ELTAC Member Bios

Peter Arth is an environmental scientist with a passion for applying an understanding of the intersection of toxicology, biology, ecology, and chemistry to understand, navigate, and solve complex environmental issues.  Over the course of his career in environmental laboratory services and consulting, he’s held positions as analyst, project manager, and operations manager.  He is currently the Director of Enthalpy Analytical’s Environmental Toxicology division, including the flagship ELAP and NELAP-accredited laboratory in San Diego, California (formerly Nautilus Environmental).

Peter has led laboratory-driven toxicological programs for commercial, industrial, governmental, and academic partners.  Peter is well-versed in all aspects of performing and interpreting toxicity tests under guidelines published by a variety of regulatory agencies. His primary technical focus and expertise is the design, performance, and interpretation of site-specific toxicity investigations in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments.  He has been engaged in TIE and other toxicity testing method development and adaptation, advocated for novel uses of bioassays as regulatory and risk assessment tools, and has presented his work at meetings and conferences across the country.

In all programs, Peter places a strong emphasis on effective collaboration, developing clear goals and objectives and attaining them cost efficiently, using sound experimental design, achieving unassailable data quality, and gaining client and regulatory approval.  He has lent his expertise to several working groups and committees, including the Southern California BIGHT Toxicity Committees and the Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) Laboratory Intercalibration Study, and is active in regulatory affairs at the regional, state, and national level. By participating on ELTAC, he aims to support participating groups in specialty technical matters, to serve as a resource to help improve programs, and to represent the diverse stakeholders of the laboratory community. 

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025

Samuel Choi is an Environmental Supervisor in the Laboratory, Monitoring, and Compliance Division at the Orange County Sanitation District. Specifically, Sam oversees the Sampling, General Chemistry, and Microbiology groups in the Laboratory. He has been working in wastewater utility for more than 12 years previously serving as a microbiologist focusing on both compliance and research work. He holds a Master’s in Environmental Engineering and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Environmental Microbiology. Sam also holds a part-time faculty position at the California State University Fullerton in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (2018-present).

In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and outdoors.

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025

Dr. Agustin Pierri obtained his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Southern California and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California Santa Barbara where he worked on synthesizing photoactive pharmaceuticals and nanocarriers. He has authored many scientific publications and has given numerous presentations at technical meetings on topics ranging from inorganic photochemistry to environmental analytical chemistry. At Weck Labs, he has worked as a bench chemist in all sections of the laboratory, which includes microbiology, inorganics, and organics. Additionally, he has extensive experience developing and validating methods for emerging contaminants by sophisticated techniques such as LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, and ICP-MS.  Since becoming the Laboratory Technical Director in 2016, he continues to be active in developing methods for novel contaminants, as well as modernizing legacy analytical methods to lower detection limits and improve data quality.

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025

Sushmitha Reddy is the Manager of Laboratories for Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA). She has a Masters in Management (MBA) and Bachelors of Science in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Alabama and has been active in the community of accredited regulatory compliance laboratories for over 20 years. She served on the ELTAC subcommittee tasked to develop the alternate regulations for Laboratory Accreditation and the Association of California Water Agencies Laboratory Regulations Workgroup. She worked for several small and large scale laboratories including Coachella Valley Water District, E.S. Babcock, TestAmerica, Eurofins Eaton Analytical and Sentinel and in that capacity assisted ELAP and other state and federal agencies in assessments of laboratory practice. Her areas of expertise are in the knowledge of analytical methods, analysis of several Organic and Inorganic contaminants, including microbiological constituents, detection limits, quality systems including evaluation, development and implementation, data evaluation, compliance reporting, laboratory operation and laboratory accreditation.

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025

Judith (Judy) Morgan is VP and Chief Compliance Officer for Pace Analytical Services, LLC. With over 30 years in analytical testing and compliance, she provides the necessary leadership to oversee a strong corporate compliance program that includes quality assurance, EHS and sustainability, international standards, government relations, and ethics and confidentiality. Well known to the industry she is, a respected expert witness, formerly a registered lobbyist, and has analytical experience in both organic and inorganic analyses. Her experience and dedication to the testing industry has allowed her to apply technical expertise as an active member for multiple National/Federal Committees and organizations such as TNI, ACIL, SETAC, A2LA, and EPA, where she has held multiple roles including, chairman, board member, ethics officer, vice president, treasurer, member and speaker.  In addition to her B.S. Chemistry and M.S. Analytical Chemistry, Ms. Morgan has completed environmental analytical research, at Vanderbilt University. She is affiliated with many professional organizations, receiving high honors including the Preston Millar Award and the esteemed Charlie Carter Award.

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025

Melissa has overseen the Division of Drinking Water's Regulatory Development Unit since August 2017.  She has worked for the State and Regional Water Boards since 1999, including 10 years at the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board in various core regulatory wastewater programs, before joining the State Water Board's Office of Enforcement in 2009.  Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Civil Engineering and is licensed as a professional civil engineer. 

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025

Andrew currently serves as the State Water Board Quality Assurance Officer in the Office of Information Management and Analysis (OIMA), where he is responsible for ensuring that all applicable state programs and projects comply with the requirements of the State Water Board’s Quality Management Plan. Andrew held previous positions at ELAP, where he was a liaison to state regulatory agencies and a primary author of the newly adopted ELAP regulations. His previous laboratory experience includes over thirteen years in management level positions at ELAP-accredited laboratories, including most recently serving as Laboratory Director at an environmental laboratory and engineering firm in Northern California. Andrew has a BS in Biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and an MS in Environmental Endocrinology and Ecotoxicology and an MBA in Business Management from California State University, Long Beach.

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025

Carol Wortham is the Quality Management Officer for the Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Environmental Chemistry Laboratory in Berkeley California.

Carol has 30 years of experience in the environmental laboratory testing industry. She worked on the laboratory bench and as a customer liaison for 15 years prior to transitioning to Quality Assurance / Quality Control. For the past 11 years she has been working for the State of California.

She has hands-on experience and knowledge of various environmental sample preparation techniques and analysis methods using GC-FID, GC-PID, GC-ECD, and GC-MS. She has extensive understanding of ISO/IEC 17025, the NELAC Institute (TNI), and the Department of Defense (DOD) Quality System Manual (QSM) standards and application of the standards within an environmental laboratory.

Carol has extensive experience reviewing Quality Assurance Project Plans, Sampling and Analysis Plans, and level IV analytical data packages. She also provides training on data quality to technical and non-technical audiences and advises attorney and scientists in legal proceedings.

• Appointed: October 2020
• Term Expires: Oct. 31, 2025