Community Involvement
ASCE: American Society of Civil Engineers
Gaea president, Dr. Tonja Koob, served as the 2016-2017 president of the ASCE New Orleans Branch and Kyle Galloway, Gaea project manager, served as a director of the chapter. They are responsible for directing and operating the Branch's efforts to serve fellow professionals through luncheons, seminars, networking events, educational outreach and public outreach. Kyle serves as the Branch's Younger Members Chair for 2017-2018 to promote professional development and networking among younger engineers. Tonja also serves as History and Heritage committee chair for the New Orleans chapter, Director and History and Heritage committee chair for ASCE Louisiana Section, national History and Heritage committee member for the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of ASCE, and as the Technical Tours committee chair for the 2017 National ASCE Conference.
EVENT SPONSORSHIP:
State of the Coast Conference, The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana & The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
Gold Sponsor
ReNEW Schools "Future Takes Flight"
Event Sponsor
NAMI Walks, National Alliance on Mental Illness
Kilometer Sponsor since 2010
Canstruction Design Build
Competion
Donated over 5000 cans to local food banks
Engineers Without Borders
Gaea staff have consulted on several pro-bono projects through the New Orleans Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) since 2007. In the past, Gaea staff have served as officers and project leads, traveled internationally, and hosted local meetings at Gaea's office. Tonja Koob served as the charter president of EWB-NOLA professional chapter and helped start the EWB-UNO student chapter. Currently, one of Gaea's own, Brooke Morris, serves as co-secretary for the NOLA professional chapter. Engineers Without Borders is an organization that encourages engineers to volunteer their technical professional services to international sustainable projects. The New Orleans chapter has participated in international projects in El Savador and Nicaragua, but is best known for their domestic work within the Greater New Orleans area. In addition to local projects, Gaea staff has volunteered via EWB for a number of local service events such as the Lake Pontchartrain Beach clean-up, a recycle initiative at the Crescent City Classic 10k Run, and clean-up in Baton Rouge in response to flooding.
Publications & Presentations
Galloway, Kyle and Jennifer Snape. 2016 Implementation of EcoSystems Artificial Reef at Shark Island, Vermilion Bay. State of the Coast Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Maygarden, Ben. 2016. Draining the Bowl: New Orleans Drainage System is a Civil Engineering Landmark. Louisiana Civil Engineering Conference & Show, Kenner, LA.
Maygarden, Ben. 2015. A River Runs Through It: The Bonnet Carre Spillway. Louisiana Civil Engineering Conference & Show, Kenner, LA.
Koob, Tonja and Ben Maygarden. 2015. Sand Through an Hourglass: Ecological Restoration Challenges In the Atchafalaya River Basin. Society for Ecological Restoration International Conference, Manchester, England.
Koob, Tonja and Jennifer Snape. 2013. Huey P. Long Bridge. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC.
Galloway, Kyle. 2012. Water Resources in the Battle of New Orleans. Louisiana Civil Engineering Conference & Show, Kenner, LA.
The Greater New Orleans
Water Collaborative
The Greater New Orleans Water Collaborative is a diverse, multi-sector regional partnership actively working to ensure that the region sustainability lives and thrives with water. Gaea employees are particularly involved in the Designer Builders Working Group through participation on pro-bono green infrastructure design projects and the sponsorship of the organization's Lunch and Learn Series. Gaea Consultants has also sponsored the Greater New Orleans Foundation's Water Workshop Series in conjunction with the Water Collaborative to encourage engineers to participate by offering professional development hours. Brooke Morris, Gaea's green infrastructure specialist, serves on the Water Collaborative's Steering Committee as the liaison from the Designer Builders Group.
Engineers Without Borders - NOLA is assisting Greenlight NOLA to design an irrigation cistern for their community garden in the Hollygrove neighborhood. Gaea employees contributed water management professional services and illustrated them in a way that empowered the community partner to make the decision on cistern size.
Greenlight Garden Cistern
- Hollygrove, New Orleans, LA
Groundwork New Orleans
Gaea’s working relationship with Groundwork NOLA dates back to 2007. Since then, three members of Gaea’s staff have served as board members, two as treasurer. Groundwork NOLA provides job training to New Orleans youth in the field of environmental stewardship. High school students who are part of Groundwork’s “Green Team” receive training in basic job skills, environmental and social justice concepts, public speaking, gardening, and more. The Green Team and youth aged 18-25 who are part of Groundwork’s workforce development program have gained a positive reputation for installation and maintenance of green infrastructure projects across the city.
Groundwork NOLA and partners improved a previously vacant property in the Lower Ninth Ward with a series of rain gardens and swales and a large shade structure equip with benches. The project is funded by the Sewerage and Water Board as part of their green infrastructure program. Gaea staff worked with architects from Waggoner and Ball to design the site amenities, particularly the structural design of the shade structure. Engineers Without Borders- New Orleans members, coordinated by Gaea staff, assisted Groundwork’s Green Team in construction of the shade structure, benches and rain gardens.
Caffin Shade Structure
- Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans, LA
Gaea performed a site visit and environmental research to complete the Environmental Site Assessment for the Grow Dat Youth Farm located within City Park. We obtained LIDAR data to create a topographical surface to use for the grading/drainage design and we obtained existing utility information and made preliminary recommendations for tie-in locations.
Grow Dat Youth Farm
- City Park, New Orleans, LA
Louisiana Army National Guard
Gaea Project Manager Kyle Galloway serves in the Louisiana Army National Guard as an Engineer Officer. Captain Galloway earned his commission from LSU in 2009, where he was named Distinguished Military Graduate. He served as a platoon leader for the 922nd Horizontal Engineer Company in Gonzales from 2009 to 2012. During his time as a platoon leader, he responded to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, overseeing 24-hour construction operations to close gaps in Elmer’s Island in Grand Isle. The project helped prevent crude oil from reaching estuaries northwest of the island.
Water Quality Planning & Installation
- Amayo, Nicaragua
Engineers Without Borders - NOLA collaborated on two projects in Nicaragua, the first with students at Rice University, the second with the EWB-UNO student chapter. In 2009, EWB-NOLA and partners, including two Gaea employees, installed 20-30 water filters and 11 latrines. Furthermore, they conducted surveys and conducted health education.
Society of Women Engineers
Dr. Tonja Koob formerly served as the president, secretary, and national selection representative for the Society of Women Engineers New Orleans chapter.
Society of Military Engineers
Gaea Consultants maintain a presence at monthly meetings for the Society of Military Engineers (SAME) in New Orleans, Vicksburg, and Mobile. The firm is a sustaining member of the New Orleans post. The district commander of the Mobile District SAME recently appointed Dr. Tonja Koob as a director.
Later that year, he led a group of soilders on a training rotation in Gonaives, Haiti, where they helped build a three room schoolhouse to serve children displaced by the Port-au-Prince earthquake. After graduating with honors from Basic Officer Leader Course, he advanced to executive officer of the 922nd. In this capacity, he
deployed to Kuwait in 2013. He oversaw up to seven simultaneous facilities construction projects while managing the company’s maintenance program for previously under-serviced theater-provided equipment. He also managed the company’s logistics and personnel requirements before, during, and after deployment. Upon return from Kuwait, Capt. Galloway assumed command of the 922nd. He commanded approximately 150 Soldiers and over $33M of equipment including heavy construction equipment. He is currently serving in the operations section of the 205th Engineer Battalion, acting as the chief planning officer for a unit of over 800 Soldiers. During the floods of August 2016, Capt. Galloway acted as a Battle Captain, directing movements of resources and tracking rescue missions during high-tempo disaster response operations. His military decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the Louisiana War Cross, and others.
Koob, Tonja and Jennifer Snape. 2012. Louisiana's Oil Heritage. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC.