Edmonton - Speakers

Mr. Karl Bresee is a Scientist with Intrinsik. Mr. Bresee holds a Minor in Geology, a B.Sc. in Biology, a Post Bachelor's Diploma in Toxicology and a member of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists. His academic training has provided him with experience in environmental toxicology, human and ecological risk assessment with extensive experience in exposure modelling.

Since February, 1998 (for more than 10 years), Mr. Bresee has worked on numerous contaminated sites HHRA and ERAs involving public consultation, problem formulation, exposure assessment, hazard assessment and the determination of site specific risk management criteria. Recent projects include the development of site-specific probabilistic models for the wide-area ecological risk assessment of Teck Cominco's lead/zinc smelter in Trail, British Columbia, and the ecological risk assessment related to smelter emissions in the City of Greater Sudbury and surrounding area in Ontario. He also has managed and performed many human and ecological risk assessments for contaminated sites, such as multiple assessments of potential human and livestock health impacts as a result of PCB impacted properties (client confidential), arsenic risks in Northern Alberta for Alberta Health and Wellness, and numerous impacted sites with petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents concerning soil impacts and vapour intrusion. Mr. Bresee's role in these projects was project management, multiple pathway exposure assessment, chemical toxicity assessment, risk characterization and public/stakeholder consultation.

Mike Mellross is Senior Environmental Project Manager in the City of Edmonton's Office of Environment. In 2009, Mike took a lead role in developing the City's Contaminated Sites Management Strategy for City Owned properties. He continues to make use of his background in contaminated sites management as a member of the administrative working committee established to support Edmonton City's Council's Contaminated Gas Station Task Force. Mike started at the City of Edmonton five years ago as an Environmental Manager for the Fleet Services Branch where he developed and implemented a comprehensive environmental assessment and remediation program for the City's fourteen fuel station sites. Prior to coming to the City, Mike was an environmental consultant working primarily in real estate due diligence and environmental management systems. He has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Conservation Sciences and technical diplomas in Environmental Technology and Natural Sciences. Mike is a registered Professional Agrologist through the Alberta Institute of Agrologists.

Mr. Ratliffe is a Senior Environmental Specialist in Husky's Mid and Downstream Environmental Operations group. His primary responsibility is the management of Husky's inactive mid and downstream sites, ranging from former service stations to refineries, throughout Canada and the US. In addition, he provides environmental due diligence expertise on corporate acquisitions, and coordinates mid and downstream asset retirement obligation (ARO) reporting.

Prior to joining Husky Mr. Ratliffe spent 14 years as an environmental consultant in management and technical roles, focusing on upstream and downstream petroleum sectors, commercial/industrial site assessment and remediation, and waste management. Mr Ratliffe has a B.Sc. in geology/chemistry from the University of New Brunswick, a Master in Environmental Studies from York University, and is a registered professional geologist in Alberta.

John Skowronski is Director of Environmental Affairs for the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute. The Institute is an association of Canadian companies involved in the refining, distribution and/or marketing of petroleum products. The Institute represents the views of its membership on a wide range of environmental, business, health and safety issues. CPPI members have a long history working with the BC Ministry of Environment on contaminated site issues. John has been with the institute since 2003.