Steven G. de Mik, MBA, CPA
Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer

Steve de Mik, who joined HRSD in 2008, is the Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer and provides broad oversight and strategic direction to various departments, specifically Finance, Information Technology, Talent Management and Communications. He previously served as Director of Operations from 2015 to 2022. In that role, he led a staff of over 500 responsible for the complex operation and maintenance of HRSD's treatment plants, interceptor systems, and electrical and instrumentation infrastructure as well as various support services. His initial role at HRSD was Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer where he was responsible for HRSD's general financial and business functions, including financial reporting, investment portfolio, debt and risk management, and customer billing. Before joining HRSD, Mr. de Mik served for seven years as the Director of Finance and Business Services for the City of Norfolk. A certified public accountant, he holds an MBA from the College of William and Mary and has completed the Kenan-Flagler Water and Wastewater Leadership Program, the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Program and CIVIC Leadership Institute. He received a bachelor's degree in accounting and business administration from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. Mr. de Mik also serves as a board chair and treasurer for Heart for Orphans, a nonprofit organization based in the City of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Leila E. Rice, APR
Chief Communications Officer

Leila Rice, who joined HRSD in March 2017, directs communication strategy and public outreach for HRSD. Before that, she was Public Affairs Manager for the Elizabeth River Tunnels Project. Ms. Rice also served as Community and Media Relations Manager for nonprofit, ForKids, Inc., and has over 20 years of media and voiceover experience. Ms. Rice received her Bachelor of Arts degree from James Madison University and holds Accreditation in Public Relations. She is also a graduate of the Kenan-Flagler Water and Wastewater Leadership Program. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Public Relations Society of America-Hampton Roads chapter and is a member of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Communications and Public Affairs Committee and the James Madison University School of Communications Alumni Council. Ms. Rice actively supports local community organizations, currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore and volunteering as an ESL teacher with Hampton Roads Refugee Relief.

Jeff Scarano, PE
Chief Engineer

Jeff Scarano joined HRSD in 2017 and leads the Engineering Division, which includes the Asset Management, Design and Construction, Planning and Analysis, and Program Support Office departments. He previously served as HRSD’s Director of Design and Construction for Special Projects from 2022 to 2025. In that role, he led staff responsible for the execution of planned Capital Improvement Projects, emergency projects, and studies related to future projects. His initial role at HRSD was in Operations as the Interceptor Engineer, where he was responsible for CIP project design and construction coordination with Engineering, in-house design, and supporting the day-to-day operations of the South Shore interceptors and pumping stations. Before joining HRSD, Jeff spent 17 years in a variety of roles as an engineering consultant, as a regulator in New Mexico, and at the City of Lynchburg, Virginia. A licensed Professional Engineer in Virginia, a Board Certified Environmental Engineer, and a Design-Build Institute of America Certified Professional, he holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Duke University, a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of California at Davis, and an MBA from the College of William & Mary. Jeff is a graduate of the Water Environment Federation’s Water Leadership Institute, a member of the Order of the Engineer, and is actively involved with a number of professional organizations including the Virginia Water Environment Association and the Design-Build Institute of America.

Mary H. Corby
Chief Information Officer

Mary Corby joined HRSD in October 1996 as a Programmer Analyst working on enterprise financial systems for the Finance and Administration division. She’s held a variety of roles over the years at HRSD with her last position being the Director of Enterprise Application Services. Mary has over 34 years of professional experience in the technology and utility industry. She has a proven ability to leverage innovative solutions to improve enterprise software systems, boost operational efficiency and enhance customer experience. She is also skilled in building and leading high-performing teams and managing large-scale IT projects. Mary holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from High Point University and is a member of the Water Environment Federation, the Water and Wastewater CIO Forum and has completed the Kenan-Flagler Water and Wastewater Leadership Program.

Eddie M. Abisaab, PE, PMP, ENV SP
Chief Operating Officer

Eddie Abisaab joined HRSD in 2008 and was named Director of Operations in July 2022. In that role, he leads a staff of over 530 who are responsible for the complex operation and maintenance of HRSD's 18 treatment plants, interceptor collection systems, water technology and research, and electrical and instrumentation infrastructure as well as various support services such as fleet management, infrastructure assessment, carpentry, and a machine shop. In his previous position as the Chief of Design and Construction on North Shore, Mr. Abisaab was responsible for the execution of HRSD's Capital Improvement and Operational Infrastructure projects. Prior to joining HRSD, he worked as an engineer and project manager for both the private and public sectors. Eddie holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University, and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Marshall University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Project Management Professional (PMP), and certified by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) as an Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP). Eddie is actively involved with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and served for 4 years on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Water Environment Association (VWEA) and as President in 2016-2017. He is also currently serving as VWEA's Treasurer.

Christina Gibson
Chief People Officer

Christina Gibson serves as HRSD’s Chief People Officer, bringing over 25 years of experience in human resources, corporate learning, and organizational development to the role. She holds a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and a master’s degree from George Mason University. Throughout her career, Christina has led human capital initiatives across a range of industries, including information technology, water and wastewater, aerospace, construction, and manufacturing. Most recently, she guided the talent management team at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) Health System through a period of significant and rapid growth. Christina achieved the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and the Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential from the Society for Human Resource Management. She is also certified in Human Performance Improvement by the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and is a Six Sigma Green Belt. Christina remains actively engaged with her alma mater, volunteering her time and expertise to support James Madison University.

Charles B. Bott, PhD, PE, BCEE
Chief Technology Officer

Dr. Charles B. Bott joined HRSD in 2009 and is the Chief Technology Officer.  He manages technology innovation and research and development for HRSD’s wastewater treatment plants and interceptor system.  Charles is also an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and Old Dominion University.  He was formerly an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Virginia Military Institute and a consulting engineer with Parsons Engineering Science.  Charles has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute, a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Virginia Tech.  He is a fellow of the Water Environment Federation (WEF), a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Committee to the Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council, and a member of the National Science Foundation Engineering Directorate Advisory Committee.  Charles is a Professional Engineer in Virginia, a board certified Environmental Engineer, and a licensed wastewater treatment plant operator – Virginia Class I.  He is a two-time winner of the WEF Harrison Prescott Eddy Medal for outstanding contribution to wastewater principles/processes research, and he was a previous member of the WEF Board of Trustees.  Charles’ technical interests include municipal and industrial wastewater treatment process engineering, as well as renewable energy generation and resource efficiency.  He has specific expertise in the areas of advanced water treatment technologies, chemical and biological phosphorus removal, nitrification/denitrification, nutrient recovery, deammonification/anammox, biological treatment process modeling and design, and biogas conditioning. Important areas of focus include mainstream shortcut nitrogen removal, processes for biological treatment intensification, and technologies for potable reuse.

Jamie Heisig-Mitchell
Chief of Water Quality

Jamie Heisig-Mitchell became Director of Water Quality in November of 2022, overseeing the Central Environmental Laboratory (CEL), Pretreatment and Pollution Prevention (P3), and the Technical Service Division (TSD). In her previous position as Chief of TSD, she managed staff involvement in environmental and wastewater monitoring and research as well as assuming responsibility for HRSD’s permit negotiations and oversight of regulatory compliance with Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act programs. Jamie serves on the board of the Virginia Association of Municipal Wastewater Agencies (VAMWA) and the University of Colorado Boulder’s Water Reuse Advisory Board, is Chair of VAMWA’s Water Quality Committee, Co-Chair of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Biosolids Committee, Past-President of the Virginia Biosolids Council, member of the Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Institutional Biosafety Committee, and has served on numerous Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Advisory Panels and Subcommittees. Jamie received her Master of Science from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.