Our People

Suzanne R. Coffey is the Chief Executive Officer for the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA).

Before being named Chief Executive Officer on June 22, 2022, Ms. Coffey served in the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer for nearly one year. Prior to that, she was the Chief Planning Officer for GLWA, a position she held at the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department from August 24, 2015 to December 31, 2015.

In her capacity as Chief Planning Officer, Ms. Coffey championed GLWA’s efforts to bolster the Authority’s asset management capacities, capital improvement program execution, analytics, as well as lead long-term planning efforts such as the Wastewater Master Plan.

Ms. Coffey became very familiar with GLWA through her role as a manager in the Oakland County’s Water Resources Commissioner’s office where she worked for 12 years, and she was an integral part of the DWSD-GLWA transition efforts.

Under the leadership of Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash, Ms. Coffey was responsible for supervising engineers, field staff members, administrative and technical support personnel and supporting operations and maintenance of wastewater interceptor systems, local municipal wastewater conveyance systems, drains and lake level control structures, as well as oversight of staff members who perform construction project management and construction inspection.

Ms. Coffey is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Michigan. She graduated Cum Laude from Lawrence Technological University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Coffey was recently elected to a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the nation’s recognized leader in legislative, regulatory and legal clean water advocacy.

William M. Wolfson is Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Great Lakes Water Authority.

Prior to assuming the Deputy Chief Executive Officer position, Mr. Wolfson has served GLWA’s as its Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer and its Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer/ General Counsel. Mr. Wolfson came to GLWA from the City of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). Mr. Wolfson joined DWSD in 2012 as the utility’s first General Counsel  and, in 2013, added the position of Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer as well. Mr. Wolfson represented DWSD in the City of Detroit’s bankruptcy proceedings and played a pivotal role in the founding of GLWA.

Mr. Wolfson began his career in government, in 1976, as a seasonal Detroit Zoo employee. He later joined the City of Detroit Law Department as an attorney in 1986 and served in the Law Department until 1998, under Mayors Coleman A. Young and Dennis Archer, working as the legal liaison to the Detroit City Council and on several key initiatives such as the casino and stadium development projects.

Upon leaving the City of Detroit, Mr. Wolfson moved to Wayne County’s Department of Corporation Counsel and was appointed Deputy Corporation Counsel by County Executive Edward McNamara. The succeeding County Executive, Robert Ficano, appointed Wolfson to the position of Assistant Deputy County Executive/Director of Legal Affairs. In that position, Mr. Wolfson was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the county government and its 4,500 employees.

Mr. Wolfson retired from his Wayne County position in July 2009; he then went into private practice and contracted to serve as Wayne County’s Interim Corporation Counsel.

Mr. Wolfson is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota Law School. He is active and a committee member in several water sector trade organizations. In 2020, Mr. Wolfson was recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of its Leaders in the Law. In 2024, The State Bar of Michigan honored Mr. Wolfson as a recipient of its The Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award which recognizes extraordinary governmental service by a member of the State Bar of Michigan.

Nicolette N. Bateson, CPA is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Treasurer for the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA).

Ms. Bateson’s service follows her tenure as the first CFO for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which began in February 2013. In that role she led the Financial Services Group through a significant transformation effort engaging cross-functional teams to achieve sustainable change. The result was a professionalized department with an unprecedented demonstration of transparency to all stakeholders. This pivotal effort supported intensive, collaborative discussions that were essential to forming the regional authority.

Ms. Bateson possesses extensive financial and public administration experience. As a visiting specialist for the State and Local Government Program with Michigan State University Extension, Ms. Bateson worked with state and local officials to address the needs of cities in fiscal stress. Her research, educational programs and writings related to public-sector financial challenges are often cited. In her roles as Assistant City Manager and Finance Director in local government, she was responsible for strategic planning, financial turnaround, information technology, labor relations, employee benefit design, project management and deploying multi-year budgeting and long-range capital planning. Ms. Bateson’s professional career began with a national accounting firm serving clients in the construction, manufacturing, and nonprofit sector.

Ms. Bateson earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in professional accountancy from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a Master of Public Administration degree in public administration from Eastern Michigan University.

Cheryl Porter is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Water and Field Services Area where she oversees five water treatment facilities and water transmission to the Authority’s Member Partner communities, ensuiring GLWA’s water consistently meets and exceeds all quality standards and regulations.

The water sector’s largest and oldest professional organization, American Water Works Association (AWWA), selected Ms. Porter as the first African-American person and first woman of color to be their next president-elect. Her term as president begins in June 2024.  Ms. Porter has been active at both the national AWWA and with the Michigan Section, serving as the Michigan Section Trustee and Director at Large while also lending her expertise to the Government Affairs Council and Finance Committees.

Ms. Porter provides leadership that’s grounded in experience and manages engineers, field staff and administrative and technical support personnel. Her broad knowledge base in the water service sector began at DWSD as a Junior Chemist, where her dedication yielded eventual advancement to Water Production and Operations Manager. As COO of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), she was part of the team that helped establish GLWA in 2016.

Ms. Porter earned her BS degree from the University of Michigan, an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management from Madonna University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Detroit Mercy’s School of Law. Ms. Porter maintains State of Michigan operator certifications for both Water Distribution (S-3) and Complete Treatment (F-1). Under her direction, GLWA’s Water Works Park received the “2019 Directors Award for Water Treatment” from the Partnership for Safe Water (PSW) and the highly prestigious President’s Award in the year 2020. GLWA’s Southwest Water Treatment Plant received the President’s Award in 2023.

Navid Mehram is the Chief Operating Officer for the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Wastewater Operating Services.

Prior to assuming this position, Mr. Mehram served as the Chief Engineer at the Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner’s office. During his tenure at the Oakland County WRC, he led the transitioning of the City of Pontiac’s water and wastewater operations and maintenance from private contract operations to county operations. The transformation included design and construction of a new state of the art biosolids processing system. This innovative process was the first in Michigan and the third in North America. In his capacity Mr. Mehram also provided leadership for engineering, field staff member and administrative and technical support personal providing service for a number of county facilities including three treatment facilities, over two hundred pump stations, community wells and retentions basins. Mr. Mehram brings over 10 years of extensive experience specializing in design and construction of water treatment, water resource recovery and pumping systems as a consultant. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan, who graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, and as a member of Chi Epsilon – a National Civil Engineering Honor Society.

Michelle A. Zdrodowski is Chief Public Affairs Officer for the Great Lakes Water Authority.

In her capacity as Chief Public Affairs Officer, Ms. Zdrodowski guides the organization’s efforts to build and maintain its relationships with internal and external stakeholder communities.

Ms. Zdrodowski brings more than 30 years of strategic communications and community engagement experience to GLWA. Immediately prior to joining the GLWA team, she served as Chief Communications Officer for Detroit Public Schools during a period of unprecedented challenge and change. Her previous public sector communications experience also includes her tenure as Deputy Press Secretary to former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer. Ms. Zdrodowski also spent more than a decade leading the nonprofit/government practice group for a Detroit-based public relations agency.

Ms. Zdrodowski holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Michigan State University. She is a member of the American Water Works Association’s Public Affairs Council and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Chapter of the American Water Works Association.

Jeffrey E. Small has served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Great Lakes Water Authority since August 2016. In this role, he provides strategic IT leadership, customer service, innovation, and information security for the regional authority. Jeff is adept at leveraging technology in conjunction with business process re-engineering to improve productivity and internal efficiencies across the utility.

Jeff brings 30 years of information technology, project management, and business process experience to GLWA. Immediately prior to joining the GLWA team, he served for four years as Deputy Chief Information Officer at Wayne County, Michigan. Prior to his work at Wayne County, Mr. Small held IT leadership roles at several global companies in a cross-section of industries, including retail, sourcing, brand management and consumer products.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The George Washington University and an MBA in Computer Information Systems from Baker College. Jeff also serves on several nonprofit boards related to technology in both the public and private sector included currently serving as Board secretary for the Michigan Government Information Sciences (Mi-GMIS) organization whose membership includes IT leaders from the State and local governments throughout Michigan. Jeff was named 2019 IT Professional of the Year by the Michigan chapter of the Government Management Information Sciences (Mi-GMIS) and was recognized as a 2020 Special District Program Award Winner from Government Technology magazine in the Technology and Innovation Leadership category.

Chief Jones was appointed GLWA’s Chief Security and Integrity Officer on January 1, 2016 after serving with DWSD in that capacity since 2012. His extensive experience in law enforcement and security spans over a 40-year career.

Chief Jones is responsible for the Authority’s entire security posture, which includes the physical security infrastructure and safety of employees, facilities and assets. In addition, Chief Jones has been pivotal in developing and implementing entity-wide integrity policies and procedures.

Prior to his arrival at GLWA, Chief Jones served as Chief of Police, Police Administrator, Fire Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant and Deputy Sheriff with large local units of government in Michigan including the supervision of both police and fire personnel.

Chief Jones has a Master’s in Liberal Studies from Eastern Michigan University, a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Madonna University and a Bachelor’s in General Studies from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He has also received certification from the State of Michigan to be a K-12 school administrator.

Additionally, Chief Jones is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and a graduate of the Secret Service Dignitary Protection training, as well as a certified firefighter. Chief Jones is a 2023 graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government/Executive Certificate in the Public Leadership Program.

Jody Caldwell is the Chief Planning Officer for the Great Lakes Water Authority. Mr. Caldwell brings over two decades of private consultation, municipal operations and maintenance, asset management, and strategic planning experience within the water sector. In the Chief Planning Officer role with GLWA, he supports the asset management, capital improvement planning, water and wastewater analytics, planning and metering, systems planning and member outreach groups.

Prior to this role, Mr. Caldwell was the Asset Management Director for the enterprise-wide asset management group within GLWA for over five years. He helped to support functional areas by coordinating overall asset management strategies, objectives, and activities to ensure decisions are informed by risk, regional needs, and life cycle considerations.

Prior to his service with GLWA, Mr. Caldwell was a Chief Engineer at Oakland County’s Water Resources Commissioner’s Office where he worked for 12 years in many different capacities. In that role, Mr. Caldwell was responsible for oversight of multiple areas including capital, asset management and planning, finance and budgeting, water operations and maintenance, water engineering, and cross connection control. During his time with WRC, Mr. Caldwell worked closely with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) and GLWA. He was the Oakland County representative on the DWSD Board of Water Commissioners, served as the water technical advisory committee and wastewater steering committee co-chairs, and was an important part of the DWSD-GLWA transition effort.

Mr. Caldwell is a registered professional engineer in the state of Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University.

Jordie Kramer is GLWA’s Chief Organizational Development Officer.

In this role, Ms. Kramer is responsible for leading all areas of GLWA’s Organizational Development Group, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, labor relations, employee relations, retirement, performance, human resource information systems (HRIS), and training and development.

Prior to being elevated to this executive-level position, Ms. Kramer served as Director of Organizational Development, a role she assumed upon joining GLWA in 2019. Before beginning her tenure at GLWA, Ms. Kramer served as Oakland County’s Director of Human Resources, and served as Labor Relations Supervisor and Senior Compensation Analyst. Ms. Kramer is active in the Michigan Public Employers Labor Relations Association (MPERLA) and has recently been elected as President of the association. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Central Michigan University.

Todd King, P.E., BCEE, is the Chief Resiliency Officer at the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). In this role, King leads a team dedicated to ensuring quality and performance across regional systems to fortify water and wastewater operations against the disruptions from aging infrastructure and climate change.

King joined GLWA in 2017 as the Field Services Director, bringing with him more than 35 years of experience as a chemical and environmental engineer. Prior to joining GLWA, King worked as an engineer for the Detroit Water & Sewage Department. Prior to that he was an associate at CDM Smith and president of its Michigan operations.

In June 2024, King and his team partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a southeast Michigan flood mitigation study to elevate the region’s infrastructural resiliency. The study will help deliver technical work products to improve the region’s flood resiliency in low-lying areas, maximize utilization of existing infrastructure, and understand water quality impacts to balance improvements with unintended consequences of the work.

King earned his Bachelors in Chemical Engineering and Masters in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. He is a registered professional engineer and has S-1 and F-1 drinking water licenses in Michigan. He is a board certified environmental engineer endorsed through the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

Gary Mekjian joined GLWA as its first Community and Legislative Relations Officer in 2026. In this new role, Mekjian will support GLWA’s Member Outreach program and help expand engagement with member partner communities and local governing bodies throughout the region. He will also work closely with Coffey and Deputy CEO Bill Wolfson to further strengthen and expand the Authority’s legislative engagement efforts at both the state and federal levels.

Mekjian recently retired as the City Manager of Farmington Hills, where he also served as Assistant City Manager and Public Services Director. During his career, he has worked with various public sector organizations in southeast Michigan, as well as with private sector civil engineering consulting firms, where he specialized in stormwater management, municipal utility and road design, transportation planning and real estate development.

Mekjian earned his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, a master’s degree from Wayne State University, and a second master’s degree from Central Michigan University. Mekjian is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Michigan.

John J. Zech has over 40 years of public service experience, serving in leadership roles with a number of communities across southeast Michigan including the cities of Wayne, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Plymouth and Southgate.

Mr. Zech is active in the community, currently serving on the St. Mary of Wayne Catholic Church Finance Council and as a member of the Growth Works, Inc. Board of Directors, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Municipal League. Zech has earned Life Membership status with the International City Management Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Detroit.

He was appointed to the Board ​by Wayne County Executive Warren Evans in March 2020.

Ms. Quadrozzi is an attorney with over 25 years of experience in complex commercial litigation in both federal and state courts. She is a member of the state bars of Michigan, Illinois and California. In addition to serving on the GLWA Board, since 2013 Ms. Quadrozzi has also served as the Oakland County representative on the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority Board of Commissioners. Ms. Quadrozzi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from the University of Michigan, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Among the many honors and awards she has received, since 2018, Ms. Quadrozzi has annually been named among Michigan’s Top 25 Women in Business Attorneys by Super Lawyers and in March 2025 was recognized by Crain’s as a Notable Litigator and Trial Attorney.

Mr. Hendrix has extensive experience in municipal government, finance and real estate, having served as Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff for former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer. During his tenure with the City, Mr. Hendrix led strategic policy development and planning and assisted the City in achieving its first balanced budget in decades, as well as an unprecedented and continuous upgrading of the City’s national bond rating. He is a member of the Southeastern Michigan Regional Transit Authority Board of Directors, and a long-time community activist who co-founded the Rosedale-Grandmont Little League Baseball Program.

Mark Miller is a retired General Motors Global Executive of Supply Chain, Warehousing & Logistics. Throughout his nearly 40-year stellar career, Mr. Miller received several awards, and special recognitions for his strong leadership contributions and exemplary performance. His multiple executive leadership and managerial assignments all served to give him in-depth leadership experience in multiple business channels, including International Operations, Budgetary Processes, Labor Relations/Negotiation, Infrastructure Development and Planning, Facilities Management, Quality Control, Safety Processes, and Cultural Transformation. He is also extremely community focused. Mr. Miller recently served for two years as the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer for the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, where he has also served as Chairman, Board of Trustees. Mr. Miller is also a member of the Board of Directors for the McLaren Hospital-Flint, and the McLaren Foundation, and is past Board Chairman for Michigan Works, Workforce Development Board for Shiawassee and Genesee Counties. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Healthcare Administration and Business Management from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from Davenport University. Mr. Miller was appointed to the GLWA Board of Directors by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to represent areas served by the Authority outside of the City of Detroit and the Counties of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb.

Mr. Baker is the Chief Deputy for the Macomb County Public Works Commissioner, Candice Miller, where he oversees a staff of 60 storm water and waste water professionals. He formerly served as the Finance and Budget Director for the City of Sterling Heights for more than 30 years. In that capacity, he directed the City’s financing, procurement and debt management initiatives, and worked extensively on water and sewer rate setting process, which has resulted in Sterling Heights achieving efficiencies and lowering costs, as well as on pension administration. In addition, Mr. Baker has worked regionally serving in numerous capacities, including on a municipal revenue task force established by the Governor’s Office to address ongoing problems. He has also worked closely with the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments in similar capacities. Mr. Baker earned a Master of Business Administration from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Mr. Brown was appointed the Director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) in October 2015 by Mayor Mike Duggan. Under his leadership, DWSD has been transformed to a customer-centric, fiscally responsible organization implanting a robust a capital improvement program to upgrade Detroit’s local water and sewer systems, with 425 miles of water main and 15,722 lead service lines replaced, 95 miles of sewer lines installed or replaced, and 20 stormwater projects installed since 2018. Even before the COVID-19 Pandemic, Mr. Brown began shifting the department from an in-person customer service model to an efficient, responsive and technologically driven, cashless operation. Further, he has spearheaded water affordability efforts, launching the DWSD Lifeline Plan to provide a fixed bill amount for low-income residents using regional, state and federal funds. Mr. Brown serves on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Local Government Advisory Council and has co-chaired committees since his appointment in August 2021. Previously, he was the City of Detroit’s Group Executive for Operations and Chief Operating Officer under Duggan, charged with ensuring continued improvement of city services. Mr. Brown has served the City of Detroit in several leadership roles over the past four decades.