Conservation Drainage Network

Organizing Committee

Conservation Drainage Network Organizing Committee 2019-2021

Organizing Committee Chair: Ehsan Ghane

Organizing Committee Vice-Chair: Keegan Kult

NameInstitutionCommittee Member Representation
Ehsan GhaneMichigan State UniversityNCERA-217 Past Chair
Keegan KultAg Drainage Management CoalitionIndustry representative
Kelly NelsonUniversity of MissouriNCERA-217 Chair
Jeppe KjaersgaardMinnesota Dept of AgricultureState or local agency representative
Chris HayIowa Soybean AssociationNon-profit organization representative
Jane Frankenberger / Ben ReinhartPurdue UniversityTransforming Drainage Project (affiliated project)
Advisors
Alan GillespieP.E. National Water Management Engineer, USDA-NRCSNRCS representative
Kevin KingUSDA-ARS, OhioARS representative
Jeff FreyUSGS, IndianaUSGS representative

The Organizing Committee guides the Conservation Drainage Network, including planning the annual meeting, organizing any other events or projects, and communicating with the network. The Organizing Committee consists of the 6 or 7 members listed below, 4 of whom are selected through specific stakeholders and projects (NCERA-217, affiliated projects, the drainage industry) and others who are selected by the current Committee based on nominations from network members. A Chair, who is normally the past Chair of NCERA-217, ensures that the Committee meets and plans the meeting.

  1. NCERA-217 Chair
  2. NCERA-217 Past Chair 
  3. Industry representative, selected by ADMC
  4. Affiliated project(s)
  5. Non-profit organization representative
  6. Other agency representative (state or local)
  7. At large member

Advisors

Representatives from NRCS and ARS serve with the Organizing Committee as Advisors or Liaisons. The Organizing Committee may choose to appoint Advisors or Liaisons from other organizations as well. 

Organizing Committee member responsibilities: 

  • Be responsible for moving the Conservation Drainage Network and its goals forward. Strategize about new people to engage, issues to address, and activities to undertake.
  • Be a public face for the organization so people seeking information can find someone to contact.
  • Plan the annual meeting, including suggesting speakers to invite or issues that should be discussed to move agricultural drainage management forward.
  • Propose changes to the structure or the organization when needed, which will be brought to the larger group if broader input is appropriate. 

Organizing Committee organization and terms:

  • Terms are generally 2 years, with multiple terms allowed. NCERA-217 Chair and Past-Chair are 1-year positions. 
  • New Organizing Committee members will be selected by the current Organizing Committee based on nominations from network members. A goal is broad representation and ensuring that Organizing Committee members are engaged and actively contributing to the Task Force. The first Organizing Committee members were selected in 2019 by vote of participants at the Agricultural Drainage Management Systems Task Force – NCERA-217 annual meeting in Moorhead, Minnesota. 
  • NRCS, ARS, and other advisory representatives will be listed on the website and participate in all Organizing Committee activities. 
  • The Organizing Committee will meet in person immediately after each annual meeting, and by web meeting or conference call at other times. Meeting frequency will be irregular, becoming more frequent as required to plan the annual meeting.  
  • The Past Chair of NCERA-217 will be the Organizing Committee Chair and is responsible for convening Organizing Committee meetings. The Vice Chair will be selected by Committee members, and is responsible for written communication as well as supporting Organizing Committee functioning together with the Chair.

Past Chairs of CDN Organizing Committee

2020-2021: Ehsan Ghane, Michigan State University

2019-2020: Jeff Strock, University of Minnesota