Our Team

Sarah Veselka

CEO | Senior Biologist

Sarah Veselka is an experienced aquatic biologist (20+ years) with a successful track record of managing large complex projects with threatened and endangered species concerns for transportation, energy, utilities, and municipalities. Sarah is a qualified freshwater mussel, fish, crayfish, and macroinvertebrate surveyor and taxonomist. She is a PADI Master Diver with considerable experience in large river, low visibility, and diving including the use of dry suits and full-face mask communications. Sarah appreciates taking on the responsibility for her client’s project success and seeing projects through from start to finish. She also enjoys volunteering for the Women’s Energy Network of West Virginia as the Community Initiatives Director to give back to WV communities and the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society as Secretary to support conservation efforts of freshwater mussels and snails.

Ryan Schwegman

COO | Senior Biologist

Ryan Schwegman is an experienced biologist with a demonstrated history of managing complex Endangered Species Act projects. He has prepared numerous biological assessments and is well versed in the formal consultation process. Ryan is an approved U.S. Fish and Wildlife freshwater mussel surveyor and has extensive project management skills in transportation, energy, and inland waterfront development. Mr. Schwegman has thirteen years of formal and on-the-job training in surface supplied diving operations and has managed safe and efficient diving operations throughout the United States. In addition to his formal scientific training and consulting experience, Mr. Schwegman is a NOLS certified Wilderness EMT and certified Dive Medic. He volunteers for the Freshwater Mussel Conservation Society, where he has served as Chair on the Guidelines and Techniques Committee, and the Three Valley Conservation Trust, where he serves as a board member.

Kylene Hinerman

Kylene Hinerman

Office Manager

Kylene Hinerman has over 14 years of management, administrative, and human resources experience in the healthcare, manufacturing, and banking industries. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and has worked on numerous marketing and advertising campaigns. She is enthusiastic about growing and gaining new skills in all of these fields, finding efficient pathways for day to day operations, and taking care of staff and clients. Kylene volunteers for the Northern Virginia Family Services where she assists in giving job seekers the tools, guidance, and confidence to successfully enter or reenter the job market. She values learning from others, genuine connections, paying it forward, and leading with kindness.

Kylene Hinerman

Ben Smith

Lead Bat Biologist

Ben Smith is a federally permitted Bat Biologist with over 10 years of experience conducting bat surveys for Endangered Species Act compliance. He is adept at mist netting and tracking bats using radio-transmitters as well as acoustic monitoring including manual vetting of echolocation calls for threatened and endangered species. Mr. Smith is also experienced with bird and small and large mammal surveys and is a PADI certified diver.

Kylene Hinerman

Bradley Novak

Aquatic Biologist

Brad Novak has experience conducting biological surveys in small to large river ecosystems. This includes two years as a fish survey crew lead and trainer for Illinois Natural History Survey and two years as a fisheries graduate research assistant focusing on Asian Carp research. Mr. Novak is a certified PADI Open Water Diver and has two years of field experience conducting freshwater mussel surveys in IA, IL, OH, NY, PA, and WV.

Paul Moreno

Paul Moreno

Dive Supervisor

Paul Moreno is an Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) certified diver, tender, and diving supervisor with over four years of experience in the commercial and scientific diving fields. Paul has experience on a wide variety of underwater biological surveys in both freshwater and marine environments and has completed over 300 dives for freshwater mussel surveys throughout the United States. Paul has also assisted on several coral inventory projects in the Gulf of Mexico and South Pacific.

Kylene Hinerman

Emily Grossman

Senior Biologist

Emily Grossman has over 12 years of experience conducting freshwater mussel surveys and relocations throughout the Mid-West and Appalachia and successfully managed one of the largest known mussel relocation efforts in the country on the Mississippi River. With an Engineering degree focused on water resources, Emily has a unique understanding of the relationship between hydraulics and freshwater mussel habitats. She is a federally permitted mussel biologist specializaing in surveys in AR, IA, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, and OK.

Kylene Hinerman

Kristin Schmidt

Aquatic Biologist

Kristin Schmidt has 10 years of experience working with freshwater mussels, fish, and other aquatic organisms in private consulting and for state (WVDNR) and federal agencies (USFS, USFWS). She is familiar with leading mussel surveys on small to large rivers, reintroduction and propagation activities, and Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act. Kristin is an approved mussel surveyor in IA, IL, MN, MO, OH, OK, WI and WV with pending permits in AR, KS, MI, and NY. 

Kylene Hinerman

Heidi Dunn

Senior Biologist | Advisor

Heidi Dunn has over 33 years of experience in private consulting specifically specializing in aquatic biological surveys. Since 1990, she has successfully completed over 650 projects involving fish, invertebrates, and freshwater mussels throughout the Midwest for management and regulatory purposes. She is dedicated to providing high quality service to all clients. Heidi is also active with the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Socity, Ohio River Valley Ecosystem-Freshwater Mussel Group, and the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee.

Kylene Hinerman

Ben Dunn

Dive Supervisor

Ben Dunn is an ADCI certified dive supervisor with five years of experience utilizing surface supplied air techniques to collect high quality data for ecological studies related to freshwater mussels. He is a certified dive medical technician and previously served in the United States Army. Ben maintains steadfast adherence to established safety regulations and his practical knowledge of the diving industry enables our team to quickly respond to our client’s needs while maximizing safety and efficiency. He has extensive on the job training in scientific sampling methods for freshwater mussels, fish, and aquatic macroinvertebrates.

Kylene Hinerman

Jennifer Bryan

Business Development Executive

Jennifer has over 18 years of business development and management experience. This includes managing contracting, budgets, and reporting for state and federal transportation entities, cities, counties, municipalities, and private clients in the energy, manufacturing, and commercial development sectors. She is an integral part of our contract administration, client and agency communication,  and quality assurance.

Contact Us

BioSurvey Group

Mailing Addresses:
PO Box 593
Morgantown, WV 26507
(304)-810-8099
Email Us

PO Box 61
Oxford, OH 45003
(888) 712-0566
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