ACHMM Philadephia Chapter Officers
OFFICER BIOGRAPHIES
President
Byron Nickerson, CHMM, P.G.
Science Applications International Corporation
Byron is Vice President and National Accounts Manager for SAIC, a Fortune 300 company.
He has more than 29 years of experience designing, conducting, and managing environmental
science and engineering projects. He has successfully completed hundreds of diverse
environmental projects for governmental and private-sector clients worldwide. Areas of
expertise include: Phase I/II environmental site assessments related to property
transfers; RCRA, CERCLA and state-lead site investigations and remediation; strategic
regulatory compliance; multimedia permitting; hazardous materials management; storage
tank consulting; and business development for services related to energy, the environment
and critical infrastructure engineering and design/build.
He has been a CHMM member since 1993 and has been involved with the Philadelphia Chapter
since 2002.
Vice President
Tom Dalton
Secretary
Mike Pacana, CHMM
Subcontractor to the Military
Treasurer
Donna Switzer, CHMM
ERM, Inc.
Donna became a CHMM around 1994 and joined the Philadelphia ACHMM Chapter
soon after. She started her involvement with the Chapter as the Meetings
Committee Chair and then progressed from Chapter Secretary to Chapter
President. She currently holds the Treasurer position for the Chapter and
sits on the National ACHMM Chapter Development Committee.
She started in the environmental industry in 1989 in the Asbestos industry.
She was employed by one of the Waste Management, Inc. divisions or
subsidiaries or joint ventures or whatever for about 10 years, focusing on
Hazardous Waste disposal and cleanup. She then earned a Masters Degree in
Environmental Science and made a jump to waste generation. Once on that side
of the fence, she managed compliance for several manufacturing companies –
plastics, pesticides, lead-acid batteries.
Currently she is an Environmental Consultant for ERM, Inc. where she is
concerned with environmental management systems, EHS compliance, and
regulatory oversight of air, water, solid waste, and hazardous waste areas
affecting industrial clients.
Past President
Joann Cortese, CHMM
Sartomer Company, Inc.
Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) with a bachelor's degree in
Chemical Engineering from Drexel University. Environmental, Health, and
Safety Manager with Sartomer Company, Inc. since 1986. Responsibilities
include compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations concerning
environmental, health, and safety issues at the manufacturing sites and the
R&D facility. Previous positions held include Process Engineering (4 years)
and R&D (4 years). Years of company service began in June 1977.
In addition to the above stated responsibilities, holds the positions of the
company Responsible Care® Coordinator and have been very active in Sartomer's
community outreach.
As a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager has been active as a Charter
member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Academy of Certified Hazardous
Materials Managers since 1993. Has held the positions of Chairperson of the
Membership Committee, Treasurer and have been Chapter Vice-President since
2000.
Has coached girl's softball with husband since 1992. Have also coached girl's
soccer and basketball.
Married since July 1977 and have two daughters. Hobbies include traveling as
much as possible on vacations, reading, photography and gardening.
Meetings Chair
Shannon McKinney
IES Engineers
Membership Chair
Julie Lehrman
Golder Associates
Web Site Chair