Kirsten Bryant helped establish Gasp and later accepted the role of executive director in 2009. She began

advocating for clean air and clean water issues as a student at the University of Alabama through her work

for the Alabama Environmental Council’s (AEC) Tuscaloosa Chapter. Kirsten also worked for the AEC’s

state office as program coordinator and then as executive director.

In 1995, Kirsten received the Bob and Mary Burks award for her service to the organization. She earned her

undergraduate degree in merchandising with a minor in marketing from the University of Alabama. She

has lived in the greater Birmingham area for 20 years working in the private sector in management and

marketing related positions and as a nonprofit executive. Kirsten has worked on environmental justice

issues in the northern Birmingham area since 2010.

It is Kirsten’s hope that future generations will inherit a healthy Alabama where clean air and water are

valued and protected.

Rev. Mark Johnston is a Priest in the Episcopal Church and the retired Executive Director of Camp

McDowell. Some of his accomplishments include starting the West Alabama Food Bank, the ADEM Reform

Coalition, Gasp, the McDowell Environmental Center, the Alabama Folk School, and the McDowell Farm

School.

He has served on numerous boards of directors and has helped those groups with capacity building and

strategic planning. Over the years Mark has received numerous recognition's and awards including the

James Dockery Southern Environmental Leadership Award and a River Hero Award from the Alabama

Rivers Alliance.

He and his wife, Maggie, live at the end of a mile-long driveway in Winston County in a house he built. They

have four children, three grandchildren, 5 dogs, and a flock of chickens.

Eva Dillard, a founding member of the Environmental Defense Alliance, has been Staff Attorney at Black

Warrior Riverkeeper since 2010. As Staff Attorney, Eva represents Black Warrior Riverkeeper on legal

matters regarding pollution prevention and environmental enforcement; works with other staff members

on pollution investigations, file reviews, permit research, document procurement, and public comments;

and communicates with polluters and their attorneys to encourage environmental compliance and

pollution prevention upgrades. She is a graduate of Mary Baldwin College and the University of Virginia

School of Law. Her legal practice has been split between litigation and advising clients in both the public

and private sector. She is a former Senior Counsel for Environmental Compliance in the Office of the

General Counsel at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington, D. C.

​Eva is a past president of the Homewood City Schools Foundation. She served on the steering committee

for Rethink280, a grassroots citizens’ organization which helped mobilize public opinion against the

construction of an elevated highway through some of the area’s most livable communities. With husband

Mark, she lives in Homewood where he is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church.

David A. Ludder is attorney for the Environmental Defense Alliance. He is a former (1979-1981) Assistant

Attorney General in the Environmental Division of the Alabama Office of Attorney General, former

(1981-1982) Staff Attorney and Assistant Attorney General with the Alabama Water Improvement

Commission (AWIC), former (1982-1984) Associate General Counsel and Assistant Attorney General with

the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), former (1984-1988) General Counsel

and Assistant Attorney General with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM),

former (1988-1992) Litigation Attorney with the Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation, Inc., and

former (1993 -2007) General Counsel with the Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation, Inc. (LEAF).

Since 2007, he has been practicing law with the Law Office of David A. Ludder, PLLC. He is admitted to

practice law in Alabama and Florida, including all state and federal courts therein, as well as the United

States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and United States Supreme Court. He received his law

degree from Seton Hall University School of Law and his bachelor of science degree in Natural Resources

and Environmental Science from Purdue University.

Michael Mullen has been involved in environmental issues in Alabama both as an advocate and as a

scientist for almost 40 years. He was involved as a leader in the Alabama Chapter of the Sierra Club in the

in the efforts to expand the Sipsey Wilderness in the 1980s and also was involved in efforts to stop

proposed shipboard incineration of hazardous waste. Since then Mullen was involved in formation of the

Environmental Education Association of Alabama, the Alabama Water Watch Association with which he

servedas board president until recently. He founded and is Riverkeeper/Executive Director for

Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper, is the SE Alabama Director for the Alabama Scenic River trail and is a

founding board member and President of the Environmental Defense Alliance.​

From 1985 till 2006 Mr. Mullen was a faculty member and Research Coordinator and later Director of the

Center for Environmental Research and Service at Troy University. During his time at Troy University

Mullen’s work focused mostly on water quality, aquatic ecology and related issues including erosion and

sediment control as he did contract work for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management

(ADEM). As part of this work he obtained and maintains credentials as a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control

(CPESC). Since founding of Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper Mr. Mullen as Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper has frequently used citizen

complaints and Clean Water Act citizen suit provisions to battle against inadequate permit compliance efforts by ADEM. Over the years

he has made numerous presentations to the Environmental Management Commission both as Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper and as a

member of the ADEM Reform Coalition.

​Mr. Mullen holds M.S. degrees in chemistry and biology and certificates in environmental science and watershed management and

has completed numerous online courses on sustainability and climate change.