Contact The Fleming Training Center

 The Fleming Training Center serves as the primary point of contact for external affiliates in a variety of water and wastewater areas such as the Operator Certification Program, Operator Training Program, and Cross Connection Control Program. 

Technical assistance is available by the staff at no charge. If you operate a plant or system in Tennessee, you may request an onsite visit, consult with staff over the phone, or send an email message.

Meet the Team

John Lawrence

Director

Providing assistance for:

  • Wastewater, Water, & Collection operators
  • All management needs

Email John (615) 917-4982

John Lawrence serves as Director over The Fleming Training Center.

He has been in the Water and Wastewater industry for over twenty years and holds Wastewater Treatment Grade IV, Water Treatment Grade III, and Collection Systems I Operator Certifications.

Living in East TN, near Fall Creek Falls State Park, John raises Angus cattle on his land with his wife and their large loving family, of six children and seven grandchildren. If you want to start a conversation with him, be sure to bring up hunting.

Jenny Strobel

Training Program Manager

Providing assistance for:

  • Wastewater operators
  • Training program management needs

Email Jenny 615-927-0300

Jenny Strobel is the Training Program Manager. 

Jenny graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in geosciences with a concentration in geology and cognates in math and science. She worked as a wastewater treatment plant operator for the City of Murfreesboro where she earned her Grade IV Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification. Her journey then led her to a private consulting firm performing environmental assessments and groundwater and soil monitoring before joining TDEC at the Nashville Environmental Field Office, where she served as a wastewater inspector. During her time at The Fleming Training Center, she has received her Testing and Evaluation of Backflow Prevention Assemblies Certification. 

Jenny has a French Bulldog named Sludge who occasionally visits the office. She is a houseplant enthusiast and owns over 100 houseplants.

Amanda Carter

Water Treatment Instructor

Providing assistance for:

  • Water Treatment operators
  • Distribution operators

Email Amanda 615-898-6507

Amanda Carter is the highly appreciated Drinking Water Instructor at The Fleming Training Center. She has been responsible for all water related courses and seminars since joining the FTC family, in 2011. 

Amanda earned a Bachelor of Science in Soil and Water Conservation from the University of TN at Martin. During that time, she met and married her husband of 20+ years. She began working for TDEC in 2004, spent 1 year in the Division of Underground Storage Tanks, and 7 years in the Division of Groundwater Protection before coming to FTC.

Her favorite part of being an instructor is asking a question on day one of a class and getting blank stares. Then, asking that same question on the last day, and hearing many answers shouted out.

Ben Rodriquez

Cross Connection Control Program

Providing assistance for:

  • Cross connection testers
  • Third-party cross connection training providers

Email Ben 615-898-6508

Ben Rodriquez serves as the coordinator for the TDEC Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Certification Program.  He also supports FTC as the instructor for the Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Certification courses and Collection Systems courses. 

Ben has been serving the state of Tennessee since 2014, at the Fleming Training Center.  Ben enjoys obstacle course racing and hiking the trails of Tennessee with his wife and four children.

Bret Walters

Collections & Distribution Instructor

Providing assistance for:

  • Collections Operators
  • Distribution Operators

Email Bret(615) 946-1775

Bret Walters is our Collection and Distribution systems instructor.

Bret is an Air Force veteran who holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sustainability with a focus in Biology from Lipscomb University. He has worked as an operator for the City of Clarksville and City of Lebanon, while earning his Wastewater Treatment Grade IV Operator Certification.

In 2016, Bret left long haul trucking and came to Tennessee to go back to school. He loved how green everything is here and didn’t want to return to California. He spends his free time in nature, visiting Tennessee State Parks. He is an avid birdwatcher and is in the process of becoming a certified Naturalist.

Delaney Gilley

Wastewater Instructor

Providing assistance for:

  • Wastewater Operators
  • Study resources & techniques for Operators

Email Delaney (615) 571-4938

Delaney Gilley is the Wastewater Treatment instructor.

Delaney earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration of Organismal Biology and Ecology at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). During COVID, she decided to continue her education with a thesis-based Master of Science in Biology, where she studied evolution and biomechanics of bat skulls. During that time, she taught biology labs at MTSU for 2.5 years. After graduating, she worked in an Entomology and Chemical Ecology lab at Tennessee State University. She is currently working on a publication for her research that was completed during her master’s degree.

In her free time, this Murfreesboro native enjoys spending time with her husband and their two dogs, Remus and Roxie, and baking sweet treats. 

Beverly Glass

Laboratory Instructor

Providing assistance for:

  • Laboratory operations
  • Wastewater operators

Email Beverly 615-906-7506

Beverly is the Senior Environmental Technician and Laboratory Instructor at Fleming Training Center.

Beverly is currently working on a degree in Environmental Science. She started her wastewater journey in Industrial Pretreatment for a food processing facility. She worked as a wastewater operator for TN Department of Corrections for four years where she earned her Grade IV Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification.

She enjoys visiting wastewater plants across the state and has run several package plants with her husband. Beverly prefers spending her time outdoors with her husband. Between wrangling her big fluffy cat and making realistic cakes, there is never a dull moment in her household.

Jordan Fey

Wastewater Technical Consultant

Providing assistance for:

  • Biological Nutrient Optimization

 

Email Jordan615-306-3494

Jordan Fey serves as the technical lead for the Tennessee Plant Optimization Program, assisting wastewater operators with making adjustments to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from their effluent.

Jordan graduated from MTSU with a degree in Physics in 2012. His first job out of college started his career in the public utility sector calibrating, repairing, and installing lab and process control equipment with LabtronX. He joined TDEC in 2015 as a wastewater and pretreatment inspector in the Nashville Environmental Field office until stepping into his new role driving plant optimization statewide at the end of 2023. He's excited to use his passion for science to help others solve the problem of nutrient removal.

Though he's not a native, he grew up in Bristol and has family in Memphis and all over Middle Tennessee, giving him a connection to all three Grand Divisions. Jordan lives near Nashville with his wife and two dogs, enjoying the connection to nature that their proximity to the Harpeth River provides.

Terry Highsmith

Operator Certification Program Coordinator

Providing assistance for:

  • Wastewater operators
  • Assistance to candidates during the application & testing process

Email Terry 615-630-0634

Terry Highsmith serves as the Operator Certification Program Coordinator at The Fleming Training Center.

Terry came to FTC after retiring from Metro Water Services in Nashville after 41 years of service. Having a background in management allows him to be organized, accountable, and reliable. He currently holds a Grade IV Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification and Testing and Evaluation of Backflow Prevention Assemblies Certification. Terry also holds a B.S. in Integrated Studies with Environmental Science from MTSU.

For 42 years Terry has been married to his wife Michelle. They have two sons and three grandchildren. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, collecting ball cards, camping, and traveling.

Carl Hollis

Continuing Education Coordinator

Providing assistance for:

  • Continuing education for operators & third-party training providers
  • Updating of operator records

Email Carl 615-898-6502

Carl Hollis is responsible for continuing education and records management at The Fleming Training Center.

He began his career with the State of TN at the Department of Human Services Vocational Rehabilitation Program, where he stayed for 8 years. In 2012, he then transferred to the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation. In 2019, Carl joined the team at FTC. Here he was able to return to school after many years and in May 2022, graduated from Motlow State Community College with the degree of Associates of Business. 

Carl is a lifelong resident of Middle Tennessee and sincerely enjoys time with his family. This includes his wife, Karen; children, Sarah, and Matthew; daughter-in-law Emily, and their newest member of the family, grandson, Campbell Everett.

Reanna Harron

Certification Administrator

Providing assistance for:

  • Assistance to candidates applying for reciprocity
  • Website & Operator portal support

Email Reanna 615-898-6501

Reanna Harron is responsible for the administrative aspects of the TDEC Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Certification Program, maintaining the FTC website, and technical support for the TDEC Operator Public Portal. She also aids the Operator Certification program and assists reciprocity candidates during the application process.

Reanna moved to Tennessee in 2017 with her husband and their daughter. She enjoys a variety of art, traveling and spending time with family. 

Molly Stophel

Training Administrator

Providing assistance for:

  • Training Program Registration & Fees
  • Building Reservations

Email Molly 615-898-6500

Molly Stophel is responsible for administrative aspects of the training program such as student registration, supporting instructors, financial transactions, and reserving classrooms. 

After completing a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University, she began her State career with Tennessee State Parks in 2017.

Molly has lived in the Middle Tennessee area her entire life. She and her husband, Andrew, have a daughter named Ellie, and two cats - Mama Kitty and Peaches. Molly loves coffee, shopping, and listening to music.