Providing essential water supply, wastewater disposal, and solid waste disposal facilities to tribal homes and communities is critical to the mission of the Indian Health Service to raise the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level. The Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction, part of the Office of Environmental Health and Engineering, administers a nationwide program that supports American Indians and Alaska Natives by providing planning, engineering design services, and funding to support the construction of water, wastewater disposal, and solid waste disposal facilities that serve tribal homes. The program also provides tribes with operation and maintenance technical assistance to help ensure tribes can support these infrastructure investments to deliver the intended public health protections.
DSFC recently recognized six outstanding employees for going above and beyond to serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities. These individuals have demonstrated through their actions that they are among the best of the IHS engineer workforce who are responsible for improving the health of Native people by improving the environment in which they live.
Cmdr. John Kathol, P.E. – Leadership Engineer of the Year
Cmdr. John Kathol, P.E
As the Indian Health Service Phoenix Area Director of the Sanitation Facilities Construction Program, Cmdr. John Kathol directed and advanced the professional design and planning of 80 projects worth $355 million in total sanitation deficiency need, benefiting more than 70,000 homes and nearly 180,000 tribal members across six states. He directs staffing, management, and operations across three district offices and seven field offices, supervising approximately 90 positions. Despite a 40 percent vacancy rate, Kathol’s leadership resulted in a 120 percent increase in fund disbursements from fiscal year 2023. His ability to navigate challenges, inspire his team, and drive exceptional results underscore his unwavering commitment to mission success and effective program management.
Kathol has quickly identified program gaps and service improvement needs, particularly while managing a four-fold increase in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. His strategic initiatives have enhanced project design through outsourcing, development of Area specific target design teams, and the completion of construction documents. These efforts resulted in a 240 percent improvement in project milestone projections, reducing timelines from 2.9 years to just 1.3 years.
Additionally, he led the development of 28 Tier 1 Sanitation Deficiency System projects for fiscal year 2025, valued at $108 million in eligible need, including 15 projects from the 2021 Legacy SDS list, valued at $90 million in eligible need. Kathol also implemented monthly reporting tools to improve project management, achieving nearly 100 percent accuracy in BIL project tracking and significantly enhancing overall data quality.
Lt. Cmdr. Cody Wolff, P.E. – Senior Engineer of the Year
Lt. Cmdr. Cody Wolff, P.E.
As the acting district engineer for the Minot District Office, IHS Great Plains Area, Lt. Cmdr. Cody Wolff has maintained excellent service to the tribes, while balancing his previous responsibilities. His ability to manage competing priorities and communicate effectively with both staff and federal partners ensured that projects stayed on track. His strong communication skills have built lasting relationships with federal agencies and tribal leaders, who often look to him as a trusted collaborator due to his track record of successfully completing projects.
Wolff has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and engineering expertise since beginning his career as a field engineer in 2009. He has been directly responsible for $100 million in project funding, supporting water and wastewater services for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and several other Great Plains Area reservations. Wolff stepped up to lead ten BIL projects worth $40 million, successfully advancing them to the construction phase. His leadership was pivotal in navigating high expectations resulting in completing projects in a timely manner.
Wolff has tackled some of the most complex projects in the Great Plains Area, such as the West Area Sewer Renovation on the Turtle Mountain Reservation. This challenging project involved $8 million in funding from three federal agencies, and he delivered a 115-page design and bid package in less than four months, highlighting his efficiency and technical expertise. Wolff’s dedication and leadership continue to inspire those around him, making him a key asset to the Great Plains Area tribes and a standout leader in his field.
Lt. j.g. Connor Martin - Junior Engineer of the Year
Lt. j.g. Connor Martin
Since joining the IHS Great Plains Area SFC program in May 2023, Lt. j.g. Connor Martin has made significant contributions to the success of 20 projects across three reservations, totaling $27 million and serving over 2,800 homes. His achievements include successfully designing and awarding two contract bid packages for four BIL projects and providing effective construction management for key infrastructure projects. Additionally, he developed an innovative on-site wastewater treatment system that reduces installation times and enhances effluent quality.
Martin has established strong working relationships with tribal partners, hosting weekly update meetings that empower tribal representatives to make key decisions throughout the project phases. His creation of clear and effective process flow charts has greatly improved tribal understanding of IHS partnered projects, solidifying trust and enhancing collaboration. His communication and leadership have also positively influenced IHS team members by improving their understanding of SFC processes.
In addition to his accomplishments in project management, Martin has demonstrated technical expertise in Geographic Information Systems based programs. He successfully utilized field maps and other GIS tools to streamline project development tasks, especially during the vacancy of the GIS technician position. His development of a GIS-based environmental impact documentation process has reduced project development time by 75 percent, and his integration of GIS tools into construction inspection has expedited conflict resolution between engineers and contractors.
Kaileigh Scott, P.E. – GIS Leader of the Year
Kaileigh Scott, P.E.
Kaileigh Scott has consistently excelled as the IHS Albuquerque Area Geographic Information Systems leader, implementing advanced GIS solutions that have greatly enhanced data accuracy and decision-making. She manages the GIS portal for the Albuquerque Area, ensuring smooth onboarding for new users and actively maintaining roles and groups. One of her key achievements was the successful deployment of the solid waste field maps app, which has been crucial in documenting and reporting sanitation deficiencies in tribal communities, contributing to several solid waste projects achieving Tier 1 status on Sanitation Deficiency System.
Scott’s communication skills have been vital in fostering collaboration between tribal departments and federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency. She worked closely with these partners on solid waste SDS projects, conducting site assessments and integrating GIS data into project workflows. Scott also led the initiative to transfer construction computer aided drafted drawings into the GIS Field Maps App, improving efficiency for on-site inspectors by providing real-time access to critical data.
Terra Holliday – Engineering Technician of the Year
Terra Holliday
Terra Holliday has been an engineering technician with IHS in the Yakama Field Office for more than 18 years, leading on-site systems projects as the scattered site project manager. She supported tribal procurement processes, helping the Klamath Tribes and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians access more contractors through developing guidance to tribes, especially with the tribal procurement process.
Holliday manages the full scattered site process, including site evaluations, designs, and construction inspections, and contributes to community projects through inspections for IHS projects. She shares her years of experience by conducting trainings on soil characterization within the district. Holliday’s innovative use of a custom desk blotter with construction photos has improved communication with program participants, enhancing their understanding of the process.
In addition to her technical role, she serves as the office manager, overseeing the vehicle fleet and supplies. Holliday has also played a key role in piloting new GPS survey equipment and its integration with IHS GIS, improving project efficiency.
Danielle Duran – Administrative Assistant of the Year
Danielle Duran
Danielle Duran is an administrative support/program specialist for the IHS California Area Office of Environmental Health and Engineering due to her outstanding service and impact. She plays a pivotal role in coordinating memorandums of agreements and amendments between district offices, tribal officials, and the California Area director. Duran consistently provides high-quality, responsive services to staff, tribes, and federal partners. Her proactive follow-ups with tribal leaders ensure MOAs are signed on time, supporting the timely execution of projects.
Duran also managed financial activities, creating new Unified Financial Management System projects and processing $5 million in contributions, while generating bi-weekly financial status reports for SFC projects. Additionally, she exceeded goals by coordinating more than 30 final reports, ensuring year-end deadlines were met.
Beyond her primary role, Duran supported all OEHE divisions by handling travel, financial requests, and meetings, delivering service with professionalism and a customer-focused attitude. Her ability to manage multiple responsibilities and consistently achieve excellent results makes her highly deserving of this recognition.
Congratulations to our awardees!
Related Content:
Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction
Office of Environmental Health and Engineering
Fact Sheet: Safe Water and Waste Disposal Facilities
