Cutting-Edge Technologies Transforming Environmental Practice: AI, IoT, Geospatial Technology, and Digital Twins 

Pam Hudson-Danko

Moderator

Retired Senior Attorney, FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel
Owner, Danko Engineering

Pam (Hudson) Danko, a member of NAEP, is a nationally known NEPA attorney and specialist providing extensive NEPA compliance services to federal agencies and private entities. She is a prolific writer of NEPA articles, including the NAEP Annual NEPA Case Law Review. She is the founder of Hudson Danko Eng’r, LLC and is a member of the faculty for Utah State University’s Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air’s Certified AI-Ready Environmental Professional (CAREP) program.

Mrs. Danko recently retired as a senior attorney from the FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel Airports and Environmental Law branch after serving a long tenure with the Department of the Navy’s Office of General Counsel. Her experience includes roles as a Deputy Managing Counsel for NAVFAC Southwest, and a sampling of her relevant experience includes environmental reviews and permitting for Fleet testing and training activities, FAA airport projects and grants, construction, commercial space transportation and real estate actions.

Mrs. Danko, a retired U.S. Navy Commander (Oceanography), is an alumna of FSU College of Law (J.D., cum laude), where she was the Beverly Stout McLear Environmental and Land Use Scholar, and an alumna of Auburn University (B.Eng.).  With programming experience in Fortran, Unix, HTML, and Java — and graduate coursework in AI — she is particularly passionate about using both her law and technical skills to leverage technology to modernize environmental reviews and permitting.

Panel

Erin Koch, GISP
Environmental & Geospatial Section Manager
HDR

Erin has 24 years of State natural resource agency and consulting experience. Since joining HDR 8 years ago, Erin has supported clients by advising on geospatial solutions, managing project geodatabases, improving field operations using modern mobile applications, and creating web mapping tools that support project managers and public outreach efforts. She has sustained favorable working relationships with federal and state regulatory agencies, private industry, and nonprofits. Erin currently leads a team of geospatial and environmental professionals in South Carolina and serves as the national liaison between the Geospatial and the Environmental Sciences and Planning cross sectors at HDR, often providing support for major projects with highly technical requirements for clients. Her team supports a variety of market sectors including transportation, water, energy (renewables, oil and gas, nuclear, transmission, fossil) in an environmental, regulatory, and engineering capacity. She currently serves as a co-chair of the NAEP Geospatial Working Group.

Mehmet Secilmis
Environmental Consulting Lead
Esri

Mehmet Secilmis is a Senior Global Account Manager and the Environmental Consulting Lead for Esri's Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) and Environmental Practice Team. With over 20 years of experience in environmental science, engineering, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), he assists engineering and environmental firms in overcoming complex challenges through innovative geospatial solutions. Mehmet holds two masters degrees in Environmental Technology and Management (with a specialization in the Management of Technology). He has been a certified GIS Professional (GISP) since 2007. His mission is to empower organizations with data-driven insights that enhance decision-making, strengthen infrastructure, and promote sustainable outcomes.

Meredith Parkin, J.D., PMP
Vice President, Environmental Planning Practice Leader
Environmental Science Associates

Meredith Parkin is a Vice President and Environmental Planning Practice Leader at Environmental Science Associates (ESA), with more than 30 years of experience in environmental compliance, permitting, and policy integration across the western United States. She specializes in guiding complex projects through CEQA, NEPA, and related regulatory frameworks, helping public and private clients reduce risk and support clear, defensible decision-making. Meredith is widely recognized for her leadership in integrating interdisciplinary technical teams and advancing practical, policy-aligned environmental solutions.

At ESA, Meredith works at the intersection of environmental practice and emerging technology, focusing on the responsible application of artificial intelligence to improve data analysis, documentation, and reporting workflows. She brings a critical perspective on risks, defensibility, and the role of professional judgment in technology-enabled environmental decision-making. As a frequent speaker and thought leader, Meredith contributes to advancing best practices in how environmental professionals adopt AI and automation while maintaining analytical rigor, transparency, and trust.