Meet the Team

Role: Senior Hydrogeologist
Experience: 35 years

Ms. Sarver has over thirty years of professional experience as a hydrogeologist in consulting and the public sector for a wide range of projects and a variety of clients.  Ms.  Sarver’s recent experience has focused on quality assurance/quality control of field and analytical data collected during environmental projects conducted under a variety of programs including RCRA Corrective Action, RCRA groundwater monitoring and quality assessments, solid waste groundwater monitoring, and CERCLA.  Ms. Sarver is proficient in the validation and interpretation of field and analytical data in accordance with project-specific data quality objectives, as well as preparation, negotiation and review of Quality Assurance Project Plans and Sampling and Analysis Plans.

Ms. Sarver serves as the Cox-Colvin Quality Assurance Officer.  Ms. Sarver manages the data validation efforts for nearly all the large projects conducted by Cox-Colvin, completing the data validations in a timely and cost-efficient manner.  Ms. Sarver oversees additional data validation staff members, as well as administrative staff conducting data tracking and data management activities.

Ms. Sarver’s experience also includes the design and installation of ground-water monitoring systems, collection and evaluation of various types of hydrogeologic data, assessment of remedial alternatives, and presentation of results to clients and regulatory personnel.

Role: Senior Scientist
Experience: 32 years

Doug Hunter has more than 30 years of experience in all phases of the exploration and development of both small and large capacity groundwater supplies.  Mr. Hunter has considerable experience in hydrogeology with emphasis on groundwater flow investigations and characterizations, aquifer test analysis and interpretation, groundwater and surface-water interactions, groundwater supply development and management, and design and installation of well systems.

He has evaluated critical issues including natural recharge limitations, groundwater and surface-water interactions, interferences with existing pumping centers, and water balance computations to estimate long-term groundwater yields. Mr. Hunter’s unique capabilities include experience in evaluating the design, performance and utility of both conventional vertical wells and horizontal radial collector wells.  Projects have included well field siting and expansion studies for both vertical and horizontal collector wells, safe yield determinations, well rehabilitation and maintenance evaluations, well field management strategies and plans, water quality investigations, and source water protection studies

He has also provided project management of hydrogeological investigations for groundwater supply development, well field management, source water protection studies, production well design and installation, and aquifer and well field performance testing.  Preparation of detailed specifications for new well installations and assistance with bidding and construction oversight.

Responsibilities have included supervision and coordination of field activities associated with geologic and hydrologic site investigations, including drilling operations, geophysical surveys, variable rate and constant rate pumping tests, and the collection and interpretation of data.

Role: Director of Sales & Marketing, Office Manager
Experience: 34 years

Laurie Chilcote currently serves as Office Manager and Director of Sales & Marketing for Cox-Colvin & Associates, Inc, and is a Director and Vice President of Vapor Pin Enterprises, Inc. At Cox-Colvin, Ms. Chilcote is responsible for management and presentation of analytical data including the transfer of electronic analytical results from various resources. In addition, she is a Managing Director and Vice President of Vapor Pin Enterprises and Vapor Pin Brazil, where she provides managerial and technical oversight on all marketing and sales for the Vapor Pin® both within the USA and Internationally. Ms. Chilcote is also responsible for website development, webinar training, product development, distributor management, and most importantly, customer relations. Laurie’s role includes educating the environmental community on Vapor Pin® technology, implementation, and quality control and Vapor Intrusion by making presentations to environmental firms, regulatory agencies and developers throughout the USA and Internationally.

Ms. Chilcote began her environmental consulting career in 1987 with Geraghty & Miller, Inc, where she became the firm’s Regional Business Development Manager. Cox-Colvin & Associates, Inc., founded in 1995, provides environmental consulting services to public and private sector clients throughout the United States. Vapor Pin Enterprises, founded in 2017. Ms. Chilcote also served on the Board of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST). Her role includes keeping abreast of the latest developments in the dynamic field of indoor radon.  Ms. Chilcote, is a founding member of The Association of Vapor Intrusion Professionals (AVIP).   The organization’s purpose is to establish a community of Vapor Intrusion professionals who are dedicated to advancing the industry, exploring new technologies and sharing knowledge and science related to Vapor Intrusion (VI).

Role: Project Scientist
Experience: 30 years

Mr. Lawrence has coordinated underground storage tank (UST) projects to facilitate the closure of commercial and industrial fueling systems.  Mr. Lawrence has designed and implemented investigative programs and is proficient in the collection and evaluation of environmental samples using a variety of industry standard and site-specific methodologies.  Mr. Lawrence is accomplished in many types of field related electronic instruments including field gas chromatographs, XRF field survey instrumentation, photo-ionization detectors, pressure transducers, data loggers, and other electronic instrumentation and has over four years of onsite experience at the Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment Facility in Piketon, Ohio.

Mr. Lawrence is an accomplished AutoCAD operator, producing graphics for reports and visual presentations.  Mr. Lawrence routinely designs graphics by importing and locating sample points and analytical data directly from the Cox-Colvin & Associates environmental database.  Mr. Lawrence also prepares graphics by importing GIS data and topographic information from publicly available sources such as the U.S. Geological Survey, county, and local agencies, as well as geo-referenced aerial photographic data from site-specific fly overs.

Role: Staff Scientist
Experience: 3 years

Mr. Austin Johnson is a Scientist with Cox-Colvin and has been involved with many environmental investigations. His experience includes the installation, development, and sampling of groundwater monitor wells; logging the lithology of boreholes; and collecting soil samples. He has conducted investigations regarding the extent of contamination using state of the art methods such as Membrane Interface Hydraulic Profiling Tool (MIHPT). In addition, Mr. Johnson has conducted several Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments for property transfer and all appropriate inquiry (AAI) requirements. He has scheduled breathing zone screenings for industrial clients and has prepared and reviewed technical reports.

Role: Project Scientist
Experience: 6 years

Mr. Creal has served on a wide variety of projects in varying industries in both field assistance and project management roles. He provides vital leadership while managing field personnel and overseeing subcontractors. He has played a significant role in managing and overseeing activities associated with the removal of Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) in both Ohio and Kentucky and at Ohio EPA Voluntary Action Program (VAP) sites. Colton’s work has been essential in these sites receiving No Further Action (NFA) status letters.

Mr. Creal’s field experience includes the installation, development, and sampling of groundwater monitor wells; conducting soil, sediment, and surface water sampling; and collecting sub-slab, indoor air, ambient air, and soil vapor samples as part of vapor intrusion investigations and studies. Additionally, Mr. Creal has conducted hazardous material sampling in level A PPE that included the use of a self-contained breathing apparatus because of potential IDLH conditions. Mr. Creal takes pride in assisting clients to ensure compliance with federal, state and local and environmental laws and regulations. He has a good working knowledge of CERCLA, RCRA, Ohio VAP, and Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulation (BUSTR) programs. Recent RCRA experience includes RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) and Corrective Measures Study/Implementation (CMS/CMI) projects, as well as leading the semi-annual groundwater sampling program at several closed RCRA units at a central Ohio manufacturing plant.

Furthermore, Mr. Creal is well aware of the special requirements for PFAS sampling of groundwater, having conducted controlled experiments regarding these sampling techniques. As a result, he has successfully collected PFAS samples of groundwater for clients using the techniques learned during the experiments.

Role: Project Scientist
Experience: 4 years

Mr. Cox has served on a wide variety of projects in varying industries as a field management role. Evan has worked on a wide range of environmental investigation projects, such as Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments; installing, developing, and sampling of groundwater monitor wells; conducting soil, surface water, sediment. and bulk sampling of asbestos containing materials. Evan has conducted historical document research, monitoring well rehabilitation and redevelopment, production well abandonment, cessation of regulated operations (CRO) oversight, Class V well inventory at a large active oil refinery, explosive gas probe installation and monitoring, sampling for PFAS in groundwater, and hydrogeologic investigation for a  well field expansion.

He participated in an investigation of an underground release of acids to groundwater, to identify the source of the release, ecological surveys following a release to natural waterways, and tracer dye testing to investigate underground contaminate pathways.  Mr. Cox has also conducted in-facility and fence-line  passive air monitoring for fugitive emissions investigations; vapor intrusion evaluations of indoor air, sub-slab vapors, and soil-gas in industrial and commercial settings.

Mr. Cox has conducted asbestos surveys of active and inactive manufacturing, industrial, commercial, and residential properties, as well as the development of a Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) for an active industrial manufacturing facility. Evan also has experience overseeing and managing subcontractors while working as an industrial hygienist, conducting asbestos, mold and lead inspections and air monitoring during abatement.

Role: Scientist
Experience:

Jake Smith is a Scientist with Cox-Colvin and has been involved with many environmental investigations across a wide range of industries ( Steel manufacturing, natural gas distribution, solid and hazardous waste disposal facilities, Oil and gas refining, beryllium production facilities, shooting ranges, municipal water treatment facilities, and aerospace industry). His experience includes the installation, development, and sampling of groundwater monitor wells; logging the lithology of boreholes; and conducting soil, sediment, air, and surface water sampling. He has also assisted with many Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments throughout his time at Cox-Colvin. Jake is developing a thorough understanding of state and federal regulations that are essential to the firms field work and reporting. Some of these include RCRA, CERCLA, Ohio VAP, SDWA, and NPDES. He has conducted investigations regarding the extent of contamination throughout Ohio and Kentucky. Jake also serves as the companies Health and Safety Officer, ensuring that employees are in compliance with OSHA, Cox-Colvin, and client-specific training requirements. Additionally, Jake certifies that work is completed safely taking into account the physical, chemical, and site-specific hazards.

Role: Principal Scientist
Experience: 35 years

Mr. Colvin is a principal and co-founder of Cox-Colvin & Associates.  Much of his professional career has been devoted to design, implementation, and administration of RCRA projects under both federal and state programs.  His RCRA Corrective Action experience includes all aspects of Corrective Action under various regulatory authorities and mechanisms and is unmatched in Ohio in the midwest.  His RCRA Closure experience includes preparation of closure plans, closure implementation, closure certification, post-closure monitoring and care, and permitting.    He also regularly provides project oversight of cleanup projects in OH, MI, AL, CA, PA, and WV, including some of the largest and most complex in the nation. He quickly embraced the RCRA Reforms and has achieved both human health and groundwater EIs for his clients.  In 2015, he was selected by Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA as one of three consultants to participate in the first  RCRA Corrective Action lean process system analysis session conducted in R5. In 2016 he coauthored Ohio’s first RCRA Corrective Action Framework (CAF) document under EPA’s RCRA FIRST Program.

Mr. Colvin has lead complex hazardous waste determinations involving listed and characteristic wastes and has successfully obtained contained-in-determinations. He is very familiar with hazardous waste permitting, having submitted numerous permit modifications of all classes as well as permit renewals. Mr. Colvin provides his clients with demonstrated expertise in strategically positioning, negotiating, and implementing complex projects and utilizing innovative technical and regulatory solutions to achieve or exceed project goals.

Role: Senior Scientist
Experience: 24 years

Nate Wanner completes environmental and remediation projects at a variety of facilities. Much of his career has been focused on underutilized properties (brownfields) with complex regulatory and environmental issues.  Mr. Wanner regularly leads teams to overcome regulatory hurdles, implement risk assessment strategies to reduce or avoid remediation costs, assist clients in securing financing, and manage remedial activities. These projects often involve historically industrial properties with multiple previous uses and tenants. They also include landfills and dump sites, some of which have been redeveloped.

Mr. Wanner also specializes in the management and analysis of large and complex datasets utilizing databases, computer programming, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Using these tools, chemical concentrations in environmental media can be correlated with groundwater, geology, soil, sewers, and other data can be used to create reliable conceptual site models (CSMs). By using “big data” statistical techniques and tools for censored (non-detect) data on large datasets with thousands of samples, correlations and trends can be identified that would otherwise not be evident. As an example, Mr. Wanner used these methods to identify sources and influencing factors of background concentrations of arsenic in Ohio soils (published in the Ohio Journal of Science).

Mr. Wanner is a Certified Professional (CP) for Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP). He has worked on approximately 40 projects that received VAP No Further Action (NFA) status, and routinely assists clients interested in purchasing former brownfields and how use restrictions may affect redevelopment plans. He is also registered as a professional geologist (PG) in multiple states.

Role: Principal Scientist
Experience: 40 years

Mr. Cox is a principal and co-founder of Cox-Colvin & Associates. Much of Mr. Cox’s experience involves the direction of major environmental investigation and remediation projects conducted under CERCLA, RCRA, and state Voluntary Programs. Mr. Cox provides technical oversight to project teams, assists in the development of investigation and remediation strategies, assessmentents and evaluations of hydrogeologic information, preparation of proposals, and reports as well as the development and implementation of project management strategies.

Mr. Cox has successfully proposed, negotiated, and implemented hydrogeologic investigations and remediations at a variety of sites in US EPA Regions III, V and VII. His experience includes

sites affected by VOCs, SVOCs, DNAPLs, LNAPLs, metals, and petroleum products. Throughout his career, Mr. Cox has consistently supplied clients with technically-sound, cost-effective solutions to their environmental needs.

In addition to work as a hydrogeologist, Mr. Cox has also developed a variety of software products including Data Inspector, an internet-based database application used to manage, retrieve, evaluate, and present all forms of environmental project-related data. He also designed and patented the Vapor Pin(r), a sub-slab soil gas sampling device used in vapor intrusion studies.

Mr. Cox, is a founding member of The Association of Vapor Intrusion Professionals (AVIP). The organization’s purpose is to establish a community of Vapor Intrusion professionals who are dedicated to advancing the industry, exploring new technologies and sharing knowledge and science related to Vapor Intrusion (VI). AVIP will also be a central resource for technology, guidance, standards, credentialing and best practices.

Role: Scientist
Experience: 2

Jamie Kuder serves as a Scientist with the Cox-Colvin team and is an asset for the environmental investigations she assists.  Her field experience includes preparing and implementing field tasks, such as sampling for groundwater, soil, air, soil gas, sediment, low-level mercury, and service water, remedial system installation, and system operation and maintenance as specified in work plans.  In the office, she evaluates data collected in the field through computer software and statistical analysis.  She prepares draft level field reports and design tasks for different projects including Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) for Ohio EPA’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP), Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs), Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plans, and groundwater well monitoring reports.  In addition, Jamie works with Project Managers, QA/QC and Health and Safety personnel to implement health and safety plans, prepare field work, and quality assurance/quality control plans to assure collection of accurate and legally defensible data.  She is developing a good working knowledge of the regulations which underlie much of the work performed by the firm (e.g. CERCLA, RCRA, Ohio VAP, NPDES, and SDWA) or in field of work (e.g. National Electric Code and ASTM Standards) as well as the problem solving and communication skills necessary for the team to be successful.

Before working at Cox-Colvin, Jamie gained a year’s worth of experience as a laboratory technician testing products through several procedures with Chemists, quality control Engineers, and a product development team.  She graduated Otterbein University with a Bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Studies in May of 2020.  As a student, she was involved in extensive study and research, community service, and lead initiatives to help the campus become more environmentally sustainable.

Role: Staff Scientist
Experience: 6

Trey Gossard is a Staff Scientist with Cox-Colvin and has been involved with environmental investigations including Vapor Intrusion Sampling, Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, Universal Waste Surveys, and supporting ongoing groundwater monitoring programs. He has also assisted with the management of groundwater monitoring projects. Mr. Gossard has previous experience with the design, installation, development and testing of groundwater monitoring wells and production wells; borehole lithology logging; borehole geophysical interpretation; soil vapor sampling; and managing groundwater sampling events and wellfield exploration drilling projects in Arizona.