Meet the 2025 Speakers

WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE TO FOLLOWING PRESENTERS FOR OUR 2025 TECHNICAL SESSIONS:

(listed in alphabetical order by last name)

Bill Beardslee, PE, PLS, PP is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor, Engineer and Planner with over 55 years’ experience in the field of land development. He is known for his excellent presentation and writing capabilities, along with being one of the leading technical experts on land development in the engineering and surveying arena. Bill has made over 2,000 presentations on engineering and surveying projects to local and state agencies. Prior to his retirement, he was the owner and Director of Engineering for Beardslee Engineering Associates in Sparta, NJ.

Bill is a past president of the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors and that Society’s 2006 “Surveyor of the Year”. He has been contributor to the geomatics resource magazine xyHt, as well as being listed in “Who’s Who in Technology” and “Who’s Who in the East.”

Bill has taught numerous seminar programs at the high school, college and professional levels for over 35 years, including the NCEES National Conference. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Master of Arts Degree in Corporate & Organizational Communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Now retired in North Carolina, he stays active in business development for Davis-Martin-Powell in High Point, N.C., as well as providing continuing education seminars around the country.

Bill offers the students a professional blend of technical expertise, communication knowledge and presentation skills for discussing issues in a clear and simple format.

Trisha Brush, GISP, PMP

Trisha Brush, GISP, PMP  has 27 years of experience managing IT and geospatial technologies involving GIS, geospatial analysis, ROI, business processes, BI, permitting systems, utilities, cartography and mobile workforce.  Ms. Brush has extensive experience in multiple aspects of geospatial technologies in public sectors where she has led the development of numerous geospatial projects.

Trisha is a Certified GIS Professional (GISP) and Project Management Professional (PMP). She has served on State GIS Boards in Kansas and Kentucky, including serving as founder and President of Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals (KAMP), and Director on the Kansas Association of Mappers (KAM) board.

Ms. Brush has a bachelors in geography from the University of Cincinnati, and an MBA from Baker University in Kansas.

Stephen C. Chino, Jr., PLS is a professional land surveyor for Siteworx Survey and Design in Paducah, KY and has been involved with Surveying/GIS/GPS work and projects since 1997.  He graduated from Grayson County High School in 1994 and received his Bachelor of Science in Geography from Western Kentucky University in 1999.  While there his major emphasis was in GIS/GPS technology with a minor in City and Regional Planning.  After working for a private surveying firm, he obtained his professional licensure in 2008.  Mr. Chino is also Remote Pilot Certificate holder and has been since 2018.

Professional Organizations

•  Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals (Past President 2018-2019)
• Kentucky Association of Professional Surveyors
• National Society of Professional Surveyors
• Boy Scouts of America (District Chairman for Four Rivers District)

Mr. Chino resides in Paducah, Kentucky with his wife Sheryl, son Aiden (15) and daughter Olivia (10).

Jeff Clark, PLR, RLS

Jeff Clark, PLS, RLS is a Trimble Certified Trainer and is currently a Geospatial Application Engineer at Seiler Geospatial. Jeff was previously the owner of SCI Surveyors. A licensed surveyor, Jeff holds degrees in Civil Engineering Technology and Construction Engineering Technology. Jeff has been a guest lecturer at Murray State University and offers professional development courses on numerous topics for the practicing land surveyor.

Chris Gephart, PLS

Chris Gephart, PLS joined Bayer Becker in 1989 and is a firm Principal and Vice President of Land Surveying Services. Chris is responsible for the survey team’s strategy, safety, training, technology, and execution. Mr. Gephart is involved in all aspects of the survey work at the Ft. Mitchell office of Bayer Becker from initial client contact to the finished record maps and plats. Chris has completed surveys for residential subdivisions, industrial parks, retail and commercial centers, utility corridors, and roadway alignments. He has also worked as an expert witness in cases involving land boundaries.

Chris is a Licensed Professional Surveyor in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He is a Past President of the Kentucky Association of Professional Surveyors (KAPS) and is currently serving as a director. Chris is a recipient of the KAPS “Surveyor of the Year” award and is a graduate of the Leadership Northern Kentucky program.

Education: Bachelor of Science in Construction Technology, Northern Kentucky University, 1992, Leadership Northern Kentucky, 2007

Registration: PLS, KY - #3292, 1996

Professional Affiliations: Kentucky Association of Professional Surveyors, Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals, National Society of Professional Surveyors, Northern Kentucky University Industry Advisory Board, Cincinnati State Land Surveying Advisory Board

Michael D. Ladnier, PLS

Michael D. Ladnier P.L.S. began his Surveying career in August 1994 at L.P.  Stenum and Associates located in Biloxi, Mississippi. In July 2001, he and his family relocated to Evansville, Indiana where he took a position at Morley and Associates. He received his Land Surveyors license in the State of Kentucky in 2008 and became a member of the Kentucky Association of Professional Surveyors and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. In 2015, he took a position at Cash Waggner & Associates P.C. with offices located in Evansville and Jasper, Indiana. Mike has prepared Surveys in the States of Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois varying from ALTA, Boundary, Topographic, Hydrographic, and Construction. He has worked with various Data Collectors from various manufacturers including the HP-48, Topcon Husky, Sokkia SDR-33, Trimble AND Topcon Tesla. He has worked with various drafting softwares throughout his Career including C&G, Eagle Point, Briscadd, Intellicad, Autocadd, Civil 3D, and Carlson Survey and Civil.

Adam Miller, LSIT

Adam Miller, LSIT, brings over two decades of surveying expertise, blending practical fieldwork with advanced geospatial technology. Beginning as a field surveyor, he mastered land surveying, data collection, and project management across diverse sectors. Transitioning to technology sales at Seiler Geospatial, Adam specializes in innovative solutions, including GNSS, robotic total stations, drone mapping, and LiDAR. A trusted advisor, he empowers surveyors to optimize workflows and adopt cutting-edge tools. Adam frequently shares his insights at conferences and training events, focusing on technology adoption and maximizing ROI.

Jonathan Payne, PLS

Jonathan Payne, PLS began his surveying career by taking the surveying courses associated with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Murray State University in the 1990s along with some summer internships.  This was followed by a more in-depth study of surveying while attaining a master’s in Engineering Technology - also from Murray State University.  After graduation, Jonathan gained professional practice experience while working in Paducah Kentucky on projects in the areas of boundary surveys (retracement and division), route surveys (rail and road), and construction layout.  He was able to attain licensure in 2000.

Since 2000, Jonathan has operated a small surveying business in Trigg County Kentucky with a focus on boundary surveying.  Project have ranged from small lot retracements to a 700-lot subdivision of thirteen hundred acres.  Between fall 2013 to spring 2017, Jonathan served as the instructor for surveying at Murray State University and completed the coursework for a doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Kentucky.

Jonathan has been a long-time member and has served in several roles for the Kentucky Association of Professional Surveyors including chapter chair of the Jackson Purchase chapter, director, committee member on various committees, editor for the Interior Angle and as a former president.  In addition, he has been a life member of the Surveyor’s Historical Society and a long-term member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors (even prior to the NSPS full membership initiative).

James Phillips, PLS

James Phillips, PLS works for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District and has been with Real Estate Division since May of 2018.  He is a licensed professional with over 30 years of experience, 25 of which was in the private sector.  James is the Project Surveyor and Mapper for Louisville District’s flowage easement encroachment resolution at Nolin and Rough River Lake.

Mark Schnesk

Mark Schnesk is a Senior Applications Engineer for Seiler Design Solutions and has over 30 years’ experience as a civil engineering and survey technician in the infrastructure design and geospatial industry. He has worked for firms in Michigan, Florida, and Illinois in various capacities on infrastructure and survey projects including transportation, utility, and land development. Mark is an AutoCAD Civil 3D Certified Professional, an Autodesk Certified Instructor and an FAA Part 107 licensed drone pilot.

Dennis D. Smith, PE, PLS, F.ASCE, F.NSPS

Dennis D. Smith, PE, PLS, F.ASCE, F.NSPS, the founder of DDS ENGINEERING, PLLC, is a native of south-central Kentucky and a graduate of Western Kentucky University.  He is a licensed professional engineer and a licensed professional land surveyor in multiple states with over 50 years of experience.  He has served on the Kentucky State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, The Board of the Colonial States Boards of Surveyor Registration,  National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, the Board of Directors of the National Corvette Museum, and as President and advisor of the Western Kentucky University Civil Engineering Department’s Advisory Board.  He has received numerous accolades, but perhaps one he is most proud of is facilitating the process to secure the WKU Engineering Program Accreditation followed by his directing the surveying and engineering efforts to stabilize the National Corvette Museum after a large sinkhole formed beneath the museum swallowing 8 historic Corvettes in early 2014.  He and personnel from his Firm were involved with the setting, and re-setting, of the Replica of the Kentucky-Tennessee Boundary Marker #38 at the I-65 Welcome Center in Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky.

Tim Tong, PLS

Tim Tong, PLS I began my surveying career working for a local surveyor in Owensboro, KY in the winter of 2001. I fell in love with surveying and never looked back. I have since worked at several different local and national surveying firms located in Evansville, IN and Austin, TX, and Florence, KY. I studied Land Surveying & Geomatics at Austin Community College in Austin, TX. I moved back to Kentucky to work at GRW’s corporate headquarters in Lexington, KY and began running their Survey Division in 2014. I have since taken the position as Chief of Surveys at Summit Architects + Engineers that is headquartered in Lexington, KY.

My vast experience includes many types of surveying and working with a diverse group of clienteles. I have worked on everything from small retracement surveys to pipelines and powerlines that have stretched hundreds of miles across the US, to construction staking for building gridlines on high-rises. One of my most memorable projects was surveying over 20 miles along the Fort Knox property for USACE.

I have been a member of the Kentucky Association of Professional Surveyors since becoming licensed in 2012. I have served as a Director on the Board (2017-2018) as well as the Chapter Chair of the Bluegrass/Capital Chapter of KAPS (2018-2020, 2021-2024), and I still remain on the KAPS BOD as the Committee Chair for Professional Development.

Jared Wilson is an assistant professor and program coordinator of the surveying and mapping science program East Tennessee State University in the Engineering, Engineering Technology, and Surveying.  He has taught courses regarding general land surveying applications, principles, computations, professional decisions, and field management procedures.  His professional focus is on educating future surveyors and the public with regards to the field of land surveying and mapping.

Luke Woodyard, PLS, EIT

Luke Woodyard, PLS, EIT recently graduated with a civil engineering degree from the University of Kentucky in 2019 and was hired to work on the Land Survey team for Qk4 Inc. A unicorn of sorts to the surveying community in Kentucky, Luke wanted to be a surveyor like his grandfather and not just settle for being an engineer. He is willing to work, loves the outdoors, and has spent the last 8 years collecting millions of points across the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Country, armed with a pair of the best GPS units, and a scanning total station.