Our Instructors

Our course instructors all have extensive hands on experience in the water and wastewater field.  They are also great teachers. In addition to classroom training, they can provide student support through phone or email.

AWWOA courses typically receive 90%+ satisfaction ratings from our students and strives to maintain this rating.


Learn more about our engaging instructors:

Bert E Miller 

Education:  Water Treatment IV, Wastewater Treatment III, 4th Class Power Engineering, Certified Public Works Supervisor III.

Work Experience: 44 years’ water and wastewater operating experience in plants and systems ranging from Level I to Level IV.

Teaching Experience:  25+ years in the field coaching of NAIT summer students and new operators. 4 years instructing for AWWOA.

Teaching Philosophy: "Instruction centered on enthusiastic participation, discussion and desire to learn and become a good operator.”

Interesting Tidbit: Bert is from a three generation family of W/WW Operators, including his father and his son. That's over 80 years combined experience.

David Noack

Education: Water, Fuels and Environmental Technician courses at Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering. In the past he has has held Level I Certification in all four disciplines.

Work Experience: 10 years working on water and wastewater plants on military bases across Canada. Treating water 600 km from the North Pole was one of his most challenging assignments.

Teaching Experience:  20 years instructing various topics for Canadian military. 12 years instructing for AWWOA.

Teaching Philosophy: "I believe people learn better when they are having fun so I use plenty of humour to get the point across."

Interesting Tidbit: Regularly submits Math Corner articles in the Alberta Utility Operators' Newsletter.

Lorne Stone

Education: Level 4 Water Treatment

Work Experience: 35 Years in an class 4 water treatment plant.

Teaching Experience:  Instructing for AWWOA for over 12 years.

Teaching Philosophy: "I encourage my students to ask questions. Not every detail is included within the workbooks and manuals; learn from my experience. We are dealing with a serious subject matter, but nothing says we can't have a little fun too!"

Interesting Tidbit: Volunteers for numerous AWWOA events and was elected to the Association's Executive Board of Directors where he served AWWOA members for a total of 10 years.

Kurt Stogrin

Education: Graduate of the NAIT Water and Wastewater Technician Program.

Experience: 25 years working with water and wastewater in the municipal, industrial, oilfield and post-secondary sectors.

Teaching Experience: 8 years as a fulltime water and wastewater instructor.  One year of course development and instructing for the AWWOA. Kurt has trained and instructed operators in Alberta, Saskatchewan, North West Territories and Nunavut.

Teaching Philosophy: “I like to use stories and past personal experiences to help make the course material feel more alive.  I feel it is very important to get the students engaged in the course material and to have them describe their personal accounts to the rest of the operators."

Interesting Tidbit: Loves to point out water and wastewater infrastructure while driving on vacation.  However his family does not seem to be as excited as he is. 

Wade Bell

Education: Water Treatment II, Water Distribution II, Wastewater Collection II, Wastewater Treatment II.

Work Experience: 40 years experience in the industry, including the design, construction, operation, and management of over forty systems ranging from Small to Level III over his career.

Teaching Experience: 20+ years coaching and mentoring new operators, 3 years instructing for AWWOA.

Teaching Philosophy: “A book is good for the basics, but it's all the stuff found between the lines that’s really great to pass along to students: personal stories, humour, the how’s and why’s of the industry.”

Interesting Tidbit: Fascination with water started in grade 8 with sampling and testing his communities water as a science fair project.