WWD announces 2025 Emerging Leaders

Heather Stewart

Global Principal for Wastewater Simulation, Jacobs

The academic background of Heather Stewart is as impressive as her contributions for the wastewater industry. At Villanova she earned an astrophysics degree before continuing her education at The Catholic University of America. She completed three degrees at The Catholic University — a Masters of Science in physics in 2013, a Master of Science in civil and environmental engineering in 2016, and a doctorate in applied physics in 2017. She conducted her graduate research work at DC Water, and has used her knowledge and graduate work to accelerate and drive digital innovations in wastewater treatment.

During her time as a graduate student at NASA where she was studying black holes, Stewart discovered she wanted to fight climate change and help every day people. These values led her to the water industry where her strong academic background led to her current position as Jacobs global principal for wastewater simulation, a position that marries her love of math with those aforementioned values.

Since starting at Jacobs in 2016 she has used a multidiscipline approach rooted in her astrophysics and applied physics backgrounds to drive innovation in wastewater treatment with machine learning and digital twins using advanced modeling techniques. That work, which began as part of a Water Research Foundation project, contributed to Jacobs’ Hybrid optimizer, a tool that combines AI and mechanistic models for nutrient control and lower operational costs.

She is an active member of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), where she chairs the WEFTEC Game-Based Modeling workshop and WEF Biofilm Group. She also has served on program and scientific boards for specialty WEF conferences, and was the YP chair for the WRRmod conference. In 2024, the American Academy of Environmental Engineers listed her in its 40 Under 40 list.

Anthony Taylor

Office Director and Senior Project Manager, Haper General Contractors

Anthony Taylor has been instrumental in growing the South Carolina business and presence of Harper General Contractors in his role as office director and senior project manager. He joined Harper General Contractors in 2014 and completed three rotations for first-hand water and wastewater field experience while earning his civil engineering degree at Clemson University in 2016. At that time he transition from his entry role to that of project engineer and pushed for more responsibility to strengthen his experience in the field. It was this initiative, drive and self-motivation that led to his appointment as office director and senior project manager for the company.

In 2023, he launched the Summerville, South Carolina office with a focus on 3D modeling, drones, and laser scanning to improve project efficiency. This launch included touchpoints with operations, strategic partnerships and recruitment as he built out the office as it stands today. He is deeply committed to mentorship in the company and helps drive the careers of co-ops, project engineers and assistant project managers in the organization. It is the combination of these two things — office and field work — that presents a continued challenge that he says keeps him motivated, especially when seeing a finished and commissioned project.

His notable projects include the Summerville WWTP, Pioneer WTP and the RB Simms WTF, all of which have been recognized under his leadership. And his drive to improve has not waned. He is pursuing DBIA certifcation for collaborative delivery support as the industry adjusts to progressive delivery methods. He actively participates in the Water Environment Association of South Carolina, including the Young Professionals program, and he holds certifications for drone flying, OSHA 10 and OSHA 30. Out side of the office, he volunteers with Meals on Wheels and Miracle League.

Mathieu Lamotte

Digital Zone Manager, Veolia Water Technologies

At the heart of Mathieu Lamotte’s career is a drive to cultivate the best innovations to solve real-world problems as well as the best professionals to do the job. As a digital zone manager for Veolia Water Technologies, Mathieu is a herald and champion of innovations that are climate- and planet-conscious from the get-go, rather than an afterthought. Prior to his time with Veolia, Lamotte’s work history included roles relating to operations, consultative sales, and process automation across multiple business sectors, including construction, Internet of Things and Software as a Service.

He has led Veolia’s real-time analytics digital twin to prioritize real-world impacts over theoretical solutions. This work included successfully expanding Hubgrade Performance, a real-time digital twin, which has been used to reduce environmental impacts at wasteawter plants while also optimizing operations. He brings the energy and innovations seen in start-up companies to the global powerhouse that is Veolia while holding to his principles and convictions that digital transofrmations do not have to be at odds with sustainable and green outcomes. In pairing the digital solutions with his sustainable convictions, he is driving and reshaping the future of the wastewter industry.

In addition to his leadership in technical circles, Lamotte recruits the best and brightest professionals into his international, multi-generational team, where he cultivates a team of diverse perspectives to ensure engineers and technical experts are recognized and celebrated for their contributions. Lamotte looks beyond the results of his work and his team to ensure he is empowering future generations with the skills and talents they need to succeed. Under this direction, he is inspiring a new era of leadership driven by people with purpose and passion by “turning the raw potential of this industry into something extraordinary.”

Laurel Schaich

Environmental Engineer and Project Technical Leader, CDM Smith

Laurel Schaich is an environmental engineer and project technical leader at CDM Smith, recognized for her technical excellence and leadership in bioenergy and biosolids. She holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Nebraska and earned her Masters of Science in environmental engineering from the University of Kansas.

Over the past nine years, Laurel has contributed to key wastewater projects which include the biogas conditioning and injection project for Des Moines Wastewater Reclamation Authority in addition to efforts for Fort Wayne City Utilities and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. One of her signature contributions while at CDM Smith is a bioenergy modeling tool that has enhanced client revenue by evaluating biogas financials, which secured more than $2 million in new project fees. Her accomplishments include publishing papers, presenting at industry conferences and driving more than $11.5 million in new business for CDM Smith in 2024 alone.

Laurel is a registered professional engineer in Missouri, Pennsylvania and Indiana and has received numerous accolades, including CDM Smith’s Rising Star award in 2019 and the 2022 CDM Smith Enterprise Award for Best Non-Peer-Reviewed Paper. Her work was featured in the April 2014 edition of Water Environment & Technology. Her work earned her the 2023 Water Environment Federation Schroepfer Innovative Facility Medal.

Additionally, Laurel is an active mentor to young engineers and a trusted advisor to clients. She is a classically trained musician, performing with her husband in a piano/violin duet. Outside of work, she also enjoys completing logic problems, word puzzles, and riddles. Laurel’s multifaceted talents and dedication make her a standout leader in the water industry and a driving force behind CDM Smith’s technical innovation and client service.

Alexander Gruzdev

Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Silver Lake Research Group

Alexander Gruzdev is vice president of sales and marketing for Silver Lake Research Group where he focuses on product development, sales, marketing and regulatory compliance. After a successful 15-year stint in the automotive market, he transitioned to the water safety industry  three years ago where he has already had a profound impact. In the automotive world, he conducted market research for private companies as well as his own company Gruzdev Analyze, which he founded in 2020.

In the water and wastewater sector, Gruzdev immediately made a splash with swift and impactful contributions by leveraging his expertise in consumer behavior, marketing and psychology. In joining these three pieces, he bridges the gap between customer needs and regulatory requirements. That customer-centric approach has led to sustainable and successful outcomes through the use of practical applications.

Some of his notable achievements include leading initiatives that have enabled more than 150,000 homes worldwide to test for lead contamination, improving water line safety in the dental industry and establishing key partnerships for user-friendly water testing solutions. He played a pivotal role in developing a rapid test for Legionella bacteria, validated by Purdue University, which has benefited various industries. In the maritime sector, he introduced a practical method for onboard potable water testing to enhance compliance and safety aboard seabound vessels.

Internationally, Gruzdev has spearheaded projects across African communities, ensuring thousands of local wells deliver bacteria-free water. His leadership continutes to elevate water safety standards globally while making water testing more accessible and impactful. The results of each of these accomplishments further highlight Gruzdev’s commitment to positive public health and safety outcomes related to water across the globe.