FORMAL EDUCATION M.S., Water Resources (Civil Engineering), Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 1973. B.A., Natural Science, St. Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa, 1964. Licensed Professional Environmental/Sanitary Engineer - PE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Environmental Engineering and Management Consultant July 2003 to Present Currently provide specialize inspections, assessments, design and management of drinking water, wastewater, groundwater, building construction, and housing safety. Chief of Party USAID / CDM Urban Water Project Afghanistan August 2002 to July 2003 Chief of Party and Project Manager for $2 million emergency urban water and sanitation projects in Kabul, Kandahar and Kunduz, Afghanistan. Employer was CDM (Camp, Dresser & McKee International) under contract with USAID (United States Agency for International Development). Emphasis was on design, administration, contracting and field inspection of emergency rehabilitation projects for water supply, sewerage and a major groundwater study. Projects accomplishments: In Kandahar implemented a detailed Kandahar groundwater study, construction of eight observation wells, installation of a 380kw backup generator and 640kva transformer for Urban water plant, repair of 3500 meters of damaged water lines, construction of three production wells and two reservoirs. In Kunduz, responsible for installation of thirty five hand pump wells and thirty community latrines, and implementation of operator training and community public health hygiene campaign. In Kabul, Member of an international water & sanitation coordination team and designated lead for international aid team that developed formal water supply assessment and inspection guidelines for the Afghanistan Central Water & Sewerage Authority. Also conducted assessment for developing new water projects for USAID including the proposed rehabilitation of a large damaged hydroelectric plant. (See international consulting section below on other international experience) Director of Engineering and Environmental Health Programs Iowa Department of Public Health September 1973 to January 2002 Administrator and chief of the statewide public health environmental and engineering and housing/building inspection programs. This includes overseeing sanitary engineering, field investigations, field sanitation, and safety surveillance. Enforcement of Iowa / Federal Codes with responsibility for providing inspection and technical assistance and regulatory actions in programs for water quality, drinking water, wastewater treatment, state housing and plumbing codes, indoor air contamination, migrant labor camps, consumer product safety, US EPAs PCB surveillance, grade A milk certification, public swimming pools, beaches, hazardous waste, toxic health effects and natural disaster response. Responsible for field sanitarian and engineer training, environmental/agriculture impact assessments and emergency response. Designated "State Engineer" with responsibility for administration of engineering review, construction/permit programs and consultation to city and county engineers. Head up special teams to conduct emergency response environmental impacts, and impacts of consumer products. Engineering chair of the State Plumbing Code Committee and administration of the State Housing Code. Initiate and recommend new agency policies and programs to address emerging hazards and provide technical and regulatory guidance on remediation. Leadership role in working with businesses, agriculture firms, state agencies, local health departments, and legislators to develop the state's environmental and health policy. Special emphasis on coordination between government and private agencies. Provide legal testimony, court appearances, news interviews and presentations to public and professional organizations. Manage 25 professional staff. Direct technical support and training to all county environmental officials. Administer $2 -3 million annual budget. Accomplishments  Proposed and was principal on formal review of research on health issues such as the effects of large scale hog feeding operations on shallow groundwater, effects of 1993 Midwestern flood on rural drinking water wells, and innovative alternatives to conventional onsite sewage treatment. During the 1993 Midwest Flood, lead response efforts with FEMA and CDC to focus on practicle response and solutions to flooding of housing, water supplies and sewage systems. Also lead the effort to develop conclusive research of the flood data collected during the response Developed a program evaluation process that resulted in quality measurements for demonstrating program effectiveness. Selected to chair the Iowa Department of Health's Program Assessment Committee. Selected by the Conference of State Sanitary Engineers to receive the World Health Organization fellowship to review disinfection alternatives to address trihalmethanes in drinking water. Initiated and developed Iowa's new childhood lead poisoning prevention inspection program. Manage the program with emphasis selection of appropriate personnel and on practical housing \ building investigations/inspection and remediation techniques. Serve as technical expert and legal witness on investigations and proper techniques of housing remediation. Provide training of contractors and housing officials. Since 1991, the program has trained over 500 officials and initiated over 225,000 lead screenings of children, detailed medical and environmental follow-up of 5000 critically lead-poisoned children and corrected thousands of homes with lead base paint deficiencies. Appointed to lead ad hoc statewide Iowa housing committee to update state housing code. Appointed by Des Moines mayor to City Neighborhood Advisory Housing Board, which concentrated on the allocation of state and federal community housing funds. Initiated and developed Iowa's new programs for private well construction standards, drinking water treatment unit certification, and innovative onsite sewage treatment designs. Established more progressive state migrant camp housing standards and inspection program. Initiated assistance to communities for conducting training on, environmental assessments. This was to help identify real health exposure issues and to upgrade local environmental capacity. Establish Iowa's Sanitation Training Institute at Kirkwood College. Created state "circuit rider" program to help local communities. Coordinated separate institutional building, food, sanitation and safety staff training for State Human Services, Iowa Department of Corrections, and the Division of Health Facilities. Developed an ad hoc committee for Iowa Human Services to develop health and safety housing standards for childcare programs. Leadership role on Boards: Iowa Ground Water Association (chair), State Plumbing Code Committee (chair), Iowa Department of Environmental Quality Chemical Technical Commission, Iowa Interagency Council on Radiation Safety (chair), National Sanitation Foundation International (NSF) Water Systems and Materials Standards Committees (chair), Conference of State Sanitary Engineers (chair), the Great Lakes Upper Mississippi River Board of Sanitary Engineers, Governor's State Environmental Program Reorganization Team, Chief healthy engineer advisory to the Iowa Department Of Emergency Management, State Department of Health Assessment Policy Development Team (chair), Healthy Iowans Year 2010 Environmental Plan (chair) and Des Moines Community Development Neighborhood Housing Advisory Board. NOTES: During this same period (1982 to 1990) established a private housing/ building engineering inspection service. This provided private contract services to farmers and homeowners to identify safety and health conditions and solutions for correcting housing/building environmental deficiencies. Also head up courses for privatization of housing inspection services. Provided private engineering environmental impact and new product consultations for various manufactures and construction contractors. Assisted engineering construction firm to develop remediation of hazardous waste sites.   Research Assistant Iowa State University November, 1972 to August, 1973 Field staff/graduate student on engineering water quality survey of the Des Moines River Basin for the Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute, Iowa State University. Provided training on field water sampling procedures. Environmental Specialist Illinois Environmental Protection Agency July, 1970 to September, 1972 Senior field staff for the divisions of Water Pollution Control and Public Water Supply. Engineering plan reviews of industrial and municipal sewage treatment facilities and public water supplies. Initiated educational forums and seminars to promote public understanding and voluntary compliance. Inspected water supplies, wastewater treatment plants and plumbing systems. Foreign Student Advisor Iowa State University October, 1969 to June, 1970 Taught conventional English to foreign students. Introduced foreign students to the University's facilities to assist them in adapting to the new experience as a student. U.S. Army Vietnam August, 1967 to July, 1969 Served as staff supervisor of base medical laboratory. Involved in the design and construction of hospital buildings and POW camps, and supervised food and water supply inspections. Trained Vietnamese lab interns as part of "pacification program" Received military recognition for taking initiatives developing a medication that eliminated a hospital staph infection and deaths of infant orphans. Specialized Recruiter, Peace Corps December, 1966 to December, 1967 Recruited volunteers at college campuses for engineering and minority agricultural students to serve in the Peace Corps. Visited summer youth camps to provide information about the Peace Corps to high school students. Teacher St. Joseph Grade School, Cornet Chawan, Lebanon July, 1966 to October, 1966 Taught conversational English, mathematics, and physical education to fifth grade students. Peace Corps Volunteer, West Pakistan July, 1964 to July, 1966 Worked with agriculture communities in the Punjab and Frontier (Afgan boarder area) on sugarcane projects to reclaim soil which was unusable due to salinity from irrigation water. Developed a center to train local farmers and technicians on maintenance and repair of farming equipment, pumps, wells, and canals. Developed a new irrigation design and a farm management program. Coordinated between the Muslims and Christians the development of a new cemetary for Christians. Worked with the West Pakistan Departments of Agriculture and Community Development on a project to demonstrate new methods of farming sugar cane, rice, wheat, and cotton. Instructed engineering and surveying trainees in public works engineering and help organize the construction of a new school. Received formal recognition by West Pakistan Minister of Agriculture.
INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING August 2002 to July 2003 was Chief of Party and Project manager for emergency urban water and sanitation projects in Kandahar and Kunduz, Afghanistan. Employer was CDM (Camp, Dresser & McKee International) under contract with USAID (United States Agency for International Development). Emphasis was on design, administration, contracting and construction inspection of new of water supply, sewerage and a major groundwater study. Projects accomplishments: Completion of the ground water study, construction of eight observation wells, installation of a 380kw backup generator and 640kva transformer for city water plant, repair of 3500 meters of war damaged water lines, construction of three production wells and two reservoirs, construction of thirty five hand pump wells and thirty community latrines, and implementation of operator training and community public health hygiene campaign. Lead international team that developed formal water supply assessment guidelines for the Afghanistan Central Water & Sewerage Authority. Also conducted assessment for developing new water projects for USAID including rehab of hydroelectric plant damaged during the 9-ll US offensive. September 1999 conducted an evaluation of "mineral water" problem in the State of STAVROPOL, RUSSIA. This was an assessment of water, wastewater and waste disposal in the mineral water region. This assessment was provided through the Iowa Sister State Program, which has an official Iowa/Stavropol relationship. Current Chair of Iowa / Stavropol Sister State Committee. October 1995, developed a sewer cleaning design and provided detailed equipment bid specifications and maintenance / training recommendations for GAZA City, ISRAEL. This was an emergency sewer cleaning equipment purchase project initiated by the United Nations (UNWRA) to address the immediate problem of plugged sewers and raw sewage discharges due to anticipated heavy rains. Short term contract with Camp, Dresser & McKee International/USAID. March and December 1993, Principal Engineer on two contracts with Camp, Dresser and McKee/ USAID. These projects were to conduct emergency public health engineering evaluations of the public water and sewage systems in Yerevan, ARMENIA in March 1993 and in Tibilisi, GEORGIA, in December 1993. Developed specific recommendations to place systems back into operation because of the waterborne outbreaks that resulted from the economic blockade and war with the neighboring republics. Recommendations were also provided for improving environmental/public health laboratory capacity. The consultations were provided as part of a team that responded to the humanitarian emergencies. November 1990 and February 1992 engineered and supervised the construction of new drinking waterwells for a rural community near Khartoum, SUDAN. The project included the installation of a windmill as an alternative pumping source for the community. This technical service was provide through a contract with Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, and The Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, and is referred to as the "White Nile Water Women in Development Project." 1990 reviewed and made formal recommendations for improving research on drinking water treatment unit for remote areas of Lima, PERU. This was a contract with The Applied Diarrhea Research Project, Harvard Institute for International Development to address the immediate problem of large increase of waterborne illnesses in Lima. 1980 provide health engineering assistance to a team of waterwell contractors on a drinking water project in Contacosta, GUATEMALA. The emphasis was on emergency reconditioning of the drinking water system, water sampling, chlorination. Maintenance training on septic tank waste treatment systems was also provided. 1977 and 1978 provided administrative and technical guidance to the BELIZE Ministry of Health in developing a new plumbing code for Belize City. Included was formal waterwell construction inspection training for the staff of the Belize Ministry of Health. Support for these projects was through the Pan American Health Organization. Since 1985 have been involved in a number of public heath, agriculture and natural resource projects in Yucatan, MEXICO. Included were designing or facilitating the development of rural water supplies, emergencies response services, conservation projects, pesticide use training, irrigation systems, agriculture equipment repair, housing developments and youth exchanges. This effort was part of the Iowa-Yucatan Partners Sister State organization. In 1988 was Governor of Iowa's designee to Yucatan as lead for Iowa's emergency response to Hurricane Gilberto, which directly affected Yucatan. Peace Corps Volunteer, West Pakistan, 1964-66.(See previous description)
PUBLICATIONS Choquette, K.C. and Gergely, R. -- "Residential Water Treatment Systems: A Consumer Information Pamphlet" Iowa Department of Public Health, 1990. Choquette, K.C.--"Health Hazard Review - Plastic Water Pipe" Iowa Department of Public Health, 1983. Choquette, K.C.--"Safeguarding Private Water Supplies" Iowa Department of Public Health, 1980. Choquette, K.C.--"Nitrates: Ground Water" Journal of Iowa Medical Society, July 1980. Clark, J. and Choquette, K. --"Mechanized Farming in West Pakistan", West Pakistan Department of Agriculture, 1966. Mitchell, L.G.; Townsend, S.C.; and Choquette, K.C.--"Limax Amoebae in Public Swimming Pool at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa" Iowa Academy of Science, 1982. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES American Water Works Association: Member of Plastic Pipe and Water Supply Disinfection Committees American and Iowa Public Health Associations: Member of both and received 1988 Environmental Health Superior Achievement Award (Harry Grant Award) Conference of State Sanitary Engineers: 1983 Chairman Inter American Association of Sanitary Engineers: Member Iowa Ground Water Association: Currently on the board of directors. Chairman 1997 to 1998. 1985-1986 was one of the founding members and Secretary-Treasurer. Iowa Water Well Association: Awarded a life membership in 1983 for work in initiating and designing Iowa's private water well standards and technical assistance program. National Sanitation Foundation (NSF): Current member of Joint Committee on Plastic Pipe, (1985 Chair of Plastic Ingredients Subcommittee). Also a member of Joint Committee on Design of Drinking Water Treatment Units. Des Moines Neighborhood Advisory Board: Advisory to neighborhood groups on fund of housing projects-1996-1998. Iowa Yucatan Partners of the Americas Sister State Committee. Chairman 1983 to 1987. Current Chair of Natural Resources Sub Chair. Iowa Stavropol Sister State Committee. Chairman 2000 to present. Licensed Iowa Professional Environmental Engineer (PE #9558) World Health Organization Fellowship on water treatment 1978