Meet The Team
Kristin Mielcarek- Executive Director
Kristin has been instrumental in our efforts to provide high quality, effective wastewater treatment to western Maryland. Since 2007 she has administered the Bay Restoration fund septic system upgrade program for four Maryland counties. This program has resulted in securing over $10 Million to repair more than 600 failing septic systems that contribute nutrient pollution to the regions waters. She is passionate and thoughtful in her work with communities to make improvements to their aquatic resource. She develops strong partnerships with citizens based groups, government entities and other non-profits to combine technical expertise with human resources to implement projects which enhance the health and quality of rivers and streams. Kristin also collaborates on the department of comprehensive watershed restoration plans, grant proposal development, and administration. Kristin has co-authored three EPA approved Watershed Based Plans for streams in Maryland and West Virginia and has helped to secure grant funds for restoration projects. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Center for Environmental Science.
Chrissy Verdream – Habitat Restoration Technician
Chrissy joined CVI in the Abingdon, VA office the fall of 2020. Her roles include assisting in the permitting, surveying, design, implementation and reporting of habitat restoration projects. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Biology – Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Studies and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. From undergrad she went on to complete a M.S. in Biology at James Madison University, where her research focused on population dynamics of a critically endangered freshwater mussel that is endemic to the James River watershed in Virginia. Throughout graduate school Chrissy presented her research at various conferences and took home multiple awards. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking and attempting to learn to knit.
Franklin Wagner – Habitat Restoration Technician
Franklin joined CVI in 2020 and works out of the Southwest Virginia office. His responsibilities center around implementing stream and habitat restoration projects on private land in the region. In addition to restoration projects, he contributes to grant writing and public outreach as part of his position. He graduated from Purdue in 2017 with a BS in Environmental and Ecological Engineering and stayed around for 2 more years to earn an MS in Forestry and Natural Resources. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, he has a passion for conservation and is excited to contribute his skills and qualities to the important environmental work that CVI engages in.
Tina Bonner- Accounting Manager
Tina’s strong organizational skills ensure the accuracy of our financial records. She comes to CVI with over ten years of experience in account management for various small businesses, including her own photography business. In addition to financial management, she also manages our employee benefits and keeps the staff connected to the communities we serve through social media outlets. Tina graduated from Fairmont State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.