Our People

David W. Copp, CHMM, REA#05148, Principal Assessor
Mr. Copp is a single-point-of-contact manager that can provide on-going client service from project start to finish. Mr. Copp earned a B.A. degree in Environmental Science from California State University, San Bernardino (1987) and a Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management from the University of California, Riverside (1992). Mr. Copp has over 20 years of experience within the environmental consulting industry. Mr. Copp is responsible for performing project work (Phase I and II Environmental Assessments [Phase I ESA’s], Property Condition Assessments, etc.), as well as business development and customer service roles. Mr. Copp has extensive experience in performing ESAs (personally over 2,000 projects in 23 states), Phase II Investigations, and Asbestos and Lead Surveys. Mr. Copp’s multi-disciplinary skills in environmental consulting have been instrumental in the completion of Phase I ESAs and many other projects on time and within budget. Mr. Copp holds certifications as a Registered Environmental Assessor, USEPA 40-hour HAZWOPER, AHERA asbestos inspector, and Cal-DHS lead-based paint inspector/assessor. Mr. Copp co-manages the environmental operations of PINNACLE including scheduling, client services and development, QA/OC, field work, and the development of ESA protocols and report formats. Mr. Copp is also a member of the ASTM committee on ESAs.

Peter K. Cloven, , REA#07347, C.E.M.#1313, Principal Assessor
Mr. Cloven is a single-point-of-contact manager that can provide on-going client service from project start to finish. Mr. Cloven earned a B.A. degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley (1986). He has more than 20 years of experience within the environmental consulting industry including project sales, and staff/personnel management. His project experience includes over 1,000 ESAs, turn-key management of underground storage tank projects, multiple Phase II site characterization projects (including soil gas surveys, Geoprobe® sampling of soil and groundwater, hollow stem auger sampling and monitoring well installation), Risk Based Corrective Action (RBCA) risk assessment, remediation, design implementation, operation and maintenance, and site closure. Mr. Cloven’s clients have included the US Air Force, US Army Corp or Engineers, Nevada Department of Transportation, Sacramento Regional Transit District, insurance companies, lending institutions, and attorneys. Mr. Cloven has also performed environmental audits and prepared stormwater and air quality permits for industrial facilities. Mr. Cloven specializes in client relations, client services, and client technical consulting. Mr. Cloven also co-manages the environmental operations of PINNACLE including scheduling, client services and development, QA/OC, field work, and the development of ESA protocols and report formats. Mr. Cloven is a Registered Environmental Assessor in the state of California, Certified Environmental Manager in the state of Nevada, and has ASTM certification in RBCA assessment and USEPA 40-hour HAZWOPER training.

Atef Elzeftawy, Ph.D., Hydrogeologist
Dr. Elzeftawy has over 30 years of professional consulting and academic experience specializing in soil physics, hydrogeology, and the geochemistry of radioactive, inorganic, and organic waste. Since 1974, he has been responsible for groundwater exploration, development, and management services for residential and land developers, agricultural and industrial sources. These services included groundwater basin studies, evaluation of well and aquifer hydraulics, aquifer modeling and yield studies, well field design and construction, water level and quality monitoring, and water well failure studies and remediation. Dr. Elzeftawy has managed studies of the impact of using treated wastewater as a supplemental source of irrigation for golf courses and agricultural land. Dr. Elzeftawy has been responsible for the investigation and characterization of numerous organic and inorganic waste and radioactive materials movements through soils and geologic sediments related to CERCLA, RCRA, and UST remediation guidelines. He has performed groundwater contaminant transport computer modeling of organic, inorganic, radioactive wastes through saturated and unsaturated geologic sediments. As a special consultant to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, he provided technical advice on issues related to the hydrology and geochemistry of the unsaturated and saturated zones in the development of the technical criteria for rule 10 CFR 60 governing the disposal of high level radioactive wastes (HLRW).

Jane O. Baron, Professional Engineer #C39399
Ms. Baron has over 30 years of professional consulting experience specializing in geology, hydrogeology, and the geochemistry of contaminated sites. She is a civil engineer experienced in industrial site development and facilities improvements; process safety management; environmental audits; site assessments; investigations and remediation design and implementation. Ms. Baron has managed projects involving environmental compliance implementation; regulatory agency liaison; negotiations and permitting; media sampling; and data modeling, analysis and presentation. Ms. Baron holds degrees in Geology (1979) and Civil Engineering (1981), and a Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management (1986), and is USEPA 40-hour HAZWOPER trained. Ms. Baron is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Ground Water Association, and the Association of Engineering Geologists.

Stanley C. Criss, REA#08185, Environmental Assessor, & Remediation Project Manager
Mr. Criss has 30 years of professional consulting experience in the environmental field. Before PINNACLE, the prior 12 years were as environmental project manager for Fagan Engineers, an environmental and civil consulting engineering firm in the northeast. ASTM Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessment experience includes evaluations of sites within superfund project areas, large industrial facilities, commercial developments and smaller single parcel properties. In addition, Mr. Criss has worked on remediation of hazardous waste sites regulated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or “superfund”); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Brownfields clean up programs, Voluntary remediation programs, UST removals and remediations, and EPA Class V Injection Well Closures and spill clean-ups. Experience related to these latter types of sites includes design, construction and management of remedial projects, from investigation and conceptual planning (i.e. RIFS), through remedial construction to operations and maintenance (O&M). Mr. Criss has also performed Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) facility air permitting, monitoring and reporting to state and federal agencies including initial Title V permitting of NSPS facilities, state facility permits, permit modifications, environmental monitoring / certification reporting to state, and USEPA Regions 2 and 3. Mr. Criss holds an AS degree in Engineering Science and has completed additional course work in environmental science through the USAF University Program and is USEPA 40-hour HAZWOPER certified. Mr. Criss is also a member of several environmental associations.

Certificates for individuals are available on request