2018 Compliance Management Speakers

 

Gina McCarthy, Former EPA Administrator - Director; Center for Health and the Global Environment and Professor; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

A passionate advocate for sustainability, public health and environmental protection, addressing climate change and increasing renewable resources, Gina McCarthy is one of the world's most respected voices on the critical interconnection between the environment and global public health. For more than 30 years as a career public servant in both Democratic and Republican administrations, and now, at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, she has championed common sense strategies that protect the environment and public health while fostering economic growth.

 

McCarthy gained international recognition as head of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama, leading historic progress to achieve the administration's public health and environmental protection goals and Climate Action Plan. In 2015, McCarthy signed the Clean Power Plan, which set the first-ever national standards for reducing carbon emissions from existing power plants, underscoring the country's commitment to domestic climate action and spurring international efforts that helped secure the Paris Climate Agreement. During her tenure, EPA initiatives cut air pollution, protected water resources, reduced greenhouse gases and strengthened chemical safety to better protect more Americans, especially the most vulnerable, from negative health impacts. Internationally, McCarthy worked with the UN and WHO on a variety of efforts and represented the U.S. on global initiatives to reduce high risk sources of pollution. Known for her pragmatic approaches and disarming, plain-speaking style, McCarthy has earned the respect of the environmental, public health and business communities with her thorough understanding of all sides of climate, air quality, chemical safety, environmental justice and health equity, and water, land and natural resource protection and restoration discussions. A gifted communicator and strategist with a talent for making environmental issues nonpartisan, highly personal, and solidly backed by science and the law, McCarthy is consistently credited with finding common ground and forging sustainable, common sense solutions.

 

McCarthy now serves as Professor of the Practice of Public Health in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. On January 1, 2018, she will step up as Director of Harvard Chan's Center for Health and the Global Environment, leading the development of the School's strategy in climate science, health, and sustainability. Previously, she was both a Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan and a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School. Before joining EPA, she served five Massachusetts Democratic and Republican administrations and was Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. She joined EPA in 2009 as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. In 2013, she was chosen by President Obama to spearhead his climate efforts at the federal level as EPA Administrator. According to McCarthy, “I'm very proud that under my watch, EPA took strong domestic actions to address climate change in ways that delivered significant public health benefits to American families, protected our precious natural resources and allowed our economy to thrive and jobs to grow.”

 

Combining a contagious passion for democracy with an urgency to take action, Gina McCarthy has spoken to audiences around the world about the dangers, challenges and opportunities that face the health of our people and the stability of our planet. As equally in her element with business audiences and environmental groups, Gina McCarthy leaves audiences informed, energized and inspired to do what they can to make a positive difference in their homes, communities and workplaces - for the sake of their families and our world.

 

Mark Ames, Director, Government Relations; AIHA (American Industrial Hygiene Association)

Mark Ames serves as the Director of Government Relations for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA®), where he provides strategic direction and direct engagement for all State and Federal legislative and regulatory, and all other government relations activities for the Association. Mark previously worked for ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). At ASHRAE, he co-led their DC-based Government Affairs Office, providing strategic management in the development of their public policy priorities and representing the organization's membership to Congress, the White House, and multiple Federal Agencies. Mark was responsible for the development of policy recommendations in all issue areas at ASHRAE, and provided direction to ASHRAE's State, local, and non-US government affairs activities, including working with ASHRAE’s Board and leaders from 182 Chapters and 100+ technical committees.

 

Prior to ASHRAE, Mark worked at the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), and the Native American Contractors Association (NACA) on a diverse array of workforce development issues.

 

Mark holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Politics and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from The American University (AU), and is a graduate of the University's Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute.

 

Michael J. Bittner, Principal and Director, Post-Merger Integration; Ramboll Group A/S

Michael Bittner has more than twenty-five years of experience in the EHS field including more than twenty years in consulting and four years in industry as the corporate manager of environmental compliance at a multi-facility U.S. Department of Defense contractor.

 

Mr. Bittner has significant hands-on experience in the following areas: post-merger integration planning and implementation; enhanced divestiture services; spin-off and carve out consulting; organizational design, assessment and improvement; transaction services; operational excellence, systems streamlining, and synergy capture; EHS compliance auditing; audit program design, evaluation and management; auditor training; ISO 14001 / OHSAS 18001 gap analyses and systems development; EMIS tools; strategic planning; EHS regulatory compliance programs; soil and groundwater investigations; and high-impact health and safety performance improvement. Mike has published extensively on PMI and other EHS topics, and serves as editor of the EHS Journal.

 

He has a BS in Geology/Geophysics from the University of Wisconsin, an MA in German Literature from the University of Virginia and a post Graduate Diplomain Environmental Management from the Imperial College at Wye, University of London.

 

Kasia Branny, Team Lead; Enhesa S.A.

Kasia Branny works as a Regulatory Team Lead at Enhesa’s Arlington, Va. office. She manages EHS regulatory compliance projects and programs for multinational companies with operations across the globe. Kasia is also responsible for managing a global team of regulatory experts. Previously, Kasia worked as a regulatory consultant for EU and US. Kasia received a Master in Law from Jagiellonian University in Krakow and an LL.M. from George Washington University. Kasia is fluent in Polish and English.

 

Susan Briggs, Principal Consultant; SLK Briggs

Susan L.K. Briggs is known nationally and internationally for her work developing and implementing Environment, Health and Safety Management Systems in manufacturing, research and government organizations.

 

She is the Chairperson of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group on Environmental Management.  With her US colleagues, she developed and negotiated US positions during the 2004 revision of ISO 14001/14004. 

Susan served on the ANSI-ASQ Accreditation Council overseeing the accreditation of certification bodies in the U.S.

 

She is a member of the ISO Joint Technical Coordination Group task force that wrote ‘Annex SL', ISO's core management system requirements and the related guidance now used in all ISO management systems standards.

 

It is this unique set of experiences that enabled her to be elected to the leadership role of Convener of ISO's international working group responsible for the 2015 revision of ISO 14001published in late 2015.

 

Susan Briggs provides technical support and training to organizations of all sizes in a variety of sectors implementing ISO 14001 and integrated EHS and Quality management systems.  As a conference speaker at national and international forums, she shares information on the new requirements in ISO 14001:2015, ISO's core management system requirements in Annex SL, and transitioning to these new standards.  She advises certification bodies and their auditors on auditing ISO 14001:2015, and performs ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certification audits.

 

Susan L.K. Briggs graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor degree in Natural Science, concentrating in environmental science and statistics. She has numerous publications in technical journals, including authoring “ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System Handbook: A practical guide for Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs)”.

 

For more information on how Susan LK Briggs can assist your organization, visit her website www.slkbriggs.com or contact her at slkbriggs4@gmail.com.

 

Nicholas Brunson, Director of Loss Control and Sustainability; Dixie Chemical Co.

Nicholas Brunson is the Director of Loss Control & Sustainability at Dixie Chemical Company. Dixie Chemical is a market leader in the development and manufacturing of high performance specialty chemicals. Nick’s team is responsible for integrated management systems, risk management, sustainability initiatives, external relationships, and for all safety, environmental, health, and security matters. He received both a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a Master’s degree in business administration from the University of Houston. Nick is passionate about reaching as many people as he can to make a positive impact on their lives and the environment.

 

John A. Dony, Director, Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainability; National Safety Council

John Dony is the Director of the Campbell Institute, the global environmental, health, safety and sustainability (EHS&S) center of excellence. In this role, he sets Institute vision and strategy and develops leading-edge research, event, partnership, and outreach initiatives. John works closely with EHS&S, operations, and thought leaders at over 40 member organizations and partners to share best practices and lessons learned around the world.

 

John also serves as the Director of EHS&S at the National Safety Council. In this role, he is responsible for the development and continuous improvement of the Council's EHS&S management system and associated programs, supporting approximately 500 employees in the United States and abroad. John also works closely with the National Safety Council Executive Team to inform NSC EHS&S-related workplace strategy, vision, and messaging.

 

Since joining the National Safety Council in 2007, John has led numerous high-impact programs, including the prestigious Robert W. Campbell Award. He is a frequent speaker at conferences in North America and Europe on topics including EHS&S management systems, leadership, and leading indicators. John has written and contributed to numerous research papers and books, most recently serving as co-editor of Journey to Vision Zero, simultaneously published in Germany and the United States.

 

Prior to joining the Council, John held quality management, project management, and coalition-building positions in the communication and education fields. He holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Sociology from Northwestern University.

 

Amy Ebersole-Martinez, Safety and Environmental Manager; Petco Animal Supplies Inc.

Amy Ebersole-Martinez is currently a Safety & Environmental Manager for Petco Animal Supplies, in San Antonio, Texas. Her she manages the entire company's Safety & Environmental Health Department for two corporate offices, 14 Distribution Centers and 1500+ stores nationwide.

 

She holds a bachelor's degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.

 

Amy started her career at SeaWorld as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, working with the veterinary team to monitor and ensure the safety and well-being of the water quality as well as the health of all the animals. She quickly became interested and engaged in the Safety of the Laboratory and her co-workers. This began the start of her transition into the world of Safety and Environmental Health.

 

Amy's interest in the field of Safety and Environmental Health lead her to Lockheed Martin. Here she spent the next seven years in their Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) sector, helping to facilitate engine test, in support of the US Military and the Presidential Air Fleet.

 

With knowledge and experience now under her belt in the Safety and Environmental Health area, she was quickly recruited by Operational Technologies, a small supply chain and logistics company, looking to grow and improve their business model in the area of Safety. They needed someone with Amy's expertise to help them get started with an ESH program, for their growing business. She quickly became responsible for starting their ESH programs for all of their US and Mexico operations.

 

All of her journeys have enabled her to gain invaluable experience in industries such as Retail, Entertainment, Aerospace and Logistics Management.

 

Amy is board certified with ASCP, and is a member of NAEM, and has more than 15 years of experience in the Safety and Environmental Health field.

 

Taylor Gelsinger, Manager of Research and Analytics; NAEM

Taylor Gelsinger has been with NAEM since 2013. She executes NAEM's research program, specializing in a range of EHS and sustainability topics, including: compliance, environmental information management systems, corporate responsibility reporting, materiality, metrics and professional development. Taylor graduated with a Master of Environmental Management degree in environmental economics and policy from Duke University and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Oklahoma State University.

 

Mark Hause, Environmental Competency Leader; DuPont Co.

Currently, Mark Hause is the Global Environmental, Risk, and EHS Systems Manager for DuPont as part of the Corporate Safety, Health, Environmental, and Operational Excellence Center. Previous experiences include Global Environmental Engineering Technology Manager as well as a variety of Leadership roles in Manufacturing, Technology, Sales, Marketing, Business Development, and Business Management in the 36 years that he has been at DuPont. He is currently the Benchmarking Chair for NAEM and has extensive experience with other environmental organization and social service agency boards. He earned a BS degree in Chemical Engineering at Iowa State University. Mark grew up in a family of twelve children, so he is used to working with large groups of people in a dynamic environment to achieve common ground. He is married with three children, one grandchild, and numerous pets, so he thrives on chaos.

 

Drena Howard, Director, Global Retail Environmental Affairs & Safety; The Estee Lauder Co.'s

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Drena Howard is the Director of Global Retail Environmental Affairs and Safety at The Estée Lauder Companies. She leads EHS training, education and communication initiatives for the ever- growing global retail channel. "I have the challenge of making safety-sexy", she says.

 

Drena's diverse experience includes international auditing, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, hazardous waste management, shipping, and sustainability. She is a Certified Safety Professional and holds a Master of Environmental Management and Master of Public Health from Yale University. In 2014, she was awarded the 'Rising Star of Safety' by the National Safety Council.

 

Marian Hwang, Principal; Miles & Stockbridge pc

Marian Hwang has been an environmental attorney with the firm since 1987 and co-chairs its Environmental Practice Group. The breadth of her legal experiences representing multinational and national clients has enabled her to develop practical solutions to complex issues, whether involving complicated real estate/corporate acquisitions or divestitures to complex multi-defendant toxic tort claims and multi-facility compliance and enforcement matters. She has authored and lectured extensively before the American Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, Government Institutes, National Business Institute, and corporations on various environmental subjects. She is LEED certified, serves on boards of many community, civic and professional organizations, and has been named as one of The Best Lawyers in America (Environmental/Law Litigation) from 2007 to present. Miles & Stockbridge has been a NAEM affiliate council member since 2009.

 

Steve LaMarre, Regional Environmental, Health & Safety Manager – North; Carrier Corp. U.S. Field Operations

Steven LaMarre works as the environmental, health and safety manager for United Technologies Carrier division that focuses on the rental, installation and maintenance of HVAC systems throughout the world. Steven has a home office in the State of Maine while managing the Company EH&S Management System for 30 different market focused operations from Minneapolis down to St. Louis over to DC on up to Maine. Prior to this role, Steve spent over ten years as the EHS Manager for a large electronics manufacturing facility within the United Technologies Kidde division. Steven is a well-rounded EHS professional maintaining certification as a safety professional as well as professional ergonomist and obtained advanced degrees in business as well as industrial hygiene. In 2013 Steve was a recipient of the State of Maine Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for his work to reduce the Company’s environmental footprint at its Maine manufacturing operation.

 

Allison Montgomery, EHS Director, CHQ; Harris Corp.

Allison Montgomery is the Global Director of Environmental, Health and Safety for Harris Corporation. She is based at Harris’ Corporate Headquarters in Melbourne, FL and is responsible for developing strategies to improve the company’s overall Environmental, Health and Safety performance. Before joining Harris, Allison worked at Pentair as the Global Director of EHS and Quality and held varying EHS Management roles with Alcoa, Inc. Allison served four years in the United States Marine Corps. She holds a BS degree in Biology from The Ohio State University and a MS degree in Environmental Management from The University of Maryland.

 

Milind Pradhan, Principal; Ramboll Group A/S

Milind Pradhan, PE, Ramboll’s Compliance Strategy and Transaction leader for the Americas, has more than 25 years of experience assisting clients with a wide variety of environmental, health, and safety issues. His technical and strategic assistance to a diverse global industrial client base has included environmental site assessments and environmental due diligence reviews, EHS regulatory compliance and management system audits, EHS risk assessments, permitting assistance, site investigations, and feasibility studies. Mr. Pradhan has directed and participated in numerous global EHS auditing and management system programs including their development and implementation. He has provided PMI assistance through post-merger EHS compliance audits, EHS management system evaluations, program development, compliance improvements, and integration support. He is a Certified Professional (CP) under Ohio’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP) for investigating and remediating potentially contaminated sites and has helped several clients obtain No Further Action /Covenant Not to Sue under the program.

 

Jason Reichert, Director of Safety - South Division; Advance Auto Parts Inc.

Jason Reichert has over 20 years of experience in Environmental, Safety, Health & Systems Management. Over his career, he has spent time in in the automotive, metal machining, cold forming, electroplating, heavy equipment and retail business sectors. He has a wealth of experience in manual assembly, risk hazard analysis, process flow mapping and production line balancing. He has excelled at developing custom management systems, metric communication systems and compliance programs designed to focus on key business drivers. These drivers have delivered elevated safety & risk awareness within organizations and established accountability at all business layers.

 

Jason has designed management systems for companies like ITT Industries, Danaher Tool Group, Apex Tool Group, Colfax Corporation and currently Advance Auto Parts. Historically Jason was an ISO systems designer and partnered with quality groups on the integration of quality, safety & environmental business programs. He is a certified ISO systems auditor and is skilled in process analysis and design. His performance and planning focus primarily resides with measurable execution at a business’s front line and establishing accountability with all layers within a business.

 

Jason graduated from the University of Findlay with a degree in Environmental and Hazardous Materials Management with an emphasis in Industrial Hygiene.

 

Elizabeth Ryan, Director of Communications; NAEM

As Director of Communications for NAEM, Elizabeth Ryan provides editorial direction and lead authorship for the association's research publications, including its talent management series, its software and data management research and the association's expertise on emerging trends.

 

Prior to joining NAEM, she covered transportation, poverty, housing and urban policy as a long-form investigative journalist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from the University of Rochester and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School.

 

Allen Stegman, Director of Environmental and Hazardous Materials; BNSF Railway Co.

Allen M. Stegman is the Director of Environmental and Hazardous Materialsl for BNSF Railway and has over 25 years of experience in the Environmental, Health and Safety field.

 

Allen has been involved with NAEM for many years and currently is serving on the Board of Directors and has also served on the Board of Regents for over 15 years. Allen was also the Forum Chair in 2014, has participated on the Forum Committee, the Governance/Nominating Committee, various benchmarking committee's and has been involved in numerous NAEM events as a moderator or speaker. Allen is also a frequent speaker at various conferences including Battelle, AHC, RREC, and the Sustainable Performance Forum and has also been a guest lecturer at Stanford University.

 

At BNSF, one of the largest transportation providers in the United States as well as one of the largest landowners, his core responsibilities include remediation and environmental liability management, emergency response, data/document management, technology/ innovation, acquisitions & divestitures, metrics and project controls.

 

Prior to joining BNSF, Allen was the Director of Safety and Environmental Affairs for a global chemical company and has a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering with an option in Biochemical Engineering from the University of Missouri.

 

Eric Weber, Vice President of Product Development; McCoy & Associates

Eric has over thirty years of experience interpreting environmental regs and developing compliance tools, including McCoy Sherpa. Eric started at McCoy in 1986, and over the course of his career, he has developed, written, and edited a myriad of content and tools to serve environmental professionals. He specializes in demystifying complex regulatory topics and bringing historical context to regulatory discussions. Before McCoy, Eric worked for Conoco in Houston, Texas. Eric and his wife Robyn, live in the heart of Denver, but love to spend time on the slopes of Colorado’s famous mountains. If you want to understand how passionate Eric is, start a conversation with him about skiing - or RCRA.