Alaska
Teresa Melville
Spill Prevention and Response (SPAR)
Division Director,
Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation
Mailing Address:
610 University Ave
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Tel: 907-269-7683
Canada
Pader Brach
Executive Director of the Environmental Emergency Branch
Pader Brach is currently the Executive Director of the Environmental Emergency Branch within the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks, responsible for protecting the welfare of the public in the event of an environmental emergency or disaster. Pader served previously as the Director of the Environmental Emergency Program, where he implemented new emergency legislation under the Environmental Management Act.
From 2020 to 2024, Pader served as the Executive Director of Operations with the BC Ministry of Emergency Management, where he was responsible for the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre, Regional Emergency Operation Centres located in each of the six regions in the province, Provincial Emergency Call Centre, and the Public Safety Lifeline Volunteers (PSLV) programs including Search and Rescue, Emergency Support Services, and Road Rescue. Pader served in this capacity during the ministry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 Atmospheric River Event, 2023 drought season, and the 2021 – 2023 wildfire seasons.
Pader initially started his career with the BC Ministry of Forests in the Wildfire Service and spent 17 years in various capacities including helitack firefighting, wildfire operations, aviation management and wildfire incident management teams. Pader is a former reserve constable police officer and emergency medical technician and lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Mailing Address:
BC Ministry of Environment
P. O. Box 9339, Stn. Prov. Govt
Victoria, BC
Canada V8W 9M1
California
Heather Geldart
Administrator of the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR)
Heather Geldart serves as the Administrator of the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR), leading the agency’s efforts to protect California’s natural resources through innovative spill prevention, response, and recovery operations. With over two decades of experience in emergency management at the federal, state, local, and international levels, she has successfully led large-scale disaster recovery efforts, regulatory modernization initiatives, and cross-sector partnerships to enhance environmental resilience. Before joining OSPR, Heather served as Deputy Director of Disaster Debris Recovery Operations at CalRecycle, where she spearheaded financial and operational improvements. She holds a Master of Arts in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Virginia.
After more than 20 years on the East Coast, Heather returned to her family’s generational ranch in Lincoln, California, where she lives with her husband and two children. She enjoys watching her kids explore sports, take advantage of California’s vast outdoor opportunities, and adapt to ranch life. A former professional softball player and a four-year starter for UVA’s varsity team, she brings the same competitive spirit and strategic mindset to her leadership at OSPR, ensuring the agency remains at the forefront of environmental protection and emergency preparedness.
Phone: (916) 698-0889
Heather.Geldart@Wildlife.ca.gov
Hawaii
Kathleen Ho
Deputy Director for
Environmental Health Administration
Hawaii Department of Health
Kathleen Ho is the Deputy Director, Environmental Health Administration at DOH, effective July 1, 2021. Before joining the Department of Health, she was a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Hawaii, specializing in Environmental Law. She earned her J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, her LL.M in environmental law from Lewis and Clark Law School in Oregon, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of San Francisco.
Phone: (808) 586-4424
Fax: (808) 586-4368
Mailing Address:
Dept. of Health
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801-3378
Oregon
Jennifer Parrott
Land Quality Administrator,
Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality
Mailing Address:
700 NE Multnomah St, Suite #600
Portland, OR 97232
Jen.parrott@deq.oregon.gov
Washington
Carlos Clements
Program Manager,
Department of Ecology,
Spill Prevention, Preparedness &
Response Program
Carlos was appointed Program Manager for the Washington State Department of Ecology, Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program in August 2021. The Spills Program is a statewide program responsible for activities that include: spill prevention, preparedness, response, and natural resource damage assessment. There are approximately 91 FTEs and 27 after-hours responders located at four regional offices, two field offices, and headquarters, with a two-year budget of about $45 million. Prior to state service, Carlos was an instructor aviator for the United States Air Force Special Operations Command. He has 5000+ hours on C-130E Hercules/ HC-130 Combat King /MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft. He is a certified Combat Search and Rescue Instructor for downed aircrew and personnel. Later Carlos became a Crisis Response Team Chief which represented the Department of Defense’s 911 response to Global emergencies. He assembled and led a 40 person multi-million dollar package to both assist and bring aid around the world often in austere environments. Carlos was born in Colorado Springs, Co. but grew up in Tennessee and now lives in Lacey, with his wife Jennifer. They have two children. Carlos has a degree in Political Science with a minor in Psychology from Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. He enjoys spending time outdoors, fishing, hiking, and grilling with friends and family. He loves video games and is avid gamer. Carlos places importance on establishing and maintaining good stakeholder relationships, and a high priority on partnerships to protect the environment. He believes if we hold our regulated community to a high standard, we need to hold ourselves to that same standard. Accountability and performance are essential to our shared success.
Phone:(360) 763-2038
carlos.clements@ecy.wa.gov
Mailing Address:
PO Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600