Leadership

Dr. Julie LaBar, a Professor of Environmental Science and Director of Center for Sustainability at Centenary University, earned her degrees in environmental science, with an emphasis on geochemistry, at the University of Oklahoma. As a student and staff research scientist, Ms. LaBar conducted many research projects which have included long-term water quality monitoring, leachability and subaqueous disposal studies, characterization of trace metal removal products in vertical flow bioreactors, and ionic strength impacts on passive treatment system performance. and currently is. Overall, her research and teaching focus on understanding and communicating the impacts of resource extraction on the surrounding environment and communities. Ms. Labar has been a member of ASRS since 2007 and wholeheartedly believes in the ability of the society to serve its purpose to “encourage and assist in efforts to reestablish, enhance, or protect our natural resources.”

Michele Coleman graduated with degrees in Chemical Engineering (BSc) and Geology (B.A., MA) from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She began her dream job working with environmental aspects of construction and mining in 1990. Since then, Ms. Coleman has worked for NB Coal Limited and its parent company, NB Power, where she was responsible for all environmental aspects of coal surface mining including permitting, water quality, and environmental auditing, construction, and compliance. For over two decades she spent overseeing that reclamation conditions were addressed at the 47 sites mined since 1977. Over that time, the scope went from addressing the basic minimum cosmetic and safety requirements, to creating ecosystems and habitats beneficial to local communities and to wildlife. This included creation of wetlands, development of pioneer forests, and shrub/herbaceous communities. Ms. Coleman, now retired, has served on the NEC for two terms, as Soils and Overburden TD Co-Chair and on the Scholarship Committee since 2014. She was instrumental in the creation of Haulin’ ASMR (now Haulin’ ASRS) which is a group within our organization of all skill levels which fosters additional research, business opportunities, networking and building friendships. She has also been Co-Chair of the Wild Women of Reclamation (WWR) group since 2014 which encourages women to feel more engaged in the organization. As a long-time active member in the Canadian Land Reclamation Association, Ms. Coleman brings a synergy of ideas and traditions to ASRS from our neighbors to the north. We look forward to having her at the helm of our leadership in 2022.

Sara Klopf, a plant ecologist and research associate at Virginia Tech, has a wide array of experience in forest restoration after coal mining, rehabilitation of degraded landscapes, water quality impacts from anthropogenic activities, field-testing newly developed American chestnut trees, and assessing vegetation changes in response to wetland mitigation.

Kenton Sena is a revered lecturer in the Lewis Honors College at the University of Kentucky. His research performance has been exceptional, with over 16 journal articles, along with multiple proceeding papers and book chapters. He has been honored with a vast range of research and talent awards throughout various programs involved in forestry research. Mr. Sena is very involved with the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative and the Green Forests Work program, forestry reclamation advisories, and mentoring programs. He has also been an active member of ASRS while co-chairing the Forestry and Wildlife TD and serving as an associate editor of the Journal of The American Society of Mining and Reclamation.