2026 EAAC/Green Team Educational Program

Please take some time and watch the video from our annual educational program offered at the Medford United Methodist Church on April 14, 2026. The bios of the speakers are below (in the order of presentation).

Alexis Trautman is a Research Scientist with the Division of Clean Energy at the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, where she works on advancing energy efficiency and clean energy initiatives across the state. In her role, she supports programs and policies that promote sustainability, reduce energy use, and help New Jersey meet its climate goals.

In addition to her professional work, Alexis is an active member of her local Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee and Green Team, where she contributes to community-based sustainability efforts and environmental education. She brings both technical expertise and a strong commitment to local action, helping bridge statewide clean energy policy with practical initiatives at the community level.

Russell Furnari is an environmental policy expert, consultant, and longtime advocate for natural resource protection in New Jersey. A retired Manager of Environmental Policy at Public Service Enterprise Group, he spent more than three decades working on regulatory, legislative, and sustainability issues affecting energy and the environment. Furnari has been actively involved with the Native Plant Society of New Jersey, where he serves as co-chair of the Legislative Committee, helping advance policies that support native plants and ecological health. He has also contributed to statewide initiatives on invasive species management and climate adaptation, and remains engaged as a volunteer and advisor to numerous environmental organizations dedicated to habitat restoration and conservation.  

Stephen Elliott is a dedicated conservation advocate and active leader in South Jersey’s environmental community. He serves with the Rancocas Conservancy and is involved with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, working to protect open space, restore habitats, and promote stewardship of the region’s natural resources. Through his work, Stephen has been a strong voice for land preservation and community engagement, helping connect residents with the unique ecology of the Rancocas watershed and the broader Pinelands. 

Christopher C. Obropta, Ph.D., P.E. is the Extension Specialist in Water Resources with Rutgers Cooperative Extension, and he is a Professor with the Department of Environmental Sciences at the School of Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers University.  He has a doctorate in Civil Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, an M.S. in Civil Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology.  Prior to joining Rutgers, Dr. Obropta was an environmental consultant for 12 years at Omni Environmental Corporation.  Dr. Obropta has a background in watershed management, water quality modeling, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, and coastal engineering.  His specific experience includes watershed restoration, onsite wastewater treatment system design and management, wasteload allocations and TMDL studies, stormwater management, wetland design, effluent dilution analyses, longshore sediment transport, computer-aided design, and geographic information systems (GIS).  He teaches Bioresource Engineering Design I & II, where he directs student design teams to develop solutions to complex real-life engineering problems.  With his extensive and impressive background Dr. Obropta leads his highly specialized team of professional staff who are determined to create innovative solutions to water quality issues in New Jersey.