Biographies (Speakers & Trainers)
BIOGRAPHIES: SPEAKERS & TRAINERS |
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Carla Andrews FedEx Logistics
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SESSION: How to Advocate for Regulatory Change
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Steven Andrews US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
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SESSIONS: North American Automotive HazMat Action Committee Meeting (NAAHAC) North American Briefing Other Regulated Entities (Drone) Panel
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Steven Andrews has been a Transportation Specialist at PHMSA for the past 15 years and is currently the acting chief of the Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch within the Office of Hazardous Materials Standards. Steven is currently leading the recently established Hazmat in Autonomous Transportation Systems (HATS) team to examine potential regulatory reform to facilitate the transportation of hazardous materials using autonomous systems. Steven was also the lead on the publication of the last two international harmonization final rules (HM-215P and HM-215Q) and the last two final rules incorporating petitions for rulemaking (HM-219C and HM-219D). Mr. Andrews' portfolio also includes managing the review of incoming petitions for rulemaking and serving as information collection officer to ensure OHMS compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Prior to working for PHMSA, Steven spent 9 years as a government consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton, supporting clients for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DOD). Steven graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Old Dominion University, with a concentration in Environmental Geology. |
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Marc Boolish Portable Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA)
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SESSION: Global Lithium Battery Challenges - Panel |
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Tracie Cady Bureau of Dangerous Goods
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TRAINING: Multimodal Transportation of Lithium Batteries (49 CFR, ICAO/IATA, IMDG Code, ADR, TDGR Canada, Mexican NOMs) SESSION: Enhancing the Image of the HazMat/DG Professional
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Tracie has more than 25 years of experience in the dangerous goods transportation industry with emphasis in compliance programs and regulatory analysis. Her extensive background includes:
Tracie earned her certification as a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Illinois and her M.B.A. from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. |
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Jennifer Cox U.S. Postal Service
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SESSION: DG Supply Chain Logistics Panel Overview "Power Hour": Compliance Requirements of 49 CFR and US Postal Service PUB 52
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Jennifer Cox is a Classification Specialist at US Postal Service headquarters for the office of Product Classification and is the current team lead for developing and maintaining the policies contained in Publication 52 – Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail. She has been with the Product Classification group at headquarters since 2019 and is a Postal Service veteran of 18 years. As a classification specialist, she has prepared various Federal Register notice proposal and final rules announcing regulatory changes which results in writing many revisions to Publication 52 bringing clarity and procedural improvements. Additionally, she routinely works with commercial customers to provide Hazmat/DG mailability guidance and exemption approvals; conducts internal Hazmat/DG training sessions for sales, postal inspection, and retail associates; assists with creating and updating all Postal Hazmat/DG courses; speaks at internal and external events; and regularly attends government agency and COSTHA sessions to stay current on global hazmat/DG regulations. |
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Chris Egloff
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TRAINING: Multimodal Battery Packaging (49 CFR, ICAO/IATA, IMDG Code)
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Chris has over 15 years of industry experience, focusing on research and development of fire and heat mitigating containers and packaging, and testing batteries when pushed into thermal runaway. Chris is a member of multiple industry and standards organizations, including the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA), The Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA), Danger Goods Advisory Council (DGAC), and UN Sub Committee on the Reclassification of Lithium ion and Metal Cells. He is also an SAE G27 writing and voting member, and an advisor for the Medical Device Transport Council (MDTC). | ||
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Tom Ferguson, PG, CHMM, DGSA
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TRAINING: Multimodal Transportation of Lithium Batteries (49 CFR, ICAO/IATA, IMDG Code, ADR, TDGR Canada, Mexican NOMs) SESSION: Other Regulated Entities (Drone) Panel |
Tom has nearly 30 years of compliance experience with emphasis on the safe and efficient transportation of dangerous goods. He is currently the Administrator for the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA) and the International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA). Tom leads the COSTHA delegation to the UN Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE) and serves as the Secretary for the UN Informal Working Group on Lithium Batteries. Tom holds the following certifications:
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Erin Gaul Labelmaster
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SESSION: DG Supply Chain Logistics Panel Overview "Power Hour": Compliance Requirements of 49 CFR and US Postal Service PUB 52
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With more than 30 years of experience in transportation and logistics, Gaul has spent most of her career specializing in the safe and compliant movement of DG domestically and internationally and is a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) and Certified Dangerous Goods Professional (CDGP). She comes to Labelmaster from Geodis, where she most recently served as senior manager dangerous goods and was responsible for onboarding and supporting DG shippers throughought North America and South America. Her role included evaluating customers' supply chain operations and then assisting with all compliance activities, including process management, impementing solutions and employee education. |
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Jerry Green
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TRAINING: International Multimodal Transport of Radioactive Materials (49 CFR, ICAO/IATA, and IMDG Code)
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Jerry has 24 years experience in dangerous goods training and consulting. In March 2014 Jerry was awarded the credential of Certified Dangerous Goods Professional (CDGP). He also holds the status of Diplomate With Honors in Dangerous Goods Instruction awarded by the International Air Transport Associated in Geneva, Switzerland. Jerry has served as Associate Staff to the US DOT’s Transportation Safety Institute in Oklahoma City, and formerly served on the instructional staff at George Washington University’s Aviation Safety and Security Management Program. Jerry was also a trainer for the US Department of Energy where he conducted and designed multi-modal radioactive materials transport training courses for DOE and their contractors. Jerry has traveled extensively in Mexico, South America and the Caribbean and does conduct DGI training courses in Spanish. He’s been with DGI for over 15 years and teaches all modes of transport including Radioactive, AFMAN, RCRA and OSHA. | ||
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Clay Greene Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
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SESSION: Modal Briefing / US Enforcement
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Clay has 30 years of experience in application and enforcement of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety and Hazardous Materials Regulations on three separate levels of Government, having begun his career in commercial vehicle enforcement as a MCSAP inspector in 1994 while serving as a Deputy Sheriff in South Georgia at the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office when they implemented a sub-grant traffic enforcement program from the lead MCSAP agency. Later, he spent five years with the State of Georgia’s former lead MCSAP agency, the Georgia Public Service Commission conducting roadside inspections and also underwent training to conduct Compliance Reviews in 1998. Clay has been employed with FMCSA for the past 22 years, with the majority of his career having been spent within the agencies Hazardous Materials Program. For the past six years he has served in his current role as the HazMat Program Manager for the FMCSA’s Southern Region, which encompasses eleven Southern States. In this position he has responsibility for oversight of the implementation of the agencies National HM Program within the region for the agency, while supporting state enforcement partners and industry stakeholders on HM related matters. Mr. Greene has also been an Associate Staff Instructor for FMCSA’s National Training Center (NTC) for over 20 years. He currently is certified to instruct the General HM, Cargo Tank Inspection, Other Bulk Packaging, Advanced Roadside HM and Cargo Tank Facility Review courses as well as serving in the role as a certified Master Instructor for FMCSA. |
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Todd Haley Eli Lilly and Company |
SESSION: Life Sciences Roundtable |
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John Heneghan US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
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SESSION: Modal Briefing / US Enforcement
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Mr. John Heneghan is the Regional Director of Hazmat Field Operations for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS) based in Atlanta, GA. Mr. Heneghan has been with DOT for 34 years, with the last 28 years serving as PHMSA Regional Director with responsibilities including inspection oversight for all hazmat jurisdictional entities within the Southern region (eight states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), promoting guidance and assistance to the regulated community and other stakeholders to foster required and voluntary compliance. Before joining PHMSA, John was with FMCSA as a Motor Carrier Safety Specialist in Chicago, IL. John joined PHMSA’s Office of Hazmat Safety in 1992 as an inspector. Within a few years, he distinguished himself as one of the agency’s premiere inspectors by focusing on complex package manufacturers and large chemical companies. In 1995, John was named Hazmat Inspector of the Year. In 1996, John was the agency’s lead inspector on the investigation of the crash of ValuJet flight 592, which was caused by an improperly prepared shipment of hazardous materials. John earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Business Law from Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL. He is a graduate of numerous managerial programs, including the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and Loyola University Chicago, he holds a certificate from Louisiana State University in Radiological Engineering and has attended numerous specialized classes. Mr. Heneghan previously held accreditation as a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) but has allowed it to lapse. |
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Michael Henisse Amazon.com
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SESSION: Other Regulated Entities (Drone) Panel |
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Veronica Hollaway Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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SESSION: Air Carrier Roundtable (ACRT)
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Veronica began her career with the FAA in 2003 with ASH as a temporary Hazardous Materials Safety Inspector (HMSI) assigned to the Miami Security Field Office (MIA SECFO). Shortly thereafter in 2004, she joined the Aerospace Medicine Drug Abatement Division Eastern Center in Miami (AAM-800) as a Drug and Alcohol Compliance and Enforcement Inspector for 3 years. In 2007, Veronica returned to ASH and the MIA SECFO as a HMSI. During her tenure in Miami, in addition to the hazardous materials assigned work plan, Veronica organized and participated in multi-agency taskforce activities. In 2015, she relocated to the Orlando Security Field Unit. Since then she served as the Lead HMSI to have conducted an investigation, which lead to an Agency first issuance of a Cease and Desist Order and civil penalty in excess of $1.2 million dollars to a lithium battery manufacturer in the United States as well as worldwide safety alert published in the Federal Register. Post AXH realignment, Veronica spent time as Field Support for the national workforce before transitioning into the role of Hazardous Materials Principal Inspector (HMPI). In 2020, she became a Principal Hazardous Materials Inspector (PHI) assigned to six, Part 121 certificates. In this capacity, she has worked in air carrier dangerous goods oversight requiring heavy interfacing with multiple PHIs, numerous rulemakings, Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFOs), Data Collection tool (DCT) re-writes, SAS automation projects and assisted with inspector training. She is also a sitting member of the AXH Hazardous Materials Advisory Group. Her knowledge and experience will be a major asset in this new role. Veronica graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University. After graduating, she began her compliance and enforcement career with a municipal police department in Broward County, FL, where she served for 3 years prior to joining the FAA. Currently, she is working on obtaining a Master’s of Science in Organizational Management and Behavior with Florida State University. Veronica enjoys spending time with her family, football (go Dolphins and Florida State!), weight training, reading and traveling. |
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Jackie Jin
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TRAINING: Overview of China TDG Regulations
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Mr. Jin graduated from the University of Manchester with a Master's degree in Polymer Materials. He plays a key role in REACH24H and primarily engages in compliance work related to global GHS, chemical registration, and transport of dangerous goods. He has rich experience on industry’s best practices and has successfully assisted many enterprises with their compliance projects. As a dangerous goods safety adviser in China, he also assists some of the world’s top 500 enterprises to cope with increasingly stringent regulatory supervision on transport of dangerous goods and management of hazardous chemicals in China. |
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Junius “Jay” Johnson Labelmaster Services
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TRAINING: Non-Bulk Packaging from the Shipper’s Perspective SESSION: Life Sciences Roundtable
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Jay is a globally recognized leader in dangerous goods transportation with more than 30 plus years of experience in shipping and compliance. He specializes in customized training programs and packaging solutions for chemical, industrial and pharmaceutical industries.
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Katy Joncas Regulatory Frameworks and International Engagement (RFIE) Branc Transport Canada |
SESSION: North American Briefing
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Robert Kiefer REACH24H USA, Inc.
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SESSION: International Regulatory Briefing: China
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Robert Kiefer is the General Manager of REACH24H USA Inc., located near Washington, DC in Reston, VA, where he has been for the past ten years. REACH24H USA is a subsidiary of REACH24H Consulting Group, a global regulatory consulting company headquartered in Hangzhou, China with offices in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan (new), Singapore (new), Ireland, UK, and USA. REACH24H provides chemical regulatory compliance services for companies trying to navigate the regulatory maze in China and Asia-Pacific countries, EU, UK, and North America. In addition, REACH24H offers expanded services for the pesticide, cosmetic, food & food contact, and pharmaceutical industry sectors. REACH24H also provides a comprehensive sustainability services portfolio designed for companies to help tackle their sustainability challenges to address product sustainability, corporate sustainability, and carbon neutrality. As your Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor, REACH24H provides services for:
Robert’s career spans more than thirty years in Washington, DC working for two major trade associations in the chemical and formulated products industries. Prior to joining REACH24H, Robert served as Director of Regulatory & Technical Affairs for the American Chemistry Council (ACC), and before that with the Consumer Specialty Products Association (now HCPA) where he served as Director of Scientific & International Affairs. He has extensive regulatory advocacy experience in domestic and global chemical control regulations, trade policy, hazard communication, consumer products, and pesticides. Robert earned a BS in Biology from James Madison University. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertkiefer1/ |
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Janet Kolodziey-Nykolyn Pfizer, Inc.
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SESSIONS: How to Advocate for Regulatory Change Life Sciences Roundtable Moderator: |
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Kim LeBaron FedEx Express |
Other Regulated Entities (Drone) Panel |
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Rodolfo Koria Maynez COSTHA
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SESSION: North American Briefing: Mexico
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Rodolfo serves as the COSTHA representative at the Mexico SICT Subcommittee No. 1 meetings (Mexican HazMat Transportation NOMs Regulations). He also leads the COSTHA Mexico Working Group ensuring members are regularly update on Mexican HazMat Transportation NOMs initiatives. Rodolfo has over 10 years’ experience in manufacturing, logistics and dangerous goods transportation compliance. Rodolfo has certifications in: 49CFR, IATA, IMDG, and ground regulation transport of hazardous materials and waste in Mexico (NOMs). Mexico STPS (Secretary of labor) instructor certified for 49 CFR, IMDG, IATA/ICAO and Lithium Batteries Multimodal Trainings in Mexico. Rodolfo has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the Instituto Tecnologico de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico. |
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Mark Maday Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
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SESSIONS: International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA)
Modal Briefing / US Enforcement |
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Dave Madsen Autoliv ASP, Inc.
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SESSIONS: How to Advocate for Regulatory Change China Working Group COSTHA Professional Development Series I: DG Professional Development Track |
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Adrienne Mesick Deere & Company
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SESSION: COSTHA Professional Development Series I: DG Professional Development Track
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Adrienne is the Lithium Battery Dangerous Goods Process Lead for Deere and Company. In this role Adrienne is responsible for aligning company ambitions in electric, hybrid and autonomous vehicles with global regulatory transport requirements throughout the design, testing, sales, service and end-of-life cycles of these products while coordinating with the supportive functions of the business to ensure regulation compliance. She also coordinates, develops, and provides dangerous goods training to employees across the enterprise. Adrienne has 17 years’ experience in manufacturing, supply management, logistics, dangerous goods transportation, and safety compliance. Adrienne participates in and represents John Deere in several industry boards and organizations. She holds NREMT and CDGP certifications, is a certified HAZWOPER / HAZMAT trainer and serves as a volunteer EMT. |
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Kenneth Miller Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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SESSION: Other Regulated Entities (Drone) Panel
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Ken Miller is the Manager of the FAA Office of Hazardous Materials Safety’s New Entrants Program. He and his team support the FAA’s goal to safely and efficiently integrate new entrants, including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), into the National Airspace System. This multidisciplinary and collaborative work spans functions that include operator certification, certificate management, safety oversight, rulemaking, policy, international activities, stakeholder engagement, and research with relevance to cargo safety and special aircraft operations. Ken has been with the FAA Office of Hazardous Materials Safety since 2009. In previous positions, he served as an advisor to the US Panel Member on the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel, supported the development and implementation of the FAA’s Compliance Program, and served as a Principal Hazardous Materials Inspector for domestic and foreign air carriers. During this time, he also served as a detailee in the Office of the FAA Administrator and graduated from FAA’s Program for Emerging Leaders. Ken’s work at the intersection of hazardous materials safety and new entrants began as a collateral duty in 2017. Ken graduated from the University of Rochester with a BS in Environmental Science and a BA in Political Science. While completing a JD/MPA dual degree program at Syracuse University, he worked as a Graduate Assistant at the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. |
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Jessica Nielson Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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SESSION: Air Carrier Roundtable (ACRT)
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Jessica Nielson is a Branch Manager within the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Carrier Safety Assurance Division in Security and Hazardous Materials Safety - Office of Hazardous Materials Safety. The Safety Assurance Branch consists of the Principal Hazardous Material Inspectors (PHIs) program that manages all Part 121 certificate holder hazardous materials operations. The Branch maintains responsibility for safety oversight activities, implementing FAA initiatives consistent with applicable FAA policies and Orders and serves as a primary interface with FAA’s Flight Standards Service and other lines of business. Jessica was hired by the FAA in April of 2002 as an Assistant Security Inspector in Minneapolis, Minnesota and transitioned to working for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), upon its creation. In 2008, Jessica was promoted to a Supervisory Inspector, during which she managed aviation, cargo, canine and surface security based regulatory oversight activities. In 2016, Jessica returned to the FAA as a Section Manager for the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety in the Great Lakes Region. Following the Program’s functional realignment in October 2017, she served in various managerial and support roles, prior to becoming a Branch Manager. Jessica graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and four children. |
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Matthew Nickels US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
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SESSION: North American Briefing
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Mr. Matthew Nickels is currently the Senior Regulations Officer within PHMSA’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety – Standards & Rulemaking Division, and has been at US DOT for over 15 years. Mr. Nickels’ responsibilities at PHMSA include developing regulations governing the safe and secure transportation of hazardous materials in commerce and to promote guidance and assistance to the regulated community and other stakeholders to foster required and voluntary compliance. Furthermore, Mr. Nickels is responsible, through management of PHMSA’s rulemaking and deregulatory activities, for the development of national standards and policies covering all modes of transport and for alignment of the national standards with the international hazardous material safety standards when appropriate. Mr. Nickels also serves as the senior project officer for all rulemaking projects involving intermodal, interdisciplinary teamwork, and provides technical expertise, advice to, and management of project team leaders on all aspects of rulemaking projects. Mr. Nickels acts as a hub of comprehensive long-range planning, and balances proposals from the regulated community (petitions), public interest groups, government agencies (NTSB Recommendations), and interested persons, as well as needs identified by other elements of the hazardous materials safety and security programs. Mr. Nickels graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, with concentrations in International Business and Management. |
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Charles Odum Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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SESSION: Modal Briefing / US Enforcement
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Charles Odum, Hazmat Aviation Safety Analyst (SMS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (AXH), Safety Management System Division (AXH-700). Charles began his career with the Department of Transportation in hazardous materials safety when he joined the FAA’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety in 2007 as a Special Agent. Beyond the typical duties of a hazardous materials safety professional, Charles focused on the identification of unique offerors of hazardous materials through research and analysis. His efforts led to outreach with organizations such as The MLB Network and The Sports Video Group. Charles joined the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in 2014 as the Systems Integrity Safety Coordinator (SISP) in the Eastern Region. Responsibilities included the research and analysis of information found in PHMSA databases, other inherently governmental sources, and industry experts. As a SISP Coordinator, Charles engaged stakeholders with large and complex organizations in a collaborative manner to improve safety at the systemic level. Not only have these stakeholders increased the safe transportation of hazardous materials in their own program, but also for those doing business on behalf of their organizations. They have successfully petitioned for new rulemaking and significant Special Permits (SP), including the first SP that allows neurodiverse individuals to perform limited pre-transportation functions. Charles returned to the FAA this year and joined the new Safety Management System Division (AXH-700) as a subject matter expert with a focus on hazmat safety. Charles looks forward to collaborating with stakeholders as part of the new vSMS (Advisory Circular 120-119) program. |
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Carrie Ott Honeywell International Inc. |
SESSION: Enhancing the Image of the HazMat/DG Professional |
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Amy Parker, Ph.D. US Coast Guard (USCG)
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SESSIONS: International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA)
Modal Briefing / US Enforcement
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Dr. Amy Parker is the newly appointed Chief of the Lifesaving and Fire Safety Division in the Office of Design and Engineering Standards with the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Previously, she was a lead chemical engineer in the Hazardous Materials Division, serving as the USCG subject matter expert for solid bulk cargoes and packaged hazardous materials shipments by water. She has represented the U.S. as the Head of Delegation to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Editorial & Technical (E&T) Working Groups for the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, since 2012. She also represents the U.S. at the IMO’s Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) Sub-Committee as the Alternate Head of Delegation. Dr. Parker earned her B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University. |
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Antonio Perea Global Gate Mexico S de RL de CV
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TRAINING: Mexican NOMs (Includes Differences in 49 CFR)
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A hardworking, motivated and proactive Dangerous Goods Specialist who has been in constant preparation in the field with 15 years of experience developing and applying optimization strategies for our client‘s international trade, transportation and logistics operations. See full biography here
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Duane Pfund US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
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SESSIONS: Air Carrier Roundtable (ACRT)
International Regulatory Briefing
Global Lithium Battery Challenges - Panel
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Mr. Duane Pfund is the International Program Coordinator for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS). He is the OHMS principal advisor on international dangerous goods transportation issues and, as such, represents OHMS in international hazardous materials transportation meetings. Mr. Pfund leads the United States (U.S.) Department of Transportation (DOT) in the development of hazardous materials transport regulations that align the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) with international standards including, the International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions For The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO Technical Instructions), the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, and the United Nations Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN Model Regulations). Mr. Pfund is the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel member nominated by the United States and currently serves as the Chairman of the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Throughout his service with the Federal government, Mr. Pfund has coordinated transport safety policy issues with representatives from government agencies, industry, and public safety advocacy groups. He has extensive experience collaborating with U.S. modal authorities, such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard to develop and coordinate safety solutions. Early in his career, Mr. Pfund was responsible for implementing hazardous material transportation policy in support of the U.S. Air Force. He gained extensive aviation safety experience establishing requirements and procedures for the transport of hazardous materials by military aircraft to include regulating both hazardous material shipping functions and operator activities such as training, acceptance, loading, and storage in transit. Mr. Pfund has also served as PHMSA’s Director of the International Standards Office and Acting Director of the Engineering and Research Division. |
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Ryan Pohlke Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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SESSION: Modal Briefing / US Enforcement
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Ryan Pohlke as the Division Manager of the Safety Management System (SMS) Division, AXH-700. Ryan has more than 23 years’ experience with the Federal Service, 20 of those with ASH’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety. |
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John Redman Toyota Motor North America, Inc. |
SESSION: Global Lithium Battery Challenges - Panel |
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Tim Rogers UPS Airlines
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SESSION: Global Lithium Battery Challenges - Panel
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As the Senior Dangerous Goods Manager, Tim has responsibility for the U.S. FAA-approved program. This includes oversight of UPS Airlines dangerous goods compliance and hazardous materials training programs, ensuring both U.S. and international regulations are met. Tim joined UPS in 1992 and started his career in the Technology function. Tim was promoted into management in 1998 and had a series of assignments in Technology, Training, and Human Resources before joining the UPS Airlines Dangerous Goods function in 2006. Tim participates in and represents UPS Airlines in several industry boards and organizations. Tim is a current IATA Dangerous Board member (since 2024) and has been representing UPS Airlines at IATA since 2018. He is an active member of COSTHA (Council on Safe Transport of Hazardous Articles), currently serving as the Chairman of the Air Carrier Round Table. Tim is also currently the chairman of the DGR group in the Global Express Association (GEA), attending the ICAO DG Panel meetings since 2018. Tim participates as a Subject Matter Expert for the U.S. DOT Lithium Battery Air Advisory Committee and is a pending nominee to the committee. Tim formally was a voting board member of the IATA DG Training Working Group, as well as a member of the U.S. Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program Training Working Group. Tim holds a Master in Education degree from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Tim resides in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S, where UPS Airlines is headquartered. |
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Ivan Schmelczer, CDGP, DGSA Trans-DGT
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TRAINING: Hazardous Materials / Dangerous Goods Classification
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Medical Doctor, Molecular Biologist, Geneticist and English-Hungarian Professional Translator Instructor in multimodal transport of dangerous goods (ADR, RID, ADN, ICAO, IATA, IMDG) Certified Dangerous Goods Professional (CDGP, IHMM) Certified Training Professional and Air Cargo Professional (IATA) General Manager of Trans-DGT International in Hungary and Czechia. The company deals with training and consultancy in ADR, RID, ADN (incl. Classes 1 and 7), IATA-DGR, IMDG; training drivers for ADR and CPC. The company has been a COSTHA member since 2017, and Platinum Sponsor since 2018. ADR and CPC expert and instructor of IRU (International Road Transport Union) Representative of COSTHA on dangerous goods meetings of the United Nations. Chairman of Hungarian Association of Instructors and Safety Advisers on Transport of Dangerous Goods Committee Member and RID expert of BADGP (British Association of Dangerous Goods Professionals) |
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Paul Serafin Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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SESSION: Air Carrier Roundtable (ACRT)
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Paul Serafin is the Division Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Carrier Safety Assurance Division in the Office of Security and Hazardous Materials Safety - Office of Hazardous Materials Safety. The Safety Assurance Division consists of 5 Branches focusing on inspection and investigation activity along with Part 135 manual reviews, and the Safety Assurance Program, comprised of the Principal Hazardous Materials Inspectors (PHI). The Division handles certificated and non-certificated oversight activities and investigations on a national level. In addition, the PHI program manages all Part 121 certificate holder hazardous materials operations. The Division maintains responsibility for policies, procedures and guidance in implementing FAA’s compliance and enforcement program consistent with applicable FAA policies and Orders and serves as a primary interface with FAA’s Flight Standards Service and other lines of business. Paul joined the FAA straight out of college in November of 2001 as part of the post 9/11 Assistant Security Inspector Program. He went on to work for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) during the organizational split between FAA and TSA. In 2009, he was promoted to a Supervisory Inspector, managing security based regulatory oversight. In 2011, Paul returned to the FAA as a Section Manager for the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety in the Great Lakes Region. Before taking on the role of Division Manager, he supported the Program’s functional realignment in October 2017, with developing and implementing operational policies and procedures. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema Studies and Creative Writing, Paul resides in Chicago, Illinois. |
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Jay Sorah US DOT Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
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SESSION: Modal Briefing / US Enforcement
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Jay is currently serving as a Hazardous Materials Aviation Safety Transportation Specialist with FAA’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, Stakeholder Engagement Program. Where he is presently creating and implementing the FAA’s Hazardous Materials Safety Program’s Stakeholder Engagement process for focusing on risk management related to the safe transportation of passengers and cargo by air. He has over 31 years of experience in the Federal government leading hazardous materials safety and inspection programs across multiple modes of transportation within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Jay is one of the very few who has held the responsibilities of a certified Federal Railroad Safety Inspector, FAA Special Agent, and Federal Investigator. He has further served as a Deputy Regional Administrator for FRA, and Regional Director for PHMSA. |
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Rebecca Spaulding Environmental Resource Center
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TRAINING: Advanced Air Dangerous Goods Recurrent
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As a senior consultant with Environmental Resource Center, Rebecca provides customized hazardous materials/dangerous goods transportation compliance assistance (DOT/IATA/IMO) for many different industries. For the past 23 years she has provided hazardous materials and dangerous goods training, consulting, and auditing services to numerous clients in the chemical, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries as well as treatment, storage and disposal facilities. Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Geoscience and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Boston College. Her technical specialties include Hazardous Materials Transportation (DOT) and Dangerous Goods Transportation (IATA, IMO, ADR, TDG, NOM, and ADG). She has customized training seminars in Spanish and English to meet the compliance requirements under DOT, IATA, IMO, focusing on shipments of infectious substances, explosives, and lithium batteries for motor carrier drivers, rail and tank car shipments, and shipments by ground within Europe (ADR). Rebecca has also managed training and consulting projects in the transportation regulations for importers and exporters into Mexico (NOM), Canada (TDG), Europe (ADR), Brazil and Argentina under the domestic regulations and Mercosur Agreement, and to Australia (ADG). She has audited dozens of facilities in the USA, Canada and Europe for compliance with their domestic and international modal transportation regulations. More recently, Rebecca has expanded training and consulting services to customers who manage fleets of drivers transporting hazardous materials and waste to ensure compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) DOT regulations. |
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Richard Trester J. J. Keller
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TRAINING: 49 CFR Recurrent
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With over 10 years experience in education and training, Richard is a highly effective consultant specializing in FMCSA regulatory compliance, hazmat and CSA best practices. Core Competencies
Credentials
Professional Education/Experience
“Connect, communicate, and cultivate — these are my three Cs to successful relationships with clients and people in general.” |
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Wim Verkuringen Johnson & Johnson |
SESSION: Life Sciences Roundtable |
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Steven Webb US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
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SESSIONS: International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA) Global Lithium Battery Challenges - Panel
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Mr. Steven Webb is an international transportation specialist with PHMSA’s International Program at HQ. Mr. Webb’s responsibilities at PHMSA include being a member of the U.S. delegation to both the UN & IMO Sub-Committees, helping draft position papers soliciting various international bodies for changes in dangerous goods regulations, incorporating changes made at the international level into domestic hazardous materials regulations, and acting as a subject matter expert on vessel transportation of dangerous goods within the agency. Mr. Webb serves as the Chairman of the IMO CCC Editorial & Technical Group. Prior to joining PHMSA Mr. Webb served six years in the U.S. Coast Guard working primarily as an instructor training Coast Guard and other government employees to inspect import and export containerized shipments of dangerous goods as well as assisting in the development of Coast Guard wide inspection criteria and protocol. Mr. Webb deployed to both Afghanistan and Kuwait to assist U.S. soldiers returning home properly declare, package, segregate and mark their dangerous good shipments. Mr. Webb holds a Master’s in Public Administration with a focus in Port and Maritime Administration from Old Dominion University in V.A. and a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies with a focus in Psychology from Excelsior College in Albany N.Y. |
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Carolyn Weintraub Reckitt
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SESSIONS: How to Advocate for Regulatory Change Enhancing the Image of the HazMat/DG Professional Life Sciences Roundtable |
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Mike Wentz American Airlines
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SESSION: COSTHA Professional Development Series I: DG Professional Development Track
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Mike Wentz has been in aviation since shortly after graduating high school. His career spans 51 years having worked for a major general aviation aircraft manufacturer where he earned his pilot’s license and a turbine engine manufacturer. He has been with American Airlines for 40 years. For the past 17 years he has been in hazmat compliance at the airline with a focus the last 10 years on lithium battery safety. Mike is an aerospace enthusiast who still loves to fly and also enjoys astronomy.
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Veronica Wilson WalMart, Inc.
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SESSIONS: How to Advocate for Regulatory Change Other Regulated Entities (Drone) Panel Global Lithium Battery Challenges - Panel |
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David Wroth UL Standards & Engagement
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SESSION: Global Lithium Battery Challenges - Panel
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David Wroth is the Director of Technology & Systems for UL Standards & Engagement. He leads the organization’s work to build and maintain systems to collaborate on and publish standards that support safe living and working environments for people. Wroth was instrumental in building UL Standards & Engagement’s data science capability to collect and analyze data from disparate sources and to develop insights to improve standards by leveraging tools such as natural language processing and machine learning algorithms. He leads UL Standards & Engagement’s Thermal Runaway Incident Program and serves on the U.S. Department of Transportation Lithium Battery Aviation Safety Advisory committee, addressing the risk of lithium battery thermal runaway incidents on aircraft. Previously, Wroth was the director of public safety, responsible for leading key initiatives of the Public Safety Office and integrating these functions with other UL organizational programs. Wroth earned an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue University. |
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Stella Yu REACH24H
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TRAINING: Overview of China TDG Regulations
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Stella has over 25 years of solid practical experiences on Dangerous Goods Transportation & Storage management, and Hazardous Chemicals Compliance Management. I am working for Reach24H Consulting Group as Senior DG expert now. Before that, I worked for Honeywell, BP, GE, etc. in different HSE and DG management roles for Asia-Pacific Region. I participated in the development of the “China Dangerous Goods Limited Quantity & Exempted Quantity Guidance” in 2018. Acted as interpreter for China MOT to communicate with USA DOT officials in 2019.
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