Meet Our Team

Meet the team of project managers, scientists, and specialists who bring their technical expertise and attention to each project.

Lindsay Benko

Soil Scientist I

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Lindsay Benko

Soil Scientist I

Lindsay is an Environmental Scientist focused on helping clients with regulatory compliance for biosolids land application programs. This involves performing site and soil assessments, developing agronomic rates, and aiding in the development of necessary regulatory documents. She graduated from Allegheny College in 2020 with a BS in Biology and Environmental Science.

Robin C. Brandt, Ph.D., PE

Vice President, Shareholder

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Robin C. Brandt, Ph.D., PE

Vice President, Shareholder

Robin is a partner and Vice President of Material Matters. He has over 35 years’ experience in agricultural, municipal, industrial, and food processing residuals assignments. He directs the company’s efforts involving water reclamation and composting facility odor emission studies and biosolids-derived-product odor assessments (current-in-practice and research). Robin contributes to field-trial and plot studies, and participates in the conceptualization/ development of emerging beneficial use strategies such as Deep Row Hybrid Poplar biosolids recycling programs (and related research). He serves as technical project manager on selected assignments and functions as liaison for projects involving consultation with the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and other selected technical service providers. Robin is a full-time faculty member with PSU (17 years), at the University Park, PA main campus, in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, where he serves as Senior Lecturer and Director of the PSU Odor Assessment Laboratory.

Lisa Challenger

Chief Executive Officer, Shareholder

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Lisa Challenger

Chief Executive Officer, Shareholder

Lisa is the Chief Executive Officer with Material Matters, with nearly a decade of wastewater experience. She oversees the project consulting team, ensuring projects are completed to exceed client expectations. Lisa is responsible for supporting clients with the management of water quality nutrient credits, developing comprehensive biosolids market evaluations, evaluating and reporting on permitting and regulatory compliance, and assisting with site and soils evaluation. She is also responsible for assisting clients with biosolids master plan decisions by providing information about the technologies, marketing techniques, and end uses utilized by other biosolids programs. Lisa has a BS degree in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State.

Jacob Hawkins

Soil Scientist II

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Jacob Hawkins

Soil Scientist II

Jake is a Soil Scientist focused on helping clients with regulatory compliance for biosolids land application programs. His key responsibilities include performing site and soil assessments, developing agronomic rates, and aiding in the development of necessary regulatory documents. Jacob grew up on a horse boarding and training farm in south-central Pennsylvania He graduated from Penn State in 2016 with a BS in Plant Science with minors in entomology and agronomy.

Nickolas Hines

Environmental Scientist I

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Nickolas Hines

Environmental Scientist I

Nick is an Environmental Scientist specializing in regulatory assessments, permitting, and market research analysis. Nick grew up and worked on a dairy farm in Northeast Pennsylvania. He is a recent graduate with a BS in Sustainability from Chatham University and a Master of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech.

Trudy Johnston

Managing Director, Certified Operator, Shareholder

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Trudy Johnston

Managing Director, Certified Operator, Shareholder

Trudy is a partner with Material Matters, and has over 39 years in the municipal and industrial wastewater processing and solids treatment and management field, with 36 years as a consultant. Her primary interests include developing innovative uses and strategies for residuals, optimizing solids processing, conducting solids master studies, assessing compliance with biosolids regulatory standards, data/sample collection and validation, evaluating and resolving odors from residuals, and water quality nutrient trading. She participated in the WERF study with UMASS to assess biosolids stability standards and authored the protocol for the AVSR testing. Trudy has a BS degree in Earth Science from Penn State and is a certified wastewater treatment operator.

Thomas J. Krall

Senior Soil Scientist

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Thomas J. Krall

Senior Soil Scientist

Tom has more than 30 years’ experience in the water infrastructure industry including the management of biosolids land application contracts for municipalities in the Mid-Atlantic region. His most recent experience is as a business developer for a national contract operator of water infrastructure. A key component of this role was the development of effective and efficient operating solutions for municipal and industrial clients. Tom started his career in agriculture managing a farm and crop supply center. Tom has a degree in Agronomy from the Pennsylvania State University

Christine McLain, PMP

Data Specialist II

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Christine McLain, PMP

Data Specialist II

Christine is a data specialist with a wealth of project management experience. With a background in not-for-profit, she has successfully developed and managed programs for a variety of organizations. Christine has a BS in Business Communications and a PMP from Penn State.

Mikayla Regan

Wastewater & Residual Scientist

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Mikayla Regan

Wastewater & Residual Scientist

Mikayla is a Wastewater and Residuals Scientist with Material Matters, focused on providing processing and regulatory solutions to municipal and industrial wastewater clients. She is a 2022 graduate of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology’s Water Environmental Technology program and has drinking operations experience at over 30 water and wastewater treatment facilities in Pennsylvania. She conducts assessments related to optimizing treatment plant operations, biosolids and residuals quality, compliance and regulatory assistance, and solids management.

Vanessa Spychola

Business Manager

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Vanessa Spychola

Business Manager

Vanessa is the Business Manager of Material Matters. She comes to us with over 20 years of financial, accounting and tax experience. She is essential in our day-to-day accounting and business operations for the firm. Vanessa attended Millersville University.