Join Clean Virginia Waterways and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program on September 9th at Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, VA for a workshop to discuss the impacts of debris and plastic pollution on stormwater management systems. 

This one-day workshop will address the pressing need to address stormwater challenges in Virginia, where rising sea levels and increased precipitation intensify the risks of flooding and water pollution. Workshop participants will be equipped with practical strategies and innovative approaches to manage stormwater effectively while enhancing the resilience of their communities. This workshop will emphasize the need for collaboration and proactive planning to mitigate the impacts of stormwater on both natural ecosystems and human settlements in Virginia.

You’ll have a chance to ask questions, share best practices from your locality, connect with colleagues across the region, and provide your insights on this important topic! We look forward to this opportunity to connect with you.

LOCATION: Virtual via Google Meet

TIME: Networking starts at 11:00 AM. Workshop will be 11:15 AM to 3:00 PM

REGISTRATION

VIRTUAL:

Free. The workshop will be available to stream on Google Meet without a registration fee. Streaming attendees will only be able to watch the presentations and will not be able to participate in the Setting Priorities for Updating the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan session. Must register by Tuesday, September 8, 2025 at 5:00pm EST.

REGISTER: To attend the workshop in-person or on Google Meet, follow the “REGISTER TODAY” button below.

A Google Meet link will be emailed to virtual participants. 

AGENDA

11:00 - 11:15 Join the Workshop, mingle, intros

11:15 - 11:35 Clean Virginia Waterways - Christina Trapani, Program Director & Zach Huntington, Marine Debris Strategy Director

Plastics in our Waterways: A Clean Virginia Waterways Perspective

11:35 - 11:50 Pocahontas State Park - Rebecca Whalen, Chief Ranger-Visitor Experience

How to keep our parks free of plastic pollution

11:50 - 12:05 Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality - Will Isenberg, Coastal Planner

Updating the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan 

12:05 - 1:00 Input from the Stormwater Community

1:00 - 1:15 Break

1:15 - 2:15 Virginia University Perspective and Research on Stormwater

  • Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary - Courtney K Harris, Professor and Chair, Section for Coastal and Ocean Processes 

  • Old Dominion University - Xixi Wang, Ph.D., P.E., Professor, Chief Departmental Advisor (CDA), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  • Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary - Mark J. Brush | Professor of Marine Science

2:10- 2:30 Chesapeake Bay Foundation - Joseph Wood PhD, Senior Scientist Virginia's new "Pay for Outcomes" pilot program primarily focused on reducing nonpoint source pollution within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

2:30 - 3:00 Clean Virginia Waterways

Q&A, Wrap Up and Thank you!

The 8th Annual CVW Stormwater and Plastic Pollution Workshop

Pocahontas State Park | September 9, 2025 from 11am - 5pm

  • Dr. Mark J. Brush

    Virginia Institute of Marine Science

    Dr. Mark J. Brush is a Professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences at William & Mary. He is a coastal ecologist and modeler focused on the response of coastal ecosystems to nutrient enrichment and environmental change, nutrient and sediment removal by best management practices, and development of user-friendly online modeling tools for direct application by end-users to support coastal management. His group has recently developed an online calculator for determining nutrient and sediment removals by living shorelines which can be used to offset stormwater loads.

  • Dr. Courtney Harris

    Virginia Institute of Marine Science

    Dr. Courtney Harris' research focuses on the development of methods for calculating the transport of materials in the coastal ocean, with a special emphasis on the transport of sediment. Recent projects include development of coupled numerical models that can represent the impact of coastal storms including runoff, storm surge, and wave impacts. She has been at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science since 2001, where she conducts research and teaches numerical modeling and transport to graduate students. 

  • Dr. Xixi Wang

    Old Dominion University

    Dr. Xixi Wang, P.E., is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He has extensive teaching and research experience in hydrology, hydraulics, and water resources. Dr. Wang has authored and coauthored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, books, and book chapters. He has received multiple honors and awards, including serving as a Fulbright Scholar (2022–2023) at the University of Canberra, Australia.

  • Joe Wood

    Chesapeake Bay Foundation

    Joe Wood is a scientist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, where he leads efforts in water quality, toxics, agriculture, stormwater, and freshwater mussel restoration. He holds a Ph.D. in Life Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and has published research on harmful algal blooms, nutrient loading, and stream restoration. Joe also serves on key Chesapeake Bay Program committees and previously managed stormwater grants at Virginia DEQ.

  • Rebecca Whalen

    Pocahontas State Park

    Rebecca Whalen has worked with Virginia State Parks since 2009 and has been at Pocahontas State Park since 2015. As Chief Ranger Visitor Experience her primary role focuses on interpretation and environmental education. Her and her team of educators work with thousands of guests to ensure the protection and appreciation of Virginia's natural, historical, recreational, scenic, and cultural resources. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her son, reading, running and visiting home (North Carolina).

  • Will Isenberg

    Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program

    Will Isenberg is a Coastal Planner in the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (Virginia CZM). He manages various grants and provides coordination support for coastal partners with a focus on coastal resilience topics and marine debris initiatives. Will is also the State co-lead of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Work Group, sharing the role with Katie Morgan from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program. Will has a Masters of Science in Environmental Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and has spent over 10 years working in state government.

  • Christina Trapani

    Clean Virginia Waterways

    Christina Trapani is the Program Director of Clean Virginia Waterways. She spent more than a decade working with sea turtle and marine mammal strandings at the Virginia Aquarium and led her first ICC cleanup in 2002, beginning her relationship with Clean Virginia Waterways. Some of her work with CVW includes a state-wide balloon litter study, a state-wide marine debris monitoring program, the Keep It Beachy Clean Litter Prevention program and co-founding the VA Plastic Pollution Prevention Network.

  • Zach Huntington

    Clean Virginia Waterways

    Zach is the Marine Debris Strategy Director for Clean Virginia Waterways. He is an experienced environmental researcher and analyst with a background in communicating the impact of plastic pollution on people and the planet. His work focuses on using data and graphical analysis to identify environmentally and economically sustainable strategies to address waste-related challenges. Zach has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainability and Environmental Compliance and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Conservation.