2018 Speaker Bios

Speakers

Jesse Kolar

ND Game & Fish Upland Game Management Supervisor

Jesse is the current Upland Game Management Supervisor for the NDGF in Dickinson.  He recently moved from a Wildlife Biologist position in Jordan, Montana with the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.  He has worked previously with the NDGF researching mule deer, pronghorn, sharp-tailed grouse, and as a fisheries technician.  He has an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana and completed graduate work in Wildlife Sciences at the University of Missouri.  Dickinson is his home town.

Jessica Unruh

Environmental Manager, North American Coal at the Coyote Creek Mine

Jessica Unruh works as the Environmental Manager for North American Coal at the Coyote Creek Mine located in Zap, North Dakota. Previously she worked for The Coteau Properties Company’s Freedom Mine, the nation’s largest lignite coal mine, in Beulah, North Dakota. She’s been involved with coal mining in North Dakota since 2004, and is responsible for all environmental functions at the mine, involved in decision making throughout the operation and active with their trade association, the Lignite Energy Council. She serves on the local Economic Development board, the Beulah Wellness Center Foundation and previously served as a supervisor on the Mercer County Soil Conservation District Board and president of the local pre-school.

Jessica is the North Dakota State Senator for District 33, representing a three county area in the west central part of the state. She is currently the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources standing committee and Taxation interim committee. She has previously served on the Industry, Business and Labor and Finance and Taxation standing committees, numerous interim committees and was chosen by her colleagues as a member of Legislative Management in 2015. She is also an active member of the Energy Council, a group of state legislators who shape energy policy across the nation and a current Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow. She received her B.S. in both Natural Resources Management and Economics from North Dakota State University in 2006. Jessica resides in Beulah, ND with her two daughters.

Bill Edmonson

Lead Mapping Product Specialist
RDO Integrated Controls

Bill is experienced with a variety of domestic and military Unmanned Aerial Systems including data analysis, aircraft, communication systems, automated flight systems, advanced GPS systems and national airspace rules. With operational experience from working with the Coal Mining industry and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, as well as 7 years experience in research-development, operations and instruction on UAV mapping systems Bill is a specialist in UAV data as they apply to a variety of industries.

Terence Schmidt

Senior Environmental Specialist at the Freedom Mine

Terence Schmidt is a Mercer County native and has lived around coal mining all his life. He began his employment in the mining industry in 1983 after graduating from Beulah High School, Beulah, ND and NDSCS in Wahpeton, ND. Terence began his career working for The North American Coal Corporation’s Indian Head Mine near Zap, ND. In 1991 he transitioned to North American Coal’s Freedom Mine north of Beulah and has been working there ever since. Terence’s primary responsibilities for nearly 30 years at the Indian Head and Freedom Mines has been to ensure that mining operations and reclamation are completed in accordance with mining and reclaiming rules as set forth by the North Dakota Public Service Commission. Terence has been directly responsible for the final reclamation of over 15,000 acres of mine disturbed land, along with stabilization of thousands of acres of temporary mine features such as road slopes, ditches, pond slopes, inlets and spillways, water diversions, and overburden and spgm stockpiles.

Justin J. Kringstad

Director North Dakota Pipeline Authority

In August 2008, Justin was appointed by the North Dakota Industrial Commission as Director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority. Justin received his Geological Engineering degree from the University of North Dakota, where he currently serves on the Harold Hamm School of Geology and Geological Engineering Advisory Committee. Additionally, Justin functions as an advisor to the EmPower North Dakota commission.
Prior to his time with the Pipeline Authority, Justin worked with the North Dakota Oil & Gas Division, the Energy and Environmental Research Center, the North Dakota Geological Survey, and Terra Resources.
Justin, wife Katie, and three daughters reside in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Sofia Agudelo

Wildlife Ecologist – Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc.

Sofia Agudelo joined WEST in 2014 as a Wildlife Biologist. She is a PhD candidate in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. Sofia received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia) and a Master’s of Science degree in Wildlife Sciences from New Mexico State University. Her current PhD research focuses on ecosystem dynamics to identify the role of native and exotic ungulates on disease transmission to domestic cattle, which involves wildlife management and animal ecology with a landscape ecology component by combining theory and application with management strategies, through the use of conceptual and spatially explicit simulation models. Sofia’s previous graduate research explored the effects of fragmentation and desertification on the avian population dynamics in the arid grasslands of the Northern Chihuahuan desert. Sofia’s work at WEST has involved applying ecological concepts and appropriate management principles on several projects related to habitat evaluation, risk assessment, and wildlife monitoring. Her work and training in wildlife ecology have a strong management component, which includes human-animal interactions and the study of anthropogenic effects on wildlife and landscapes. She has participated in several projects on varied ecosystems across Latin America and the USA. She also has experience working with migratory, endangered, and threatened bird species, exotic and introduced mammal species, managing large monitoring projects while working for US Government agencies, and engaging local communities in action plans and management initiatives.

Carmen Waldo

US Forest Service Natural Resourse Specialist (Minerals)

I am a native of Fryburg Township, Billings County, North Dakota.  I joined the US Army after graduating from Belfield High School, electing to serve in an overseas assignment.  After completing my tour of active duty, I continued to work primarily for the Department of the Army until I had the opportunity to attend and graduate from Dickinson State University.  I went to work for Plant Protection and Quarantine conducting agriculture inspections until I was fortunate enough to land my current position with the US Forest Service, Medora Ranger District, where I serve as the Natural Resources Specialist for the Minerals Department.  I have 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 4 cats, and a dog, and I (mostly) love my job!

Natalie West

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Pest Management Research Unit- Research Ecologist

Natalie West is a Research Ecologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Sidney, MT.  She studies weed dynamics, biological control of weeds, and how restoration and weed management success varies across different habitats.  Her research has focused in range and wildlands, as well as bioenergy cropping systems. She has a masters’ in Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a Ph.D in Ecology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Mike Humann

Surface Division Manager North Dakota Department of Trust Lands

Mike grew up on a diversified small grain and cow/calf farming operation in south central North Dakota.  He has a Master’s degree from NDSU in Botany with an emphasis in rangeland management.  He worked for the USDA Soil Conservation Service and has been employed by the Department of Trust Lands since 1987.  Mike has served as Surface Division Manager since May of 2015.  As Division Manager Mike has oversight of the Department’s rights-of-way processing; surface agricultural leasing; construction aggregate leasing; reclamation program, grazing management; permanent improvements, noxious weed control, land inspection program and special projects.

Cory Barth

Natural Resource Professional North Dakota Department of Trust Lands

Cory is originally from Bismarck, ND, and has worked at the Department of Trust Lands since June, 2012.  He has a Master’s degree in Range Management from NDSU.  Cory’s primary responsibility is reclamation of oil and gas, gravel and coal related disturbance.  Additional responsibilities include ecological evaluation of rights-of-way applications, over sight of the field inspector integrity inspection and Livestock grazing inspection programs, and range improvement projects.