Kassey Braun has a strong background in health and safety program development, industrial hygiene monitoring, health and safety training, hazard communication, and safety compliance. Her work experience involves implementing and maintaining effective health and safety programs, conducting on‑site safety assessments, industrial hygiene sampling, safety training on various topics, and submitting required reports/permits to state and federal agencies as needed.
Areas of Expertise
- Health & Safety Program Development
- Health & Safety Support
- Industrial Hygiene Monitoring
- Electrical Safety
- Hazard Communication
- Lockout/Tagout
- Noise Dosimetry
- Respiratory Protection
- Incident Investigation
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Environmental Health, Colorado State University
Certifications & Professional Training
- OSHA 30 Hour General Industry Training
- National Safety Council Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Kassey completed an internship as an environmental health and safety intern at TOLMAR, Inc., a pharmaceutical company located in Fort Collins, CO. Through her experience at TOLMAR she had the opportunity to give new-hire safety training weekly, performing job hazard assessments on the production floor and completing hazardous waste inspections and preparation for shipment. She also spent a large portion of her time at TOLMAR rewriting safety data sheets to comply with OSHA’s globally harmonized system. Her coursework at Colorado State University has prepared her well for work in the health and safety industry with courses including industrial hygiene, waste management, and water quality.
Robert Fernandez has over two years of environmental, health and safety (EHS) responsibilities in construction.
Through this experience, he has:
- A proven record in developing, implementing and managing comprehensive EHS programs.
- Experience in interpreting regulations and recommendations for EHS.
- Demonstrated skills in the development and implementation of safety committees.
- Experience in developing corporate level EHS programs and supporting documents.
- Implementing and coordinating jobsite safety committees.
Areas of Expertise
- OSHA Compliance
- OSHA Compliant Safety and Health Training
- Confined Space Safety
- Incident Investigation
- Crane Plan Development
- Excavation Safety
- Scaffold Safety
- Drone Operations
Education
Bachelor of Science, Safety, Illinois State University
Certifications and Professional Training
- OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety
- OSHA 30-Hour Construction Safety
- OSHA 500-Authorized Construction Trainer
- Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED
- Crane Rigger & Signal Person
- Remote Pilot License
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Robert gained experience as a Senior Safety Coordinator for a nationwide general contractor and a Transportation Specialist with the US Army. In these positions, he conducted EHS compliance audits, created and trained personnel on hazard recognition techniques and procedures, and coordinated safety committee meetings.
Emily Hornung has knowledge in the areas of EHS regulatory compliance; electrical safety; health and safety related training; health and safety program development and implementation; OSHA VPP; industrial hygiene monitoring; indoor air quality; hazard communication; emergency preparedness; OSHA recordkeeping and incident management; Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasure; bloodborne pathogens; hazardous materials transportation and waste management. Her current work experience involves maintaining effective health and safety programs; providing safety training in multiple areas; mediating company safety committees; submitting regulatory reports to local, state and federal agencies; and conducting on-site safety assessments.
Areas of Expertise
- Electrical Safety/NFPA 70E
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Regulatory Reporting
- Health & Safety Program Development
- Health and Safety Support and Training
- Industrial Hygiene Monitoring
- Hazard Communication/SDS Management
- Emergency Preparedness
- OSHA Recordkeeping
- Waste Management
- Spill Prevention, Control &
Countermeasure
- Chemical Inventory Reporting
- DOT Hazardous Materials Transportation
Education
Bachelor of Science, Environmental Health, Colorado State University
Certifications
OSHA 30-Hour Certification: General Industry
DOT Hazardous Materials/IATA Certification
Professional Information
Emily brings more than five years of experience to our team as an Environmental Health and Safety Professional. Prior to graduating from Colorado State University in 2011, Emily interned for the Environmental Health Department at Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
Emily’s professional experience includes managing EHS responsibilities at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) locations in twenty U.S. states, serving as the safety officer on HPE’s account with NASA, and acting as the safety liaison between HPE’s EHS team and facilities management. Additionally, Emily has provided EHS consulting for small to large scale clients across the United States for over four years with H&A. Her coursework knowledge, previous work experience, and strong work ethic equip her with the skills to serve H&A’s diverse client base.
DOT Hazardous Materials Transportation
Heather Larson oversees the Hellman & Associates databases, keeping our operations on track. Her 20+ years of data system management coupled with her office administration skills ensure that all of our systems are running correctly, our data is accurate and current, and our key performance indicators are met.
Heather wears multiple hats, ranging from gas detection sales and support to safety manual compilation to maintaining customer compliance calendars. She splits her time between internal and client-facing tasks, and applies her analytical skills to support H&A staff in continually evaluating and honing processes for heightened efficiency.
As our gas detection representative, Heather is the manufacturer liaison and works with the H&A client team to recommend the best gas detection solution for the client’s environment. She also supports gas detection maintenance operations for portable equipment.
Heather is certified in Microsoft Project and is currently working on her Salesforce certification.
Meagan Lewis has over three and half years of experience as a regulator within environmental, health and safety (EHS). She was involved in the manufactured foods, dairy and DOC/DYC programs at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Prior to that, she was an intern with a local health department where she was tasked with developing and implementing a zoonosis program.
Through this experience, she has:
- A proven record in developing, implementing and managing comprehensive EHS programs.
- Experience in interpreting regulations and recommendations for EHS.
Areas of Expertise
- Food Safety
- Creating and developing environmental health and safety trainings
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Environmental Health, Colorado State University
Certifications and Professional Training
- HAZWOPER 40 – Hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Meagan worked as an environmental health specialist for both local and state health departments in Colorado. Her duties included conducting inspections, ensuring compliance with the relative regulations, training personnel on food safety hazards, and working with federal and local health agencies on educating and implementing new food safety policies.
Alex McKenzie has a solid background in the Environmental Health & Safety field, specifically in environmental compliance. His previous work experience taught him that making continual, small improvements to the safety culture and environmental compliance can have lasting, positive impacts on the quality of a workplace.
Areas of Expertise
- Hazardous Materials Storage
- Hazardous Waste Storage and Documentation
- Hazard Communication
- RCRA Rules and Regulations
- Laboratory Safety
- General DOT Shipping Requirements
- Standards Interpretation
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health & Safety
Professional Information
Before joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Alex worked two and a half years as a Chemical Compliance Inspector for the University of Colorado at Boulder. Before that he spent a year at the Boulder County Household Hazardous Materials Facility as a Hazardous Material Specialist. During this time, he interacted with a variety of people from all walks of life, encountering many different hazardous work and research environments.
Beth Plentl has a solid background in the Environmental Health & Safety field with specialized knowledge in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries. Her experience in the field taught her the array of factors that contribute to jobsite hazards and how everyday environments can present grave danger. She has witnessed firsthand the effectiveness continued education and building a culture of safety have on creating and maintaining a safe workplace.
Areas of Expertise
- Ergonomic principles and the NIOSH lifting equation
- General Industry and Construction standards
- Asbestos and Demolition using Bluebeam Revu
- Energy, electricity, mass-energy balance, and fluids
- Laboratory safety
- OSHA Regulations interpretation and application
- Standards interpretation
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health & Safety, Colorado State University
- Double minor in Chemistry and Food Safety & Science
Professional Information
In her final year earning her EHS degree, Beth interned at Hellman & Associates. Prior to joining H&A as a full-time consultant, she worked for an engineering firm in Windsor, Colorado as a Project Technician specializing in asbestos and demolition. During that time, she had the opportunity to interact with a large client base by participating in safety training and job hazard assessments, helping remediate a variety of hazardous work and research environments.
Peter Polizzi has a strong background in providing safety consultation and auditing of health and safety programs. His previous work experience taught him the sustainable value that going beyond compliance can have on an organization, and the dedication and resources it takes to not only maintain but continually improve safety culture.
Areas of Expertise
- Safety and Health Management Systems
- Health and Safety Program Development
- OSHA Compliance
- Hazard Communication
- Lockout/Tagout
- Machine Guarding
- OSHA Recordkeeping
- Standards Interpretation
Education
- Master of Science in Technology, Environmental and Safety Management
- Bachelor of Science in Technology, Wood Technology
Certifications and Professional Training
- Certified Safety Professional – 34796
- Associate in Risk Management
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Peter worked two and a half years as a Safety Specialist for the On-site Consultation Program in the State of Kansas. In this position, he had the opportunity to work within a wide variety of industries, performing audits of both written programs and facilities/job sites to identify any potential OSHA violations. He was also deeply involved with the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), auditing the safety and health management systems of companies who voluntarily participated in the program. During this time, he was able to attend a large number of training courses through the OSHA Training Institute.
Ray Robitschek has a strong background in respiratory protection, emergency planning, hazardous materials management, and health & safety program development. His previous work experience has taught him the value of fact-based decision making, robust health and safety programs, and improved safety cultures in achieving regulatory compliance and maintaining the health and safety of workers.
Areas of Expertise
- Respiratory Protection
- Emergency Planning and Management
- Hazardous Materials and Waste Management
- Health & Safety Program Development
- Health & Safety Support
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Environmental Health, Colorado State University
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman and Associates Inc., Ray interned at the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the City of Fort Collins. While working at CDOT, he was responsible for coordinating air monitoring of several maintenance operations, including welding, brooming, and painting, to develop a representative exposure profile. Based on information from the exposure assessment, employee interviews, and observations of work processes, he developed a comprehensive, CDOT-specific respiratory protection program. At the City of Fort Collins, he was responsible for developing a strategic safety plan to address work-related injuries and worked extensively on emergency action planning for a number of City facilities.
Mike Rose has over ten years of environmental, health and safety (EHS) responsibilities in construction, manufacturing, and mining operations for both private and government clients. Through this experience, he has:
- A proven record in developing, implementing and managing comprehensive EHS programs.
- Experience and knowledge in the application of fire and life safety codes.
- Significant experience in interpreting and regulations and recommendations for EHS.
- Demonstrated skills in the development and implementation of safety committees.
- Experience in writing corporate level EHS programs and supporting documents.
Areas of Expertise
- OSHA Compliance
- OSHA Compliant Safety and Health Training
- Hazardous Materials Program Management
- Hazardous Waste Management
- Fire and Life Safety Code Compliance
- Chemical Inventory Reporting
- Confined Space Safety
- Incident Investigation
Education
Bachelor of Science, Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology, Oklahoma State University
Certifications and Professional Training
- Certified Safety Professional, Certificate No. 23296
- OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety
- OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Safety
- OSHA 40-Hour Hazardous Waste Operations
- OSHA Hazardous Materials Technician
- Colorado Contractors Association Design and Operation of Work Zone Traffic Control (2013)
- NFPA 70E Electrical Safety in the Workplace (2015)
- McCoy 2-day RCRA Refresher Course (2015)
- ICS-001- Incident Command System Overview (2016)
- Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management (2016)
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Mike has experience as a Safety Director for a heavy civil construction company, Environmental Compliance Specialist with the US Air Force and as a Fire Protection Engineer/ Project Manager. In these positions, he conducted EHS compliance audits, created and trained personnel on a hazardous material and waste programs, evaluated/ designed fire and life safety systems.
Gabi Schmitt has a background in chemistry, as well as experience working in corporate Environmental Health and Safety and EHS administration. Her Spanish-speaking skills strengthen her ability to deliver EHS support to bilingual workplace environments.
Areas of Expertise
- Health & Safety Training
- Safety Committee Leadership
- Bilingual Support
- Health & Safety Written Program Development
- Lockout Tagout
- Industrial Hygiene Monitoring
- Respiratory Protection
- Hearing Conservation
- Hazard Communication
- Wastewater Management
Education
Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, University of Denver
Professional Information
Before joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Gabi worked at the WhiteWave Foods Company as the Environmental Health and Safety Intern at the corporate headquarters in Broomfield, CO. There she helped support all of the company’s manufacturing plants nation-wide, which included developing written safety programs, directly supporting plant EHS managers, performing safety reviews, leading various EHS projects, and delivering ongoing safety reports. She also worked at the Colorado School of Mines in the Environmental Health and Safety Department, where she helped manage the chemical procurement program, assisted with safety inspections and incident investigations, participated in industrial hygiene sampling, and acted as a first point of contact for incident reporting. At Hellman, Gabi has worked domestically and internationally with Spanish-speaking clients, delivering training and assisting with program development. Along with general health and safety program support, she has worked extensively in developing lockout tagout programs and procedures, performing industrial hygiene monitoring, and assisting with environmental compliance.
Kirstie Smith has knowledge and experience in the areas of manufacturing safety; worker’ comp and loss prevention program management; and health and safety program development, training and management. She has implemented programs to effectively reduce employee injuries with award-winning results. Kirstie’s diverse background gives her an understanding of the private and government sector that has proven to be beneficial when resolving health and safety concerns on a large scale with multiple stakeholders.
Areas of Expertise
- Ergonomics
- Hazardous Materials Program Management
- Hazardous Communication Program Training
- Behavioral Incident Investigation
- Industrial Hygiene
- Hearing Conservation
- Workers Compensation Claims Management
- Standards Interpretation
- BST Behavior Based Safety
- Front Line Leadership Training
- Safety and Health Training
- Lockout/Tagout
Education
Bachelor of Science, Combined Science, Youngstown State University
Certifications and Professional Training
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certificate No. 20735
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Safety
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Kirstie spent 16 years in manufacturing safety and municipal health and safety. She worked for a global leader in a food-based manufacturer as the safety manager for various manufacturing locations. She has a wealth of experience developing and implementing new EHS programs and honed her ability to work with multiple stakeholders as a health & safety specialist with a large city.
Patti Townsend is typically the first voice our customers hear when they call in to our office. Her familiarity with each of our accounts makes her an invaluable first point of contact to facilitate speedy customer service. She also supports the H&A leadership team with executive admin services, assisting with scheduling, proposal compilation, cost analyses, and other technical support tasks.
As Office Manager, Patti is responsible for accounts receivable and payable, event planning, travel logistics, and overall office organization. She serves as the hub of H&A, keeping a tab on activities company-wide and keeping our consultants connected when they are out in the field. She is also responsible for coordinating regular meetings and training for our internal human resources and safety compliance tasks.
Patti is proficient in Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, and ASSUREDCompliance Software™, H&A’s proprietary compliance management system.
Dan Van Acker has over twelve years of safety management experience including program and policy creation including maintenance and implementation of new safety program and procedures. In addition, Dan has a strong training background that includes safety training development and delivering of safety trainings to large groups of employees.
Areas of Expertise
- Health & Safety Program Development
- OSHA Compliance
- OSHA Compliant Health & Safety Training
- Delivery of Health & Safety Training
- Construction Site Safety
- Incident Investigation
- FEMA Emergency Management & Incident Command
Education
Associate of Science, Occupational Health & Safety, Columbia Southern University
P.O.S.T. Certified Basic Law Enforcement, Adams County Police Academy
Certifications and Professional Training
- OSHA 10-Hour General Industry & Construction Safety
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry & Construction Safety
- Heartsmart First Aid CPR AED
- Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate of Achievement
- FEMA Incident Command Certified: Capabilities, Planning and Response Actions for All Hazards
- FEMA Emergency Management Certifications: IS-700, IS-800, IS-100, IS-200 & IS-300
- FEMA Managing Critical Incidents Certified – Higher Education
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., Dan worked for The University of Colorado, Northwest Mechanical, Rocktenn, Fold-pak and Cargill Regional Beef as a Corporate Risk & Safety Manager and Safety Coordinator for higher education as well as EHS Manager for food-based product manufacturer. In these positions, he conducted EHS compliance audits, created and trained personnel on safety hazard recognition and mitigation, and chaired safety committee groups and meetings. He has experience working as a construction site safety specialist on large scale projects.
Shannon Walsh has a strong background in chemical inventory, industrial hygiene monitoring, and safety compliance. Her current work experience involves conducting on-site safety assessments, industrial hygiene sampling, and developing and implementing effective health and safety programs.
Areas of Expertise
- Chemical Inventory/HMIS
- Delivering safety training
- Noise Dosimetry
- PPE Assessments
- Hazardous Waste
- Health & Safety Support
- Hazard Communication
- Industrial Hygiene Monitoring
Education
Bachelor of Science, Environmental Health, Colorado State University
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc. full-time, Shannon completed an environmental health and safety internship with Hellman & Associates. Through her experience as an intern she had the opportunity to perform industrial hygiene monitoring and noise dosimetry. She spends majority of her time supporting clients with safety audits and program implementation. She continues her education through courses focusing on hazardous waste and transportation of hazardous materials.
James Findley has a strong background in outbound partnership development and strategic service applications. He has been involved in five successful partnership campaigns for strategic initiatives solving client challenges and building long-term partnerships. James utilizes his experience in consultative sales, strategic operations to leverage success for H&A and clients.
Areas of Expertise
- Creating and developing partnership campaigns
- Uncovering net-new partnership opportunities.
- Developing long-term partnerships centered on service offerings.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, English, University of Phoenix
Professional Information
Prior to joining Hellman & Associates, Inc., James worked as an educator within the Denver Public School system. After deciding for a career change, he helped implement and execute net-new partnership campaigns successfully for five different companies and also working as a Sales Executive for an IT service provider.