Kyle Keer

I currently serve as a Senior Project Manager for the South Phase of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) for the Jacksonville District Army Corps of Engineers. In this position I plan, program, and oversee the execution of $455M in budget and schedule, for the planning, design, and construction of Everglades restoration projects. This position requires close coordination and direction to a team of subject matter experts internal to the Corps of Engineers, but also with State, local, and Tribal representatives.

I initiate, manage, administer, and approve plans that translate project objectives into completed projects. I review and approve funding and manpower estimates to assure sufficient resources are dedicated to support project objectives. I review and approve operating plans and approaches; establish overall project priorities, procedures, and orchestrate completion of short- and long-term goals. I review project criteria, construction progress, and oversee contract modifications. I evaluate and compare project status against established federal milestones and objectives and direct actions required for any course corrections to assure the attainment of goals and objectives.

I Resolves highly difficult technical and administrative project problems, obtaining Project Review Board or supervisory approval, as required and represent the District when dealing with the local, state, and municipal authorities for the project. I am responsible for furnishing authoritative responses to project questions and issues and speak with the authority of the Deputy for Programs and Project Management at conferences and with the press on all issues including those of a critical or controversial nature that might arise during the life of my projects.

I am responsible for the day-to-day management, leadership, and execution of assigned programs and projects. I ensure that frequent, clear, and open communication (oral and written) occurs among my Project Delivery Team (PDT), and other stakeholders on project progress, issues and resolutions, and impacts to project budget and schedule. I negotiate, coordinate, and integrate all District functions, customer needs, regulatory requirements, and other agency's commitments in support of assigned projects into a comprehensive management plan. I assure that PDT participation is in accordance with the agreed upon management plan and that customer technical and fiscal commitments are maintained in accordance with established policies. I ensure that project scope, criteria, schedules, budgets, and performance measurement criteria are fully developed and integrated. I control and manage project schedules and budgets from planning through operations and maintenance. I monitor project progress and measure performance; recommend corrective actions, and ensure commitments of all parties are maintained.

In this position, I served as a Senior Project Manager representing Reclamation's Central California Area Office. I was responsible for the overall management, control, coordination and execution of the $408M Safety of Dams (SOD) Program in Folsom California. In doing so, I was charged with the implementation of corporate decisions, guidance, legislation, regulations and policy in the development and support of the program and its numerous subprojects. I negotiated and integrated planning, design, cost engineering, construction, real estate, and procurement activities, stakeholder needs, and other agencies’ commitments. I also established project scope and criteria, schedules and milestones; directed budget expenditures, identified project dependencies and responsibilities of supporting teams, and facilitated development of assumptions and risks, contingencies, and performance measurement criteria. To maintain corporate commitment to the management plan, I organized and facilitated Program Management Team (PMT) meetings to brief the PMT in making programming decisions affecting long and short-range courses of action.

I represented Reclamation by leading and participating in inter-agency teams where I served as the technical point of contact in addressing issues that affected project objectives and decisions related to the Folsom, Safety of Dams (SOD) Program. I participated in public involvement programs to stay engaged of all issues relevant to the project, keeping Reclamation management and stakeholders fully informed of the projects progress, identifying public concerns and facilitating the resolution or negotiation of identified problems or issues in the most appropriate manner. My job duties required me to maintain close coordination with technical experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Reclamation, and other organizations from academic, Federal, State, and local governments, and private sectors in order to incorporate widely varying perspectives and interests into the program.

As a Project Manager, the focus of my job was to provide regular and consistent communication between the sponsor, stakeholders and technical teams; to maintain collaborative working relationships ensuring their needs are heard and addressed. I focused on Identifying and analyzing problems; distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical decisions and develop collaborative solutions. It was critical that I was able to communicate effectively with all levels and types of organizations and audiences and use relationships and partnerships to achieve collaborative solutions and resolve to highly complex problems using my project management, conflict management, mediation, team building, and negotiation skill sets to achieve results in a collaborative spirit.

In this position I served as Chief of the Operations and Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPA) Branch, Resources Management Division. I supervised 3 team members and provided programmatic oversight, coordination, and facilitation in representing Reclamation’s Central California Area Office’s (CCAO) interests for activities affecting operations on both the American and Stanislaus rivers.

As a Program Manager, I was responsible for the planning, organization, management, and direction of activities within the Operations and RPA Branch. I led activities related to the overall management, control, coordination, and execution of projects and activities related to river coordination and implementation of Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives as outlined in the Biological Opinions affecting the American and Stanislaus rivers. I provided facilitation and coordination between CCAO leadership, support staff, and other federal, state, local, and tribal organizations to identify project related tasks, scopes, schedules, and resource requirements to execute RPA-related activities. I was responsible for the implementation of leadership directives and assuring regulations and policies are followed in support of Area Office needs.

As a supervisor, the position required planning, scheduling, and assigning work priorities to assure Branch and RPA program requirements are met within the scope of supporting Area Office mission requirements.

As a representative of the Area Office, I attended various stakeholder workgroups and staff and management meetings; and served as a liaison in coordinating and facilitating discussions to resolve complex, regional issues related to RPA activities.

The position required constant and consistent use of my knowledge, skills, and experience to develop and maintain networks, alliances, and relationships with an extremely broad range of partners, stakeholders, governmental, and non-governmental interests.

In this position, I served as supervisor for Reclamation’s Lahontan Basin Area Office’s Special Studies Program Division; overseeing, directing, and supporting a multidisciplinary team of subject matter experts in the management and planning of water resource infrastructure for the Lahontan Basin Area Office (LBAO). This position required program and study oversight of Reclamation dams, canals, and other supporting infrastructure purposed to provide water deliveries for irrigation of farmland, water supply for rural communities, and recreational opportunities within LBAO’s area of operation. Activities Influenced and provided oversight of a large area of rural, high desert farmland and communities within the Tahoe Basin of both the state of California and Nevada and encompassing drainages of both the Truckee and Carson rivers specifically providing oversight of Special Studies Program development and application of hydrologic forecasting model simulation and monitoring of Operating Criteria and Procedures (OCAP) of the Newlands Project.

Position served Reclamation in assuring the agency and government interests were met while addressing concerns of tribal nations, local governments, irrigation district, and special interest groups. Position required a high degree of involvement, coordination, and communication with a broad range of stakeholders in assuring concerns were addressed, conflicts resolved, and interests were considered and met within the framework of Reclamation’s mission. Program goals were driven by regulatory compliance and public law and had enormous visibility of community, water right holders, and Regional Leadership.

This position provided an opportunity; to invoke my own leadership skills in a supervisory capacity, engage and directly support higher level leadership within a Reclamation Area Office, obtain an intensive introduction to LBAO irrigation delivery obligations, and gain invaluable exposure to cooperative partnerships LBAO maintains as part of its on-going mission.

Detail required active participation in both internal team and stakeholder meetings; participation in cooperative meetings in which LBAO provided a supporting role to commitments such as Newlands Project Implementation; Special Projects Division team Meetings; LBAO Budget Meetings; Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID) Board Meeting; TCID’s Water Measurement Meeting; Truckee River Operating Agreement (TROA MOA) Water Master Meeting, TROA Scheduling Meeting, and Reclamation Canal O&M Training.

Detail provided the larger visual comprehension of LBAO’s project boundaries to further understand the infrastructure in place supporting LBAO’s mission through; installation of temperature monitoring equipment within the Truckee Canal and understanding configuration and operation of Lahontan Dam, Carson Gage/Diversion, TC-13, V-Line Wasteway, Sheckler Reservoir, Carson Lake and Pasture, Stillwater Reservoir, the Big Dig, and Derby Dam, Boca Dam, Stampede Dam, Prosser Dam, and Tahoe Dam. The detail also provided an unprecedented opportunity to research and learn further details related to LBAO’s mission, infrastructure, and partner and stakeholder interests in reviewing Newlands Operating Criteria and Procedures; TCID’s 1996 Newlands Operation and Maintenance Contract, and RiverWare application of Newlands OCAP system and runoff analysis.

In this position I served as a Senior Water Management Specialist responsible for the water control and operation of complicated flood control project systems that include reservoirs and dams within the Sacramento District US Army Corps of Engineers. In doing so, I am Responsible for the development and preparation of;
- water management regulations for the operation of flood control and multi-purpose flood risk management projects throughout the Sacramento and San Joaquin river watersheds,
- water control, operations and maintenance manuals,
- water management operation planning studies,
- hydrologic and meteorological studies supporting floodplain management services and FEMA floodplain mapping efforts,
- special hydrologic research investigations,
- post flood reports, and water management portions of reconnaissance and feasibility reports and design memoranda for proposed projects,
- water management aspects of environmental assessments and impact statements for restoration efforts,
- and development and implementation of the methodology and necessary tools to perform these functions.

As a Senior Water Management Specialist I coordinated extensively with other federal, state, and local flood control agencies, and individuals (including the public) to ensure all aspects of prevailing flood conditions are known. I determined the operating criteria for current conditions and issued operating instructions to the project operators. I provided operational forecasts to the Readiness Branch, Construction-Operations Division, project operators, and other District elements as needed. I advised Sacramento District and South Pacific Division Leadership and made recommendations as to the need to deviate from established regulations that govern water control processes. I provided information to the Public Affairs Office (PAO) for dissemination to the general public and instruct project operations personnel on the proper use of Water Control Manuals, reporting procedures, and emergency operations.

I was responsible for the overall development of functional operating criteria for flood control projects. I initiated, established, and controlled technical policies, procedures and basic guidelines for the preparation of water control manuals and related meteorological, hydrological, and water management portions of planning studies, reconnaissance and feasibility studies, and designed memoranda. I prepared requests to other organizational elements, federal, state and local agencies, and private interests; developed project scopes, work schedules, funding requirements, criteria to be used, extent of coordination required, alternatives to be considered, and considerations to be given to unique and special functional meteorological, hydrological, and water management requirements.

I was responsible for investigations dealing with water management issues as they pertained to the effects on precipitation, runoff, streamflow, downstream conditions, water use requirements, channel capacities, and other types of improvements and flood control, and multi-purpose reservoir space. I determined the need for changes in criteria, data requirements and facilities to meet at-the-site conditions, or changes in the services or functions of the projects; or to improve water management measures, or coordinate the operations of projects within other river basins or geographical regions. As the Senior Water Management Specialist, I also coached, mentored, and counseled junior water management staff.

I served as a project delivery team (PDT) member on assigned civil works and water resources projects, interfacing with both the other PDT members and the Section Chief to determine water management work responsibilities, required technical assistance, and methods to accomplish independent technical review/evaluation and administrative support. As a technical lead, I directed other section staff, as necessary, to support one or more concurrent projects. The direction and assistance I provided included work assignments, technical guidance as needed during the course of work, ans the review of work to assure progress and accuracy.

I prepared internal/external correspondence in response to federal, state, private agencies, and Congressional inquires relating to project operation and studies. I prepared status reports, project management plans, quality control plans, and documentation of work performed. I participated as a recognized authority in meetings and conferences (SAME, FMA) at all levels (local, headquarters, and public) relating to hydrometeorological and water management policies, procedures, development and criteria. I prepared scopes of work (SOW) and administered A/E contracts and prepared and maintained budgets and schedule information for assigned work efforts that are included in District-wide workload management systems.

I assumed responsibility as Acting Section Chief during my Supervisor's absence.

In this capacity I served as the Sacramento District’s Flood Risk Manager. I provided expert project and program management for Corps of Engineers Civil Works Floodplain Management Services and water resource projects. These projects were not only of a high dollar value and of great national priority, but also of environmental sensitivity, and extraordinary urgency. I applied a wealth of water resources and scientific knowledge to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Corps of Engineers policy and project management program to ensure adequate funding, scheduled goals and to meet project objectives. Coordination included flood risk management, floodplain management services, FEMA map coordination, dams, water diversion structures, bridges, flood walls, levees, river control structures, flood plains, dredging, environmental restoration and other facilities. Goals were accomplished utilizing knowledge of Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works water resources program; FEMA NFIP and mapping program knowledge; this included interpreting and applying the dynamic and substantive policy relating to Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program and assigned projects, approving operational deviations, applying innovative contracting procedures, and providing guidance or direction to subordinate project managers in the section through project oversight activities and interaction. I prepared, presented and testified on behalf of the Sacramento District before state and local governments, contractors, other agencies, and Congressional representatives.