As the Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Environmental Conservation, I support the Commissioner's Office in its role to provide policy direction for the department; ensure that public concerns are fully considered in department decisions and actions; establish department objectives and assure performance; serve as a spokesperson for the Governor on environmental matters; issue decisions on administrative appeal requests; and adopt all department regulations.I also support the Department in achieving the following goals:Protect human health and the environment while providing timely, science-based, legally defensible permits/approvals.Improve employee retention and develop our employees.Leverage technology and workflow improvements to create efficiencies, reduce our environmental footprint, and increase the transparency and visibility of DEC's efforts.

As the Environmental Health Division Director, I provided leadership to a large, statewide division responsible for implementing multiple State and Federal laws to ensure the protection of public health and the environment.Responsibilities included: Working closely with the Alaska State legislature. Responsible for recommending and championing statutory changes that involve drafting legislation and testifying in front of committees. Often required to take a position on existing or proposed legislation and clearly explain the impacts from a public and environmental health perspective.Maintained and implemented twelve regulatory chapters. Over time, these must be updated and changed to reflect actual business practices. Changes are often controversial, and compromise is essential.Responsible for ensuring all staff implement what is stated in statutes and regulations, as well as policy decisions. This requires close monitoring of program activities, stating clear direction, and occasionally redirecting staff. This includes presiding over informal appeals and defending staff decisions through the adjudicatory process.Consistently handled large-scale, controversial decisions. Present decisions and promote positions through media, press releases, interviews, opinion editorials, presentations etc.Represent Department positions to federal and international governments to protect Alaskan interests.

Senior Manager for Division of Environmental Health. Duties included acting as primary budget, personnel, and procurement resource for program managers and Division Director. Performed full responsibilities including budget oversight, personnel management, legislative testimony input development, and media responses.