IECA Region One Elects Board of Directors Officers

The Intl. Erosion Control Assn. (IECA) Region One membership voted to re‐elect Beth Chesson, CPESC, CPSWQ, and Julie Etra, CPESC, MS, to the 2014 board of directors. Joining Chesson and Etra is new board member, Rafael (Nicky) Araujo, P.E.

Araujo will begin his first term on the board of directors in February, alongside fellow members Michael R. Chase, CPESC, CPSWQ, CESSWI; Beth Chesson, CPESC, CPSWQ; Julie Etra, MS, CPESC; Philip Handley, REM, CPESC, CESSWI; Ron Faucher, CPESC; Brock Peters, CISEC; Charles Riling, Jr.; Craig S. Benson and Gustavo Salerno, P.E., CPESC.

Araujo is an environmental engineer and holds a bachelor's in biology, zoology and ecology from the University of Panama. He also holds a certificate in geotechnical engineering from University of Delaware. With 30 years in the geosynthetics and erosion control industry, Araujo is the current CEO of Servicios de Ingenieria Geosintetica SA, a company based out of Costa Rica that services Latin America and the Caribbean. Araujo has been a member of IECA for a number of years and has served four terms on the IberoAmerican Chapter IECA board, holding the positions of president and vice president.

Chesson graduated from North Carolina State University in 1987 with a bachelor's in biological and agricultural Engineering Technology. She works with AMEC Earth and Infrastructure in its Raleigh, N.C., office as the Carolinas water lead. Chesson has served on the IECA Region One board of directors over the past three years as a treasurer and secretary.

Etra received her bachelor's in 1978 from the University of Colorado in environmental biology. In 1983 she completed her master's in soil and crop science from Colorado State University. Etra now has more than 28 years of experience in the fields of erosion control; revegetation; restoration; botanical surveys; environmental documents; monitoring; and wetland delineation, mitigation and restoration. She is currently principal of Western Botanical Services Inc., a consulting firm incorporated in 1994 and located in Reno, Nev. Etra has been an active IECA member since 1988 and is currently finishing her third term on the board of directors as vice president for international development.

The IECA Region One board of directors is made up of nine members, each serving a three‐year term. Board positions will be decided at the board meeting to be held at Environmental Connection 2014, IECA’s annual conference and expo, Feb. 25‐28, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn.

Source: IECA Region One