2025 AAEES Officer Elections

Thank you to the Nominating Committee for coming up with the following slate of candidates for the 2025 AAEES Election of Officers.

The Nominating Committee is chaired by Wendy A. Wert. Its members include Lilia Abron, Howard LaFever, Anne Marie Germain, Andrew Shaw, Joan Oppenheimer, and David A. Vaccari.

Thank you to all candidates who agreed to be included on the ballot.

Each candidate was invited to provide a photo, profile, and to record a brief video.

Winners in this election will take office starting January 1, 2026.

2025 President-Elect, Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield, P.E., BCEE, BCES, will assume the Office of President on January 1, 2026.

Candidate for President-Elect

Charles N. Haas, Ph.D., NAE, BCEEM

Charles N. Haas has been the L.D. Betz Professor of Environmental Engineering at Drexel University since 1991.  He was Head of the Department of Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering from 2003-2020.  Previously, he was on the faculty at IIT (1981-90) and RPI (1978-90). He received his BS and MS from IIT, and his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He has taught in the areas of water, wastewater and hazardous waste treatment processes, and risk assessment.  His recent research focuses on the assessment and control of risks from human exposures to pathogens.  He has served on the AAEES Board of Trustees since 2018 as a liaison from ASEE (till 2020) and currently a liaison from AEESP.

Society leadership experience includes director and treasurer of AEESP, director of the Society for Risk Analysis, and Chair of the US National Committee of the (then) International Association on Water Quality.  He has been serving as an ABET PEV, and is currently an ABET EAC Commissioner from AAEES.

He is a distinguished fellow of the International Water Association and a fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science, the Society for Risk Analysis, ASCE, the American Academy of Microbiology, and AAEES.  He is a BCEEM by eminence of AAEES. He has received the Dr. John Leal Award and the AP Black Award from AWWA and the Clarke Water Prize. In 2021, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. 

Candidates for Vice President

Anne Marie Germain, P.E., BCEE

Anne Germain is the Chief of Technical & Regulatory Affairs for the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) responsible for establishing and implementing strategies for recycling, landfilling, and sustainability. She has over 30 years in the industry that includes extensive background in analysis of industry trends, contracting, engineering, operations and compliance.

Prior to joining NWRA, Anne was Chief Engineer with the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). Anne is a Past President of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and is a trustee-at-large for the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES). She is a professional engineer and a Board Certified Environmental Engineer with a Master in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. In 2020, she was recognized by MSW Management with their legacy award and in 2023, she was named to the inaugural class of Waste360’s 2023 Women Who Inspire.

Vinio Floris, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, CSP

Dr. Floris is an experienced sustainability, water resources, environmental and occupational safety professional in the energy and industrial sectors. He earned a PhD in Civil-Environmental Engineering from Colorado State University, an MBA from Texas A&M and an MPA-Economics and Environmental Management from Harvard University. He is currently the Director of Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality at AXIOs Industrial Group. Previously, he has been an international consultant for the IDB, World Bank, IFC, CAF, as well as development agencies of donor countries. In the private sector, he has worked for top organizations such as Veolia, TETRA Technologies, CEMEX, and the Port of Houston. He has worked in over 25 countries. Dr. Floris is a professor of sustainability at the SKEMA Graduate School (France) and GĚRENS Post Graduate School (Peru). Dr. Floris is an Environmental Engineering fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and proud long-term and active member of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. He was awarded the Academy’s Kappe Lecture award in 2025.

Dr. Floris is a CSP (Certified Safety Professional), a BCEE (Board Certified Environmental Engineer), and a PE (Professional Engineer) in the State of Texas. He is an editorial board member of the Public Works Management & Policy Journal which focuses on planning, financing, and sustainable development of critical infrastructure systems. Dr. Floris is a renowned international speaker, researcher, visionary, and prolific writer on the topics of water resources, environment, sustainability, climate change, and occupational safety.

Candidates for Truste-at-Large

Beverly Ashmore-Bates, BCES

I’m Beverly Bates, and I’m excited to be nominated for Trustee-at-Large!

I’m a 1989 graduate of Jackson State University, with a B.S. in Biology. I started my career upon graduating as a Laboratory Technician for the Trinity River Authority of Texas. This job laid the groundwork for all my analytical chemistry experience. I started out doing basic chemical analysis, and at the end of two years, I was promoted to an Analytical Chemist. Skilled in Organic and Inorganic analytical testing in soil and water. I later moved back to Mississippi and took a job at Waterways Experiment Station Corps of Engineers Chemistry Laboratory as an Analytical Chemist, doing research on organic analysis using the GC/MS. After five years in this position, I started working for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality as an Environmental Scientist. I’ve been at MDEQ for over twenty-five years and have served as an Organic Analysis supervisor. I am currently serving as Quality Assurance/Quality Control manager for the Chemistry Section of the Laboratory. Also, I’m the Discharged Monitoring Report coordinator for the State of Mississippi. I’m a Board-certified Environmental scientist who has served as Chairperson for the Environmental Life Science committee.

I have been involved in the Environmental community for thirty-six plus years and come with a wealth of experience and knowledge. If elected to serve as Trustee-at-Large, I look forward to being able to promote the Academy with community outreach and promoting the excellence of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

William A. Butler, P.E., BCEE

I am licensed PE in seven states with 36 years of experience providing environmental consulting services to industrial clients across the United States, Australia, and other countries to a lesser extent. I received my B.S. in Environmental Engineering Technology from Temple University (1988) and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Drexel University (1994). Remediation is my primary practice including managing individual and portfolios of sites regulated under CERCLA/Superfund, RCRA, and state-led voluntary and brownfield remediation programs.

My career started in 1988 with Environmental Resources Management (ERM) in Pennsylvania. I then joined DuPont Environmental Remediation Services in late 1989 in Delaware. I joined APT in Indiana in 1996 after DuPont closed this business unit. In 2000, I rejoined ERM as a Senior Engineer, Partner, and Area Manager in Pennsylvania, Australia, and Georgia. In 2021, I joined NewFields in Georgia and am currently a Partner with them based in northern Florida. I also served in the US Army Reserve from 1983 to 1995 as a combat medic.

I joined the Academy in the early 1990s and became a DEE with a specialty in Hazardous Waste Management. I currently serve as the Site Remediation Committee Chair with a great team of people and have served as an oral examiner on multiple occasions and would strongly embrace the opportunity to serve as a Trustee-at-Large. I have also served in other organizations including WEF, A&WMA, SURF, and the Georgia Brownfield Association (Seminar Committee co-chair and chair).

Dr. S. Rao Chitikela, PE, BCEE, F.ASCE

Rao holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware (DE), and has a 30+-yr work experience encompassing the government, industry, and academia. He is a AAEES-Board certified environmental engineer (BCEE) in the Water Supply & Wastewater (WW), Air Pollution Control (AP), and Environmental Sustainability (ES) specialties, and a ABET-PEV.

Dr. Chitikela is an independent consultant/expert providing services on: municipal water-infrastructure updating, energy-use efficiency, and EHSS. He is an active member of AAEES, ASCE, NSPE, AWWA, WEF, and A&WMA. Rao has been successful on developing and delivering municipal performance assurance water-energy infrastructure projects; and also led an ASCE book-publication on Renewable Energy Technologies and Water Infrastructure. Dr. Chitikela is supporting the Academy as Chair of Expertise & Examinations and Water Supply & Wastewater Committees, and is working to developing the expertise database of member-Ambassador(s) on various and critical environmental science & engineering topics.

Dr. Yuefeng Xie, PE, BCEE

I have been a dedicated member of AAEES since 2001. As an emeritus professor at Penn State, I have contributed significantly to both academia and the water industry. I have served as a member of the USEPA Science Advisory Board’s Drinking Committees across three administrations, chaired the AWWA Organic Contaminant Control Committee, and led the Southeastern Pennsylvania Section of the ACS as its Chair.

I have played a pivotal role in the water industry, particularly through my leadership at the Environmental Training Center at Penn State. Under my guidance, the center has provided training to over 15,000 water professionals (registrations). I have organized more than 20 professional workshops for ACS, AWWA, and other professional organizations. Furthermore, my involvement in water professional training extends internationally to Canada, Singapore, and China.

My achievements include being recognized as a Fulbright Scholar and a Fellow of the International Water Association. In 2023, I was honored to receive the AAEES Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science Education award. I was awarded the Penn State University-wide Faculty Outreach Award and nominated for an honorary road, Xie Lane. Through my advocacy efforts, a replacement road, Water Doc Lane, was established on the Penn State University Park campus, serving as a lasting tribute to all water professionals.

I am deeply committed to advancing environmental sustainability and fostering stronger connections between engineering education and environmental practice. It would be a privilege to serve as an AAEES trustee-at-large, leveraging my diverse experiences to further the mission of AAEES.

To vote in these elections, you must be current on your dues and one of the following member types:

• AAEES Member
• Board Certified Environmental Engineer
• Board Certified Environmental Engineering Member
• Board Certified Environmental Scientist

Student Members and individuals whose membership or specialty certification has lasped are not eligible to vote in the Academy elections.

Click here to access the 2025 Election Ballot.