Ron Hall, President of Bubar & Hall Consulting and Project Manager for the Fort Berthold Regional Comprehensive Transportation Plan – Ron provides consulting services as a researcher, facilitator/mediator and lawyer. He worked in private practice for 11 years primarily as general counsel for tribal governments, corporations, and Native American owned businesses. More recently, he has focused on facilitating state/federal consultation with tribal governments on historic and cultural resource management, including several military installations. He has lead several planning efforts related to multi-modal transportation, census data challenges, economic development and resource management. He is dedicated to supporting the nexus between leadership and community through transparent and open communication and the effective use of data, history, culture and vision. Ron will kick off the day’s events and briefly discuss the Fort Berthold Regional Comprehensive Transportation Plan, the Three Affiliated Tribes’ first community-based and leadership-driven effort to think and act strategically about the role of transportation infrastructure in the community’s future success and quality of life.

Russ Call, Vice President/Director of Project Development with Figg Bridge Engineers (FIGG) – FIGG, who previously worked on the design for the Four Bears Bridge, specializes in creating world-class bridges by blending precise engineering with timeless artistry. Russ has over 30 years of major bridge engineering and management experience and is a licensed engineer in seven states. Russ will discuss the current project status of the Fort Berthold Bridge Feasibility Study, an information-gathering initiative to determine the feasibility of one or two bridge crossings over Lake Sakakawea and analyze the pros and cons of such an endeavor, placing emphasis on community interests and concerns.

Becky Rude, Project Manager / Senior Environmental Planner with Jacobs Engineering – Jacobs is one of the largest and most diverse global providers of technical, professional, and construction services, including all aspects of architecture, engineering and construction, operations and maintenance, and scientific and specialty consulting. Becky began her career in North Dakota and has since devoted herself to working on federal lands and managing multi-disciplinary teams on complex, multi-jurisdiction projects throughout the West. She uses her background in biology and law to promote integration of context sensitive solutions into project design and facilitate collaborative planning in environmentally sensitive locations that have ranged from boat trams for native villages in Alaska to primary access routes within national seashores in California.

A.T. Stoddard, Principal and manager of LSC Transportation Consultants, Colorado Springs – A.T. has over 40 years of experience in civil and transportation engineering. His primary areas of expertise are in transportation systems analysis, transit demand analysis, and multimodal transportation planning. LSC Transportation Consultants were hired to identify travel options that would safely reconnect Fort Berthold communities (to each other and surrounding cities). Much of the work to develop this study was recently completed; however, the planning and decision-making process is ongoing. In his presentation, A.T. will share some of the proposed transit plans that were developed based on studies of current traffic patterns and community engagement. The decisions made in this planning process will guide the development of the public transit and ferry system for many years to come.

Sherry Stout, Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) – Much of Sherry’s work at NREL focuses on energy development with American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages, including energy and resilience planning, resource assessment, microgrid assessment, and energy development for economic development. Sherry also works on resilience issues including distributed generation and microgrids for energy system resilience and development of resilience frameworks and best practices. She will discuss the complexity and feasibility of establishing microgrids and renewable energy projects, with emphasis on the unique challenges and opportunities for Fort Berthold.

Marlo Anderson, Founder of National Day Calendar, serial entrepreneur and futurist – In addition to founding National Day Calendar, Marlo is the host of the radio show The Tech Ranch and affectionately known to his followers as “The Guru of Geek.” Trending over 450 times on Twitter last year, with a Facebook reach in the hundreds of millions, National Day Calendar is followed daily by more than 20,000 media outlets. His social media prowess and passion for start-ups and technology have given him first-hand knowledge in emerging technology trends and hardware. In his presentation, Marlo will discuss emerging trends and potential applications of automated technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) in community development.

Marty Robbins, Fast Ferry Management – Marty has been involved in all aspects of fast ferry operations for over 25 years. His experience includes conventional passenger-only high speed aluminum catamarans as well as hovercraft. His skills include planning, operations, facilities, logistics, and regulatory liaison in the public and government sectors of waterborne public transportation. Marty will discuss the feasibility of implementing a hovercraft ferry transit system to operate across Lake Sakakawea to reconnect Fort Berthold communities.

ADDITIONAL FLOOR PRESENTATIONS

All speakers will be available for questions and further conversation between stage presentations at display booths on the event floor. In addition to these speakers, the following floor presentations will be on display and staffed for questions and comments.

Fort Berthold Safety Plan – As part of the Fort Berthold Regional Comprehensive, Bubar & Hall Consulting is developing a comprehensive safety plan to analyze trends in road safety for Fort Berthold, comparing state and national averages, highlighting problem behaviors and locations, and identifying road design features that may be contributing to higher than average accident rates. In addition to developing a prioritized list of road sections to improve, based on road safety audits, crash data, and community input, the safety plan will also recommend safety solutions that incorporate education and enforcement efforts. Stop by the booth to chat with our team and share your Fort Berthold safety concerns. Identify high-risk roadways on a map of Fort Berthold.

Fort Berthold Electric Plan – An electric transmission plan will assess the current electrical system used on Fort Berthold (including electricity demand, sources, and needs), as well as plan, schedule, and develop infrastructure needed to meet the community’s future electricity needs. Stop by the Electric Plan booth to learn why electric transmission planning is important and how MHA Nation can increase self-determination and community resilience through effective planning.

Fort Berthold Aviation Plan – The aviation industry is quickly changing in North Dakota due to population growth and impact from oil development. Aviation can be a key element in job growth, economic stimulation, transport for businesses, life-saving operations, and potential tourism opportunities in addition to connecting communities with other cities, states, or countries. An Aviation Needs Assessment for Fort Berthold will determine if the airports are meeting the needs of the communities and region, and will prioritize and implement steps for their improvement. Come learn how smart aviation planning can help identify new funding and create opportunity on Fort Berthold in the future.

Northrop Grumman – Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products, and solutions to government and commercial customers worldwide, offering an extraordinary portfolio of capabilities and technologies for applications from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. They are a premier provider of autonomous systems on land, at sea, in the air, and in space.