Session Chairs
SESSION 1 - SOILS
SESSION CHAIR:
Shawn Paquette
Vice President, GSI Environmental Inc.
BIOGRAPHY:
Mr. Paquette is a Vice President and Environmental Engineer with GSI Environmental Inc. He received a B.S. from the University of Vermont in Civil Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Rice University and has over 15 years of experience in the environmental industry. He has project experience in fate and transport modeling, risk assessment, environmental litigation support, environmental software development and training, and has designed, implemented, and managed numerous environmental site assessments and remedial activities.
SESSION 1 - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY 1
SESSION CHAIR:
Mark Landress, PG
Project Manager, Project Navigator, Ltd., Houston, Texas
BIOGRAPHY:
Mark Landress is an environmental project manager for Project Navigator, Ltd., in Houston. Mark has a BS in geology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and MS degree in geology from Michigan Technological University. Mark has and has been working in the environmental industry as a consultant and contractor for the past 20 years. Work in recent years centers on Superfund and multiparty project management.
SESSION 1 - REMEDIATION
SESSION CHAIR:
Rick Wenzel
Remediation Lead, DOW Chemical Company, Deer Park, Texas
BIOGRAPHY:
Thirty four years of environmental experience with Rohm and Haas Company and The Dow Chemical Company, with the past 11 as a Remediation Project Leader for remediation projects in the US, Mexico, South America, and the Asia Pacific Regions.
Rick has co-authored several papers related to soil and groundwater remediation. Rick has degrees in Chemistry and Geology from the University of Houston and is a licensed geological professional in Texas and Mississippi.
SESSION 2 - AIR / INDOOR AIR
SESSION CHAIR:
Tom Mitchell
Senior Air Quality Specialist, Air Group/EHS, TransCanada - US Pipelines
BIOGRAPHY:
R. Thomas Mitchell is a Senior Air Quality Specialist with TransCanada. Mr. Mitchell has previously worked for AMEC Earth and Environmental. He has 20 years of environmental experience in oil and gas, manufacturing, commercial nuclear power plants and government services. Mr. Mitchell earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic University.
SESSION 2 - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY 2
SESSION CHAIR:
Mark Landress, P.G.
Project Manager, Project Navigator, Ltd., Houston, Texas
BIOGRAPHY:
Mark Landress is an environmental project manager for Project Navigator, Ltd., in Houston. Mark has a BS in geology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and MS degree in geology from Michigan Technological University. Mark has and has been working in the environmental industry as a consultant and contractor for the past 20 years. Work in recent years centers on Superfund and multiparty project management.
SESSION 2 - WASTE MANAGEMENT
SESSION CHAIR:
Randy Horsak
Principal Consultant 3TM Consulting, LLC
BIOGRAPHY:
Mr. Horsak is a scientist and registered Professional Engineer with more than 38 years of experience in all phases of environmental science and engineering: consulting, engineering, construction, operations management, office supervision, strategic planning, business development, proposal preparation, project management, litigation support, and expert testimony. He has managed and directed environmental projects in a variety of areas, including: air pollution, ambient air quality testing, noise, soil and sediment, groundwater, surface water, contaminated dust, and ecosystems. His experience includes a wide range of sites and facilities, including: abandoned sites, hazardous waste management facilities, refineries, chemical plants, fossil and nuclear power plants, geothermal energy plants, manufacturing and commercial facilities, pipelines, power transmission lines, oil and gas exploration and production, and public and private properties. Projects have included: Phase I due diligence assessments, Phase II and III site assessments, project master planning, site selection and evaluation studies, regulatory compliance audits, regulatory liaison and permitting, environmental impact analyses, licensing support, engineering feasibility studies, remedial investigations, exposure and risk assessments, forensic investigations, chemical fingerprinting, conceptual design, closure planning and remedial construction, remediation and restoration, decontamination, cost estimating, pollution prevention and waste minimization studies, and training.
SESSION 3 - BIOREMEDIATION
SESSION CHAIR:
Deborah Rodrigues, PhD.
University of Houston
BIOGRAPHY:
Debora F. Rodrigues received her BS and MS in Biology and Microbiology, respectively, from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and her PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Michigan State University in 2007 under the supervision of Prof. James Tiedje. In her MS research she demonstrated the presence of genes involved in the degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hydrocarbons in Brazilian estuaries. Her PhD work focused on the physiology and diversity of microorganisms in the Siberian permafrost. She was a postdoctoral associate in the Environmental Engineering Program at Yale University in the group of Prof. Menachem Elimelech from 2007 to June 2010. Her research at Yale dealt with toxicity of carbon nanotubes to microorganisms as well as the effect of bacterial surface structures on bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation and maturation. She is currently an Assistant Professor at University of Houston in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Her research interests involve toxicity of nanomaterials to microbial communities, the effects of global climate change to microorganisms from cold environments, and the production of biofuels with the degradation of lignocellulose materials.
SESSION 3 - ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
SESSION CHAIR:
Laura Spanjian
Sustainability Director for Mayor Annise Parker, City of Houston
BIOGRAPHY:
In April, 2010, Laura Spanjian joined the City of Houston as Mayor Annise Parker’s
Sustainability Director, where she is responsible for directing and coordinating projects
and initiatives that improve air, land and water quality; and support and expand
renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, recycling and composting,
alternative and clean transportation, local food production and more livable and vibrant
neighborhoods. Her career includes roles as Assistant General Manager—External
Affairs at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), where she managed
four divisions, including sustainability planning and legislative affairs; and Government
Affairs Director at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) Muni.
Environmental Accomplishments:
• Led final negotiations and approval for an urban 5 MW solar project—positioning San Francisco as having the nation’s largest municipal solar installation.
• Launched and implemented a $15M SF Solar Incentive Program to encourage residents and businesses to install rooftop renewable energy systems.
• Directed the passage of numerous state legislative bills, including the expansion of indoor and outdoor gray water use, mandating replacement of inefficient water fixtures in residents and businesses and expansion of large-scale renewable power generation.
• Led passage of federal appropriation funding for numerous initiatives, including $1M for a grease-to-biofuel plant and $1M for design study of a Civic Center Sustainable District.
• Directed the creation of MTA Muni’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle Program, that led SF to having the nation’s 3rd-largest hybrid bus fleet.
SESSION 3 - SURFACE WATER
SESSION CHAIR:
Nicole Hausler
Port of Houston Authority
BIOGRAPHY:
Ms. Hausler has been employed with the Port of Houston Authority since 2004 in the Environmental Affairs Department. She has worked on a variety of projects while at the Port Authority including the Environmental Management System and acting as the lead auditor for the EMS program. She is currently the project manager for water quality and sediment quality. Her project areas include the Port Authority’s storm water, waste water, drinking water, ballast water and sediment quality. She is an active member of the Galveston Bay Estuary Program Invasive Species Working Group and the Water and is vice chair for the Sediment Quality Sub-Committee. She serves on the University of Houston at Clear Lake Environmental Institute of Houston Advisory Board as an industry liason.
Ms. Hausler received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Sciences from Texas A & M University at Galveston and a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University. Additionally, Ms. Hausler received a Master’s of Science in Marine Studies from the University of Delaware.
SESSION 4 - AIR 2
SESSION CHAIR:
Carla Kinslow, PhD.
Senior Toxicologist, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
BIOGRAPHY:
Carla Kinslow, is currently a Senior Toxicologist Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, in Austin, Texas. Carla has a B.A. – Biology – Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Indiana, she also has a M.S. in Molecular Biology from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan and a Ph.D. in Molecular Toxicology/Genetics from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. She is formerly a scientist, researcher, research associate (19 years) in the biotechnology industry and was an environmental consultant and small business owner (4 years) operating her own business as Kinslow Consulting.
SESSION 4 - GROUND WATER
SESSION CHAIR:
Doug Carvel, PE, President, MECX Consulting
BIOGRAPHY:
Mr. Carvel is a Registered Professional Engineer with over 30 years of experience in the design and application of traditional and innovative remedial applications for the treatment of a full range of contaminants in soil and groundwater. Mr. Carvel is a retired Navy CAPT, former Commanding Officer of the Navy’s Environmental Engineering Unit and a founder and an owner of MECX LP, a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and award winning small business for NASA, USEPA and the Department of Defense. One of the first Insitu Chemical Oxidation Engineers in the USA, Mr. Carvel is an internally recognized leader in the use of Chemical Oxidation (CHEMOX) for the treatment of Non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL). Mr. Carvel has developed and has successfully applied CHEMOX at over 300 sites, for the treatment of fuels and a wide range of solvents throughout the USA, EU, Brazil, and Asia.
Mr. Carvel currently serves as the President and an owner of MECx, LP(MECx). Mr. Carvel's responsibilities include the development and application of remedial technologies including MECx's patented and proprietary technologies for the treatment of recalcitrant compounds in soil and groundwater.
SESSION 4 - WETLANDS AND WATERBODIES
SESSION CHAIR:
Jayson Hudson
USACE – Galveston District
BIOGRAPHY:
Jayson Hudson is a Biologist and Regulatory Project Manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, Regulatory Branch. In the 9+ years he has served with the Corps, he has been a Permit Specialist, Compliance and Enforcement Specialist and now serves as a Regulatory Project Manager in the Policy Analysis Section which is responsible for large, complex and/or precedent setting regulatory actions. Jayson holds a B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M at Galveston and an M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from Southwest Texas State University. Prior to moving to the Corps, Jayson worked for the Nature Conservancy of Texas in their land management program were he worked with threatened and endangered avian species and protected bats. Jayson’s outside interests include organic gardening, camping and waterfowling.
SESSION 4 - REMEDIATION 2 / REGULATORY
SESSION CHAIR:
Pamela Embody
Environmental Consultant
BIOGRAPHY:
Pam is an environmental scientist with diverse experience in remediation, solid waste, and waste water compliance. In the course of her career she has been involved in compliance auditing, gap closure, and training programs for internal, client and contractor groups. She has been involved in a variety of organizations and has been involved in environmental sampling for all types of environmental media (water, waste, soil, and air) including the Houston environmental analytical community and is known for expertise and team orientated partnership activities in environmental laboratory program management regarding service, quality assurance and cost optimization benefitting both the regulated and analytical partners. Additional specialties include: RCRA – Solid Waste, Detection Monitoring, & Corrective Action, TRRP, EPA & TCEQ analytical expertise for RCRA programs, SPCC, General air regulation support, Auditing for EMS and general compliance requirements, Gap assessments and closure, Client training program and compliance activity setup. Pam is a graduate of Waltrip High School and the University of Houston.