Eleven Councils, One Future: Celebrating the Impact of Water Planning in Georgia

Mark Masters serves as Executive Director of the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University. He is well-versed on issues related to water use and management and has led or contributed to a large portfolio of conservation research and outreach projects across the United States. Over the past twenty years, he has helped position the Water Center as a trusted resource, not only for the state, but, importantly, for the diverse stakeholders across Georgia that are working to secure the state’s water future. Mark is a nationally recognized leader in agricultural water use and policy and currently chairs efforts focused on water management for the American Farm Bureau, National Association of Conservation Districts and the Interstate Council on Water Policy. He also serves as Outreach Director for the Center for Behavioral and Experimental Agri-Environmental Research, a USDA Center of Excellence focused on applying behavioral insights and experimentation to improve programs related to agriculture and the environment. As a founder and Executive Manager of the ACF Stakeholders, Inc, he was instrumental in helping the group reach consensus on a Sustainable Water Management Plan for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Basin. When he’s not busy professionally, Mark stays out of trouble raising beef on their family farm in southwest Georgia and, along with his wife Amy, enjoys watching their three beautiful daughters make other kids look foolish on the soccer field.

Travis Burke (BURR-key) is the President and CEO of Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

Travis has more than 25 years of experience in aquatic attractions in the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe specializing in sales, finance, park development, mergers and acquisitions, interactive programs, international legislation, and operations.

Prior to joining the Aquarium, he began his career at Wet ‘n Wild International before moving on to The Dolphin Company where he held numerous positions. His time with The Dolphin Company sent him globally, but specifically to the Caribbean in locations like Dolphin Discovery Cozumel and Dolphin Discovery Anguilla, where he was operations manager and general manager, respectively. In addition at The Dolphin Company, Travis held the position of vice president of Caribbean sales and eventually went on to become the executive director of North America for the company. During his tenure, Travis led the financing and acquisition of three U.S.-based attractions and led the financing under the mergers and acquisitions programs for parks in Italy, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands.

Travis has been involved in several industry associations including the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Attractions (AMMPA). A native Texan, he has a B.A. in accounting from Texas A&M University and an MBA in marketing from New Charter University.

Tyler J Harper is Georgia’s 17th Agriculture Commissioner, a 7th generation farmer, a small businessman, and a proud native of rural South Georgia. A lifelong resident of the Peach State, Harper is a champion for Georgia’s #1 industry, the farm families who fuel its success, and all of rural Georgia.  He knows that for Georgia’s farmers and producers, agriculture is more than just a job or a hobby – it is our way of life. Harper grows peanuts, cotton, and timber and runs a small cow-calf operation on land that has been in his family for over 100 years in Irwin County, Georgia.

The Georgia Agriculture Commissioner is elected statewide by the people of Georgia and plays a vital role in protecting consumers and ensuring the continued success of Georgia agriculture – the state’s largest industry, employing nearly 400,000 Georgians and contributing $91.4 billion to our state’s economy each year. The Agriculture Commissioner is charged with overseeing the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s wide-ranging operations and has a broad mandate to “to examine and investigate any matter relating to or affecting the welfare of farmers and consumers of the state.”

Since being sworn in as Commissioner in January 2023, Harper has helped deliver numerous wins for Georgia farmers and consumers and the state’s #1 industry. These include establishing the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund; banning Adversarial foreign nations, like China, from buying Georgia farmland; restoring the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s status as a Law Enforcement Agency; protecting Georgia consumers and children by establishing much needed guardrails for consumable hemp products. At the same time, Harper has worked closely with the General Assembly to increase funding for the Department to improve operations, investing in new technology, increase staff salaries, and better serve Georgia farmers and consumers. At the Commissioner’s direction, the Georgia Grown program has entered into exciting new partnerships with the Atlanta Braves and University of Georgia Football and was recently named the title sponsor of the “Georgia Grown Bowl” played annually between Georgia State and Georgia Southern.

From 2012-2022, Harper represented Southeast and South-Central Georgia in the State Senate where he served in leadership on the Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committees. Harper sponsored dozens of pieces of legislation to benefit farmers and rural Georgia that became law. These include Right to Farm, expanding Agricultural Education opportunities, improving rural healthcare, expanding rural broadband access, reducing tax burdens on farmers and producers, and more.

Harper’s passion for Georgia agriculture started on the family farm where he learned to drive on his grandaddy’s Massey Fergusson 135 as a boy. He was actively involved in Georgia 4-H and Georgia FFA during his childhood and continues to champion both programs. Harper is a proud graduate of both Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. He has held leadership positions in numerous organizations from his local Rotary club to the Georgia Young Farmers Association.

Commissioner Harper is an avid hunter, musician, and pilot – rated for both fixed wing and rotor aircraft. When he is not working at the family farm or in his capacity as Commissioner, you can find Commissioner Harper enjoying the outdoors, in the cockpit, or at Satilla Baptist Church – where he still plays in the band on Sundays when is at home. Harper is a proud Uncle to his nieces Lily and Penelope and nephew Crawford.

Kristin Rowles has worked with the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University since 2003, coordinating water planning, stakeholder engagement, outreach, and applied research across Georgia. Her current work with the Center includes regional water planning, coastal permitting strategy, drought preparedness in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River System, and habitat conservation planning in the Flint River Basin. In addition to her work in Georgia, Kristin facilitates collaborative water planning and policy efforts in other parts of the country, including the Potomac River Basin and the Occoquan Reservoir watershed. Her work focuses on helping diverse groups navigate complex water challenges and develop practical, collaborative solutions. Kristin holds a BA in Environmental Science and Policy from Duke University and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Benjy Thompson presently serves as Chief Executive Officer for the Development Authority of Bulloch County.  In this role, Mr. Thompson works to attract new business investment and jobs to the Statesboro-Bulloch County community, as well as support the growth of existing businesses in the area.  Mr. Thompson also serves as Chair of the Coastal Georgia Regional Water Council, representing the nine Coastal Georgia counties in the creation of a regional water management plan.  He was appointed to the Georgia State Water Council in 2025 by Speaker Jon Burns. He is also a Past Chair of the Georgia Economic Developers Association, a statewide organization of professionals and affiliates involved with the economic development of the cities and counties of Georgia.

Benjy was born in Millen, GA.  He received a Bachelor’s Degree from Georgia Southern College in 1990; a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1994; and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia Southern University in 2002.  He is married to Delaine Thompson (works for AgSouth Farm Credit, Information Systems Coordinator, with one son (Lucas) and one daughter (Sarah Kate) and two Golden Retrievers.  Benjy has been a member of the “Downright Brothers Band” since 1989 and the “Dark Desert Highway Band,” an Eagles tribute band, since 2017.

Brooke Anderson is the General Manager of Etowah Water and Sewer Authority. Prior to joining the Authority, Mr. Anderson has held several leadership positions with the City of Gainesville Public Utilities Department. Since joining Etowah Water and Sewer Authority, Mr. Anderson has guided the expansion of the water treatment facility, water reclamation facility, conversion to an AMI meter reading system, Russell Creek Reservoir and improvements to the water system, sewer system, operations, and customer service.

Mr. Anderson is a member of American Water Works Association and the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. He is also the Chairman of the Small to Medium Systems Committee and is a member of the Legislative Committee for the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. Mr. Anderson is currently serving as Chairman of the North Georgia Water Resources Partnership. He was also appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to serve on the Coosa-North Georgia Regional Water Planning Council where he serves as Chairman of the Council.

Mr. Anderson earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University. He is also a registered professional engineer in Georgia. Mr. Anderson is a graduate of Georgia Academy for Economic Development’s Regional Economic & Leadership Development program and the Leadership Dawson program. Mr. Anderson was honored with the Chamber of Commerce’s Don Gordon Business Leader of the Year Award, and he received the Georgia Association of Water Professionals’ Alva Storey Award, the 5-S Society membership, and Honorary Membership Award. Mr. Anderson was inducted into the American Water Works Association’ Golden Hydrant Society.

Mr. Anderson attends Bethel Baptist Church. He and his wife Carrie have two children, Grace and Samuel.

Murray Campbell began working in agribusiness while in high school and began farming in 1977 with seventy-five acres with a sixteen-acre peanut allotment. After clearing more land, he installed his first pivot in 1977. In 1985 he co-founded CoveyRise Plantation and co-leased/managed Hopeful Peanut buying point. In 1999 he was elected the Georgia representative to the National Peanut Board serving as the first chairman. He recognized that issues with water use were ahead for agriculture. He joined the Southwest Georgia Water Task Force. He became the chairman of the Stripling Irrigation Research Park Advisory Board in 2000. He also became a member of the Georgia Water Stewards and the Apalachicola Chattahoochee Flint Stakeholders, and he now serves as chairman of the Lower Flint Ochlockonee Water Council.

Pam is the Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals.  GAWP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational association, serving more than 4,000 individual members and over 200 utilities and corporate members.  GAWP is focused on training and education for water professionals in Georgia, and promotion of sound water and environmental policies.

Pam joined GAWP in 2012, continuing her career in water management, primarily serving water utilities.  Prior to GAWP, she worked for the Corps of Engineers, the National Weather Service, state and local government agencies, and 25 years as an engineering consultant.  Key consulting assignments addressed long-term water supply plans, water conservation, wastewater and stormwater management for counties and cities in Georgia.

She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin. She is a graduate of the 2013 Gwinnett Senior Leadership Class, a 2010 graduate of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL), and a graduate of the 2008 class of Leadership Cobb.  She served for 3 years as the Chair of the Advisory Board for Georgia Southern University’s College of Engineering and Information Technology, and the advisory board for the Kennesaw State University Master of Public Administration degree program.  She served on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL) and is currently serving on the board of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.

Brian Skeens is the Deputy Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP) where he is responsible for supporting the Executive Director in implementing the mission of GAWP. Brian and the GAWP staff assist more than 4,000 individual members and 300+ utility and corporate members, with organizing training, education, conferences, committee activities, and water-related communications throughout the State of Georgia. Raised in Coastal Georgia, Brian became an engineer upon graduating from Georgia Tech and went on to spend nearly 30 years as a consulting engineer working directly with water systems. Throughout his career he has focused on water planning and policy, serving water utilities, state and regional planning agencies, and many clients inside and outside of Georgia.

Katie Kirkpatrick is the president and CEO of the 167-year-old Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC). Kirkpatrick is known for her public policy prowess, courageous leadership, and more than seventeen years of purpose-driven impact through her work at MAC.

As president and CEO, she led the adoption of a new framework for the Chamber, focusing on three strategic imperatives of economy, talent, and community. Most recently, she has led the organization’s efforts to reimagine Downtown Atlanta, convening the region’s leaders and stakeholders to rally around a strategy to transform it into a neighborhood that supports a world-class entertainment scene, a vibrant living environment, and a bustling business community.

Previously MAC’s chief policy officer, Kirkpatrick served as the link between the metro Atlanta business community and local, state, and national governments. She galvanized the Public Policy team around priorities including business climate, talent development and education, infrastructure, and thriving community.

Kirkpatrick joined MAC in 2007 as vice president of environmental affairs, previously serving in numerous roles directly related to environmental policy and water-related issues. Kirkpatrick later served as MAC’s senior vice president for business higher education, leading the execution of key initiatives strengthening the region’s higher education and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Before joining MAC, she served as director of environmental engineering for Gold Kist, Inc., with responsibilities in regulatory compliance, treatment system design, strategic planning, and more.

Kirkpatrick currently serves on the GRACE Commission, comprised of public officials, law enforcement, businesses, and nonprofit organizations committed to ending human trafficking in Georgia and the City of Atlanta. She sits on the board of Central Atlanta Progress and is an executive committee member of Learn4Life – an initiative working to advance educational outcomes for students in metro Atlanta.

Kirkpatrick is also a current member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, the Buckhead Coalition, and the International Women’s Forum.

Each year since 2021, Kirkpatrick has been named one of Georgia Trend magazine’s 100 Most Influential Georgians and one of Atlanta Magazine’s Atlanta 500, ranking top leaders in the region. In 2024, she joined the Water Advisory Group coordinated by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens to help guide water infrastructure investment for the City of Atlanta.

A proud graduate of Auburn University, Kirkpatrick is a registered professional engineer in several states and a member of the school’s 100+ Women Strong group of successful female engineering alumnae as well as the Auburn Alumni Engineering. Kirkpatrick is an alumna of Leadership Atlanta, a program designed to propel established leaders to further serve their communities. She is also a member of the Momentum Advisory Collective, which is working to expand Café Momentum’s transformative internship program for justice-involved youth.

Kirkpatrick lives in Atlanta with her husband, Dow, and has two sons, both currently students at the University of Georgia.

Since 1976, Tom McCall has farmed grain and livestock in his family home of Elbert County, Georgia. After obtaining an Agriculture Degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) and his bachelor's degree in Agronomy from the University of Georgia, he became involved with Georgia Farm Bureau in 1982 when he and his wife, Jane, served as state Young Farmer and Rancher Chairs. Tom went on to be elected to the GFB State Board of Directors (1984 - 1996).

In 1994, Tom was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. After 26 years of public service, and 16 years as Chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, Tom was elected President of Georgia Farm Bureau where he  and Jane continue advocating for the advancement of Georgia's farm families.

Tom and Jane are the proud parents of three children, Bud, Al, and Katie, and three beloved grandchildren, Winn, Wilkes, and McCall. While President McCall is gratified by the success he has enjoyed in his farming and political endeavors, his greatest joy is his family.

Dr. Paul Anderson is the Vice President of Research, Conservation, and Education at Georgia Aquarium, where he leads the integration of science, learning, action, and advocacy to advance the Aquarium’s mission.

In his role at Georgia Aquarium, he focuses on building strong partnerships, advancing science-based conservation, and expanding access to high-quality education programs. He works closely with internal teams and external partners to ensure research and conservation efforts are aligned, inclusive, and impactful.

Before joining the Aquarium, Dr. Anderson founded Aquarium Fisheries, a global initiative dedicated to empowering sustainable aquarium fisheries that support healthy aquatic ecosystems and the livelihoods of people who depend on them. Through partnerships with public aquaria, NGOs, universities, and fishing communities, his work has charted sustainable sourcing pathways, improved fisheries management practices, and increased transparency across international supply chains. One example is through IndoReefFish, a fishery improvement project in Indonesia that applies ecosystem-based approaches to marine aquarium fisheries management.

Earlier in his career at The Florida Aquarium, Dr. Anderson strengthened and expanded the institution’s capacity to respond to marine mammal strandings, rehabilitate sea turtles, restore coral reefs, and advance research on best practices for aquatic animal care and management.

Dr. Anderson has doctoral training in fish behavior and physiology, which informs his collaborative research on the welfare of fishes and sharks in aquaria and in the wild.

Veronica Craw is the Watershed Protection Branch Chief for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD).  Ms. Craw has 25 years of experience in water, including five years with the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission in New Jersey, 11 years with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and over 10 years with EPD. Ms. Craw started at EPD in 2016 as the Grants Unit Manager and was promoted to the Nonpoint Source Program Manager in 2019 before assuming her current role in July 2025.  She received her bachelor’s degree in biology with a specialization in marine sciences from Boston University.

Katherine Zitsch, PE, BCEE, is a Water Policy Advisor with the Georgia Water Planning & Policy Center at Albany State University, where she works to advance a resilient water future for Georgia. Katherine supports the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s water planning efforts, including providing planning and stakeholder engagement support to the Coastal Georgia and Savannah Upper Ogeechee Regional Water Planning Councils. Her work includes helping council members and stakeholders evaluate water resource needs, identify strategies for meeting those needs, and strengthen regional water planning for the future.

Katherine also works with the Metro Atlanta Chamber on a collaborative initiative focused on Georgia’s long term water resilience. The initiative brings together leaders from business, government, philanthropy, and the water sector to develop strategies that support a resilient water future for Georgia through 2050 and beyond.

John Bembry, DVM, is a member of the Middle Ocmulgee Regional Water Planning Council, where he brings a longstanding perspective on water resources, agriculture, forestry, conservation, and rural communities. Dr. Bembry is a co-owner and managing partner of two family farms totaling more than 2,000 acres in Pulaski County, including certified tree farms and wildlife management preserves.

Dr. Bembry has been deeply involved in forestry, conservation, and civic leadership throughout Georgia. He serves on the Georgia Forestry Association Board of Directors and the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative Board and is a former chairman of the Georgia Forestry Foundation. He has also served on the Georgia Land Conservation Council, the Georgia Conservancy Board of Trustees, the Ocmulgee Electric Membership Cooperative Board, and numerous local civic and community organizations. His contributions to forestry and conservation have been recognized with the Georgia Forestry Association Champion of Forestry Award, the Southern Regional Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Award, and the Georgia Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Award. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Christopher J. Manganiello is Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s Water Policy Director. He leads the water supply program, tracks regional water planning, and works on legislative initiatives. Since 2010, he has provided strategic policy analysis and direction for the Georgia Water Coalition. Chris has written extensively on climate resilience, energy, water, agriculture, and wildlife, including a book titled Southern Water, Southern Power: How the Politics of Cheap Energy and Water Scarcity Shaped a Region (UNC Press).

Eva Kennedy serves as Executive Director of the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission. She has a background in Planning and GIS, with a BA from Emory University and a Masters in Environmental Planning + Design from the University of Georgia. Over the last 12 years, she has worked with local governments and state and regional partners to identify challenges and plan and prepare for the future here in Georgia. Eva lives in Athens (go Dawgs) with her husband, Justin, and an assortment of plants and animals.

Jennifer McNelly serves as Vice President of Environmental Affairs at Georgia Power Company, the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company and a leading energy provider serving millions of customers across Georgia. In her current role, she leads environmental compliance, permitting, strategy, conservation, stewardship, and stakeholder engagement efforts that support the company's commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy.

During her 25-year career with Southern Company, Jennifer has held a variety of management and leadership roles across the power generation, environmental, and technical support organizations. She began her career as a co-op engineer with Southern Nuclear and has since served in operations, maintenance, compliance, engineering, water management, and environmental leadership positions with Southern Nuclear, Alabama Power, Georgia Power, and Southern Company Services.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from The University of Alabama and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has served on nonprofit community boards and is a graduate of the 2025 Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership class.

Cal Wray, EDFP, is President of the Augusta Economic Development Authority. He joined the Authority in 2018. Prior to the Augusta Economic Development Authority, Wray held economic development positions in Clarksville, Tennessee, Dublin, Georgia, and Cullman, Alabama, including serving as Executive Director of the Clarksville Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and Aspire Clarksville Foundation and as President of the Dublin Laurens County Development Authority.

Wray holds a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association and serves on its Development Authority Executives Committee and Location Strategies and Readiness Committee.