2014 Pipeline Safety Trust Conference – Speaker Bios
Frank Bibeau is an attorney and member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, enrolled at White Earth Reservation and has been residing on the Leech Lake Reservation for more than 30 years in Ball Club, MN. Frank’s primary interests are the protection of individual and Tribal rights, on and off reservation, treaty reserved and inherent, with a focus on the Treaty with the Chippewa of 1855 and the usufructuary rights to hunt, fish and gather with a “right to earn a modest living” in the modern world. Frank is working with Winona LaDuke and Honor the Earth, a native led non-profit to stop the currently proposed (Enbridge) Sandpiper oil pipeline in Minnesota, which cuts across the headwaters of the Mississippi River watershed, as well as watersheds from the Red River to Hudson Bay and Lake Superior to the Atlantic. Frank has argued a series of federal Indian law based jurisdictional challenges to Minnesota’s right as a state to independently and unilaterally consent or grant permits for pipelines in the ceded Chippewa territories. Frank will discuss treaty rights, federal involvement under the trust doctrine and Executive Orders for government-to-government consultation between tribes and federal agencies.
Paul Blackburn is an energy and environmental law attorney based in Minneapolis. He provides legal and consulting services on pipeline, electric utility, and mining matters. He represented nonprofit clients in the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission hearing on the Keystone XL Pipeline, and in the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission hearing on expansion of Line 67, an Enbridge pipeline. He has provided policy analysis and strategic advice on a variety of pipeline matters and authored reports on pipeline safety and oil spill response. Paul started his legal career in Washington, DC, at the law firm of Van Ness Feldman. After leaving private practice, he worked for a number of non-profit organizations, including the Sierra Club, the National Environmental Trust, and Oceana. He also has experience in community wind energy development, both as a senior policy analyst for Windustry and as the Executive Director of the Community-Based Energy Development Initiative. Paul holds a B.A. in Biology from Macalester College and a J.D. from Boston College Law School.
Sheridan Brown is an Attorney and Government Relations Consultant in Grantham, NH. He received his Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, where he graduated cum laude, was a member of the Journal of High Technology Law staff, and received the Jurisprudence Award for Excellent Achievement in Environmental Law. From 1999-2009, Brown served as an aide to U.S. Senator John E. Sununu, handling a diverse portfolio of environmental projects. This year, as NH Audubon’s Legislative Coordinator, Sheridan led successful advocacy efforts to enact NH Senate Bill 325, which gives New Hampshire’s Department of Environmental Services (DES) rulemaking authority to impose state-level oil spill preparedness requirements upon pipeline operators. The legislation was prompted by Portland Pipe Line Company’s proposal to reverse flow on its more than 60-year-old pipeline (crossing more than 70 northern NH wetlands and streams) to transport tar sands crude from Montreal to Portland, ME. In January, Sheridan received the Union Leader Newspaper’s “40 Under Forty” award. As described by NH’s only statewide newspaper, its award program “recognizes some of the state’s brightest young achievers who have a record of professional and volunteer accomplishments in New Hampshire.” More information about Sheridan’s practice may be found at www.stbrownlaw.com.
Mark Brownstein is Associate Vice President and Chief Counsel of the U.S. Climate and Energy Program at Environmental Defense Fund. Mark leads EDF’s team on natural gas development and delivery. In addition, he specializes in a variety of utility-related issues including electric grid development and wholesale and retail market design. Prior to joining EDF, Mark held a variety of business strategy and environmental management positions within Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), one of the largest electric and gas utility holding companies in the United States. Mark’s career includes time as an attorney in private environmental practice, an air quality regulator with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and an aide to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mark is a member of the Electric Power Research Institute’s Public Advisory Committee. Mark holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, and a B.A. from Vassar College.
Darin Burk (Springfield, IL) is the Pipeline Safety Program Manager for the State of Illinois. He has a combined 29 years of pipeline industry and pipeline regulatory experience. His pipeline industry background includes: distribution system construction, operations, and maintenance. His regulatory experience includes: compliance inspection program management, compliance inspection, incident investigation, fraud investigation and expert testimony. Darin is currently serving as the Past Chairman of the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (“NAPSR”). He also represents NAPSR on the Pipeline Safety Grant Allocation Committee. Darin recently completed a three year assignment as the Chairman of the Distribution Integrity Management Program Implementation Task Group and continues to service as a task group advisor.
Peter Chace is the Gas Pipeline Safety program manager for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and has served in that position since June 2009. Before this position Mr. Chace has been employed as a consulting environmental engineer and served as the Chief of the Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations for the Ohio State Fire Marshal from 1999 to 2007. He is also a veteran and served for 5 years as an officer in the united States Navy specializing in nuclear engineering. Mr. Chace received his Masters degree in Mathematics & Statistics from Miami University in 1996 and a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from the University of Michigan in 1988.
Shanna Cleveland is a Senior Attorney in the Clean Energy and Climate Change Program at Conservation Law Foundation. Shanna has worked for almost a decade to transform the energy system in New England by advocating for laws, policies, and markets that create a level playing field for clean energy. Shanna’s practice has ranged from holding owners of outdated coal-fired power plants accountable for violations of the federal and state clean air laws to supporting the development of the nation’s first commercial off-shore wind farm, and most recently to examining and providing policy recommendations regarding how to improve the state of the natural gas distribution system. Shanna regularly speaks on energy law and policy issues and recently received the Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall Award for Access to Justice from the American Constitution Society for her work to protect vulnerable communities from air pollution. Shanna earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia where she served as an Executive Editor of the Virginia Law Review, and she earned her A.B. from Harvard University, magna cum laude.
Dana Cornea is a Director in the Applications Business Unit of the National Energy Board (NEB). She is responsible for the NEB’s assessment of applications for pipelines in eastern Canada and international and inter-provincial power lines. In addition, she is responsible for the operations of the Land Matters Group, a multi-stakeholder advisory group as well as the NEB’s Participant Funding Program. Dana joined the NEB in 2003 and has held various roles in financial/economic application assessment, financial auditing and regulatory policy. She played a leadership role in the design and implementation of a cross-Canada Land Matters Consultation Initiative where she led a stream of consultation on the approach to abandonment of pipelines. She also led the development of the NEB’s Administrative Monetary Penalty Regulations and the agenda of the NEB’s 2013 Safety Forum. Dana is a Chartered Accountant and has a Master’s Degree in Development Economics. She lives in Calgary, Alberta with her two young boys and husband where she enjoys ample opportunities to go mountain biking and skiing.
Barb Dickison is the current chairperson of the Pendleton County Planning and Zoning Commission. She was originally appointed to the Commission in May 2012. Very near that same time, the Bluegrass Pipeline Company (an LLC for the Williams and Boardwalk Companies) was making entries in to the county seeking the purchasing of easements for the development of a pipeline to transport NGL from the shale fields of the Pennsylvania to the New Orleans area. Pendleton County is a rural residential/agrarian area located in the northern portion of Kentucky. It was realized that a NGL pipeline could have significant impact for both current and future generations of the area and the planning and zoning commission has been pursuing reasonable responses to the effort. Barb is retired from over 40 years of management and hospital administration and holds a BSN from the University of Virginia and a MBA from Northern Kentucky University.
Jim Donihee was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association in January of 2013. Previous roles in the energy industry include: VP & Chief of Staff at Pengrowth, Chief Operating Officer at the National Energy Board, and VP Organizational Effectiveness at EnCana. Mr. Donihee served for twenty-eight years in Canada’s Air Force retiring as an Air Force Colonel. He has extensive multinational operational experience having served as a NATO Commander of forces in Yugoslavia, NORAD Commander in the Arctic, and as Base Commander of CFB Cold Lake. He was decorated by the Governor General of Canada and inducted into the Order of Military Merit. He is ICD trained and served as a founding Board Member of Projex Technologies, and as Chair of the Corps of Commissionaires of Southern Alberta. He is a member of the Board of Enform, and has also recently been appointed to the Board for Legal Aid Alberta. Mr. Donihee holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from the College Militaire Royal. He completed the Queen’s University executive program on Strategic Planning, Masters level studies in Systems Integration and Project Management, and the Australian Army’s Command and Staff College focusing on Strategic and Operational Leadership.
John Erickson joined APGA in August, 2004 as Vice President, Operations, responsible for the APGA Operations and Safety Committee. He is responsible for liaison with the federal Office of Pipeline Safety, the National Transportation Safety Board as well as state pipeline safety associations. He monitors federal regulatory activity affecting public gas engineering and operations, prepares analyses on key issues and advocates APGA’s positions with key government agencies. From 1981 to 1996 he performed similar functions with the American Gas Association. From 1996 to 2004 John was President and founder of Safety and Compliance Evaluation, Inc., a consulting firm providing products and services to assist gas distribution and energy pipeline companies with design, construction, operation and maintenance. He is also the Chief Operating Officer for the APGA Security and Integrity Foundation (SIF), a non-profit foundation created by APGA to assist small utilities with pipeline safety and security concerns. He is the project manager for the development of the SHRIMP Distribution Integrity Management Programs (DIMP) plan development tool. He has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from The George Washington University. He is a registered professional engineer in Virginia.
Emily Ferguson is an Energy & Regulatory Specialist at a Canadian Consulting firm called Shared Value Solutions. In this role, she works with First Nations in Canada to support negotiations with oil and gas companies. Emily is also the founder of Line 9 Communities (http://line9communities.com) – a website she writes and maintains as an initiative to raise awareness and promote a community discussion about the Enbridge Line 9 pipeline in Ontario, Canada. After discovering that the pipeline ran 200m behind the public school she attended for years, Emily polled the small community only to discover a massive lack of public awareness. She mapped the entire 840km pipeline and posted the maps to her website in an effort to increase knowledge sharing in communities along the line. She used social media to promote the cause and was interviewed by several popular media outlets. Emily was an Intervenor in the National Energy Board hearing on Line 9 and is very familiar with pipeline regulatory processes in Canada.
Susan Fleck is Vice President of Gas Pipeline Safety and Compliance for National Grid, an international energy company based out of London, UK. In her current role, she is responsible for development and delivery of all gas compliance improvement initiatives and tracking and monitoring Gas compliance across US business. She also works directly with all state and federal regulators that govern Gas Pipeline Safety. She is responsible for development and implementation of an effective QA/QC program and is responsible and accountable over a Gas Compliance Working Group that drives US Gas business compliance strategy and practice. Her role includes being a lead representative with external/trade association, AGA, on gas compliance framework and advocacy, Peer-to-Peer reviews and benchmarking. She sits on a PHMSA advisory board reviewing proposed pipeline safety regulations. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University and an MBA (Finance) from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.
Dr. Robert J. Goldston is a Professor of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University and an international leader in the fields of plasma physics and magnetic fusion energy. From 1997 to 2009 he served as director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory. Having worked previously on the heating and energy confinement of the fusion fuel, with success in those areas he has now focused his research on understanding the process by which heat leaves fusion plasmas and is deposited on plasma-facing components, a key issue for commercial fusion energy. Dr. Goldston is also now engaged with Princeton’s Program in Science and Global Security, studying the nuclear proliferation risks associated with different forms of nuclear energy, and developing new approaches to warhead verification for arms control. Dr. Goldston is the author of 250 papers on experimental and theoretical plasma physics in journals and conference proceedings, and in 1995 co-authored with Dr. Paul Rutherford the textbook “Introduction to Plasma Physics”. He is a contributing author to six other books. In 1988, he was awarded the American Physical Society (APS) Prize for Excellence in Plasma Physics.
Sam Hall is a Senior Program Manager for the Office of Pipeline Safety in the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). In this capacity, Mr. Hall coordinates a variety of PHMSA emergency response and damage prevention initiatives, including the Technical Assistance Grants program, the third-party excavation damage enforcement rulemaking, improving pipeline emergency response, and cooperative agreements with the Common Ground Alliance and the National Association of State Fire Marshals. Sam began working with PHMSA in 1998 in support of the National Pipeline Mapping System and served as the GIS Manager from 2003 to 2005. He left PHMSA in 2005 to pursue opportunities in Virginia state government, where he worked for both the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Virginia Geographic Information Network. He returned to PHMSA in 2008 to serve in his current role. Mr. Hall holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in Geography from George Mason University.
Dona Harrington-Burns is a Public Awareness Program Manager for the Colonial Pipeline Company. She joined the company is 2001 and has served in various positions in Public Affairs, ROW, and Compliance. She is responsible for the development and management of Colonial’s public awareness outreach efforts. Ms. Burns has a B.S. in Education. Prior to coming to Colonial, Dona worked for 18 years in the nuclear industry as an operational and financial performance analyst. She is currently the vice chair of the API Public Awareness Group and serves on the Board of Directors for the newly formed Georgia Pipeline Emergency Response Initiative.
Karen Haase is a senior policy advisor in the Downstream Department of the American Petroleum Institute (API), a national trade association that represents over 600 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of American’s energy, supports more than 9.8 million jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy, and, since 2000, has invested nearly $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives. Karen currently manages portions of API’s advocacy efforts on safety, health and fire protection issues primarily impacting refining and pipeline operations. Employed by API for more than 25 years, Karen worked in the U.S. Senate before joining API. She is a graduate of the College of William & Mary and earned her CAE, Certified Association Executive designation, in December 2006.
Bill Kiger is the 67 year old Chief Executive Officer of PA One Call, is married with 2 married daughters and 3 Grandchildren. He has been involved as a Board member and General Manager of One Call operations in Pennsylvania and subsequently 4 other states (WV, NY, TX, MO) as well as, the province of Alberta since 1974. Founded “One Call Systems International” and Served as 1st Chair of OCSI 1975-76,1981-82 and 2005-6 Term, Served on; the APWA/ULCC Temporary Marking Color Code Committee 1980, APWA, Life Member (1975), served on Utility Location &Coordination Council 1980-84, 1992-96 as Vice- President in 1995 and President in 1996, Board “One Calls of America” 2004-8 & 2013-Present. Served on the original Common Ground Study ’98-99, CGA Best Practices Committee 2000-Present. Served on GITA Board of Directors 2003-2008, Member GITA-APWA “ROADIC” Study Mission to Japan Nov. 2003. 44 years in the Utility and Construction Industry. Handled the technical implementation of “811” Nationwide in 2005. He served in US Navy Reserve 1964-72, Vietnam Veteran 1967-68. Lieutenant, Civil Air Patrol, PA Wing 2000-Present, served as Deputy Homeland Security Director. Serves on PA PUC State 911 Task Force.
Robert Kipp has served as President of the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) since the organization’s inception in 2001. Since 2001, the CGA has grown to represent more than 1600 national members and as many as 2000 members within the 64 regional CGA organizations throughout the United States and Canada. The CGA is now considered the leading organization aiming to reduce damage to the underground infrastructure. Prior to his current role with the CGA, Mr. Robert Kipp served as President and Chief Executive Officer of BCI Inc., in Chantilly, VA from April 1994 until March 2001. During his career, Mr. Kipp also held various, senior-level management roles with Bell Canada and Bell Canada International. Mr. Kipp has a Bachelor of Administration Degree from the University of Ottawa, in Ontario, Canada. He has received executive training at the FUQUA School of Executive Management, Duke University, NC. Mr. Kipp and his family received their American citizenship in 2002. He lives with his wife, Faye. They have two children – Leah and Blair.
Mayor Kristina Lawson is a committed and respected local leader, and is known as a consensus-builder. Recently recognized by Diablo Magazine as one of the East San Francisco Bay Area’s 40 most remarkable professionals under age 40, she is a strong advocate for public safety, fiscal responsibility and good governance. Representing the City, Mayor Lawson currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority. Mayor Lawson is also an appointee to the League of California Cities’ Environmental Quality Policy Committee serving as that committee’s Vice Chair, and serves as a vice-president of the Murwood Elementary School PTA and on the Board of Directors of the Rudgear Estates Swim Team.
Professionally, Mayor Lawson is a land use and environmental lawyer with the national law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Arizona, and graduated at the top of her law school class (Order of the Coif) from Santa Clara University School of Law.
Chuck Lesniak is the Environmental Officer for the City of Austin, Texas. He has over 20 years of experience in the environmental protection field working on behalf of the City of Austin, where he has lived and worked for more than 30 years. As Environmental Officer he is responsible for ensuring that environmental protection is given the highest priority in public and private development. In addition to addressing development issues, Chuck works on a variety of general environmental policy topics, including transmission pipelines and abandoned landfills. Prior to being appointed Environmental Officer, Chuck worked in a variety of environmental areas for the City of Austin including hazardous spills and complaints investigation, large environmental remediation project management, environmental regulation and policy development, evaluation of environmental threats from hazardous liquids transmission pipelines and large municipal landfills, and Endangered Species Act compliance. Chuck holds a Bachelors of Science in Aquatic Biology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Catherine Little is a partner at Hunton & Williams law firm, where she is a founding member of the firm’s Pipeline Safety Practice. Hunton & Williams’ Pipeline Practice group has national experience in resolving issues that arise during the construction, permitting, operation and maintenance of oil and gas pipelines. Catherine regularly counsels pipeline clients on energy-related, environmental and administrative law, with particular emphasis on regulatory compliance, strategic planning and administrative adjudication under the Pipeline Safety Act, Clean Water Act (including wetlands), and the Oil Pollution Act. Catherine holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from Tulane University Law School.
David Lykken is the state Director of Pipeline Safety, of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). David has been with the UTC pipeline safety program for 15 years having held positions as both Pipeline Safety Engineer and Chief Engineer before being appointed Director in 2009. Prior to joining the UTC, David spent 20 years with Puget Sound Energy’s natural gas utility as a Pipefitter, Field Representative, Construction Coordinator, and District Operations Manager. He is actively involved with the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR) currently serving as National Vice-Chairman. David has served on numerous boards and committee’s such as the American Public Gas Association – Security and Integrity Foundation, Common Ground Alliance – Advocacy, American Society of Mechanical Engineers B31Q Pipeline Personnel Qualification, PHMSA Plastic Pipe and Public Awareness Ad Hoc Committees, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Staff Sub-Committee on Pipeline Safety, and the Pipeline and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA).
Alan Mayberry is PHMSA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy and Programs for the Office of Pipeline Safety in Washington, DC. In his role, Alan carries out a national program to ensure the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operations of the Nation’s pipeline transportation system. He is primarily responsible for administering policies and programs, performing high level program planning, and providing executive direction for carrying out mission and program responsibilities. On October 1, 2013, Alan transitioned into his current position after 3 ½ years as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Field Operations where he had led PHMSA’s five regional offices, emergency support and security division, and oversaw PHMSA’s national pipeline safety inspection program. In 2006, Alan joined PHMSA’s Office of Pipeline Safety as a senior engineer in the headquarters Engineering and Emergency Support Division. Alan was appointed Director of the group in 2008. In his role as PHMSA’s technical lead, Alan was responsible for supporting program and regional offices on pipeline issues to ensure uniform policies. Alan is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He’s also a registered professional engineer in Virginia.
Ron McClain is currently serving as President of Products Pipelines for Kinder Morgan, the largest midstream and the third largest energy company (based on combined enterprise value) in North America. His responsibilities include operations for 9000 miles of refined products pipelines, business development, engineering and pipeline design, integrity management, new construction and Environmental Health and Safety. Prior to this post, Ron served as Vice President – Engineering and Operations for Kinder Morgan’s natural gas pipelines. Ron has 39 years of experience in pipeline operations and engineering with Kinder Morgan and predecessor companies and is a graduate of Aurora University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. In addition to commitments within Kinder Morgan, Ron represents the oil pipeline stakeholder group as Vice Chairman for the board of the Common Ground Alliance and is on the Board of Directors for the Association of Oil Pipelines. Currently, Ron chairs a committee that is developing the API RP 1173 Pipeline Safety Management Systems.
Robert Miller currently serves as the Program Manager for the Arizona Corporation Commission, Office of Pipeline Safety. Robert’s background includes over 18 years of State and Federal regulatory experience while working for the Arizona Office of Pipeline Safety beginning in 1996. Robert served as a Senior Pipeline Inspector until 2007 at which time he began his duties as the program manager. Prior to his employment with the Arizona Office of Pipeline Safety, Robert spent the bulk of his carrier beginning in 1969 in the pipeline construction industry focusing on natural gas and LPG distribution systems design, installation, repair, replacement, operations and maintenance. In addition to his current duties Robert has also served on the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representative (NAPSR) board of directors since being elected in 2012. Robert currently is serving as the National Chairman of NAPSR and also a member on a number committees committed to improving pipeline safety; including the API 1173 Safety Management Systems committee, Plastic Pipe Data Committee and other joint PHMSA / NAPSR committees and task groups.
Chauna Moreland is currently the Director of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Pipeline Pathways Program. This program is focused on clearing the right of way of encroachments and incompatible vegetation on the 6,750 miles of the company’s gas transmission pipeline. As part of this role she has lead a vegetation impact study to better understand the interaction of tree roots on a transmission pipeline. Prior to this role Chauna used her proven ability to build consensus on strategies and implementation plans among internal/external stakeholders along with her excellent communication skills to build and lead the execution team of the extensive Hydrotest Program which has successfully performed strength testing on the same transmission pipeline. Ms. Moreland holds a BS in Business from the University of Phoenix.
David Mulligan is a Community Assistance and Technical Services (CATS) Manager. In addition to his role as a CATS Manager, his duties in the Western Region include general inspections, special permit enforcement, and IT specialist. He originally worked for the Office of Pipeline Safety from 1995 to 1998. His previous experience as a pipeline engineer included leading the newly formed System Integrity Inspection team as part of the risk management program. He rejoined PHMSA in January 2011. Dave holds an engineering degree from Colorado School of Mines and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Colorado.
Melanie Omeniho has been involved in the Métis Regional Council’s Economic Development enterprises since 1999. In addition, she is elected as the National President for Women of the Metis Nation since October 2010. Melanie has extensive experience in the areas of community development, social programming and family and children services. She has worked to develop programs and advocate on behalf of her community to effect changes to the various social economic development programs to better meet the needs of the Metis community. As the Chief Administrative Officer for the Metis Regional Council – Zone IV in Alberta – Melanie works on the regulatory issues that impact and effect Metis people as it relates to their traditional knowledge. She works for the Métis Opportunity Inc. a corporation owned by the Métis Regional Council – Zone IV working in the areas of Economic Development and Community Development. She has experience at facilitating community consultations at Metis Regional Council – Zone IV. She currently is an active member of the Metis National Council’s Metis Rights Panel and works extensively with Metis leaders regionally and nationally. For the past 10 years she has developed strong relationships with the Oil and Gas sector for Region 4.
Sean Orr has 24 years of experience working for state and local government. He is currently a Marine Transportation Safety Specialist for the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Spills Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program in Olympia, Washington. Sean worked in the Spills Prevention Section as a Policy Analyst for 4 years analyzing various oil movement issues and prevention performance. He has spent the last 3 years working for the Spills Preparedness Section as the lead for Oil Spill Contingency Plan Review and Development. Sean leads a team responsible for ensuring oil handling facilities, pipelines and commercial vessels have state approved oil spill contingency plans that describe their ability to respond to oil spills. Currently there are about 30 plan holders, including 5 pipelines that operate under these regulations. Prior to working at Ecology Sean spent 13 years with the Washington State Department of Health and 4 years with local government as an Environmental Planner. Sean is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fishing on the coastal waters and rivers of Washington State.
Jack Petropoulos is a husband of 22 years and juggles cows, kids and a Product Management job with IBM. He lives in the rural town of Groton, Massachusetts about 30 mile northwest of Boston. Elected as a Selectman in 2012, he brings his experience to the job of setting policy for Groton as part of a 5 member Board. By focusing on the age old standard of: “What is the problem that we are trying to solve?” he is helping to guide his town through the prospect of hosting a 36″ Kinder Morgan pipeline through residential and conservation properties. Ironically, before moving to Groton, for 10 years he lived 600 feet from a similar pipeline in Hopkinton, MA. He is in the unique position of being exposed to, and being responsible for alleviating, what many Groton residents see as a clear and present danger; while having lived uneventfully with the thing that they are fearing for many years. He is a proponent of strategic resistance, constructive dialogue, and objective analysis; and is promoting the concept of “mitigation capital” as Groton prepares its response to the proposed pipeline.
Craig O. Pierson graduated from Ohio Northern University with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1978. He joined Marathon Pipe Line Company in June 1978 as a pipeline engineer in Martinsville, Ill. He moved to Findlay, Ohio, as an internal control auditor for Marathon Oil Company and then back to a number of pipeline engineering and pipeline operations positions in Wyoming, Alaska, West Texas and Houston. In 1989, he rejoined Marathon Oil Company to help develop a gas pipeline project in Syria. In 1991, Mr. Pierson was named manager of Engineering and Construction Services with responsibilities in the retail marketing sector. After holding a number of management positions both overseas and in the U.S. in 2005, he was named vice president of operations for Marathon Pipe Line LLC. In May 2011, Mr. Pierson assumed his current position as president of Marathon Pipe Line LLC and was named to his current role with MPLX LP in June 2012. He was appointed as an industry representative on the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, which advises the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on regulatory matters in 2007.
Bill Rau is a member of the Canyon Country Coalition for Pipeline Safety, an ad hoc group of citizens in southeastern Utah that monitors oil development and pipeline construction. Rau had no prior experience with natural gas pipelines until he and colleagues began to investigate the design and construction of an in-state pipeline in 2013 outside of Canyonlands National Park. Rau uses his prior international public health experience in research, writing, and advocacy to address, primarily with the BLM and national environmental groups, concerns about new pipeline construction outside of Moab, Utah. Concerns currently focus on the dangers of inadequately constructed gas pipelines for the area’s 1.5 million visitors, and on deficient environmental assessments conducted by the BLM. He lives in Castle Valley, Utah.
Paul Roberti was appointed to the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission by Governor Donald L. Carcieri for a six-year term expiring March 1, 2015. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Roberti served for 17 years in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, most recently as Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Regulatory Unit. In that capacity, he has been involved in hundreds of proceedings involving public utility and energy matters before the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board, the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In representing the interests of Rhode Island ratepayers and residents, Mr. Roberti played a key role in preventing the siting of a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Providence. He spearheaded the burial of high-voltage transmission lines along the Providence and East Providence waterfronts to enhance economic development opportunities and preserve parklands. Commissioner Roberti received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of the Holy Cross and a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School, graduating Cum Laude, and is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association. Commissioner Roberti resides in North Kingstown with his wife and three children.
Christina Sames is the Vice President of Operations and Engineering for the American Gas Association (AGA). In this role, she works closely with AGA’s members, government, and other stakeholders to improve safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness through promotion of sound regulation and legislation, coordination of best practices programs, forums to exchange information, and the development of a wide range of publications. Christina’s team is responsible for pipeline safety, natural gas physical and cybersecurity, integrity management, and executing operations and engineering initiatives related to distribution, intrastate transmission and building energy codes and standards. Prior to joining AGA, Christina worked for Pipeline Research Council International, Inc. and spent 12 years with the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. She holds a B.S. in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.
John Stoody, as Vice President, Government and Public Relations, represents the interests of AOPL and its member companies on an industry-wide basis before Congress, its committees and individual members. He also leads AOPL’s public relations efforts and serves as AOPL’s primary media relations contact. Before AOPL, Mr. Stoody spent 13 years as a U.S. Senate aide, serving as Legislative Director for U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Counsel for U.S. Senator Kit Bond and Majority Staff Director of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. Previously, he served 7 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including time as an attorney-advisor in EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. He began his federal government service as a Presidential Management Fellow at EPA and the White House Office of Management and Budget. Mr. Stoody has a Bachelor of Science in Science and Technology Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Master of Governmental Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law.
Kristin Sullivan is the Economic Development Manager at Adams County, Colorado, which is located in the Denver metro region. Kristin was previously the Planning Manager in the Planning & Development Department at Adams County. She holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Colorado and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). She has many years of experience in public sector planning and review of development proposals, comprehensive land use planning, community engagement, public affairs, and economic development. She managed the County’s planning and permitting activities during a period of significant growth in pipeline activity in Adams County. The Front Range Pipeline crosses Adams County on its route between Greeley, Colorado to Mont Belvieu, Texas. The segment of the pipeline in Adams County was originally denied approval by the County Commissioners on the first attempt in 2013. After key changes were made to the pipeline’s alignment and construction, a revised proposal was approved in late 2013. Kristin is attending the conference with Jeff Waldo from Enterprise Products, with whom she worked on the Front Range Pipeline.
John Tynan is Director of Customer Relations & Public Affairs at Central Arkansas Water. In this role he oversees the customer service section of Arkansas’s largest drinking water utility, providing water service to 1 in 7 Arkansans. He also oversees all communications and public policy efforts for the utility and is leading CAW’s efforts to consistently redefine how utilities engage and communicate with their customers and stakeholders. Prior to working at Central Arkansas Water, John served as Deputy Director for a conservation non-profit in the Upstate of South Carolina. John also served as an elected official as Commissioner of Public Works for the City of Greenville, SC. John holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Furman University and a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University. John lives in Little Rock with his wife Mary Virginia and their 3 year old son Jack.
Dan Utech is the Director for Energy and Climate Change at the White House Domestic Policy Council. As one of the President’s top White House advisors on energy and climate change, Mr. Utech coordinates policy development and implementation on these issues across the Administration. Mr. Utech joined the Administration in 2009, serving as a Senior Advisor to Secretary Chu until moving to the White House in May of 2010. For the last three-and-a-half years, he has been a key player in advancing many of the President’s top energy and climate priorities, including new fuel economy standards, renewable fuels, reducing carbon pollution from power plants, and supporting clean energy deployment in the United States. Prior to joining the Administration, Mr. Utech served for 10 years in the Senate, where he worked on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and spent 5 years as Senator Clinton’s top advisor on energy and environmental issues. Mr. Utech grew up in upstate New York and is a graduate of Amherst College and Yale University.
Jeff Waldo joined the Capital Projects Land Group of enterprise Products Partners L.P. as the Senior Manager, Land Settlement in 2012. Enterprise Products L.P. is one of the largest publicly traded partnerships and a leading North American Provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals. The partnership’s assets include approximately 51,000 miles of onshore and offshore pipelines; 200 million barrels of storage capacity for NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals; and 14 billion cubic feed of natural gas storage capacity. Jeff is a certified mediator and graduated from the University of Houston at Clear Lake with the M.S. in Futures Studies with an emphasis in scenario planning; tools he utilizes in dispute resolution, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Baylor University. He is here with Kristin Sullivan, the Economic Development Manager at Adams County, Colorado, to talk about the revised proposal process for the section of the Front Range Pipeline in Adams County.
Carl Weimer is the Executive Director of the national Pipeline Safety Trust. He also serves on the Governor appointed Washington State Citizens Committee on Pipeline Safety, as a member of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, the steering committee for the Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance, and the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association’s External Advisory Panel. Carl has been called upon to testify to the U.S. House and Senate multiple times, and as a witness by the National Transportation Safety Board on pipeline safety issues. He has organized nine national pipeline safety conferences, pushed for stronger pipeline safety legislation on the national and state level, runs the national Safe Pipelines and LNG Safety listservs that include over 900 people, and regularly serves as an independent source of pipeline safety information for news media, local government, and citizens around the country. Carl was elected in 2005 and again in 2009 and 2013 to the Whatcom County Council, where he currently serves as chairman. He has a degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Education from the University of Michigan, as well a degree in Industrial Electronics Technology from Peninsula College.
Jeff Wiese is PHMSA’s Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. In this capacity, Mr. Wiese leads PHMSA’s overall efforts to improve the design, construction, operation and maintenance, and emergency response planning for the Nation’s energy pipeline transportation system. Jeff previously served the agency as its Director for Program Development within the Office of Pipeline Safety for nearly ten years, during a period of rapid growth and transformation in the pipeline safety program. Prior to joining DOT, Jeff worked for fifteen years for the Minerals Management Service (MMS) within the U.S. Department of Interior. At MMS Jeff directed several programs, including the offshore safety management program, and served for five years as Chief of Staff for Offshore Operations. Mr. Wiese has an M.A. from the University of Rhode Island with interdisciplinary focus on science, policy, and economics and a B.S. in General Science from Grinnell College. He has a son and daughter and lives in Reston, VA.