AK’s core staff is made up of senior-level professionals with wide-ranging areas of expertise, ensuring appropriate managerial coverage for each individual client and project.  The highly qualified members of this team average more than 20 years of experience per person, in such diverse endeavors as environmental assessments, construction project management, federal and state permitting, construction feasibility studies, contract preparation and negotiation, inspections, health and safety, environmental and hazard/risk demarcation.

AMY B. GONZALES, PWS, CPESC

President

Co-founder of AK, Geologist and Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) and Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) with more than 25 years of experience in environmental project management. Responsible for overall project management of multidisciplinary projects for the private and public sectors including construction and modification of industrial facilities, highways, natural gas and petroleum transmission/distribution facilities, and electric transmission and generation projects. Experience includes management of state, federal and local permitting, NEPA documentation, environmental training, construction monitoring, wetland assessment and mitigation design, and rare, threatened and endangered species studies.

KELLY CALDWELL

Vice President

As Cofounder and Vice President, Mrs. Caldwell maintains the daily operations of the business, financial control, and planning of the firm. She is in charge of all accounting functions including credit management, preparation of budgets and financial statements, coordinating financing, monitoring expenditure, managing taxation issues, and reporting financial performance to executive team. She provides overall supervision to Human Resources issues including managing employment and terminations, benefit packages for staff which include medical, dental, vision, 401K, and profit sharing. She is responsible for negotiating contracts with clients and vendors such as leased properties and sub-consultants.

ED GONZALES

Director of Project and Construction Management

With more than 30 years of experience in pipeline construction and project management, expert services include feasibility studies, route selection, public and government relations, right-of-way acquisition, contract solicitation, bid evaluation and negotiations, construction management, mapping and surveying, construction inspection, expert testimony, and Horizontal Direction Drilling (HDD) with extensive expertise in permit filing process in various states as well as FERC applications and requirements.

SCOTT URWICK

Director of Environmental Services

With more than 25 years of experience in the environmental consulting field, Mr. Urwick has worked primarily in the energy sector, assisting numerous clients in permitting, environmental assessments, and construction compliance for major projects and thousands of miles of pipelines across the U.S. As Environmental Program Manager, he is responsible for technical direction and guidance of environmental staff and also serves as project manager for major projects, particularly those involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Mr. Urwick has worked very closely with staff of the FERC and other federal agencies for permitting and NEPA review of interstate natural gas pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects since 1988 and has extensive knowledge of the regulations and project review process for energy projects.

CONNIE CURTIS 

Office Manager/Executive Assistant

Ms. Curtis has 22 years of experience as a Compliance Officer and TRACS Coordinator for Section 8 Housing in NJ. Her organizational skills and outgoing personality are well suited in her role as AK’s New Jersey Office Manager and assistant to the AK Executive Team. Connie’s duties include making travel arrangements, assisting with payroll and submitting invoices for payment, ordering supplies, mailing out promotional materials, coordinating conference advertising and sponsorships, and various other duties as needed. She is responsible for keeping things organized and on schedule.

TONY DILELLA 

Senior Scientist

Environmental scientist with 9 years of professional consulting experience across the United States, primarily the northeast and California, focusing on unique natural resource concerns including ecological investigation of freshwater and coastal wetlands, threatened and endangered species, compensatory mitigation plans and environmental inspection and construction monitoring for the natural gas and electric transmission industry. Permitting experience focuses on Section 404/10 and NEPA and various state and local regulatory compliance. Has extensive experience with stormwater management systems and the creation of natural BMP stormwater management facilities.

CHERYL DOYLE 

Resume Coordinator and Technical Editor

With more than 20 years in the environmental consulting field, Cheryl has filled several different positions, giving her a broad-based knowledge of the business. She worked for many years as technical editor and litigation researcher/writer for an international scientific consulting firm, and later did historical property research for a company specializing in Phase I environmental assessments for real estate transactions. At AK, she is in charge of editing, formatting and cataloging resumes of potential pipeline inspectors, and identifying qualified candidates as hiring requests are received. She also reviews and edits technical reports and marketing materials.

SCOTT FLICKINGER 

Manager of Inspection

Environmental Scientist with over 20 years experience in the management and execution of multidisciplinary environmental permitting and site investigation projects. This includes 10 years of local, state and federal regulatory and permitting experience, working with the FERC on the preparation of environmental impact and assessment documents and environmental compliance programs for pipeline projects, as well as ten years of technical support on RCRA and CERCLA remedial investigation projects for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and commercial projects. RCRA experience includes preparation of numerous RCRA Part B permit applications for hazardous and mixed waste management facilities.

ANDY KUDER

Staff Scientist/GIS Coordinator

As an archaeologist with 7 years of experience in Cultural Resource Management throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States, Mr. Kuder has experience with the Section 106 process as well as various Federal, State, Local, and Tribal cultural resource regulations. Mr. Kuder has completed dozens of Phase I, II, and III archaeological investigations related to energy, infrastructure, land development, transportation, and telecommunications projects. As part of these investigations Mr. Kuder was involved with a variety of tasks, including but not limited to, field excavations, technical report writing, and overall project management. Mr. Kuder is 40-hr HAZWOPER certified, has a certification in Geographic Information Systems, and also has experience performing wetland delineations, soil sampling, and groundwater sampling.

JONATHAN LIBBON, RPA

Staff Scientist

An archaeologist with over 5 years of experience in Cultural Resource Management, Mr. Libbon has extensive experience in the application of Section 106 laws with various federal, state, and local agencies and entities.  Mr. Libbon has assisted a variety of industries with their Section 106 requirements, including energy infrastructure, transportation, federal development, and telecommunications primarily in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Great Lakes regions.  His direct involvement in these projects has given him experience in field survey, data analysis, report production, and overall project management.  Mr. Libbon is currently serving on a number of professional committees for national archaeological societies.

FREDERICK JAMES MAYHEW II

Field Director

Field archaeologist with 17 years of archaeological survey and excavation experience. Mr. Mayhew is a seasoned field worker and has participated in numerous Phase I surveys, Phase II subsurface testing projects, and Phase III data recovery investigations across the United States and some volunteer archaeological work abroad. Mr. Mayhew has been certified in Section 106 cultural resource laws and has been involved in numerous studies related to energy, transportation, telecommunications, and infrastructure development. Mr. Mayhew’s experience includes leading archaeological crews in excavations and pedestrian surveys, site recording, human burial excavation, heavy machinery monitoring, artifact identification and analysis, laboratory methods, assisting in report writing, and nearly every aspect of field work in the scope of archaeology.

CHAD MILLIGAN

Staff Scientist

Degreed Environmental Scientist with experience in wetland delineation and data collection. Mr. Milligan holds a certificate in Environmental Review and Compliance for Natural Gas Facilities from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and a certificate in Wetland Delineation and USACE Regional Supplement Updates.  He has completed surveys on numerous natural gas pipeline projects in several different regions, including those projects regulated by the FERC.  His duties on these projects included wetland delineation, data collection (Trimble GPS), technical report preparation, soil and water sampling, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping services.  

SETH MITCHELL, RPA

Senior Archaeologist

An archaeologist with 10 years of experience in Cultural Resource Management across much of the eastern U.S., Mr. Mitchell is versed in the Section 106 process and other Federal, State, and Local cultural resources laws. Experience includes project management of large scale data recoveries for a large natural gas pipeline, consultation with State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, consultation with Federal Agencies, especially the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, field direction of Phase I, II, and III archaeological investigations, report writing, and oversight of report production. As a professional archaeologist he has also presented at several national and regional archaeological conferences on his research.

SCOTT MOWERY

Consulting Scientist/NEPA Compliance Specialist

Environmental Scientist with 13 years experience in Natural Resource Assessments, Cultural Resource Assessments, and NEPA Compliance Assessments, in both the public and private sectors , in the northeastern U.S. Responsibilities have included wetland delineation, data collection , permitting, and technical report writing; he has also conducted, authored, and overseen environmental assessments that have included baseline ecological evaluations, threatened and endangered species surveys, stream and pond studies, Phase I archaeology investigations, asbestos surveys, lead-based paint surveys, and soil and groundwater sampling.He also is experienced in Anderson Land Use Mapping and the Classification of Wetland and Deep Water Habitats.

PATTY RILEY, AICP, PWS

Senior Consulting Scientist

A certified Planner and a Professional Wetland Scientist, Ms. Riley has over twenty years of experience performing field studies, delineating tidal and non-tidal wetlands, monitoring created wetlands and preparing plans for the creation, enhancement and preservation of wetland and terrestrial habitats in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware. Ms. Riley has prepared hundreds of Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, Wetland Evaluations, technical reports and permit applications during her career. As a Project Manager, Ms. Riley is experienced with Wetland and Transition Area Permit preparation, Section 4(f) resources, agricultural resources, hazardous waste preliminary site evaluation, Anderson Land Use Classifications, and soils and water quality sampling. She has evaluated alternative alignments through photo interpretation and field investigation for environmental constraints and permit requirements. A published scientist, Ms. Riley has authored nearly a dozen publications, analyses and reference guides on a variety of environmental topics.

SETH RYAN

Senior Scientist

Environmental Scientist with 10 plus years of experience conducting and managing various aspects of environmental planning and permitting in accordance with federal, state, and local agencies (FERC, USFWS, USACE, NPDES, ESC Plans, Etc). Projects have included, oil and gas pipelines, electrical transmission lines, power generation plants, commercial and residential land development, and transportation corridors throughout the United States. Mr. Ryan also has experience in project feasibility, siting, route planning and constructability. In addition, Mr. Ryan brings with him AutoCAD drafting, GIS mapping, and GPS surveying capabilities.

DIANNE SNYDER

Controller

Over 23 years of experience in accounting and human resources in a variety of service related industries, including civil engineering design and permitting, MEP engineering and architectural design, and business management services in both the private and non-profit sectors. Project accounting is a major area of expertise, as is payroll and benefits administration. She is directly responsible for payroll, billing, A/P and ensuring that all financial transactions are recorded according to GAAP.

LAURA VRABEL

Staff Scientist

An Environmental Scientist with 5 years of experience consulting in the private sector. Responsible for wetland and water body delineations, permitting and technical report preparation. Well versed in the new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regional Supplements to the 1987 Corps Wetland Delineation Manual including; the Great Plains, Midwest, Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, and Northcentral and Northeast supplements. She performs baseline surveys for threatened and endangered species and noxious weeds,and prepares stream and wetland mitigation plans, monitoring plans and annual reporting. She is an experienced NPDES storm water inspector for construction projects.

STEPHEN WEEMS

Environmental Construction Project Management

Biologist and Environmental Project Manager who has over 20-years experience in the environmental field as a State Regulator and an Environmental Project Manager. Stephen specializes in environmental construction compliance management programs. Proficient in the areas of erosion and sediment control, environmental permitting and compliance, linear project constructability and feasibility assessments, development of comprehensive environmental construction training programs and linear pipeline construction practices and techniques.

REBECCA WEISSMAN, PWS

Senior Scientist

Rebecca is a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) and a New Hampshire Certified Wetland Scientist (CWS) with over 8 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry. She is experienced in all phases of the environmental permitting process including leading wetland and natural resource field assessments, preparing permit applications, and ensuring compliance with government regulations. She has a wide-breadth of project experience, with a focus on the energy industry (wind, electrical transmission, and natural gas).