Our People

We help clients succeed and communities thrive

At SynTerra, we build relationships with clients and our communities. We immerse ourselves in our clients’ objectives and develop solutions that are practical, economical, and responsible. We ask questions, and most importantly we listen, so that we provide the right resources at the right time. Our professionals are mobile, flexible, and accessible, and every client gets the full benefit of our collective expertise, regardless of project location. Finally, SynTerra remains focused on being good stewards of our clients’ resources, and our environmental resources.

Employee Spotlight

Craig Miller, CPA

Craig received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Accounting from Clemson University (Go Tigers!), and then went on to earn his CPA licenses. Craig is the Controller based out of the Greenville, SC office. Throughout his 3-year tenure at SynTerra, Craig has integrated several acquisitions, improved accounting processes, and supervised the most fun accounting team in the industry. Outside of the office, Craig loves playing with his 1-year old daughter, golfing, and cheering on the Clemson Tigers athletics.

Lynn Cranford

Lynn has been with SynTerra since March 2000, joining our downtown Greenville headquarters as the only accountant at that time. She worked to establish financial statements and monthly reporting, gaining additional accounting colleagues along the way. 22 years later and Lynn continues to play a pivotal role in our financials here at SynTerra. Outside the office, Lynn enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Lee Drago P.G.

Lee received his Bachelors and Masters in Geological Sciences from The University of Alabama (#rolltide), and works as a geologist based in our Greenville, SC office. Over his 5-year tenure at SynTerra, Lee has helped drill countless wells, collected hundreds of groundwater/surface water/soil/sediment samples, and written many, many reports. Outside the office, Lee loves baking bread and all things sports-related.

Kelly Ferri

Kelly has served as a Project Scientist at SynTerra for the past 2 years, managing regulations for multiple project sites. She has been published in Anthropocene and has completed post-undergraduate work at Western Carolina University for developing research methods for trace metal analysis. In her free time, Kelly enjoys live music and spending time hiking with her husband and sons.

Matt Craig

Matt works as a Project Scientist; his day-to-day looks like collecting environmental samples, preparing regulatory reports, assisting with ecological projects, and much more. When he’s not working on stream restorations or providing drilling oversight, Matt loves playing golf, traveling, fly fishing, and cooking.

Todd Plating, P.G.

Assessment & Remediation Business Unit Lead

Principal

Todd is a Senior Geologist and Project Manager with 20 years of experience. He serves as a technical lead on assessment and remediation projects. Todd leads multidisciplinary teams that focus on energy production residuals and how legacy products affect groundwater and surface water. His teams conduct comprehensive site assessments and employ new technologies to design remediation solutions.

In a recent project, Todd worked in a metamorphosed fractured bedrock setting. His team combined traditional coring, borehole geophysics, fate and transport modeling, and PHREEQC geochemical modeling to develop and refine a site conceptual model. That model is guiding corrective action planning, remedial design, and implementation.

Todd is licensed as a Professional Geologist in North Carolina and South Carolina. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Appalachian State University. Todd is a mentor to geologists and scientists at SynTerra.

Kathy Webb, P.G.

Vice President | Principal

Kathy is a leading expert in planning and implementing Brownfields redevelopment initiatives. She’s also a go-to expert for soil and groundwater environmental assessments, remediation, monitoring, and regulatory compliance. Her projects have included source determinations, delineating the footprint of landfills, assessing the generation of landfill gas, assessing the effects of constituents in groundwater, and developing groundwater remediation strategies.

Kathy is licensed as a Professional Geologist in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Alabama. She holds a Master’s degree in Geology from the University of Alabama. She earned Bachelor’s degrees in Marine Science and Geology at Alabama.

Mark Taylor, P.G.

Principal

Mark has worked more than 40 years in natural-resource based industries. His expertise includes mine geology and mine engineering, hydrogeologic and geotechnical investigations, solid and hazardous waste management, and regulatory negotiations. He has published peer-reviewed papers about coal geology, ore geochemistry, mineralogy, and solid waste management. He is a leading expert in mining and environmental permitting for litigation support.

Mark is licensed as a Professional Geologist in South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Washington. He serves on the boards of the Upstate Red Cross and Upstate Forever. He served on the South Carolina Board of Registration for Geologists for six years. Mark holds a Master’s degree in Geological Sciences from The University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Science from Harvard University.

Andrea Kehn, P.E.

Civil & Environmental Engineering Business Unit Lead | Principal

Andrea, leader of our Civil & Environmental Engineering Business Unit, has 28 years of experience in chemical manufacturing and environmental consulting. She leads and supervises staff professionals on multidisciplinary projects for a variety of industrial clients. Andrea’s vast experience and expertise includes: air quality construction and operating permitting; air quality modeling; air permit record-keeping and reporting; Oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP); NPDES Permitting; water quality modeling; process safety management; risk management compliance and auditing; and RCRA compliance.

Andrea is registered as a Professional Engineer in South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

Linda Erwin, SHRM-CP, PHR

Director of Business Operations & HR

Linda has more than 12 years of professional HR experience, primarily in the healthcare sector. There, she was responsible for regulatory compliance as well as employee systems and engagement. Prior to her career in human resources, Linda practiced as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator in the pharmaceutical research industry. She oversaw Phase II through Phase IV clinical trials in asthma and allergy research. She is passionate about employee engagement, leadership development, and continuous improvement.

The Society for Human Resources Management recognizes Linda as a Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). She also holds a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation, earned through the Human Resources Certification Institute. Linda is active in the Society for Human Resources Professionals, and she attends local and state HR conferences to stay at the forefront of human resources best practices. Linda studied Human Resources Administration at Greenville Technical College and Western Governors University.

Ruth Albright, P.E.

Vice President | Principal

Ruth has led projects for major industrial facilities throughout the Southeast and beyond. She built her knowledge of environmental regulations and their application to manufacturing operations while working for the second largest chemical manufacturing company in the United States. At SynTerra, she has expanded both her knowledge and reputation working for chemical manufacturing operations of all sizes. She has also worked extensively with other manufacturing operations, including pulp and paper, industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, food, and automotive parts and assembly. Her experience includes air and wastewater permit compliance, solid and hazardous waste management, solid waste construction permitting, hazardous materials transportation, wastewater treatment systems, air pollution control equipment operations and maintenance, and ambient air monitoring systems.

Ruth is a professional engineer registered in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Michigan, Arkansas, and Kentucky. She is an active member of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Environmental Technical Committee and serves as the chair of the water subcommittee. She has previously served as the program and committee chair for the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce Environmental Affairs committee. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University.