Wisconsin’s inland waterways and ports represent a huge channel for the state’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs and over a billion dollars of economic activity. Structurally, they consist of 213 miles of navigation channels and 20 harbors, including eight major ports. What does it take to maintain this infrastructure? How can you help make sure our state’s essential connections, both physical and symbolic, are strong and secure? Join us on November 14th from 12:00 to 1:30 pm for the Inland Waterways and Ports webinar, sign up information below.
This is one webinar in a nine-part series looking at the state of all areas of infrastructure in Wisconsin. Learn about the whole series: Back to the 2024 Report Card for Wisconsin's Infrastructure series page
Speaker Information
Inland Waterways Chapter Author
Michael Schwar, PE, Ph.D.
Hydrology and Hydraulics Engineer
Dr. Michael Schwar has over 30 years of professional and academic experience focusing on the hydrology and hydraulics of surface water systems and has worked on more than 150 surface water projects in 21 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico including 16 MMSD watercourse and planning projects, both as a private consultant and as a staff engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He earned degrees from the Universities of Illinois, Washington and Wisconsin-Madison and is a registered engineer in six states including Wisconsin.
Ports Chapter Author
Craig Harley, PE
Civil and Environmental Engineer
Craig Harley has over 20 years of experience working as a civil/environmental engineer on a diverse array of projects. His expertise as a civil engineer stems from a broad focus in waterway related projects encompassing work in municipal engineering, environmental engineering, and marine civil engineering disciplines. His project focus is in marine and waterfront infrastructure projects including bulkhead and revetment construction, jetty and breakwaters repairs, dredging, sediment management, and recreational waterfront development projects. Mr. Harley has successfully managed large multidiscipline engineering and construction projects and has managed all aspects of large civil engineering projects across the project life cycle.
Additional Speakers
Mitch Reynolds
Mayor, City of La Crosse
Mitch Reynolds was elected in 2021 to serve as mayor of La Crosse. This is the first elected office he has held. Prior to becoming mayor, Mayor Reynolds was the Operations Manager for the Madison-based sustainable manufacturing company, Whole Trees. He also spent 16 years as a radio journalist in La Crosse at Midwest Family Broadcasting. Additionally, he has worked as an arborist, a bartender, a room service waiter, a crab fisherman, and a piano mover.
Mayor Reynolds originally hails from Michigan and spent many years in south Louisiana before moving to Wisconsin and settling in La Crosse in 1994 where he has lived since.
Mayor Reynolds has an undergraduate degree in History from UW-La Crosse and an MBA from Viterbo University.
Mayor Reynolds has focused his efforts as mayor on improving the quality and quantity of housing in La Crosse, implementing sustainability measures, and modernizing systems and processes that fulfill his mission of providing the highest possible level of equitable services for all who live in La Crosse.
Breann Popkin
Senior Program Manager, U.S. ACE
Breann Popkin joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District as the Strategic Navigation Program Manager in July 2024. In this role, she primarily focuses on supporting the District’s navigation missions through promoting the beneficial use of dredged material, coordinating with navigation stakeholders, supporting research with the Engineering Research and Design Center based in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and advancing other strategic navigation initiatives. She began her career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the Rock Island District in 2013, in Operations and the Regional Planning and Environmental Division. Breann’s experience includes environmental compliance for USACE projects (i.e., National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act) and as the program manager for Rock Islands Dredged Material Management Program. Breann has Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from University of Dubuque and a Master of Science in Biology from Western Illinois University.
Lisa Stern
Chief of Railroads & Harbors, WI Department of Transportation
Lisa Stern is the Chief or Railroad and Harbors for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. She earned a B.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 1999 and became a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin in 2006. She works with railroad, harbor, highway and safety projects, the preservation of publicly owned railroad property and passenger rail programs. She has been with the Department since 2006 and has over 25 years of civil engineering experience in both private industry and state government.
