Presenters
Zach Erickson, Business Development Engineer
Aberdeen, S.D.
Zach Erickson has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Before NorthWestern Energy, he worked for the United States Air Force as a project and energy management engineer at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Zach joined Northwestern Energy in 2021 as a business development engineer, focused on natural gas expansion.
Bryan Kichler, Pipeline Safety Specialist
U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Bryan Kichler is a pipeline safety specialist with PHMSA Training and Qualifications, where he has served as an instructor for the past 11 years. Before joining PHMSA, Bryan spent 14 years with a municipal distribution operator and worked for five years as a senior inspector and training coordinator with the Alabama Gas Pipeline Safety Program.
Erin Kurilla, Executive Vice President, VP of Advocacy & Operations
American Gas Public Association
Washington, D.C.
Erin Kurilla serves as APGA’s executive vice president for operations and safety. Erin focuses on advocacy issues facing public natural gas utilities and addresses challenges members face pertaining to their safety and operations. She works closely with APGA’s members, legislators, federal and state regulators, and other stakeholders to improve the safety, affordability, and reliability of public natural gas systems. She also supports the APGA Operations and Safety Committee and the APGA Environmental and Damage Prevention subcommittees. Erin holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University.
Kristen M. Lane, Intelligence Analyst
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Washington, D.C.
Kristen M. Lane is a senior intelligence analyst with the FBI’s Cyber Division, Cyber National Security Intelligence Section, Asia Cyber Intelligence Unit II. Since 2008, she has provided tactical and strategic analysis on national security and criminal cyber matters originating from Asia. IA Lane has a Master of Science in information technology from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College.
Darren Lemmerman, Senior Engineer
U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Darren Lemmerman is a senior engineer of the accident investigation division since 2017. He began his public service with the State of Minnesota’s Office of Pipeline Safety in 1992 working through the ranks to program manager. In 2008, Darren joined PHMSA’s Central Region office and worked on many initiatives such as control room management, integrity management, quality assurance and new construction. Darren is also a training and qualifications associate instructor for accident investigation, breakout tanks and LPG courses. He has performed more than 50 accident investigations with 14 of them as an NTSB pipeline operations subject matter expert. In total, he has 30 years of experience performing inspections and accident investigations of all products regulated by PHMSA. Graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1990, with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, a minor in mathematics and an emphasis in metallurgy, geology, and
chemistry.
Wayne Lemoi, Drug & Alcohol Program Manager
U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Washington, D.C.
Wayne Lemoi joined PHMSA in 2003 as a pipeline safety inspector and later served as region director supervising pipeline safety inspections, enforcement, accident investigations, and community outreach. In 2017, he became drug and alcohol program manager. He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, master’s in petroleum engineering, and more than 30 years’ experience as an engineer. He has held senior leadership positions in private industry and in the government. A retired U.S. Air Force colonel with 30 years’ service (12 active duty and 18 as a reservist ), he has logged over 4,400 hours as a pilot, instructor pilot, and maintenance test pilot in jet aircraft.
Reed McKee, Director Business Development & Strategic Support
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Reed McKee is an experienced engineering leader with over three decades of expertise in the energy sector. After five years in the U.S. Air Force, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in mathematics from South Dakota State University. Reed began his career in industrial filtration and pneumatic conveying before joining Northwestern Public Service (NorthWestern Public Service Energy Co.) as a gas engineer. Over the years, he advanced to roles including assistant general manager for South Dakota/ Nebraska operations and, for the past nine years, Director of Transmission and distribution business development and strategic support, where he drives business strategy and growth.
Dan Miller, Principal Engineer
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Dan Miller has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. For the last 17 years he has been working for MidAmerican Energy primarily in the areas of distribution integrity and standards. Prior to MidAmerican, Dan worked for EN Engineering, an energy consulting company for six years in Woodridge, Illinois, in the roles of design engineer, senior design engineer and ultimately project manager. In the first two years out of college Dan was employed by Nicor Gas in Naperville, Illinois, as a system planner and then design engineer.
Spencer B. Philo, Transportation Specialist
U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Born and raised in Wyoming, Spencer joined PHMSA after 26 years in industry where he held roles including inspector, integrity analyst, integrity management coordinator and consultant with Conoco, ConocoPhillips, Suncor and PRCTL. After graduation from the University of Oklahoma, he spent time in Canada, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, and Oklahoma. Most of his career in industry was spent dealing with pipeline integrity related activities from managing in-line inspection tool runs to integrity data verification and validation. In 2007, with a leap of faith, he and a trusted friend started a pipeline services company that provided operators with regulatory related services until he joined the PHMSA Training and Qualification Division.
Caleb Simburger, Gas Pipeline Safety Program Manager/Inspector
North Dakota Public Service Commission
Bismarck, N.D.
Prior to joining the staff of the North Dakota PSC in September 2019 as program manager and inspector, Caleb was an operations manager, radiation safety officer, and inspector for a non-destructive examination contractor. During that time, he helped oversee the staffing, scheduling, and logistics of inspectors and equipment in the execution of non-destructive evaluation work for clients in the oil, gas, and mining industries. As a radiation safety officer, he maintained and managed a radiation safety program.
Allison Snyder, Business Development Engineer
Aberdeen, S.D.
Allison Snyder holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in sustainable energy systems. Before joining NorthWestern Energy, she gained nearly five years of experience as a plant engineer at a coal-fired power plant near Milbank, South Dakota. Over the past two years, she has served as an engineer in the business development group at NorthWestern Energy, primarily focusing on projects related to their natural gas system.
Paul Wehnert, Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer
Houston, Texas
Paul Wehnert is currently Heaths’ executive vice president/chief marketing officer. As such he is responsible for products and field services marketing. In his 40 plus year career he has become a well-respected leader in the industry. Paul frequently presents papers and provides instruction for private, municipal and investor-owned utilities, numerous government and regulatory agencies and state and regional gas associations around the world. He has been instrumental in the development of technical advances in the fields of leak detection, odorization and underground locating technologies. Paul represents Heath as a member of state, regional, national and world gas associations and committees.
Mary Zanter, Pipeline Safety Program Manager
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Pierre, S.D.
Mary Zanter has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. Prior to joining the SDPUC staff in 2012, she worked for MidAmerican Energy for 19 years, first as a plant engineer at Neal Generating Station, then as a gas engineer, and finally as an operations supervisor in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She then spent two years working for Interstates Engineering in Sioux Center, Iowa, as a senior project engineer doing electric distribution design for manufacturing facilities. Mary served as a pipeline safety inspector for the SDPUC for a year prior to being named program manager in 2013.