Environmental Justice & Research
As a civil and environmental engineer based in Portsmouth, Virginia, I investigate the intersection of legacy contamination, coastal resilience, and community health in historically Black neighborhoods. My current research examines the Peck Iron & Metal Superfund site in Cradock, using geospatial analysis and environmental forensics to trace how industrial land-use decisions have shaped public health and property outcomes for generations. This work sits at the crossroads of hydrogeology, public policy, and environmental law, and it is driven by a commitment to naming and repairing the disproportionate environmental burdens carried by Black communities in Hampton Roads.
My academic background includes an Associate of Science in Business Administration from Tidewater Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management Engineering Technology from Norfolk State University, and civil engineering coursework at Old Dominion University. I am Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Chair of the Henrico Pierce Foundation, and Founder and President of Henrico Pierce Engineered Solutions LLC. I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Management at the University of Maryland Global Campus while preparing for my Professional Engineer licensure. I welcome opportunities to collaborate with other environmental professionals, engineers, researchers, and historians.
Research Focus
My research focus is on Environmental justice, legacy contamination, and coastal hydrogeology in Portsmouth, Virginia with particular attention to historically Black neighborhoods along Paradise Creek and the Elizabeth River. I conduct independent analysis of the Peck Iron & Metal Superfund site in Portsmouth, using geospatial methods, environmental forensics, and historical land‑use reconstruction to understand how industrial siting decisions, groundwater–surface water interactions, and tidal flooding shape exposure pathways and community health risk today.
This work includes examining the soil mechanics and hydrogeologic framework of the Virginia Coastal Plain, comparing site conditions to nearby USGS boreholes, and situating Peck within a broader cluster of legacy contaminated sites and Superfund-era failures across the local watershed. Through a project tentatively titled Tidal Justice, I am developing a series of technical, legal, and policy outputs (including a policy white paper and related maps) intended to support urgent remediation actions and more just land-use and coastal resilience decisions by Portsmouth officials and Commonwealth partners.