Roster and Biographies - Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC)

The individuals listed to the below were appointed by the Secretary of Transportation to serve on the GPAC. The letter in parenthesis shows the group represented — government, industry, or public.

Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) Member Biographies

GOVERNMENT

David Chislea (G)
Manager, Gas Operations Section
Michigan Public Service Commission
Lansing, MI

David Chislea is the Director of the Gas Safety and Operations Division in the Michigan Public Service Commission, which is responsible for inspection and related enforcement of Federal pipeline safety regulations and Michigan Gas Safety Standards; pipeline incident investigations; underground utility damage prevention; gas, storage, and liquid pipeline siting cases; natural gas production; gas distribution franchises; technical standards for gas service; natural gas storage safety; and related issues in natural gas utility rate cases. His previous responsibilities at the Public Service Commission included auditing natural gas utilities and pipeline companies for compliance with the Michigan Gas Safety Standards and Federal pipeline safety regulations, including ensuring compliance with construction, design, operation and maintenance, and risk-based integrity management program requirements. Mr. Chislea earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University and has completed more than 20 Federal pipeline safety courses related to design, construction, operation and maintenance, corrosion control, integrity management, and incident investigation and cause analysis. Mr. Chislea currently serves as the National Chair of the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives, a nonprofit pipeline safety organization that provides for interaction between the State pipeline safety programs and PHMSA. In his current position as Chair, he regularly reviews and provides direction to the State programs in formulating comments to both gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety regulatory dockets and providing ongoing feedback to PHMSA on regulations and related pipeline safety issues.

Kim David (G)
Chairman
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
Oklahoma City, OK

Kim David serves as Chairman of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, where she was sworn in on January 9, 2023. A native Oklahoman and small business owner, she previously served in the Oklahoma State Senate (2010–2022), where she became the first woman to serve as Majority Leader, Appropriations Committee Chair, and Majority Whip. She is a strong advocate of an "all of the above" energy policy, having authored legislation on hydrogen fuel standards and reporting, and works closely with industry leaders to strengthen Oklahoma's energy framework. With professional experience in petroleum marketing and business management, she brings both private-sector and legislative expertise to her regulatory role.

Drue Pearce (G)
Counselor to the Assistant Secretary on Land and Minerals Management
Department of Interior
Anchorage, AK

Drue Pearce rejoined the Department of the Interior (DOI) in May 2025 as Counselor to the Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Management. Prior to returning to DOI, she was Government Affairs Director at Holland C Hart LLP. Ms. Pearce served as PHMSA's Deputy Administrator during the first term of President Donald J. Trump, where she provided overall leadership, planning, and policy direction for the agency alongside the Administrator, and had direct responsibility for rulemaking. From 2010–2016, she was a Senior Policy Advisor at Crowell C Moring LLP. Ms. Pearce has an extensive background in Federal transportation and pipeline safety. In 2006, she was nominated and confirmed as the first Federal Coordinator for Alaskan Natural Gas Transportation Projects, where she oversaw efforts to advance the Nation's energy, environmental, and economic security. Ms. Pearce was appointed Senior Advisor for Alaska Affairs to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 2001. Prior to her Federal service, Ms. Pearce served for 17 years in the Alaska State House and Senate and was the first woman to serve two terms as Senate President and two terms as Senate Finance Cochair. She earned her BA degree from Indiana University, her MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and her Advanced Management Certificate from the Executive Program at Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

Terry Turpin (G)
Director, Office of Energy Projects
Federal Energy Regulatory
Washington, D.C

Terry Turpin serves as the Director of the Office of Energy Projects at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission). In this role, he oversees Federal agency staff responsible for the environmental and engineering review of infrastructure proposals for: non-Federal hydropower projects, interstate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities, and liquefied natural gas terminals. As part of his duties, Mr. Turpin represents the Commission before the public, regulated industries, and local, State, Federal, and foreign governments on issues related to the natural gas industry, including construction and operation of natural gas facilities and associated environmental and safety impacts. In addition, he is responsible for implementing FERC's dam safety program, which entails developing, implementing, and reviewing approaches and methodologies for the identification, evaluation, and reduction of public safety risks. Prior to this role, he also served the Commission as a senior engineer working on natural gas pipeline project applications and on liquefied natural gas facility reviews.

Mary Zanter (G)
Pipeline Safety Program Manager
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Pierre, SD

Mary Zanter currently manages the gas pipeline safety program for the State of South Dakota and has been in this position for 13 years. She consistently reviews and implements Federal pipeline safety regulations in performing inspections and enforcement actions on the gas operators in her State. She is very familiar with issues in other States due to her participation in the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives, having served as the National Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary, and being active in a number of NAPSR committees dealing with pipeline safety, operational, and material issues. Ms. Zanter has also served as the Chair of the NAPSR Central Region, conducting and coordinating topics and speakers for the annual Central Region Meeting that included interaction with other State programs, PHMSA, and vendors for pipeline safety products and services. She is a long-term member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Staff Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety, which discusses and reviews Federal pipeline safety regulations and provides input on the periodic reauthorization of the Pipeline Safety Act. She also is a member of the AGA Plastic Pipe Database Committee and has reviewed trends and issues with plastic gas pipe and fittings. This experience is bolstered by her involvement in the ASTM F17 Committee on Plastic Pipe. Mary earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University and an MBA from the University of South Dakota.

Industry

Robert Mitchell (I)
Vice President
Carrera Gas Companies
Tulsa, OK

Robert Mitchell is an energy industry professional with more than four decades of experience spanning pipeline, compression, and gas processing activities. Born in Roswell, New Mexico, he began his career working in his family's small business and later as a welder's and mechanic's helper for an interstate pipeline company—experiences that laid the foundation for his understanding of the natural gas industry. He earned an associate's degree from New Mexico Military Institute in 1978 and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas in 1981. His career has included roles in engineering, operations, and executive leadership across small businesses, culminating in the co-founding of Carrera Gas Companies in 1996, where he remains actively involved. Mr. Mitchell is a long-standing member of GPA Midstream, serving on multiple committees, including the Executive and Environmental Committees. His involvement provides insight into how both large corporations and small enterprises navigate complex regulatory environments. With firsthand experience from fieldwork to management, he brings a unique perspective to pipeline operations and policy.

Kevin Lang (I)
Vice President/Engineering Staff
Southwest Gas Corporation
Las Vegas, NV

Kevin is Vice President/Engineering Staff of Southwest Gas Corporation. He leads engineering and technical support in the areas of pipeline safety code compliance; emerging technology and research, development, and demonstration; land rights acquisition and maintenance, material specifications; proper energy measurement; pipeline cathodic protection; project design review; hydraulic modeling and FERC project management support; the Company's integrity management programs, laboratory services, GIS, and SCADA program management; in addition to oversight of the dispatch and gas control areas of responsibility for Southwest Gas Corporation and Great Basin Gas Transmission Company. Kevin joined Southwest Gas in 2003 as an engineer in Victorville, California, where he held various positions within the engineering department. He was promoted to Director of Gas Operation Support Staff in 2011, Director of Engineering Services in 2012, and Vice President of Engineering Staff in 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mining and minerals engineering from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Arizona. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the states of Arizona and Nevada with proficiency in Civil Engineering. He currently serves on the American Gas Association's Managing Committee and the Board of Directors for Get Outdoors Nevada, a local non-profit that connects the Southern Nevada community with Nevada's outdoor spaces.

Matt Stennett (I)
Vice President
Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District
Smithville, TN

Matt Stennett served two terms on the Board of Directors for the American Public Gas Association (APGA), has served as APGA's Representative on the Plastic Pipeline Database Committee (PPDC –current Co-Chair) since 2014, and served on PHMSA's Gas Data Quality C Analysis Team in 2012. Mr. Stennett also served on APGA's Operations C Safety Committee (2016 Chair), Natural Gas Vehicle Committee (2018 Chair), Benchmarking Task Group (2018 Chair), Legislative Committee, Codes C Standards Committee, Environmental Subcommittee (2021–2024 Chair), Direct Use Committee (2024 Vice Chair), Gas Supply Committee, and Regulatory Committee; and on the Board of Directors for the APGA Research Foundation. He was also a member of APGA's Data-Integrity Management Working Group in 2012. At the State level, Mr. Stennett served on the Governor-appointed TN State Energy Policy Council (SEPC) from 2020–2024 and the TN Energy Efficient Schools Council (EESC) from 2016–2024, in addition to service on several committees of the Tennessee Gas Association. Mr. Stennett is a licensed professional engineer with a NACE/AMPP Level 3 Certification and a Mini MBA. He has presented on many different subjects at conferences across the United States and is comfortable speaking to large crowds or small groups, from field technicians to U.S. Senators.

Eric Taylor (I)
Director of Engineering Services
BHE GTCS
Bridgeport, WV

Eric Taylor has 17 years of industry experience, all with BHE GTCS (previously Dominion and Dominion Energy). He began his career in Gas Control as a system modeling engineer. He transitioned to a pipeline integrity engineer, supporting regulatory compliance, completing pipeline assessments, and implementing lessons learned. Mr. Taylor later became the Manager of this group, where he led 15 pipeline integrity and corrosion engineers and corrosion technicians in six States to ensure PHMSA regulatory compliance and confirming operating and capital budgets were on target. He then transitioned to the Manager position on the project team, where he led a diverse team of professionals managing projects worth approximately $150 million. These projects resulted in safely bringing natural gas to market, on budget and in compliance with FERC and PHMSA regulations. While in this role, he held the co-chair position in the Southern Gas Association Operational Conference, Transmission Integrity Management Program Group in 2018. In 2019, he was promoted to Director of Engineering Services, where Eric led approximately 65 employees in three departments (Maps C Records, Land Records, and Pipeline Integrity). These groups support BHE GTCS's natural gas transmission and storage, gathering, LNG, and hazardous liquid pipeline compliance with PHMSA and FERC regulations. He is an active member of the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) Executive Board, supporting their knowledge transfer as well as the audit and finance committees. In this position, he supports and recommends strategy for this global organization to expand research opportunities to improve the safety of pipeline systems and reduce emissions, where possible. Eric served as the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America's (INGAA) Pipeline Safety Committee Chair in 2024. In this volunteer role, he regularly developed consensus on complex technical issues among a diverse group of natural gas transmission pipeline operators. The position also required building coalitions with other pipeline-safety focused organizations to offer ideas and obtain feedback to improve pipeline safety and reduce environmental impacts in a prudent manner. Eric has also served in other leadership roles in the organization by presenting on an INGAA-led effort to advance safety for transporting renewable natural gas and hydrogen-blends with key stakeholder groups. He supported INGAA's GPAC members in their preparation for the GPAC meetings on the LDAR and Class Location rules. He actively participated in these GPAC meetings and made multiple public comments. Most recently, Eric represented INGAA and BHE GTCS by speaking to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials advocating for industry needs for the next Pipeline Reauthorization Bill.

Chad J. Zamarin (I)
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Williams Companies, Inc.
Tulsa, OK

Chad Zamarin is the President C CEO for the Williams Companies, Inc. Prior to joining Williams in June 2017, he served as Senior Vice President and President of Pipeline and Midstream at Cheniere Energy, Inc. Before joining Cheniere Energy, Mr. Zamarin served in various executive roles at NiSource/Columbia Pipeline Group, including Chief Operating Officer at NiSource Midstream, LLC and NiSource Energy Ventures, LLC, as well as President of Pennant Midstream, LLC. He earned a Bachelor of Science in materials engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Houston. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America.

Public

James Burgess (P)
Director of Training and Grants Administration
International Association of Firefighters
McLeansville, NC

James Burgess serves as the Director of Training and Grants Administration at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), where he spearheads the strategic oversight of a comprehensive portfolio of Federal awards and cooperative agreements. Partnering with key Federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, DOT, and Public Safety Canada, Mr. Burgess is responsible for the management, monitoring, and administration of Federally funded projects. He also leads the design, development, and delivery of training curricula and programs that enhance the IAFF's mission to advance firefighter safety, preparedness, and excellence. His responsibilities include overseeing the creation of specialized courses, ensuring compliance with Federal and industry standards, and implementing cutting-edge instructional methodologies to address evolving challenges in fire and emergency services. He also directs the evaluation and continuous improvement of training programs to ensure they meet the needs of firefighters across the United States and Canada. As a Principal Investigator for the IAFF's Hazardous Materials Training grants, Mr. Burgess drives the development of advanced training initiatives while maintaining compliance with Federal rules and regulations. He also serves as the principal labor representative on the National Fire Protection Association 1990 Technical Committee - Standard for Protective Ensembles for Hazardous Materials and Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Operations. Mr. Burgess was appointed by IAFF General President Edward Kelly to the Commission on Professional Credentialing through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. With more than two decades of distinguished public safety experience, Mr. Burgess previously served as a Senior Firefighter and Hazardous Materials Technician with the Greensboro Fire Department in Greensboro, North Carolina. His extensive field experience ensures that IAFF programs are practical, impactful, and aligned with real-world demands. Mr. Burgess holds a Bachelor of Science degree in fire and emergency services administration from Fayetteville State University.

Howard (Skip) Elliott (P)
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Howard (Skip) Elliott is a renowned leader in transportation safety and organizational strategy, known for his significant contributions to both the public and private sectors. He is the founder and president of HRE Integrity, a professional management consulting firm. Through HRE Integrity, he collaborates with clients to develop best-in-class strategies aimed at maximizing organizational effectiveness and achieving long-term business value. Before establishing HRE Integrity, Mr. Elliott was appointed as PHMSA Administrator, where he oversaw the safety of the Nation's three million miles of gas and liquid pipelines and the secure transport of 1.2 million daily shipments of hazardous materials across air, water, rail, and highway. During his tenure in Washington, D.C., Mr. Elliott was also appointed by the President to serve as the acting DOT Inspector General. In this capacity, he was responsible for managing audits as well as civil and criminal investigations at the Nation's largest transportation agency. Prior to his public service, Mr. Elliott built a distinguished 40-year career at two of the largest freight railroads in the United States. He began at Conrail and later joined CSX Transportation, where he served as vice president of public safety, health, and environment until his retirement in 2017. In this executive role, he managed a wide-ranging portfolio that included hazardous materials transportation safety, environmental compliance, crisis management, corporate security, infrastructure protection, and occupational health management. His achievements in transportation safety have been recognized with two lifetime achievement awards. The Association of American Railroads honored him for his lifetime contributions to hazardous materials transportation safety. More recently, the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recognized his work in hazardous materials transportation safety research. Mr. Elliott is a graduate of Indiana University, where he received the University Bicentennial Award, the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Department of Criminal Justice Distinguished Alumni Award. He is also a distinguished alumnus of Columbia Southern University.

Don Ledversis (P)
Cranston, RI

Don Ledversis is the former Program Manager for the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers Gas Pipeline Safety Program. Mr. Ledversis held this role for 18 years before retiring and subsequently returning for another six years as an Engineering Consultant providing on-the-job training for newly hired employees. Mr. Ledversis oversaw field inspections, investigations, and audits for compliance, not only by natural gas companies but propane jurisdictional operators and master meter operators as well. Unlike other State programs, Rhode Island is unique in that staff are required to conduct audits of all disciplines including public awareness, corrosion, distribution integrity management, transmission, liquefied natural gas (LNG), welding, leak surveys, odorization, operator qualification, regulator stations, rectifiers, pipeline bridge crossings, control room, drug C alcohol testing, failure investigations, and enforcement of the State's one-call law called Dig Safe.

Sarah Magruder Lyle (P)
President and Chief Executive Officer
Common Ground Alliance
Alexandria, VA

Sarah Magruder Lyle is the President and CEO of the Common Ground Alliance, the premier North American nonprofit excavation damage prevention trade association comprising nearly 4,000 members from all damage prevention stakeholder groups, including the underground pipeline and utility industries. Under her leadership, CGA has increased its membership and reach significantly, educating stakeholders across the industry about the importance of saving lives and preventing damage to North American underground infrastructure by promoting effective damage prevention practices. She recently established the Damage Prevention Action Center, which advocates for public policies and industry practices that protect the Nation's critical underground utility infrastructure and those who work and live near these important assets.

John Woulfe (P)
Senior Advisor
International Association of Fire Chiefs
McLean, VA

John Woulfe has more than 47 years of distinguished service in fire and emergency services, Mr. Woulfe exemplifies visionary leadership and a steadfast commitment to advancing the profession. As the retired Fire Chief of the Rumford Fire Department in Maine, he led transformative initiatives that modernized operations and elevated service delivery. His tenure saw the implementation of Emergency Medical Services, the creation of entrance and promotional exams, the launch of a Life Safety Inspection Program, and the adoption of a Wellness Fitness Initiative. His success in securing Federal and State grants was instrumental in funding these advancements.

In addition to his role as Fire Chief, Mr. Woulfe served as Director of Emergency Management, Joint Commander of the Oxford County Hazardous Materials Response Team, and Co-Chief of the Rumford Regional Homeland Security Response Team #9. At the State level, his strategic leadership as President of the Maine Fire Chiefs Association led to landmark achievements, including securing public safety retiree benefits and championing Maine's first statewide Fire-Safe Cigarette Act. He represented the fire service on the Enhanced 9-1-1 Statewide Advisory Panel and the Statewide Interoperability Steering Committee and successfully advocated for public safety legislation before the Maine Legislature. His impact expanded internationally through his work with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), where he served as Assistant Director and now continues as Senior Advisor. In this role, he provides strategic policy guidance, manages Federal grants and contracts, and fosters collaboration with Federal partners and industry stakeholders.

His current focus includes emerging hazardous materials challenges in the pipeline and gas sectors. Mr. Woulfe holds a Bachelor of Science in management technology from Charter Oak College, a program that integrates fire service expertise with advanced electronics and computer systems. His professional certifications include Fire Officer, Fire Instructor, Fire Inspector, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Emergency Medical Technician. Committed to lifelong service and learning, he remains an active fire officer with the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System in Virginia, ensuring he stays connected to the evolving demands of modern emergency services.