Jamie McCarthy

Environmental Scientist

We are excited to share that Jamie McCarthy has joined our team in Exeter, NH. Jamie earned her B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of South Florida in Tampa and her M.S. in Environmental Geoscience from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. A Massachusetts native, she grew up spending a great deal of time outdoors and developed a love for nature at an early age. Early aspirations led her to seek out becoming a veterinarian.  Jamie is eager to engage in site remediation projects, peer reviews, and the many nature-based design projects ongoing in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

“I am excited to get started with projects. I look forward to being outdoors and getting involved at all levels” – Jamie

Jamie’s recent consulting experiences will help her assist our scientists focused on natural resource surveys and wetland delineations. Prior to beginning her career in environmental consulting, Jamie led initiatives to implement resource management planning with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. She coordinated ecological restoration projects for staff and volunteer groups and created exhibits for visitors to enjoy, which involved several carpentry projects. Jamie currently serves as Board Secretary for the New England Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) and volunteers on education, training, and outreach committees for both SWS and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC).

 

When Jamie is not working, she enjoys spending time with her niece and nephew, taking in standup comedy shows, visiting museums and galleries, and watching nature and true crime documentaries. Welcome to HW Jamie!

 

 

Casey Chatelain

Environmental Scientist

We are excited to announce that Casey Chatelain, formerly of the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition in Osterville, has joined our project team in Sandwich. Her work at the BCWC allowed her the opportunity to collaborate with many partners from EPA, TNC, USGS and the Town of Barnstable and this experience will be an asset to our clients. She worked with the Barnstable Land Trust and has served on the Town of Barnstable’s Water Resources Advisory Committee. Working hand and hand with these various organizations, Casey contributed to important, innovative, alternative, septic system projects. She looks forward to working with our project teams on a variety of ecological restoration and water resources projects.

I hope to make towns like Brewster, MA a better place for all with my knowledge and experience”  – Casey

Casey earned her B.A. in environmental studies from the College of the Holy Cross and her M.O. in Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island. A New York native, she grew up spending summers sailing in Cotuit and loves spending time on Cape Cod. She currently serves on two boards for the Town of Brewster: The Conservation Commission and the Board of Health.  When Casey is not working, she enjoys all that Brewster has to offer, exploring the outdoors while walking, gardening, bee keeping, and spending time with her husband and their eleven-year-old Chocolate Labrador Retriever Elly.

 

Quinn McWatters

Environmental Planner

We are happy to announce that Quinn McWatters has joined our planning group in Sandwich as an Environmental Planner. She will be supporting, and leading project work related to water security training. Quinn earned her B.S. in Environmental Science with a focus on Ecological Restoration, and a B.A. in International Studies with a focus on Globalization from Humboldt State University in California and will receive an MBA in Environmental Sustainability from Wilmington University in Delaware in 2022.

Prior to joining HW, Quinn worked at a non-profit in Falmouth as the Research Coordinator for a marine research organization. She has four years’ experience working for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as an inspector and attained a wastewater operator certification in 2018 from Delaware Community College. She also earned GIS Professional Certification from the University of California, San Diego. In addition, Quinn has vast project management experience having worked for three consulting firms prior to working for the State. When she is not working, Quinn enjoys exploring her new home in the Northeast while camping and hiking with her husband and her pup, Roscoe.

 

James Cady

Environmental Scientist

We are thrilled to share that Jimmy Cady has joined HW as an Environmental Scientist. He will be working on the firm’s water sector cybersecurity training projects. Jim earned his B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of Maryland and an Associate of Arts, General Studies degree from the American Military University, in Charles Town, West Virginia. Jimmy has 13 years of experience working for the U.S. Government.

Growing up in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, the southernmost part of the Outer Banks he dreamed of moving away to discover new people and places. After high school he postponed his degree and joined the United States Navy which sent him to Nevada and after that Maryland where he worked as a Counter Intelligent Analyst with the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C.  He previously held positions in the U.S. Navy as an Industrial Security Analyst and Intelligence Specialist. We know his military experience will be helpful to our water utility clients who are working on cybersecurity assessments and plans.  

When not working he enjoys time with his Fiancée, his cat Milktea, and his dog Egg Roll who is a Corgi. Jimmy has always enjoyed hiking and hopes to rediscover this activity in New England.

 

NARRAGANSETT BAY COMMISSION
Macomber Stadium

The Narragansett Bay Commission is implementing final phases to reduce Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) in Pawtucket and Central Falls. One part of this large endeavor is the award-winning green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) project at the Macomber Stadium located in Central Falls.

 

A combined sewer system (CSS) collects rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater into one pipe. Under normal conditions, it transports all the wastewater it collects to a sewage treatment plant for treatment, then discharges to a water body.” 

– U.S. EPA


In 2020 and 2021 this project received awards from two vastly different organizations. First, a “Stormy Award” from the New England Stormwater Collaborative recognized the project as the “Best Stormwater Idea” at the annual New England Stormy Awards. Second, more recently,  the American Sports Builder’s Association named Macomber Stadium “Outstanding Single Field Facility of the Year,” which is a national award. Awards aside, we are proud to have worked with NBC and collaborated on this GSI project with Pare Corp., and Stantec.

The new state-of-the-art synthetic turf athletic field includes a subsurface infiltration system and sand filter with enough capacity to treat and infiltrate a 25-year design storm. The system captures runoff from over six acres of surrounding impervious surfaces. Other GSI features include a permeable paver mezzanine and stormwater bio swales. New landscaping also provides streetscape appearance and overall curb appeal.  The project also restored a contaminated site to its highest potential. Over 10,000 tons of contaminated soils were removed while other soils were encapsulated under an engineered cap that doubles as the final site surface.


Learn More:

Video by Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank
RIIB Project Funding = New Community Sport Fields!!

New England Stormwater Collaborative

American Sports Builder’s Association

 

Gabrielle Queenan

Environmental Planner

We are happy to announce that Gabby Queenan has joined HW as an Environmental Planner. Recently she completed a planning internship working with our planning staff in Providence, RI. We are thrilled to welcome her to the HW Team full-time! Gabby earned her B.A. in Environmental Science and Political Science from Macalester College in Minnesota. A tennis player since age 4, Gabby played singles and doubles tennis for the Macalester Scots! She is currently a M.A. candidate at Tufts University and is studying Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.

Gabby enjoyed working as a teaching assistant for Tufts University and completed  several internships at Tufts, including serving as an environmental analyst with Horsley Consulting. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, she was the policy director for the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance where she worked on local and state water and climate issues with watershed associations and state environmental agencies.  Gabby’s expertise is focused on water and land planning, climate adaptation, and climate resiliency policies.

When Gabby is not working, she likes to spend time hiking and cross-country skiing in Concord, Massachusetts, as well as kayaking on local rivers. She has a bucket list goal to kayak all the rivers in Massachusetts! We wish her much success.

 

Michael C. Laham, P.E.

Senior engineer

We are pleased to announce that Michael Laham has joined HW in Exeter, NH as a Senior Engineer and Project Manager. A Seacoast New Hampshire native, Mike earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering with a minor in Environmental Science from Northeastern University before pursuing work in the San Francisco Bay Area. While living in the Bay Area, Mike took the opportunity to study permaculture and ecological design with several inspiring practitioners through programs offered by the Regenerative Design Institute and the SF Institute of Architecture, gaining valuable skills to supplement his traditional engineering training.

Mike has 15 years of practical experience in civil and environmental engineering with specific expertise in site design, land-use planning, municipal infrastructure improvements, watershed analysis, stormwater management, permitting and construction oversight. His strong interest in holistic site design, ecological landscapes, and regenerative agriculture systems make him an ideal fit at HW.  When he is not working, Mike is outside: tending the homestead with his wife and two young sons, exploring local landscapes, or hanging out at his family’s apple orchard down the street. He enjoys cooking and fermenting a variety of foods in the kitchen, playing in the rain, and making music with friends and family.

 

Caroline Armstrong

Staff Scientist-Engineer

We are happy to share that Caroline Armstrong has joined HW as a Staff Scientist-Engineer. Caroline earned her B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She has completed internships for two private organizations in Massachusetts and the RI Department of Environmental Management – Office of Waste Management. In her third year at WPI she had the opportunity to work on an interdisciplinary project in Panama City, Panama where the team produced a skills database for the tourism industry. She also completed a major qualifying project at WPI which focused on the East Bridgewater dam removal project.

Caroline has three years’ experience as a Design and Staff Engineer. She is enthusiastic about sustainability and coastal resiliency and looks forward to working on coastal projects. When Caroline is not working, she likes to spend time with her family and her cat, Pepper. She grew up in Hanson, MA and enjoys creative writing, and everything that the south shore has to offer, like pontoon boating, tubing, and relaxing at the beach.

 

Jenna Bernabe

GIS Manager

We are pleased to announce that Jenna Bernabe has joined HW as our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Manager. Jenna earned her B.S. in Imaging and Photographic Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology and her M.A. in Geography with a concentration on GIS and Remote Sensing from San Jose State University. A Pittsburgh native, she grew up in Northern Virginia. Her internship at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency piqued her interest in satellite imagery analysis and motivated her to apply to graduate school where her passion for geography and technology came together. Her master’s thesis was a case study of urban heat island detection using Landsat data. Jenna has over ten years’ experience as a GIS professional and program manager with a transportation industry data services provider located in MA.

When Jenna is not working, she enjoys all that New England has to offer, exploring the outdoors while hiking, skiing, and spending time with her family and young daughter. Jenna likes to run and has finished a marathon in Newport, RI! She also enjoys getting out to local ponds and visiting Cape Cod to kayak with family and friends.

 

Design Team Wins International Competition

Crook Point Bridge, Providence, RI
 

In 2021 the City of Providence received 80 proposals from around the world to design the reuse of the Crook Point Bridge. Of the 80, five teams were asked to submit more details. HW designers Jon Ford, P.E., and Ellen Biegert, RLA joined forces with Jonathan Harris, Urban Designer and Professor at Johnson and Wales University to create concept designs. These designs were shared with the public for comment in early April. In June, the city announced the winning team — Jon Ford, P.E., Ellen Biegert, RLA and Jonathan Harris!

*The winning design boards can be viewed here.


Recently we submitted questions to the design team. Enjoy a few questions below as we promote this important project and share some design inspiration!

 

Do you have a personal connection to the Bridge?

ELLEN – I bike, walk, or run past the bridge several times a week. I’m amazed at the changes in colors and feel that can happen from day to day on the rusted structure and the surrounding river. Even though it has had its fair share of abuse, the Seekonk River offers such a beautiful calm setting that it’s possible to forget you are in a city.

JON – Well I haven’t climbed it (yet), but for the last 15 years I have been part of a group of neighbors advocating for improvements to this stretch of the Seekonk River shoreline just north of the Crook Point Bridge. Access to the water is a huge resource to the people of Providence, and like many post-industrial cities, much of our coastline is hard to access and has crumbling infrastructure. We started advocating for green infrastructure and a watershed plan in 2007 and put a plan together for pedestrian/bike and shoreline resiliency improvements in 2016. We’ve been helping search for implementation funding since.

 

Did the design incorporate any elements of Rhode Island history/culture? If so, how?

ELLEN – There were elements discussed during the design phase that would help tie the structure and site into the history of the corridor as railroad tracks. This included train station seating and use of the railroad ties throughout the site. However, the structure itself and its location on the Seekonk River is the best connection to the past and depiction of change over time. We wanted to maintain the rusted look during the day to keep the ‘in ruins’ appearance against the river background to remain as a reminder of the changes we’ve made to the land. Incorporating the interactive/programmable lighting at night, connects us to the present with the opportunity to depict culturally relevant topics.

JON – On a personal note, the bridge is a strong symbol of Providence – history and culture. Physical elements of a neighborhood or city like this bridge provide people a connection to where they live that is hard to put your finger on but important in terms of their sense of belonging and pride. This bridge is like that for Providence, to the extent that it’s on t-shirts and it’s on postcards. Often when we work on neighborhood planning and urban design projects, we’re seeking to recreate these postcard moments, so when we already have them, we should celebrate them!

 

Love the idea of the lights illuminating the structure at night, did something inspire this concept?

JON – Living in the area we have a sense of how the bridge is a visual touch point – even without lights. You can see glimpses of it from so many locations on both sides of the river, in Providence and East Providence. You can see it from the highway and the Henderson Bridge. As part of our research, we did a photo study showing various perspectives and it was remarkable how visible it is. So, we thought that celebrating the bridge had to include creative and flexible lighting.

 

 

If the bridge structure is a beacon, what does it say?

JON – We thought it was critical, and honestly – obvious, that the bridge lighting design should be flexible and allow for various voices and perspectives to be expressed. We had some ideas – including interaction with the lighting system from the piers and the ability for the bridge to reflect nature such as tides or sea level rise. But it was most important to us to provide a canvas that could adapt. As a result, that will help show that the shoreline and this special place will be welcoming to all. We illustrated a few examples on the submittal, as there are so many possibilities!

 

The interactive LED’s that show motion below the bridge sound like a great idea. Are there any examples of existing structures with similar real-time sensors to give people an idea of what this may look like?

JON – I have always been inspired by the work of Herbert Dreisetl, a German landscape architect. His designs elevate to the level of art, and one I remember him presenting at a conference was a reflecting pool for a small German town square. The design uses microphones in the square that trigger vibrations in the pool based on ambient sound levels, and lighting is designed to project the ripples in the pool onto the buildings that enclose the square. So, the background lighting is more animated during the day, or when there are events, etc. – and calm when the square is calm. Also, visitors can interact with the space in a unique way. This bridge is obviously a bit different, but for me, the idea of finding different ways to project activity in a public space is linked to that.

 

 

What part of the proposed design are you most excited about?

ELLEN – This is a hard question as I am excited about many parts of this design.  If I had to pick, I would  say the community element.  Community engagement and interaction are components we tried to weave throughout the entire design. Having spaces that encourage neighbors to engage through lights or other interactive art elements, can encourage community building and promote play for everyone – something we could all use. Also, this past year has proven how important it is to have flexible outdoor space for community gathering, mental health and is vital for a healthy city.

JON – That’s a good question. Once the project is built, I think what will be most exciting for me is to see people of various backgrounds, ages, life experiences, enjoying the shoreline in ways they never have been able to. If this is built as envisioned, it will mean a lot of different things to different people, and I look forward to seeing that result! I also can’t wait to bring my kids there and see them running up the pier to see the bridge up close. That will be truly amazing!

 

I see fishing and kayaking mentioned. Can you discuss the challenges of creating waterfront access for multiple uses and how this design addresses those challenges in creative ways?

ELLEN – Finding space for people to interact with the river while balancing restoration and multiple uses was approached by layering the benefits of each component. The accessible ramp that provides access for kayak users doubles as the path for seating, so the dock at the bottom could be utilized as a stage for small gatherings. The pier includes areas off the center walkway with space for someone to set up a fishing line and stay for a while without feeling like they are being crowded out. These little niches would include areas for fishing equipment and poles but when not in use, would appear to be an overlook and blend into the rest of the usable space.

 

 

The design is super cool. I especially like the shout-out to bouldering as a potential use near the tunnel. Providence has one of the best bouldering sites in the area (Lincoln Woods) and there are at least 3 climbing gyms in the area, so this is a great opportunity to share the sport with folks who might not be able to access those other places to climb.  Are they proposing real boulders, or some artificial set-up?

ELLEN – Thanks! The back tunnel area has a lot of potential to become a unique feature and incorporating a use that people seek out is important for activating the space. Bouldering and climbing could fit this space well and having more locations in the city may help the community grow. As far as the specific material, there aren’t existing natural features, and the specifics for layout and material would be developed with the local community who would be using it, as well as balancing choices with other goals such as maintaining canopy and incorporating art elements.

 

Do you have any more details to share about the mixed-use housing (i.e., funding source, NGO; timeline, etc.)?

JON – We proposed the mixed-use housing as an aspirational idea for the City’s consideration. This idea will require more thought and discussion to become a reality! We included it because we think more activity will help bring more people to the shoreline 24-7, providing much-needed housing, helping to activate the public spaces, creating safety through having more “eyes on the street”, and helping generate tax revenue for the city. It will also make the public spaces livelier if they have commercial space woven in – like cafes, restaurants, and maybe even small-scale shops.

 

 

Who will be designing the art pieces that get installed? Will they be local?

JON – We think it should be a requirement that art pieces should be designed locally. There is great precedent for that with public art in the City via , Arts, Culture, and Tourism, the Avenue Project  and much more. That will be another element that defines the space that remains authentically Providence and welcoming to all. The process is to be determined, but it could also be evolving where pieces rotate in and out over time.


Ellen Biegert, Jon Ford, Jonathan Harris, Jason Rainone