 and 2007, he was the race director for both the paddle and run.
Carolyn Mieth a resident of Cambridge, has been a member of MyRWA for ten years and a board member for eight. Among Ms. Mieth's activities are the following: co-founder of the Coalition for Alewife, a coalition of residents from Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge formed to protect and enhance the Alewife Reservation and Co-President of the Association of Cambridge Neighborhoods. For her environmental work in the Alewife Reservation, she has received awards from Cambridge ECO, the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, and the State Legislature.
Steve Murphy is an Arlington resident who joined the MyRWA Board in 2009 where he sits on the Finance Committee. He has been an active volunteer and part-time staffer at MyRWA since 2006, including Project Manager for the Find-It-and-Fix-It (FIFI) program. Steve’s professional experience is primarily in finance and engineering. He was an Executive Director, Equity Research at Oppenheimer & Company where he led several technology-sector research teams and supported numerous securities offerings and M&A transactions. Prior to that, Steve was an Associate Management Consultant at Pittiglio Rabin Todd & McGrath (PRTM) where he assisted on re-engineering projects in product-development process and supply-chain improvement for large technology companies. He holds a BS Industrial & Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has done coursework in Environmental Management at Harvard Extension School.
Steven Notis is a Reading resident and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, from kayaking to cycling and hiking. He has lived in Reading for the last nine years, where his is the Senior Pastor of the Old South Church. A native Mainer, he has always shared a love for the environment and outdoor pursuits. As a student at Boston University and more recently as a Reading resident, he is aware that in more urban areas access to waterways and open spaces is crucial. The words from John Muir, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul,” capture his passion for serving with MyRWA.
Michael O'Brien is a resident of Medford. He acquired a B.S. Degree in chemical engineering from Gonzaga University and a Masters Degree in Engineering Management from Northeastern University. He has worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an environmental engineer since 1972 (permitting/closing hazardous waste facilities and permitting industrial/municipal wastewater discharges). He likes traveling (having participated in seven Earthwatch environmental projects around the world), gardening and animals (four black cats). Mr. O'Brien serves as treasurer to both the St. Raphael’s Knights of Columbus and the Toastmasters Club at the US EPA.
Arthur Powers is the Terminal Superintendent of the ExxonMobil Pipeline Everett Marine Terminal. Art also sits on the Industry Sub-Committee of the EPA-convened Mystic River Watershed Steering Committee.
Maria Simoneau joined the MyRWA board in 2008 and took on the post of outreach chair. She has been a water quality monitor on the Aberjona River in Winchester at the Winchester USGS station since 2006. Always eager to be outdoors, Maria is a paddler, walker, skier, biker of the Mystic Lakes & River and a sailor in Boston Harbor past Chelsea Creek & into the Mystic River. Her enjoyment of the natural beauty of the Watershed and her conservation-minded ways make her eager for all watershed residents to enjoy the recreation opportunities here as well as to join MyRWA in its science-based advocacy, protection and renewal of this valuable resource.
CURRENT COMMITTEES
MyRWA has three committees that work both independently and jointly, which include the Committee on Water Quality (COWQ), the Outreach Committee, and the Policy Committee. The Committees meet monthly with roughly half of the meeting dedicated to individual committee discussion, planning, and strategizing, while the rest of the meeting is devoted to the joint committee engaging in relevant discussion including occasional guest speakers. Please join us! Committee Meetings are free and open to the public. Please see our calendar for the next meeting date.
The Outreach Committee increases participation, communication, and raises awareness of the watershed among volunteers, community members, and organizations. The Outreach Committee organizes recreational and educational events, river/lake cleanups, our annual Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle, and field activities. We also publish MyRWA's Newsletter, plan our media strategy, and create watershed-related educational materials. Chair: Maria Simoneau
The Policy Committee is charged with providing support to the Executive Director and Board of Directors on policy matters. The Policy Committee also tracks and responds to federal, state, and local projects and initiatives to protect MyRWA interests throughout the watershed. Chair: Michael Fager
The Committee on Water Quality (COWQ) provides technical assistance for MyRWA projects and guidance for the water sampling efforts (i.e., the Mystic Monitoring Network). The committee discusses aquatic chemistry, modeling, hydrology, biology, and water quality regulation and engineering as related to the Mystic River Watershed. Chair: John Reinhardt