Mr. Heaton served five terms as New Mexico State Representative for southeastern Eddy County, New Mexico. He chaired the Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee of the New Mexico State Legislature. He received a B.S. in pharmacy from the University of New Mexico and subsequently became a Fellow in the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. He practiced primarily in southern New Mexico where he owned and operated several pharmacies as well as a number of other allied businesses.
Dr. William M. Hadley, Vice Chairman
Dr. Hadley is Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology/Toxicology of the College of Pharmacy at the University of New Mexico (UNM). He is also an adjunct scientist at the Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute in Albuquerque, NM. Dr. Hadley is author or co-author of more than 50 scientific papers. He earned B.S. (Pharmacy), M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in pharmacology/toxicology from Purdue University.
Mr. Douglas C. Lynn, Executive Director
Mr. Lynn has served as Executive Director of CEHMM since 2006 and has enhanced the existing project profiles for the organization in addition to more than doubling the number of CEHMM staff positions. He originated the applied research component of the algae biofuels project and several other flagship projects. He has begun diversification of CEHMM funding and won two consecutive New Mexico Energy Innovation awards of, consecutively, one million and 1.123 million dollars for the CEHMM algae biofuels project. Lynn believes in leading by example in an employee-oriented management approach.
His experience includes more than 15 years experience in NEPA and radiological environmental sampling and the various disciplines of land management; and 25 years experience in agricultural farm and ranch operations. During a 12-year tenure as a public school instructor, he was the recipient of state and national recognition for teaching excellence. Lynn has developed a renewable energy education project at CEHMM that is under consideration for statewide use.
In addition to a Bachelor of Science degree, he has amassed more than 13 professional certifications that include realty, RCRA, safety, data quality, environmental assessments, radiological surveillance, and certification as a Level I Petroleum Technician.
Chief Michael H. Reynolds, Secretary
Chief Reynolds is the chief of the Carlsbad Fire Department, a licensed paramedic, and a certified Hazardous Materials Technician with a specialty in chemistry. He teaches training courses in the chemistry of hazardous materials, hazardous materials transportation regulations, and incident command. He holds two Associates’ degrees, a Bachelor’s degree, and is pursuing an M.A. in fire and Emergency Management Administration.
Mr. Anibal L. Taboas, Treasurer
Mr. Taboas serves as an executive consultant on environment, governance, and risk management issues. He has significant experience as a federal senior executive in the operation of major research facilities, the nuclear fuel cycle, and environmental remediation. Awards in recognition of some of his accomplishments include the Secretary of Energy Gold Medal, the Vice President’s Hammer Award, the Broken Knuckle Award, and several Exceptional Service Awards. Taboas has a well-established reputation for innovative resolution of environmental issues, developing executives, and for support of inclusion, diversity, and independent peer review. He serves on various editorial boards of peer-reviewed journals, has over 50 publications, and is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Mr. Taboas has graduate degrees in Physics and in Nuclear and Mechanical engineering, has completed various other programs such as in Corporate Governance, and was a Federal Contracting Officer.
Dr. Van D. Romero
Dr. Romero is the Vice President for Research and Economic Development at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech). He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics from New Mexico Tech and a Ph.D. in physics from the State University of New York. Dr. Romero’s current research includes the development of a state-of-the-art astrophysics observatory to investigate near earth objects and deep space phenomena; the detection of explosives using Nano-Technology films; renewable energy reliability in power grids; and decontamination of produced water.
Dr. Steven P. Castillo
Dr. Castillo is currently Provost & Executive Vice President at Colorado School of Mines. He served as Dean of Engineering at New Mexico State University from 2004-2009. He received a B.S.E.E. degree from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, in 1982, M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1984 and 1987, respectively, where he conducted research in electromagnetic analysis of high speed digital circuits. He has conducted research in computational methods in electromagnetics, electromagnetic theory and the solution of partial differential equations on parallel computers. Dr. Castillo is a member of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation, Electromagnetic Compatibility, and the Microwave Theory and Techniques societies. He received the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award in 1991.
Dr. Craig B. Marcus
Dr. Marcus is currently Professor and Head of the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at Oregon State University. He earned a B.S. in Biochemistry (1975), M.S. in Entomology/Toxicology (1978), and Ph.D. in Entomology/Toxicology (1981) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Marcus is an expert in the structure, function and expression of the cytochromes P450 super family of enzymes and his laboratory studies these proteins with a focus on their roles in environmental disease and cancer.
Dr. Vimal Chaitanya
Dr. Chaitanya is the Vice President for Research, Graduate Studies, and International Programs and Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering at New Mexico State University. Prior to joining NMSU, Dr. Chaitanya was the Director of the Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC) and Director of Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) at the University of Central Florida, where he was a Professor of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering. Dr. Chaitanya’s active research areas include materials characterization, material degradation and failure analysis. His significant technical contribution ranges from life prediction of thermal barrier coatings for gas turbines to chemical mechanical polishing for multi-layer electronic device fabrication.
Dr. Chaitanya serves on the University Executive Committee, Administrative Council and Academic Dean’s Council of New Mexico State University. He is a board member of the New Mexico Consortium Inc., New Mexico Research Consortium Inc., New Mexico Computing Applications Center and CEHMM. Professionally he serves on the board of the Dielectric Sciences and Technology Division and Education Committee of the Electrochemical Society.
Dr. Chaitanya holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, a Masters in Bioengineering from Clemson University, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from MSU.
Dr. Scott W. Burchiel
Dr. Burchiel is a Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology and the DeSantis Endowed Chair of Pharmacogenomics at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (HSC) and is the Associate Dean for Research in the UNM College of Pharmacy. He directs the UNM HSC Environmental Health Signature Program and the New Mexico Center for Isotopes in Medicine.
Dr. Burchiel received his Ph.D. from UC San Francisco in 1977 and has been on the faculty at UNM since 1978. He is an expert in immunotoxicology and environmental carcinogenesis. He has authored over 100 scientific manuscripts and has been continually funded by the NIH for over 20 yrs. Dr. Burchiel is an active consultant to pharmaceutical and biotech companies and is active in the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and cancer therapy.
Mr. Robert H. Forrest, Sr.
Mr. Forrest has served four terms as Mayor of Carlsbad, New Mexico. He is founder and president of the Carlsbad Area Retarded Citizen’s Farm and Washington Ranch, Inc., an organization with two large facilities that provides assistance for children and adults facing developmental disabilities and delays. He is the co-owner of Forrest Tire Company, owner of the Stevens Inn, and chairman of the board of the Carlsbad National Bank.