Conference Program

Mike Rockel is a finance and economics professional with more than ten years of experience in environmental economics consulting, management, and financial services. He is currently project manager for a variety of conservation easement, NRDA, and other habitat valuation work spanning the globe. His fields of expertise include Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA); Discounted Cash Flow Analysis; Return on Investment Analysis; Benefit-Cost Analysis; Benefit Transfer Analysis; Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA); Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA); Project Management, Strategy, and Planning; EPA BEN Model; USEPA EIO-LCA Clear Air Act Model; and Economic Databases such as TEEB, GecoServ and EVRI.

Mr. Challenger is a marine ecologist and President of Polaris Applied Sciences, Inc. He has over 35 years of experience in environmental regulation, marine resource management, habitat restoration and creation, oil spill response and natural resource damage assessment. He provides technical support
throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Indo-Pacific, and the Caribbean Sea for oil spill and coral reef grounding response, third party claims, fisheries
closures, and natural resource damage assessments. Mr. Challenger has also participated in the design and construction of many habitat restoration and creation projects in a wide variety of aquatic and wetland sites such as coral reef, seagrass, estuarine, and freshwater systems.

Tony Palagyi has worked as an NRDA practitioner and expert for over 30 years. As an environmental manager for Texaco and Shell Oil companies he also filled the role of NRDA lead for local, regional and national spill teams. He was a member of the West Coast Joint Assessment Team (JAT) for NRDA, a workgroup of industry and trustee agency team members tasked with developing processes and assessment techniques for over 14 years. Tony has participated in numerous exercises and spill events through the US and internationally. He was the Technical Working Group (TWG) lead for Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Tony spent five years with a team of seven scientists developing injury assessment plans, supervising field studies, scope of work negotiations, injury scaling and developing restoration options for those resources as well as assisting other groups studying fish, birds and invertebrates. He has written numerous Ephemeral Data Collection Plans (EDCPs) for near-water facilities with potential for NRDA responses. He has presented on many NRDA topics and conducted workshops and drills for several major oil companies. Tony has been with CTEH for over a year and has worked closely with the environmental and economics team.

Chad Tameling is Executive Vice President, of SET Environmental, Inc. Over his career at SET, Chad held various roles including Applications Chemist in SET's forensic laboratory,
Compressed Gas Cylinder Technician, High hazard remediation team (on site decommissioning of high energy compounds and explosives), Director of Operations for Technical Field Services Division, Emergency Response Coordinator/Manager. Chad is a graduate of Indiana University, where he obtained a BS in Environmental Science from Indiana's School of Public and Environmental Affairs in Bloomington, IN.

Chad was a fire fighter with the Itasca Fire Protection District and a member of the MABAS Division 12 Hazardous Materials Team, published contributing author, "Handbook of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Agent Exposures" (CRC Press), and contributing author, "Toxico-terrorism, Emergency Response and Clinical Approach to Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Agents" (McGraw Hill).

Shaun has been a Major Projects Manager with SET Environmental since 2006 where he has served as the lead responder on emergency responses, disaster response and planned removal actions. Shaun manages the day to day services of SET Environmental' s Milwaukee, WI location when he is not involved in a major response incident nationally. His primary fields of response experience include pipeline releases, transportation and disposal projects and responses to natural disasters.

Brad Hubbard serves as the Emergency Response Manager for Shell USA in the Gulf of America. In this role, Brad is a strategic program leader for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and security for offshore operations. Hubbard has enterprise-level experience across a broad range of multi-national energy sector operations, including onshore and offshore exploration/production, refining, pipelines, terminals, shipping/maritime, and renewable energy. Hubbard is a demonstrated incident management leader, with global response experience across Shell operations.

Prior to joining Shell, Brad worked in the municipal Fire/EMS service as a Lieutenant/Firefighter & EMT; and has maintained his Emergency Medical Technician status since 2002. Hubbard worked as a dispatcher for a county based, multi-agency, 911 dispatch/communications center. Additionally, he worked for the Institute for Rural Emergency Management (IREM) providing emergency management consultancy for the public & private sectors. Brad earned a B.S. in Crisis and Disaster Management & an M.S. in Occupational Safety Management; both from the University of Central Missouri. He is also an alumnus of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI), a program at Harvard University.

Mike Walker, MSRC Vice-President, Gulf Region has 31-years' experience in supporting and managing spill response and emergency activities. 25 of these 31 years have been with MSRC. Prior to MSRC, Mike held response and marketing positions with the following companies:

Riedel-Peterson Environmental Services
Garner Environmental
EmTech Environmental
Oil Mop Inc.

Mike began his MSRC career in 1997 as the Galveston, Texas Site Supervisor and was promoted to Area Response Manager in 1999, which included responsibility for 5 response sites in the Gulf Region.

In 2000, Mike assumed responsibility for MSRC's Atlantic Region as the Regional Response Manager and remained in the New York area for 6 years. In 2006, Mike transferred back to the Gulf Region to assume responsibility for all response activities as the Regional Response Manager. In 2007, Mike was promoted to Regional Vice-President, Gulf Region.

Mike is a 1989 graduate from McNeese State University and resides in Montgomery, Texas with his wife Deborah and has one grown child; Stephen.

CGA is one of the largest oil spill cooperatives in the Nation. James is a retired veteran of 24 years with the United States Coast Guard. His most recent Coast Guard assignments included Chief of Response and Chief, Incident Management at the Eighth Coast Guard District. During the Deep Water Horizon oil spill, he served as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator, Deputy Area Commander for Pollution Response and the Incident and Deputy Incident Commander for the Incident Command Post in Houma, LA. While at 8th District, James also served as Operations Officer on the National Strike Force Gulf Strike Team and as Deputy Commander of the National Strike Force. He has also served as the Coast Guard's Incident Management Team, the USCG's representative to the Interagency Board (IAB) and was the Co-Chair for the Regional Response Teams for Federal Regions VI, VII and VIII.

Scott Andrews is an accomplished Emergency Management leader with over 20 years of experience across the energy and aviation sectors. He specializes in large-scale incident response, business continuity, and emergency preparedness, with a strong focus on regulatory compliance and stakeholder collaboration. Scott has held senior leadership roles supporting complex operations across North America and offshore environments, and has led response efforts during major incidents including large-scale wildfire events, hotel explosion, and aircraft incidents. Known for his practical, collaborative approach, he brings deep expertise in building resilient programs and leading teams in high-pressure environments.

Autumn Albright is a Senior DOT Compliance Specialist with MPLX, a midstream division of Marathon Petroleum, a role she has held since January 2024. She supports more than 3,750 miles of natural gas pipeline across Oklahoma, East Texas, and the West Texas Panhandle, overseeing compliance for 88 compressor stations and approximately 40 gas processing facilities.
A native of Oklahoma, Autumn earned her undergraduate degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management and began her career in crisis management with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She spent 10 years with Phillips 66 in emergency response and crisis management, serving on the Global Incident Management Assist Team and earning two Golden Shield Awards. She is also a guest fire instructor at Texas A&M and National Foam School.
Outside of work, Autumn enjoys running and spending time outdoors. She is currently earning a doctoral degree in Forensic Investigative Sciences, specializing in fire, explosives, and firearms.

Bob is Managing Director at Witt O'Brien's and has managerial responsibility over Response Operations and Consulting work for Witt O'Brien's 200+ energy client's activities across upstream, midstream, downstream, both domestic and international operations. Bob has 35 years' experience in risk management and operations best practices for the Oil & Gas, manufacturing, and financial industries. His experience involves Incident Management, Crisis Management and Emergency Response. During his tenure at Witt O'Brien's, Bob has participated in hundreds of incidents and consulting projects for private sector as well as public sector clients. Bob is on the Planning Committee for Clean Gulf and other industry conferences and has presented at energy industry investor conferences and Baylor University. Bob has a BS in Business from Bryant University, and an MBA in Business from The University of Georgia.

I am the program lead for our US-Mexico Border Program Emergency Response Goal, as well as the program lead for our US-Canada Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan.

Johnny Raisinger is the Emergency Management Specialist Lead for the Oil Spill Exercise Branch. He is responsible for developing, conducting, and evaluating a variety of preparedness and readiness exercises and leading PHMSA's participation in the Onshore Oil Pipeline Response Plan Program (OOPRPP) exercises, and security exercises. In addition, Johnny is a team leader for Evaluating Operator - Sponsored Oil Spill Response Plan Exercises, and developing and implementing oil spill, national level, and continuity exercises for PHMSA preparedness activities and PHMSA readiness activities.

Mr. Raisinger also serves in the USCG Reserves going on 25 years with extensive knowledge in navigation and navigable waterways (33CFR), protection of the environment (40CFR), shipping (46CFR), and transportation (49CFR).

Since 2021, Chris has led Witt O'Brien's international all-hazards incident management team and has over 33 years of experience in environmental response and disaster recovery. His 30 years of US Coast Guard service in the Marine Safety and Response community, included responses to national level disasters, spills of national significance, and international exercises and has prepared him to integrate into response leadership on site.

Since joining Witt O'Brien's, Chris successfully represented vessel owners in the Unified Command as the Incident Commander for the successful refloating of the grounded container ship EVER FORWARD and as the Incident Commander for the Francis Scott Key Response in Baltimore.

Heather Parker is an Environmental Scientist with over 20 years experience in the Marine Science field. She holds an MSc in Physical Oceanography, and a BSc in Ecology. Ms Parker, at USCG 13th District Seattle, serves as RRT10 and CANUSPAC JRT Coordinator. She worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for 15 years, including 6 as a NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator. She was a Senior Scientist consultant for 4 years for many state and federal agencies as well as a host of industry clients around the world. She has responded to oil spills and disasters for almost 20 years. Experiences range from technical expert, Environmental Unit leader and Critical Resources Unit Leader for incidents including Deepwater Horizon, Prestige, Cosco Busan, Selendang Ayu, New Carissa and Cape Mohican. To promote and enhance spill readiness, she regularly leads groups of Federal, state, local and tribal government representatives along with industry, OSROs and contractors to consensus during planning and preparedness activities including selection of dispersant pre-authorization zones, development of targeted training courses, community outreach efforts, contingency planning as well as exercise development, participation and after action improvements. She is currently project lead for the US Coast Guard on the IMO development of International Offers of Assistance Guidelines.

Dr. Victoria Broje is an internationally recognized specialist with 25 years of experience in environmental science and emergency response. She supports Shell businesses worldwide as a Principal Technical Expert for environmental and scientific aspects of spill response. She is a Functional Dispersants Lead and a Lead of a global Environmental Unit Network. Dr. Broje represents Shell at trade associations developing best practices in emergency response and leads Dispersants Teams for IPIECA and ARPEL.

Agneta Dahl is the founder and president of Paratus LLC and an advisor to clients in the energy,
maritime, and rail industries. A retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander and FEMA-certified Master
Exercise Practitioner, Agneta brings practical leadership and firsthand response experience to
complex operational and regulatory challenges. Drawing on more than 35 years of global experience,
she helps clients strengthen operational safety and prepare for environmental and other highconsequence
incidents. Her work includes developing and auditing Safety Management Systems and
building effective response capabilities through contingency planning, ICS training, and the
development and facilitation of realistic response exercises.

Michael Hernandez is the Science, Technology, and Stakeholder Engagement Officer for OSRL Americas, supporting preparedness, response, and stakeholder engagement across the region. He works closely with industry, government agencies, and regional organizations to strengthen oil spill response capabilities through training, exercises, technical forums, and collaborative initiatives. Michael has supported responses and preparedness assessments across the Caribbean, South America, and beyond, and has extensive experience developing partnerships that enhance regional resilience and emergency response readiness.

Stephen Pepper is a Senior Consultant of Innovative Services with more than 15 years of experience in health and safety management in the oil and natural gas industry. He has a solid understanding of federal, state, and local regulations, and is a compliance expert. He has expertise in fire protection, contingency planning, emergency planning, and project management budgets ranging from $100 million to $4 billion. He has demonstrated experience in identifying, building, developing, and motivating teams to efficiently deliver impactful safety products and processes to businesses. Areas of expertise include strategic planning, cost controls, disaster planning/recovery, process improvement, project management, field engineering, site inspections, resource allocations, profit optimization, risk management, audit protocol development, and crisis advising.

Charles Maguire joined the Oil and Gas Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas in 2024, where he serves as a project manager in the Technical Permitting program. He also consults for the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment.

Maguire came to the Railroad Commission from EPA Region 6, where he served as Water Division Director for more than five years. Prior to that, he held two director-level roles at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality -- Director of the Radioactive Materials Division (2012-2018) and Director of the Water Quality Division (2009-2012). Earlier in his career, he served as Assistant Director for Economics and Policy Analysis at the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research, and as President and CEO of a small agricultural business.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and an MBA in Finance, both from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Walker is a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering at Texas Tech University, and he serves as the Director of the Water and the Environment Research (WATER) Center.
Dr. Walker teaches courses such as physical/chemical treatment processes and design of advanced water treatment systems, and his research focuses on advanced water treatment, especially high recovery inland desalination, potable reuse, and treatment of produced water for beneficial uses. Dr. Walker received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech University, and he received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental & Water Resource Engineering (Civil Engineering) from the University of Texas at Austin. He was previously a professor at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Director of the Center for Inland Desalination Systems (CIDS). Dr. Walker is the proud husband of his high school sweetheart and the proud father of their four children.

Ray brings more than 35 years of experience in the energy and environmental consulting space, supporting major industrial and energy organizations. His expertise includes carbon capture and sequestration, site characterization and remediation, corporate environmental program development, capital project permitting, facility compliance and legislative and regulatory strategy.

Anya Douglas is an HSE Specialist and Emergency Response leader with Chevron, based in Minot, North Dakota, bringing over a decade of experience advancing emergency management and public safety across government and industry.

She specializes in incident management, emergency preparedness, and cross-functional coordination, with a proven track record leading Incident Management Teams, strengthening organizational response capabilities, and driving integrated planning across complex, multi-stakeholder environments. Her work has supported improved operational readiness and more effective, coordinated response outcomes.

Anya holds a bachelor's degree in Homeland Security with a focus in Emergency Management and an MBA, reinforcing her leadership and program development expertise. She currently serves as Chair of the SASR Co-op, where she helps shape strategic direction, enhance regional response capabilities, and foster industry collaboration to strengthen collective readiness.

Emily Anderson is an experienced emergency response and EHS professional with a strong background in crisis and emergency management within the oil and energy industry. She currently serves as a Specialist, Emergency Response at Phillips 66, where she coordinates and maintains regulatory response plans, supports crisis management and emergency response readiness, and plays key leadership roles during actual response incidents.
Emily has more than two decades of experience developing and maintaining emergency response programs, leading training and exercises, and supporting small and large‑scale incident responses in both corporate and consulting roles. Her background spans onshore, offshore, and international regulatory environments, with deep expertise in preparedness, incident command systems, and operational readiness. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Public University System.

As Managing Director of Compliance Services, Mr. Carroll leads the strategic growth, regulatory oversight, and daily operations of Witt O'Brien's Compliance Group. He brings more than two decades of experience in multi-media environmental compliance, program management, training, quality control, and auditing across diverse industries. Mr. Carroll is highly knowledgeable in OPA90 compliance and in regulations issued by the EPA, PHMSA, and USCG. His expertise also extends to a wide range of federal and state regulatory frameworks.

Clint Linder is an Emergency Response Coordinator for Shell Pipeline Company. He has been with Shell for 14 years and is a NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service Industrial Emergency Response Specialist, Certified Occupational Safety Specialist and a 33 CFR 105 Facility Security Officer. He has served on the Clean Events Planning Committee since 2021.

Mr. Trottier is a licensed attorney and serves as the Compliance and Sustainability Manager at Apex Oil Company. He began his career as an environmental scientist working as a consultant before transitioning into business management and administration. While maintaining his full-time responsibilities at Apex, he pursued his legal education by attending law school at night.

In his role as an attorney, Mr. Trottier continues to manage and support Apex's Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S) compliance team, while also working with in-house counsel to provide guidance on contracts, transactions, and litigation matters. Although he has experience across a broad range of disciplines, his primary focus has consistently been environmental compliance and remediation.

In 2025, Mr. Trottier served as Incident Commander at the Chicago Shipping and Sanitary Canal, where he worked closely with response teams to develop dynamic strategies addressing sunken and submerged oil in a complex waterway environment.

Alex Simpson is a project manager and technical lead at Arcadis with extensive experience in remediation, site characterization, and incident response.

Eugene Barlow is a seasoned crisis and emergency management professional with over three decades of experience in the military, public, and private sectors. His expertise spans the oil and gas industry, healthcare, government, and community services, with a proven track record in developing and implementing comprehensive response strategies for high-pressure scenarios. With his 21 years of faithful service to the United States Marine Corps, Eugene's extensive background has equipped him with the technical knowledge and leadership acumen to excel in pivotal roles where emergency preparedness and response are paramount.
Eugene serves as a Crisis and Continuity Management/Emergency Response Advisor for bp Americas. In this capacity, he is instrumental in managing regional emergency preparedness and response across the Gulf of Mexico and Canada. Through collaboration with diverse stakeholders, Eugene aligns solutions with strategic objectives to strengthen bp's overall response resilience.
Eugene holds an Executive Master's degree from Georgetown University and a Master's degree from Eastern Kentucky University, both in emergency management. With a deep understanding of what drives effective emergency response and prevention measures, Eugene leverages his expertise to make communities safer and more resilient. He remains dedicated to preparing organizations for, responding to, and recovering from crises of all kinds.

Based out of Houston, TX Ms. Purcell is the CMER Lower 48 Director for ConocoPhillips. Her focus is on their Lower 48 business unit emergency response activities, management of the local IMT's, and oversight of their exercise and training program. Ms. Purcell graduated from West Texas A&M with a BAAS in Emergency Management, she has obtained her CEM, is a licensed drone pilot and she is also credentialed through FEMA as a Master Exercise Practitioner.

Paulo Tristão is the Communications Coordinator at OceanPact, with over 10 years of experience in corporate communications and crisis management within high-complexity sectors. He has extensive practical experience in integrating communication workflows into the Incident Command System (ICS), frequently serving as a Public Information Officer (PIO) in large-scale emergency simulations for the maritime and energy industries. Throughout his career, Paulo has established a proven track record of strategic collaboration with executive leadership to consolidate corporate reputation and ensure brand consistency across multiple channels. As a speaker and communication mentor with over 300 hours of impact, he is recognized for his strategic vision and his ability to transform operational data into clear and transparent narratives. His work focuses on building reputational resilience by bridging the gap between technical emergency response and stakeholder expectations.

David Suson is a keynote speaker and human connection strategist who helps leaders and teams perform at a higher level under pressure by transforming how they connect - Unlocking the potential that already exists within their people and teams.
After interviewing more than 3,000 top performers and working with organizations for over 25 years, David has identified the subtle shifts that drive better communication, stronger relationships, and more consistent performance.
In his keynote, David teaches The Connection Shift--a practical approach that helps leaders move from reacting to asking, "How can I?", enabling them to build trust, navigate complexity, and lead more effectively in today's fast-changing environment.
He is the author of Real Leadership, Real Results and is known for delivering actionable insights that audiences can immediately apply to improve how they lead, communicate, and perform.



Speaker Reel: https://davidsuson.com/speaking/
Over 1000 presentations to over 100,000 people over the last 15 years
See 4,500+ reviews here and past speaking engagements: https://www.talkadot.com/s/david

Craig Wyatt is the Director of Crisis Management & Response for Colonial Pipeline Company. Craig joined the Colonial Team in 2017 and along with the ER Team, has the responsibility to ensure the company is prepared to manage emergency incidents with potential impacts to people, the environment and company operations through a comprehensive "all hazards" preparedness, training and exercise program.

Prior to joining the Colonial Team, Craig served the oil and gas industry as a Senior Emergency Management Consultant providing emergency preparedness services to assist clients manage company preparedness programs worldwide. Craig also stood alongside clients in support of emergency response incidents providing response expertise/coaching, filling critical IMT positions and managing responding organization relationships.

As a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, Craig served a 27 year career developing subject matter expertise in emergency management and disaster preparedness. He gained extensive response experience in managing oil and hazardous chemical spills, vessel collisions/groundings, and business continuity events in seven major ports across the United States. He has filled multiple roles in many national level events including natural disasters, major oil/hazardous chemical spills, political conventions, and sporting events.

Craig earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Thomas Edison State University and holds certifications from United States Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Robert May has 34-years of experience in the environmental industry and has progressively served in various positions throughout his career. Robert has planned, executed, and supervised environmental investigations and remedial cleanup projects ranging from petroleum storage tank projects to CERCLA Superfund sites to emergency responses. Robert is a licensed geologist in Virginia and North Carolina and is a current as well as past board member of the Spill Control Association of America. He currently serves with Clean Harbors Environmental Services as a VP in NBL Field Services for Branch Operations.

Crosley Welch is a State On-Scene Coordinators (SOSC) and 24-hour Emergency Spill line Duty Officer with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MODNR). Crosley received a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Soil Science from Missouri State University. As a SOSC Crosley routinely responds to tractor-trailer accidents where hazardous materials are damaged or released. Crosley's primary responsibly is to assess the site and ensure all environmental impacts are successfully remediated by the responsible party. Crosley is a certified Hazmat Technician and undergoes many hazmat training hours annually. He has been with MODNR for six years and has prior experience in the Water Protection Program as a wastewater inspector, Soil Waste Program as a solid waste inspector, and in the Hazardous Waste Program as a RCRA Hazardous waste inspector.

Jim Elliott is Chief Operating Officer of the Teichman Group of Companies and a past President of the American Salvage Association. Managing worldwide marine salvage, firefighting, heavy lift, commercial diving, and emergency response operations, he has over three decades of leadership experience in maritime operations and has served as a senior Coast Guard Officer, Incident Commander, Salvage Master, Commercial Diver and Project Manager on salvage and oil spill response operations from the Equator to the Arctic. A Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and Certified Environmental Professional (CEP), Jim holds a Bachelor of Science in Environment Management with distinction, a Master of Environmental Policy with honors, Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies with highest distinction from the U.S. Naval War College and MBA with merit from the University of London. Additionally, he has earned over 75 Federal, State and industry awards and medals, including the U.S. Coast Guard's prestigious Inspirational Leadership Award and, in 2020, induction into the Commercial Diving Hall of Fame.

I oversee the safe development and operation of pipeline related activities on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, which lies in the heart of the Bakken oil field. By developing our own standards we have significantly reduced pipeline release volumes and established one, if not the best, pipeline programs in the Nation.

My background includes over 40 years of Operational and Emergency Response experience. Both as a Hazardous Materials Instructor and as an Operations Technician, my views are to prepare for the unexpected and being proactive.

Ms. Franks has over 30 years of professional experience in environmental regulatory compliance and emergency response planning, training, and exercises. She has designed and executed many large (300+ persons) and smaller focused emergency response exercises for both facilities and vessels. Each project is designed to the specific needs of the client including the training courses in various aspects of emergency response including the Incident Command System. She is experienced in training different audiences from facility operators to emergency responders and company executives. Ms. Franks has developed a multitude of response plans for petroleum industry clients, including terminals, tank farms, pipelines, and tank/non-tank vessels under all federal and state regulations. Founded NJ Resources in 1994 and fostered it to be a recognized expert in emergency response preparedness in the petroleum industry.

Norman L. "Buddy" Custard, Jr., CAPT, USCG (ret.)
Buddy Custard is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alaska Maritime Prevention & Response Network. The Network is a nonprofit corporation created to provide vessel owners and operators with federal oil pollution prevention regulatory compliance for tank and nontank vessels operating in the Western Alaska and Prince William Sound Captain of the Port Zones. He possesses extensive knowledge and expertise working maritime operations from both the public and private sectors, including serving with the U.S. Coast Guard for over 30 years attaining the rank of Captain, and as a senior manager for an oil exploration and production company for over 3 years that was operating in the U.S. Arctic Outer Continental Shelf. Buddy has spent decades conducting and overseeing maritime operations at sea and ashore, including oil spill response and preparedness, and is experienced and knowledgeable in the significant challenges of working and supporting operations in both the Arctic and the waters of Alaska. Buddy is a graduate of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife biology. He earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and is also a graduate of the Homeland Security Executive Leaders Program, Center for Homeland Defense and Security, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.

Shannon Straube serves as General Manager, Planning & Corporate Affairs at Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC), where she leads commercial activities, external and government affairs, project management of key business workstreams, and budget development, and also serves as Planning Section Chief for MWCC's Response Team. She joined MWCC in 2012 after working in Capgemini Consulting's Strategy and Transformation practice, advising energy, financial, and manufacturing clients on planning and operations in changing business environments. Shannon began her career in the Alaska State Legislature, supporting Senate leadership and managing operating budgets, legislative analysis, and trade initiatives in coordination with Alaska's Congressional delegation. She holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University, a Bachelor of Business from the University of Alaska, and professional certifications in Strategic Decision and Risk Management from Stanford University and Project Management Professional (PMP).

Brian E. Nelson, P.E. brings 30 years of leadership and engineering experience delivering complex infrastructure, aerospace, utility, environmental, transportation, federal facilities, as well as emergency response in manmade and natural disasters. A proven leader managing complex and large operations for the Department of Defense and has been consistently recognized for strategic leadership consistently resolving catastrophic natural disasters while providing continuity of operations. Brian is currently a program manager with Burns & McDonnell and has held Senior Executive leaderships roles for the Department of Army including Army Mega-Program Manager, Installation Senior Engineer, Director of the Directorate of Public Works, Deputy DPW/Business Operations, DPW Operations & Maintenance Division Chief, DPW Planning Division Chief, Installation Master Planner, and Chief of Engineers.

Gordon Staples is a Senior Radar Applications Scientist and Project Manager with MDA Space. In this role he is a technical director for development of radar applications, manages projects, delivers radar training, and provides scientific expertise for business development. He has extensive experience in radar polarimetry and the development of maritime and terrestrial radar applications. He holds a M.Sc. in ocean physics and a B.Sc. in honours physics and oceanography from the University of British Columbia

Senior test engineer with Applied Research Associates, supporting large‑scale oil spill response research at the Ohmsett facility. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and specializes in the design, execution, and evaluation of full‑scale test programs including response technologies, remote and autonomous systems, and hydrodynamic performance.

Mark "Steady" Steadman is a highly respected leader with more than 25 years of expertise in battery recycling, hazardous and solid waste management, and commodities recycling. His extensive career spans business development, sales, marketing, and operational support, making him a trusted advisor in the industry.
Recognized for his ability to forge meaningful, long-term relationships, Mark provides invaluable insights and solutions to customers navigating the complex logistical challenges in battery recycling. From the C-suite to the production floor, he delivers strategic guidance on collection and transportation, end-site recycling, and sustainability initiatives--helping businesses optimize efficiency while driving environmental responsibility.
Beyond his professional achievements, Mark is deeply committed to his community. A proud advocate for Detroit, he actively mentors and leads various outreach programs, dedicating his time to fostering growth and positive change.

Danene Birtell is a leader in oiled wildlife response and preparedness, with more than 25 years of experience and over 35 emergency wildlife responses. She has held key roles with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc., the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and now serves as Preparedness Manager for International Bird Rescue. Her work focuses on strengthening training & preparedness, partnerships, and national and international response readiness.

Barry Forsythe is the National Spill Response Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a position he has held since 2014. Barry is responsible for spill response policy and guidance and ensuring Service responders have access to needed training. Since starting with the Service in 2000, he has also served as a liaison to EPA Region 6's Superfund Division providing technical support for ecological risk assessments. Barry began his spill response journey in Plaquemines Parish following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He's served multiple roles in the Wildlife Branch for many major spills nationwide, highlighted by multiple tours as the Deputy Wildlife Branch Director for the Deepwater Horizon response. Barry represents the Service on many interagency workgroups and committees, including the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR). Barry earned his BS in biology with a chemistry minor from Southeast Missouri State University and his MS and PhD in Environmental Toxicology from Clemson University. His research primary focus was the aquatic toxicity of various metals and the impacts of non-point source pollution on water quality.

Rhonda Murgatroyd is the Owner and Managing Director of Wildlife Response Services, LLC, serving the Houston/Galveston and inland regions of the US. With more than 20 years of experience in wildlife rehabilitation and oiled wildlife response, she has participated in over 120 wildlife incidents of varying scope and complexity since 2007. She works closely with wildlife rehabilitation organizations, veterinarians, industry partners, and government agencies throughout the Gulf Coast and inland regions.

Throughout her career, Ms. Murgatroyd has served in virtually every leadership and operational role within wildlife emergency response, from Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Manager to Wildlife Section Chief and Wildlife Branch Director on large-scale incidents. She also provides expert consultation to industry and private organizations on site-specific wildlife contingency planning, facility response plans, and emergency preparedness.

The Deepwater Horizon response was a defining milestone in Ms. Murgatroyd's career. From April 2010 through August 2011, she served in the key wildlife leadership role of Wildlife Branch Director, leading Wildlife Response Services through one of the largest and most complex wildlife response operations ever undertaken. During this period, she and the WRS team developed extensive operational expertise, strengthened a premier network of wildlife response professionals, and established capabilities that enable rapid, effective response to wildlife incidents of any size or complexity.

Today, Ms. Murgatroyd and the Wildlife Response Services team continue to provide highly experienced wildlife response leadership, technical expertise, and preparedness planning, ensuring clients have access to a premier network of professionals capable of responding effectively to any wildlife emergency.

Michael Ziccardi DVM MPVM PhD Hon ACZM

Dr. Ziccardi is currently the Director of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, Associate Director of Global Programs for the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Director of the California Veterinary Emergency Team, and Health Science Clinical Professor for the School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis. He received his DVM, MPVM, and PhD in epidemiology from UC Davis, emphasizing free-ranging wildlife health and the effects of petroleum exposure in wildlife. He has been an oil spill response veterinarian and coordinator since 1996, responding to more than 90 spills in the US and abroad, including as Marine Mammal/Sea Turtle lead for NOAA during the Macondo/Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010. He has also worked as a contract veterinarian for California Department of Fish and Game, a wildlife epidemiologist at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Executive Director of the One Health Institute, Chair of the Global Oiled Wildlife Response System project, Chair of NOAA's Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events, and Director of the OWCN.

KC Sullivan is the Senior Crisis & Emergency Management Advisor with the Woodside Security & Emergency Management Team. She has a master's degree in Environmental Science and brings over 24 years of oil spill response and emergency management experience. She started in spill response as a Response Officer with the Texas General Land Office. She then moved to O'Brien's as a consultant and Manager of Response Services. KC transitioned to industry, joining Shell then bp in similar emergency management roles.

Logan Hanneman is a Senior Emergency Preparedness Professional with Marathon Petroleum Company, based in Findlay, Ohio. He brings more than 15 years of experience supporting emergency management, regulatory compliance, and incident response across the petroleum industry.

In his current role, Logan leads corporate emergency preparedness initiatives, including the development and facilitation of response training and exercises, nationwide coordination with emergency response contractors, and support to incident management teams during real-world events. He has played a key role in strengthening response capabilities through contractor oversight, technology improvements, and cross-functional collaboration.

Logan holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Findlay and a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from the University of Cincinnati.

Sarah Hassanally is a graduate of York University's Master of Disaster and
Emergency Management program with 18 years of experience in emergency
management including response, plan preparation, recovery, and interested party
engagement. Combining planning and response experience with coaching
development and adult education. Sarah works with the Emergency Management
Group at GHD facilitating training courses and exercises throughout North America.
Sarah is an ICS Canada Instructor and leads the GHD Incident Management Team
service offering supporting client Incident Management Team staffing at incidents.