Environmental Health & Safety / Our Staff

EH&S Staff:

The EH&S staff are here to help you with any questions or issues you may have. You can contact them by email or by phone (note: you only need to dial the numbers in red if you are using a campus phone).

Organizational Chart

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Michelle Austin: Business Officer; michelle.austin@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5511; Michelle supplies fiscal, budgetary, analytical, personnel and other support to EH&S. She manages ongoing customer and staff satisfaction benchmarking data and continuous quality improvement initiatives. She provides support, maintains programs, and resolves issues on behalf of the EH&S Director.

Debbie Brown: Administrative Assistant; debbie.brown@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5528; Debbie coordinates the recruitment process for the EH&S Department. She also provides special project support for the EH&S director and staff. In addition, Debbie provides support to the Ergonomics and UC WalkingFit programs. Support includes scheduling appointments, procurement of marketing materials and incentives, delivery of demo ergo products on campus, and coordinating WalkingFit activities.

Elenia Burris: Administrative Assistant; elenia.burris@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5528; Elenia greets visitors who enter the EH&S office. She supports the EH&S Director, Associate Director, MSO, and Staff. Her areas of responsibilities include: reception, food permits, mail, and placing various UCR work orders. In addition, she coordinates the scheduling of meetings and provides minutes for meetings. Overall, she provides administrative support that is needed to maintain EH&S efficiency. Elenia wants all who come into our office to know that EH&S is here to help.

Ondra Carter: Principal Radiation Safety Technician; ondra.carter@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5529; Ondra identifies, evaluates and controls hazards associated with radioisotope handling, storage, transportation, and use. He inspects all arriving radioactive material packages, and conducts radiation contamination surveys. He conducts laboratory safety audits, equipment inventory and instrument calibration. He ensures the accuracy of laboratory equipment, documentation, and training.

Scott Corrin: Fire Marshal; scott.corrin@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 6309; Scott provides Fire Protection Engineering/Consultation services to all aspects of the campus community. This includes all phases of design, review, and implementation of the Campus Capital Improvement Program. He also provides occupancy clearance, oversight of maintenance to all campus fire and life safety equipment, fire extinguisher training, and implementation of preparedness programs.

Janette De La Rosa Ducut, Ed.D.: Training and Development Officer; janette.ducut@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 6303; Janette helps keep people learning. She manages training, publications, communications, marketing, and website administration. Janette provides students, faculty, and staff with the knowledge & skills needed to fulfill their purpose at UC Riverside. She contributes to the development of UC Riverside's health, safety, and environmental culture. Janette's goal is to leave people in a better state than show she found them.

Kristie Elton: Ergonomics Program Specialist; kristie.elton@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 6315; Kristie provides management and technical expertise for the Ergonomics and Injury Prevention Program. Performs ergonomic workstation evaluations, job safety analyses with equipment recommendations, back safety and ergonomic training, and stretch break exercise instructions. She is available for consultation on issues pertaining to ergonomics or injury prevention.

Bryan Garcia: Executive Assistant; bryan.garcia@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5748; Bryan provides special project support for the EH&S Director, Associate Director, MSO, and staff. Schedules meetings and takes minutes at EH&S committee meetings. Also provides support for all payroll and purchasing functions for the department.

Ross Grayson: Director; ross.grayson@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 6324; Ross aligns regulatory requirements and best practices with campus goals and strategies. He makes sure that the implementation of health, safety and environmental programs and systems are designed and integrated in a user-friendly manner. He serves as chair and participates in many EH&S committees and processes designed to ensure the safety of the environment and community at UCR.

Lanie Ivey: Payroll/Personnel, Purchasing & Travel Assistant; lanie.ivey@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 2416; Lanie provides purchasing, accounting, personnel/payroll, travel and general office support to EH&S Director, MSO and staff. She processes requisitions and travel vouchers, maintains blanket purchase order records, and receives and verifies all incoming orders. She initiates and prepares online payroll actions, and also provides minutes at various EH&S committee meetings.

Anita Jensen: Associate Director / Accident Prevention Manager; anita.jensen@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 2415; Anita supports the UC strategic goals and mission by educating students, faculty, and employees on the importance of injury prevention. She serves as the lead person to develop, manage, and lead campus efforts to eliminate workplace accidents and injuries. She provided knowledge & expertise to develop and deploy the Integrated Safety and Environmental Management process for UC Riverside. She promotes the development of UC Riverside's environmental, health, and safety culture and is continuously in search of ways in which we can continuously improve.

Jennifer Julian: Training Program Analyst; jennifer.julian@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 4412; Jennifer assists with the implementation of the campus learning management system (LMS). She provides support to the Training and Development Officer by maintaining EH&S training records and coordinating the scheduling of EH&S training courses held on campus.

Brian Kermath: Sustainability Manager; brian.kermath@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 6311; Brian contributes to UCR's mission of excellence by managing the implementation of environmentally responsible practices. He is guided by the UC Sustainability Policy, which commits campuses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, maximize recycling, optimize green procurement, reduce water consumption, follow sustainable food systems guidelines, improve transportation efficiencies, and educate environmentally concerned citizens.

Shaun Larsen: Laboratory/Agriculture/Field Safety Specialist; shaun.larsen@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5747; Shaun serves as a resource for laboratory, agriculture, and field personnel to prevent injury and illness occurrences. He uses current safety practices with industrial hygiene techniques to provide a healthy and safe work environment. Shaun performs work site audits (inspections), hazard communication, accident investigation, and statistical hazard analysis.

Xavier Martinez: Fire Inspector; xavier.martinez@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5120; Xavier conducts fire and life safety inspections, monitors fire systems, inspects fire extinguishing systems, and provides fire safety training. He also assists in coordinating building evacuation exercises, and has oversight in developing the fire safety information system.

Eric Patrona: Financial Analyst; eric.patrona@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5118; Eric conducts complex budget/resource analysis and provides service and functional support. He prepares financial reports, conducts trend analysis, updates financial review documents, assists with recruitment, and provides recommendations to eliminate, reduce, finance or transfer risks.

Arif Peshimam: Biosafety Officer; arif.peshimam@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 2648; Arif manages the Biological Safety Program at UCR. He is a member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. His duties also include being part of the Emergency Response Team and the Laboratory & Research Safety Group at UCR.

Cesar Pla: Fire Inspector; cesar.pla@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5121; Cesar conducts fire and life safety inspections, monitors fire systems, inspects fire extinguishing systems, and provides fire safety training. He also assists in coordinating building evacuation exercises, and has oversight in developing the fire safety information system.

Steven La Shier: Director of Risk Management; steven.lashier@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5892; As Director, Steven is critical to the campus? Enterprise Risk Management program and methodology enabling UCR to strategically and proactively manage risk exposures throughout the organization. Steven is the campus resource for strategic management of operational risks and is responsible for the daily operations of the Office of Risk Management Services. He manages the property and casualty self-insured and insured programs as well as the professional liability programs. Steven provides the campus with services that provide flexibility and control while minimizing the risks and liabilities of this large and complex research and educational institution.

Tonya Talavera: Deputy Fire Marshal; tonya.talavera@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5123; Tonya supports the Campus Fire Marshal in the Fire & Life Safety Programs. She conducts fire and life safety inspections, training for campus faculty and staff, and fire related emergency response. She performs plan review and field inspections for campus construction and renovation projects, and serves as a technical resource on fire protection and code compliance. Tonya attends and participates in preliminary design review committee meetings, and advises committees on complex building code issues involving multi-discipline variables.

Ed Trujillo: Waste Operations Supervisor; ed.trujillo@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 4248; Ed manages all aspects of regulatory and operational components of the campus chemical, radiological, and biological waste program. He ensures that all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations are followed. He also conducts, oversees, and arranges transportation, segregation, packing, manifesting and shipping of hazardous waste.

Beiwei Tu: Accident Prevention Specialist; beiwei.tu@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 2964; Beiwei advises Physical Plant, Housing, and Dining Services management and staff on accident prevention methods for maintaining and improving on a healthful and safe working environment. She develops specific services and consultation intended to provide these departments the necessary skills to effectively take ownership of safety.

Darwyn Vernon: Sr. Technician; darwyn.vernon@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5518; Darwyn is responsible for identifying, collecting, transporting, segregating and storing hazardous waste. He also provides assistance to students, staff, and faculty with respect to hazardous waste concerns. Darwyn serves as a member of the EH&S Emergency Response Team.

Russell Vernon, Ph.D.: Laboratory/Research Safety Specialist/Integrated Waste Manager; russell.vernon@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 5119; Russell advances the mission of the university through safe and efficient management of all types of hazardous waste. He provides advice and training on safely using hazardous materials and processes in the lab and field. He oversees the implementation of the Laboratory Standard and the Chemical Hygiene Plan, manages audit programs, and facilitates emergency planning, preparedness and response.

Paul Walker: Emergency Management Specialist; paul.walker@ucr.edu; (951) 827 – 2609; Paul analyzes, develops, implements, organizes, manages, assesses, and continually improves UCR’s comprehensive emergency management programs in our intensive, dynamic research and industrial growth environment. He also provides seamless integration of emergency management programs into existing campus organizations and activities, as well as with all other EH&S programs.