Advisory Board

Bill Hogsett is a senior research biologist for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the Western Ecology Division of the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory. Most recently he served as acting branch chief for the Watershed Ecology Branch. Over the past 27 years, he has led national/international research programs studying the impacts of air pollutants, including tropospheric ozone, acid rain, nitrate loading, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, on crops and forests. He serves as technical consultant for EPA in the criteria review process for setting the national air quality standards to protect forests and crops. He currently participates in projects to determine the impact and valuation of anthropogenic stressors on ecosystem services, e.g. carbon sequestration, nutrient regulation, and water quality. He has published numerous scientific papers, served on review panels for the European Union Environmental Effects Council, the UN ECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollutants, the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment: Vegetation Effects Work Group, the U.S. Forest Service Global Change Program, and contributed to several science advisory groups including the National Research Council. He has been working for the EPA since 1980, earning his BS in Biology from Texas Christian University and his PhD from Baylor College of Medicine in Biochemistry in 1972.

Bob Lanier is currently the Executive Director of the Oregon Biosciences Association and President of MouldWorks, which is based at the University of Oregon in Eugene . Prior to this, he served in a variety of entrepreneurial positions, including Director of Business Development for Partner LABfx, Director of Sales and Marketing for Neo-Genesis, and Co-Founder/Director of International Sales for Antalys, an AI oriented software consulting company, which was acquired by Baan Enterprise Systems in 1997. Mr. Lanier has a B.S. degree from the University of Oregon , a B.A. from the University of Rochester in Political Science, and a M.A. in Communications from the University of Washington.

Charlie Corrarino is currently the Conservation and Recovery Program Manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) based in Salem , Oregon . As such, he is responsible for oversight of native fish conservation issues and implementation of Oregon 's Native Fish Conservation Policy. Originally starting his career with ODFW in the mid-1980's as a fishery database manager and experimental biological aide, Mr. Corrarino has steadily progressed through management-level positions, which included conservation biology program leader, Research & Enhancement (R&E) Program and Salmon Trout Enhancement Program (STEP) coordinator, and fish passage program coordinator. One of his current responsibilities is to collaborate with the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife on the operation of the Oregon Hatchery Research Center . He earned his B.S. in Fishery biology with a minor in Zoology (Colorado State University 1978), and his M.S. in Entomology (University of Idaho 1983) studying the effects of reduced stream flows on aquatic insects.

Hans Neukomm grew up in Burgdorf, Switzerland. He graduated with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the State Engineering College in Burgdorf in 1959. He served in the Swiss Army as a commissioned officer and commander of a Combat Engineer Unit. Following his military service, he joined the Power Company of the State of Bern and immigrated to the United States in 1963. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1968.

After two years with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San Jose, California, Hans joined CH2M HILL as a project engineer. He held a number of positions of increasing responsibilities as Project Manager, Department Manager and Director of Electrical Engineering. In 1983 he was appointed Vice President and Director of the Energy Services Division with national and international responsibilities for electric power systems such as power plants, high-voltage transmission and distribution systems.

Throughout his career, Hans has been active in community and professional society volunteer work. Professionally, he represented CH2M HILL on the Board of Directors of the Western Electric Power Institute, an organization that serves private and public power companies in the 11 Western States and 3 Provinces in Western Canada. In 1998 Oregon’s Governor appointed Hans to the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council for a 4-year term. In 2002, the Oregon Senate reconfirmed Hans for a second 4-year term. He served as the Council’s Chair in 2005/06.

Hans joined the Corvallis Rotary Club in 1982. He served his club as President in 1998-99 and as District Governor in 2003-2004.

Very active in community service, he serves on the Board of the Good Samaritan Hospital and the Linn-Benton Community College Foundations. He is a Past Chairman of the Corvallis-Benton County Economic Development Partnership, a Vice President of the Oregon Trail Council and Past Chairman of the Benton District, Boy Scouts of America.
In 1992 Hans founded Leadership Corvallis Inc. an organization that trains and prepares citizens for service as volunteers on boards and committees of community and charitable service organizations. He served as the organization’s President and Chairman of the Board until 2002. To date over 400 citizens graduated from this program and serve in a variety of community organizations.
Additionally, he provided leadership and direction to numerous Boards and Committees of other organizations among them the Benton County Budget Committee, the Vineyard Mountain Water District and the Benton County Republican Central Committee.

In recognition for his contributions and leadership in community, charitable and service organizations, Hans received many awards and accolades among them First Citizen of Corvallis in 1995, the prestigious Silver Beaver Award of the Boy Scouts of America in 1996 and in 2002 Oregon’s Governor recognized Hans with the State of Oregon’s Economic and Community Development Award for Outstanding Community Leadership.

John Gardner is Professor Emeritus of Physics at Oregon State University and is Founder and President of ViewPlus Technologies, Inc. He is internationally recognized as a leading expert on the physics of defects in materials. He has won a number of scientific awards including the Humboldt Prize awarded by the German Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. His physics research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, the Department of Defense, NASA, and several private corporations and foundations. After losing his sight in 1988 in mid-career, John Gardner formed the Science Access Project to do research and development on new technologies for access to complex information by people with print disabilities. ViewPlus Technologies is a spin-off company formed to commercialize the Tiger tactile graphics embosser technology and other technologies developed in the Science Access Project. It has grown to become a major access technology company in 2006 with worldwide sales of millions of dollars per year. John Gardner has presented hundreds of seminars, colloquia, workshops, contributed and invited conference talks on physics and on information access by people with disabilities throughout the U.S. , Europe, and Asia . He is considered a leading expert on access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) information.

John Ledger is Vice President for External Affairs at Associated Oregon Industries (AOI), Oregon 's largest and most influential business organization. He is the editor of the Business ViewPoint magazine (circulation over 23,000), oversees all public and other external relations for AOI and lobbies the Oregon legislature on environmental and transportation issues. A frequent speaker and columnist, John holds numerous appointments to boards and commissions from Governors Kitzhaber and Kulongoski, the President of the State Senate, and the Speaker of the Oregon House. John is Oregon 's leading expert on state-business environmental policy. He is responsible for the passage of sixteen pieces of innovative legislation including the Green Permits Act, and the Willamette River Watershed Improvement Trading Act, all promoting incentives for environmental improvement. He originated and authored the legislation creating the Oregon Sustainability Board, the first of its type in the nation. On the regulatory side, John represents the businesses community on rulemaking and policy issues before the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. He sits on many DEQ advisory committees ranging from water quality standards to permitting procedures. John began his career with Engineering Science, Inc. He spent fifteen years with the Idaho DEQ overseeing state air, cleanup, and hazardous waste programs before being appointed Deputy Director under Governor Cecil Andrus. Just before coming to AOI he taught upper division/graduate level courses in government and business interaction at Boise State University 's College of Business . Although born in St. Boniface , Canada , John grew up in Southern California . He earned a BS and MS in biology from California State University – Los Angeles , and did further work in biochemistry and biology at Idaho State University . John enjoys history, playing piano poorly, and tending his bonsai collection. John and his wife, Julie, live in south Salem with their dog, a turtle, and other small animals left behind by their now-grown son and daughter.

Linda Amedo has been with Hewlett Packard (HP) since 1978, and is currently located on their campus in Corvallis , Oregon . During her time with HP, Linda has been in roles as diverse as Silicon Design, Training & Development, and Operations Management. She is currently managing a Business Systems and Industrial Engineering team who is responsible for providing systemic improvements in business performance through the use of their business process and modeling expertise and analytical and project management capabilities. Linda has a B.S. degree in Business Management from Linfield College .

Chemica Technologies, Inc.

Roger Blair recently retired from the Corvallis U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after 20 years of service. He rotated through positions as the Branch Chief for the EPA Terrestrial Ecology, Regional Ecology, and Aquatic Monitoring and Bio-assessment Units, and was the Technical Director for their Western Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program. As Technical Director, Roger coordinated the work of ten states, three EPA regions, and multiple agency laboratories and national offices to develop a program to monitor the condition of streams throughout the West. Prior to his work at the EPA, he served for 11 years as the Forest Research Director for the Potlatch Corporation in Idaho and as a Research Forester for the International Paper Company in Georgia for 7 years. Roger earned his MF from Yale University and his PhD from North Carolina State University in Forest Genetics. He is now enjoying his retirement.