CWEA SFBS and SAC SYPC - 2026 Career Speaker Panel - Live Webinar

Bryan Burnitt, PE, has 18 years of experience delivering water and wastewater infrastructure projects, with a strong emphasis on wastewater treatment, pump stations, and complex facility upgrades. His expertise spans project management, planning and design, engineering services during construction, and treatment process and mechanical systems. He has contributed to major Northern California wastewater projects involving tertiary treatment and disinfection, UV systems, chemical feed facilities, pump station rehabilitation, and treatment plant improvements.

Melissa Nichols is a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations Supervisor for the Sacramento Area Sewer District. Melissa holds a Grade V Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator certificate from the State Water Resources Control Board. Melissa has 12 years of experience working as a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator with prior experience in machine operations for a large-scale production facility.

Dr. Onder Caliskaner is a registered PE in California and is currently the President/CEO of Caliskaner Water Technologies, Inc. He obtained his MS degree from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and PhD degree from UC Davis. Dr. Caliskaner has more than 30 years of experience in wastewater technology research, development, demonstration, and design. He is a recognized industry expert in emerging technologies that advance the decarbonization and intensification of water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs). Dr. Caliskaner has served as Principal Investigator and Project Manager for multiple large-scale technology demonstration and evaluation projects, contributing to advances in primary filtration, advanced treatment, water reuse, and biosolids management.

Kristin Low is a Chemist at East Bay Municipal Utility District and has been with the agency for 8 years. She has 11 years of experience in environmental sample preparation and analytical chemistry. She specializes in the analysis of taste and odor compounds and disinfection byproducts in water by GC/MS and IC-MS/MS.

Kaitie Zusy is a Project Manager and professional civil engineer at Black & Veatch. A UC Irvine civil engineering graduate, she has more than 14 years of experience planning, designing, and constructing wastewater treatment and water reuse facilities across California, ranging from 1 MGD to more than 200 MGD. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, and playing on the BV softball team.

Todd Millison is a Grade V operator who has been operating since 2011. He currently serves as the Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor for the Dublin San Ramon Services District, where he has worked for over 15 years. Throughout his career, Todd has placed a strong emphasis on mentoring, helping prepare others for successful careers in the wastewater industry.