Current: 2024
Executive Committee
Chair: Catelyn Bridges, MS – UC Davis Dept. Horticulture & Agronomy
Catelyn Bridges is a second year PhD student in Horticulture and Agronomy at UC Davis. She received her MS in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&M University and her BS in Biological Systems Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As an industry research scientist, she conducted site visits to cannabis farms, and I saw first-hand that improper post-harvest handling of plants can lead to a decrease in the quality of medicinal flowers. This motivated her to go back to graduate school and write a dissertation on post-harvest industrial cannabis (hemp) studies. Her research is looking at the effect of drying on the physiological, physical, and subcellular properties of hemp flowers. Being involved in the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) group in ASABE, she found a passion for providing networking, mentoring, and professional development opportunities for people with shared cultural experiences in the society. By joining the CA/NV officer team, she hopes to contribute to diversifying the society within the section and creating professional opportunities for members. In her free time, she spends time with her husband and daughter, travels to try new foods, reads books, goes to concerts, and listens to podcasts.
Vice Chair: Kristen Perano, PhD – USDA NRCS
Kristy is a Civil/Agricultural Engineer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service for Nevada and Placer counties in California. She graduated from UC Davis with a major in Biological Systems Engineering and a minor in Animal Science in 2012. She then attended Cornell University, earning her Masters’ and PhD in Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell. Her PhD research focused on conductive cooling systems for dairy cattle, specifically the production benefits, moisture accumulation, and heat flow in a cooling system that circulates chilled water through cows’ mats to relieve heat stress. She also contributed to research projects on ventilation systems, computational fluid dynamics, and bioenergetic modeling for dairy cattle while at Cornell. She is originally from Jackson, CA where she grew up on a cattle ranch that has been in the family for five generations. In her free time, she enjoys helping on the family ranch, gardening, and cross-country skiing. She is also very active in advocating for refugees, especially Afghans and Iraqis who worked as interpreters for the US military but face difficulties in obtaining visas to get to safety.
Treasurer: Mohammad Sadek, PhD – Cal Poly SLO BRAE Department
Dr. Mohammad Sadek is an Assistant Professor in the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering (BRAE) Department at Cal Poly State University. His area of expertise is agricultural machinery systems and automation. With a mechanically inclined background, Dr. Sadek believes that the wheel is one of the greatest inventions of all time. The rotational motion has solved many problems in the world. To upkeep his believe, he is also moving around the world. He has traveled and lived in many countries around the globe. Dr. Sadek is originally from Bangladesh. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from Bangladesh, he moved to Thailand for his master’s degree. Prior to start at Cal Poly, he lived in Canada, where he earned his doctorate degree and worked several years in Buhler Industries Inc. as a new product development engineer. Finding cheaper solutions for a problem brought him to the engineering field. He loves to call him poor man’s engineer. As an engineer, Dr. Sadek enjoys building games and toys using engineering principles. In his free time, he likes to move, I mean travel with his family. His favorite places have been the Great Wall of China and Banff in Alberta, Canada. His goal is to keep travelling and fulfill his dream of a world tour. He also enjoys cooking, loves to make his fusion recipes.
Secretary: Charles Hillyer, PhD – CSU Fresno CIT
Charles Hillyer joined the Center for Irrigation Technology at California State Univ., Fresno as Director in October of 2019. Prior to joining CIT, Charles has worked at a small startup company, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Oregon State Univ., and Mississippi State Univ. Charles’ focus on irrigation management and technology began when he joined Dr. Marshall English’s research team at Oregon State Univ. as a graduate student in 2004. Since then, Charles has worked on various irrigation topics including deficit irrigation management, variable rate irrigation, data exchange, and standards development. He is active in several professional societies including ASABE, the Irrigation Association, and AgGateway. Charles is the current head of the US delegation to the ISO TC23/SC18 committee on irrigation equipment.
Past Chair: Steve Zicari, PhD PE – California Safe Soils
Hello! I’m pleased to serve as the Vice Chair for the ASABE CA/NV section in 2022. Currently I am the Chief Technology Officer at California Safe Soil, LLC, a company based near Sacramento, CA where we convert organic food- and agricultural-byproducts into fertilizers, feeds, and other bioproducts. I earned my PhD in Biosystems Engineering at UC Davis and MS/BS degrees in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from Cornell University. As a practicing Professional Engineer in Ag. and Bio. Engineering, I look forward to supporting our student-members and -chapters to grow their access to an industry network (and vice-versa!). I became an engineer to implement innovative solutions to improve resource-use efficiencies so that we can sustainably feed and fuel our growing population. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my wife and two kids travelling, skiing, and eating yummy food!
Standing Committee
Program Chair: Lynn Groundwater-Moeller, MS PE – Provost & Pritchard
Lynn has worked as an Associate Engineer with Provost & Pritchard at their Clovis office since 2015 and has nearly seven years of experience in civil and agricultural engineering. She has worked on SGMA projects including Basin Boundary Modifications and Groundwater Sustainability Plans, feasibility studies, water well projects, and water resources design projects. Lynn graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in BioResource and Agricultural Engineering from Cal Poly, SLO and got her Master’s Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. Lynn has her Professional Engineering License in Civil Engineering and in Agricultural Engineering. Lynn was named the ASABE California/Nevada Section Engineer of the year in 2018. She is the Chair of the ASABE California/Nevada Section. Some would say that with the last name of Groundwater, a career in the water industry would be only natural. Lynn’s first introduction into engineering was through her father who was an engineer at a water district in Northern California. Lynn enjoyed math and science in high school and wanted to go to college for engineering. After taking a few agricultural engineering classes at Cal Poly, she knew that was the right major for her. Now she works on water resources studies and design projects in the Central Valley. Outside of work, Lynn enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, Kyle, and spending time with their animals. They have a small farm in the country with a cat, a dog, two turtles, and three horses. Lynn has ridden horses most of her life and loves having her horses at home. When they aren’t at home Lynn and Kyle enjoy camping, hiking, and traveling. Their latest adventure was getting married in October and going on their Honeymoon to New Zealand.
Membership Chair: Carl Howell, PhD – USDA NRCS
Carl is a Civil/Agricultural Engineer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service for San Joaquin County in California. He graduated from Iowa State University with a major in Agricultural Engineering emphasis in Land and Water resources management. At school he served as president of the Cyclone Power Pullers, Iowa State’s 1/4 scale tractor team. He is originally from Alameda, CA. In his free time Carl loves watching Iowa State athletics and spending time with his family.
Career Development: Carolyn M. Jones, PE – USDA NRCS
Carolyn earned an Agricultural (Biological Systems) Engineering BS degree from UC Davis in 2001 where she spent two years as a live-in caretaker at the Animal Science Horse Barn. In 2000, Carolyn was introduced to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as a student intern in the Dixon Field Office. After graduation, she joined NRCS at the State Office where conservation and agricultural engineering took her as far north as Tulelake, as far west as Ukiah, as far east as Auburn, and as far south as Modesto. Her design projects have varied from irrigation and tailwater return to dairy manure management to stream and wetland restoration to small pond design and design/computation tool development. In 2004, Carolyn obtained her Civil Engineering Professional Engineering (PE) license. She transferred to the Napa Field Office in 2006 and has been working with landowners and partnering agencies on erosion control, storm water conveyance, livestock water systems, irrigation water management, and stream restoration design projects. In 2007, she earned her Agricultural Engineering PE license and is proud to be double-registered, including in the field of her passion – agriculture! In January 2012, Carolyn was promoted to the Bay/Delta Team Engineer and serves 8 counties. Carolyn served as Acting State Conservation Engineer for 4 months in 2017. Carolyn was a 2009-2011 ASABE Trustee, was the 2010-2012 Chair of ASABE’s Professional Engineers Institute, has been active in the CA/NV Section since 2001, and participates on a number of Natural Resources and Environmental Systems (NRES) technical committees.
Awards Chair: Hunter Kett, EIT – Provost & Pritchard
Hunter graduated from the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in BioResource and Agricultural Engineering. He is now the Dixon territory manager and a Vice President at Pacific Southwest Irrigation. He interned with the company for the summers of 2015 and 2016 before starting full time in 2017. At Pacific Southwest Irrigation he works with local growers to design and implement irrigation systems for the growers particular water needs. Hunter is involved is design, sales, construction management, consulting, and service for the irrigation systems his company installs.
Industry/Student Liaison: Yike Chen, PhD – Codexis
Yike Chen is working as a Scientist at Codexis in the Bay Area. He earned his PhD degree in Biological Systems Engineering from UC Davis in 2020 and worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at UC Davis before he continued to pursue his career goal in the bio-industry. Before coming to the US, he got his Bachelor’s degree in 2012 from the East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai, China. He proceeded his study overseas as a 3+2 exchange student at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and earned his Master’s degree in 2014. His research focused on bioprocess development, organic waste management, and sustainable production of biofuel and bioproducts. He is currently interested in applying his knowledge of fermentation and biosystems engineering in performance enzyme production at industrial scale. He was also one of the Business Development fellows offered by the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In Yike’s spare time, he enjoys cooking, traveling, and training his one-year-old Labrador Retriever puppy. He believes his experience and connections in both academia and industry would benefit the students, industrial professionals, and even early entrepreneurs in networking within the ASABE spectrum.
Public Relations: Joseph Sexson, EIT – USDA NRCS
Joseph Sexson is an agricultural engineer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS. Joseph began his career as an intern with the NRCS after his sophomore year of college at UC Davis. Joseph graduated in 2021 with a degree in civil engineering, with a focus in water resources. After working on irrigation systems in the Coachella Valley for a year and a half, he transferred to the Sacramento area to further his development and learn more engineering skills. Joseph is currently working on getting his PE in California and enjoys playing in concert bands as a timpanist.
Webmaster: Abdolhossein (Hossein) Edalati, MS – UC Davis BAE Department
I am a PhD Student in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at UC Davis. I have worked in the areas of bioenergy, bioproduct manufacturing, and agricultural waste management and recycling. I completed a B.S. in Biosystems Engineering from UC Davis in 2006 and a M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from UC Irvine in 2007. My research is focused on waste management and recouping value in food waste and agricultural residues by recycling them back on the farm. I first got involved in the Section in 2015. In my free time I enjoy everything football (soccer).
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PAST: 2023
Executive Committee
Chair – S. Zicari, PhD PE; California Safe Soils
Vice Chair – C. Bridges, MS; UCD Hort. & Agronomy Dept.
Treasurer – M. Sadek, PhD PE; Cal Poly SLO BRAE Dept.
Secretary – C. Hillyer, PhD; CSU Fresno CIT
Past Chair – A. Edalati, MS; UCD Bio. & Ag. Eng. Dept.
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – K. Perano, PhD; USDA NRCS
Program Chair – C. Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Public Relations – Joseph Sexson, EIT; USDA NRCS
Career Development – Jose Amezcua, EIT; Provost & Pritchard
Awards – L. Groundwater, MS PE; Provost & Pritchard
Industry/Student Liaison – Y. Chen, PhD; Codexis
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PAST: 2022
Executive Committee
Chair – A. Edalati, MS; UC Davis BAE Department
Vice Chair – S. Zicari, PhD PE; California Safe Soils
Treasurer – M. Sadek, PhD PE; Cal Poly SLO BRAE Dept.
Secretary – C. Hillyer, PhD; CSU Fresno CIT
Past Chair – L. Groundwater, MS PE; Provost & Pritchard
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – K. Perano, PhD; USDA NRCS
Program Chair – C. Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Public Relations – L. Groundwater, MS PE; Provost & Pritchard
Career Development – L. Cabrales, PhD; CSUB Physics & Engr
Awards – A. Andrade, PhD; UNR Ag, Vet, & Rangeland Sci Dept.
Industry/Student Liaison – Y. Chen, PhD; Codexis
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PAST: 2021
Executive Committee
Chair – L. Groundwater, MS PE; Provost & Pritchard
Vice Chair – T. Barzee, PhD; UC Davis BAE Dept.
Treasurer – M. Sadek, PhD PE; Cal Poly SLO BRAE Dept.
Secretary – C. Hillyer, PhD; CSU Fresno CIT
Past Chair – C. Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – K. Perano, PhD; USDA NRCS
Program Chair – I. Donis-Gonzales PhD; UC Davis BAE Dept.
Public Relations – S. Mehan, PhD; Ohio State FABE Dept.
Career Development – L. Cabrales, PhD; CSUB Physics & Engr
Awards – A. Andrade, PhD; UNR Ag, Vet, & Rangeland Sci Dept.
Industry/Student Liaison – S. Zicari, PhD PE; CSS, LLC
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PAST: 2020
Executive Committee
Chair – L. Groundwater, MS PE; Provost & Pritchard
Vice Chair – T. Barzee, PhD; UC Davis BAE Dept.
Treasurer – B. Liu, PhD; Cal Poly BRAE Dept.
Secretary- C. Hillyer, PhD; CSU Fresno CIT
Past Chair – A. Edalati, MS; UC Davis BAE Dept.
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – J. Meyers, MS; USDA NRCS
Program Chair – M. Sadek, PhD PE; Cal Poly SLO BRAE Dept.
Public Relations – I. Donis-Gonzales PhD; UC Davis BAE Dept.
Career Development – C. Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Awards – S. Mehan, PhD; Ohio State FABE Dept.
Industry/Student Liaison – S. Zicari, PhD PE; CSS, LLC
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PAST: 2019
Executive Committee
Chair – A. Edalati, MS; UC Davis BAE
Vice Chair – L. Groundwater, PE; Provost and Pritchard
Secretary/Treasurer – B. Liu, PhD; Cal Poly BRAE
Past Chair – B. Sethuramasamyraja, PhD; CSU Fresno
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – T.Barzee, MS; UC Davis BAE
Program Chair – T. Cotten, PE; SCE
Public Relations – A. Skidmore; CSU Fresno
Career Development – C. Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Awards – R. Ehsani, PhD; UC Merced
Industry/Student Liaison – F. Putri, MS; UC Davis BAE
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PAST: 2018
Executive Committee
Chair – Balaji Sethuramasamyraja, Ph.D; CSU Fresno
Vice Chair- Hossein Edalati, MS; UC Davis BAE
Secretary/Treasurer – Bo Liu, PhD; Cal Poly BRAE
Past Chair – Carolyn Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – Zhongli Pan, PhD; UCD BAE & USDA NRCS
Program Chair – Traeger Cotten, PE; SCE
Public Relations- Tyler Barzee, MS – UC Davis BAE
Career Development- Shawn Ashkan – CSU Fresno</span
Awards – Nick Simonian, MS – CSU Fresno
Industry/Student Liaison- Ferisca Putri – UC Davis BAE
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PAST: 2017
Executive Committee
Chair – Balaji Sethuramasamyraja, Ph.D; CSU Fresno
Vice Chair – Yiannis Ampatzidis, Ph.D; CSU Bakersfield
Secretary/Treasurer – Bo Liu, PhD; Cal Poly BRAE
Past Chair – Carolyn Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – Zhongli Pan, PhD; UCD BAE & USDA NRCS
Program Chair – Traeger Cotten, PE; SCE
Career Development – Shawn Ashkan; CSU Fresno
Public Relations – Hossein Edalati, MS; UC Davis BAE
Awards – Nick Simonian; CSU Fresno
Industry/Student Liaison – Pappu Yadav, MS; CSU Fresno
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PAST: 2015-2016
Executive Committee
Chair – Noelle Arredondo, PE; Meyers Construction
Vice Chair – Balaji Sethuramasamyraja, PhD; CSU Fresno
Secretary/Treasurer – Andy Holtz, PhD; Cal Poly BRAE
Past Chair – Carolyn Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – Yiannis Ampatzidis, PhD; CSU Bakersfield
Program Chair – Traeger Cotten, PE; SCE
Career Development – Arturo Barajas; Cal Poly BRAE
Public Relations – Hossein Edalati, MS; UC Davis BAE
Awards – Nick Simonian; CSU Fresno
Industry/Student Liaison – Tyler Niday; OMC
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PAST: 2012-2014
Executive Committee
Chair – Carolyn Jones, PE; USDA NRCS
Vice Chair – Noelle Arredondo, PE; Meyers Construction
Secretary/Treasurer – Andy Holtz, PhD; Cal Poly BRAE
Past Chair – Victor Duraj; UC Davis BAE & WCAE
Standing Committee
Membership Chair – Betsy Gerwig, PE; JM Lord, Inc.
Program Chair – Traeger Cotten, PE; SCE
Career Development – Not filled
Public Relations – Bob Coates, M.S.; UC Davis BAE
Awards – Richard Cavaletto, PhD PE; Cal Poly BRAE
Industry/Student Liaison – Not filled
ASABE 