​​​Executive Staff

Ramez started his career with DEP in January of 1994 in the Southwest Regional Office as a Civil Engineer in the Soils and Waterways Section of the Water Management Program.  Since then, he served as the Permitting and Technical Services Chief in the Watershed Management Program in the Southcentral Region, Chief of the Project Inspection Division in the Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands, Director of the Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands, Executive Deputy Secretary of Programs and Acting Secretary during the last 7 months of Governor Wolf’s term.  Ramez is a licensed professional engineer in the States of Pennsylvania and California.  He received his B.S. degree in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993.

Ian comes to DEP from the Department of Labor and Industry, where he served as the Acting Deputy Secretary for Administration, overseeing the Bureaus of Fiscal Management and Administrative Services, PennSERVE, and the Office of Equal Opportunity. In this role he assured effective delivery of support services for the nearly 4,200 employees and managed the department’s $1.4 billion budget. He also served as the Director of the Bureau of Disability Determination for the department, managing and coordinating the processing of disability applications on behalf of the Social Security Administration. 

Prior to joining the Department of Labor and Industry, Ian held several roles in the Pennsylvania Department of State, including as the Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs, where he initiated and conducted internal reviews of processes and procedures to save more than $1.5 million and thousands of worker hours. He also served as the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, where he also improved efficiency and customer service for the end users. 

Ian is a graduate of Duquesne University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree, and has received awards and recognitions, including The National Council of Disability Determination Directors Member of the Year Award and the Pennsylvania Excellence in Technology Award.

John Ryder serves as the Deputy Secretary for Field Operations for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. John has been with the Department since 2000. Previously John served as the Director of the Department’s Bureau of District Oil and Gas Operations. The Bureau oversaw all permitting, inspection, compliance, and enforcement associated with the Oil and Gas industry across Pennsylvania. He has also served as an Environmental Group Manager and Water Quality Specialist Supervisor with the Eastern District Oil and Gas Office where he managed a diverse team of environmental professionals challenged with regulating unconventional oil and gas related exploration activities. Prior to that, John was an Aquatic Biologist for the Department's North Central Field Office where he participated in a wide variety of regulatory, permitting, and vector program work.

John received his B.S. degree in Fisheries Biology from Mansfield University and has also done graduate work at Penn State University. He lives in rural Pennsylvania and enjoys spending time outdoors and traveling with his family.

Nathan Houtz serves as the Deputy Secretary for Active and Abandoned Mine Operations. As Deputy Secretary, he oversees the Bureaus of Mining Programs, Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Mine Safety, and District Mining Operations.

Nathan began his career with the Department in 2002 as a Professional Geologist with the Pottsville District Mining Office. He continued his career in Pottsville as the Environmental Group Manager supervising the permitting section from 2007 to 2017. He then moved to the Moshannon District Mining Office as the District Mining Manager from 2017 to 2022. From there, he moved to Harrisburg and served as the Director of the Bureau of Mining Programs from 2022 to 2024. Nathan has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

​​Nathan’s first involvement with the Department was as an intern with the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation during the summers of 1994 and 1995. Upon graduation from Bloomsburg, Nate worked for a private consulting firm for 6 years before joining the Department. ​

Ali Tarquino Morris serves as the Deputy Secretary of Environmental Protection’s Office of Waste, Air, Radiation & Remediation for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. She is a mission-driven professional who is dedicated to protecting the environment for all people.

 
Previously, Ali served as the Director of the Bureau of Waste Management.  As the Bureau Director, Ali oversaw the statewide implementation of Pennsylvania’s statewide hazardous, municipal and residual waste programs, recycling and beneficial use programs, and the waste transportation safety program. Prior to joining the Bureau of Waste Management, she worked in the Department’s Southcentral Regional Office and Bureau of Laboratories.  
 
Ali graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Mary Washington with a degree in biology/chemistry. She lives in rural Pennsylvania with her husband and four children.

Seth Pelepko serves as the Acting Deputy Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Oil and Gas Management.  Prior to accepting this position, Seth worked as the Sustainability Program Manager for UGI Utilities, Inc. where he had responsibilities for supporting the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, ensuring compliance with any regulations relevant to greenhouse gas emissions reporting, and helping to advance renewables and methane measurement and mitigation projects.

Seth previously worked in various staff level and management roles for several DEP regulatory programs including Air, Environmental Cleanup, Mining, and Oil and Gas. He began his 12-year tenure with the Bureau of Oil and Gas Planning and Program Management as a Licensed Professional Geologist and advanced to become the Subsurface Activities Program Manager where he had primary responsibilities for oversight of the agency’s Abandoned Well Plugging Program and advancing regulations, policy, and guidance associated with oil and gas well drilling and construction, mechanical integrity, and decommissioning.  He also worked as a petrographer responsible for evaluating construction materials at PennDOT’s Materials Testing Laboratory and began his career as a consulting hydrogeologist.

Seth holds an undergraduate degree in Earth Science from Penn State and a Master’s in Geology from the University of Delaware. He is also a licensed professional geologist in Pennsylvania.

Fernando Treviño is DEP’s Special Deputy Secretary for Environmental Justice. His work focuses on ensuring the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people with the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental policies, regulation, and laws; as well as with respect to the identification of environmental issues that affect the most vulnerable communities.

Fernando has focused his entire career on working with vulnerable and underrepresented communities, advocating for immigrants’ rights, and empowering communities of color to have a voice in the political process and government. He joins DEP after having served as Pennsylvania State Director for NDRC and Pennsylvania Director of Constituency Outreach and Partnerships for For Our Future. He also served as Deputy Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs in Philadelphia, where, among other responsibilities, managed the City’s Language Access Program and acted as the Mayor’s liaison to the Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, Commission on Asian-American Affairs, and other diverse coalitions.

Fernando graduated from the UANL School of Law in Mexico, and received a postgraduate certification on International and Comparative Law at Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law.

Michael Braymer was appointed Chief Counsel to the Department of Environmental Protection effective December, 2023. Prior to that appointment, Mr. Braymer was the Regional Counsel with the Department of Environmental Protection’s Northwest Regional Office.

Mr. Braymer started his Commonwealth Career as a summer law school intern with the Department of Environmental Protection in the summers of 2000 and 2001. After graduating law school, Mr. Braymer was also an associate for the Quinn Law Firm, in Erie, PA, where he represented individuals and companies in a wide range of environmental and oil and gas matters. He returned to the Commonwealth as an Assistant Counsel with the Department of Environmental Protection in February 2004. He was promoted to Supervisory Counsel in 2016, and then to Regional Counsel of the Northwest Regional office in January, 2023. In these roles, Mr. Braymer has counseled and represented the Department of Environmental Protection on complex cases of regional and statewide significance. Mr. Braymer served as lead counsel for the Department of Environmental Protection in several cases before the Environmental Hearing Board, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Commonwealth Court, various Courts of Common Pleas, and United States District Court and Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Braymer received his undergraduate degree in History from the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1999 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2002.

Natasha Fackler serves as the Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, providing analysis and direction to the Department. She brings more than 27 years of Commonwealth government experience to the role.  She serves as the first point of contact on major issues that require executive level action, and strategically directs the Department in implementing the Governor’s priorities.

In her previous role at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Natasha oversaw the rollout of the $171 million National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program and was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in 2022 for her key role in developing Pennsylvania’s first-ever Litter Action Plan.

Natasha earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Government/Speech Communication Minor and Master's degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University.  When not at work, Natasha loves spending time in nature with her family, who has visited and spent time in 121 of Pennsylvania’s state parks. Leading by example, she and her family have their own adopt-a-highway to keep their local community clean and green. 

Jayneisha began her career with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in April 2023 as an Executive Assistant to the Executive Deputy Secretary. She was promoted, only a few months later, as the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. In this effort, she works closely with the Secretary and Executive Team to promote a workplace that is fair and welcoming, and where uniqueness and diverse perspectives are celebrated and valued.

Prior to her employment with DEP, Jayneisha worked as an administrator for a grant program through the Office of Long Term Living, after spending time in Spain, Italy, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic giving her a unique perspective to the world around us. Raised in Harrisburg, Jayneisha graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Leadership from Messiah University.

Outside of work, Jayneisha is pursuing a Master of Divinity degree.​

Lauren Imgrund comes to DEP from the National Park Service where she recently served as Associate Director for Partnerships and Civic Engagement. She was responsible for policy and implementation of 10 national programs including the National Trails System, Wild and Scenic Rivers, community technical assistance and over $1 billion in grant funding to states, and nearly $1 billion in private philanthropic investment in National Parks and programs.  She previously served at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in a variety of roles including Deputy Secretary for Conservation and Technical Services, Director of the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, and Coordinator of the Conservation Landscape Program. 

During her tenure at DCNR she established the priority of a park or trail within 10 minutes of every Pennsylvanian, helped to launch the Outdoor Recreation office, modernized the grant program and built cross-sector coalitions focusing on outdoor recreation, conservation, and community vitality.  Prior to her state service she was the Director of Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring at Dickinson College working closely with DEP on citizen volunteer monitoring programs and served as Assistant Director of the Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation.  She served as the President (2016-19) of the National Association of State Liaison Officers and was instrumental in assuring equitable state funding as part of the re-authorization of the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. 

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Juniata College and a Master of Arts in Community Psychology and Social Change from Penn State.  Lauren and her husband David live along the Appalachian Trail near Carlisle, and she enjoys upland game hunting with her two bird dogs, hiking, and camping.

David Lapadat serves as Director of External Affairs for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), where he works to strengthen relationships between the Department and the communities, governments, businesses, and organizations it serves. He focuses on making DEP’s work accessible and understandable, helping stakeholders navigate complex environmental issues, and ensuring clear communication across local, state, and regional partners.

David began his career in state government in 2011 as a Temporary Clerk, giving him a ground-level perspective on state operations and a strong appreciation for clear communication and responsive service.  Prior to joining DEP, he served at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation since 2012, growing from a Clerk 1 to Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs. As Deputy Director, he supported executive decision-making, strengthened partnerships with the General Assembly and local governments, and helped translate complex policy initiatives into clear, actionable information for the public. His work on initiatives such as REAL ID pre-verification and distracted driving legislation reflects his ability to align policy objectives with public understanding, reduce confusion, and build trust.

Outside of work, David enjoys time spent with family and friends, tackling hands-on home improvement projects, and caring for his outdoor spaces, with a growing focus on incorporating native plants and species into his landscaping.

Taylor Nezat began his time at the Department in 2016, where he was a graduate intern in the policy office. After finishing school, Taylor worked in the nonprofit sector as a Campaign Manager on water quality issues, specifically related to the Chesapeake Bay. He returned to the Department in 2019 as the Department’s Legislative Specialist and became the Legislative Director in August 2022. As the Legislative Director he coordinates the development of legislative initiatives, manages all incoming inquires and communication with the legislature, and works closely with the Governor’s Office on all legislative matters.

Kristofer Baumgartner is DEP’s director of Communications. In this role, Kris leads all DEP internal and external communications efforts and ensures messaging alignment with Commonwealth priorities. Kris has almost 20 years of progressive communications, health education and public affairs/media relations experience across the federal government including with the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Previously, Kris served as the Director of Health Communication in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). In this role, he oversaw all agency communications associated with CDER-regulated products. This included drug and therapeutic biologic approvals, medical policy, regulatory compliance, safety, and public education campaigns. Prior to taking the lead at the Division of Health Communication in 2018, he served as an agency strategic communications specialist and a press officer focusing on trade media. From 2007 to 2013, Kris was the full-time Deputy State Public Affairs Officer for the Maryland National Guard where he still serves part time as a cavalry and military operations officer.

Kris holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a master’s degree in Public and Media Relations from The Johns Hopkins University.

Angela Faulkner is a senior marketing and creative leader with more than 20 years of experience shaping brands, guiding strategy, and building high-performing teams. With a foundation in design and advertising, she combines creative vision, user-centered thinking, and operational clarity to help organizations communicate effectively and work efficiently.

Her career spans startups to Fortune 100 companies across industries including technology, consumer goods, government, education, aviation, and nonprofit. She has partnered with leading global brands such as Microsoft, Hershey’s, P&G, and Crayola, delivering campaigns that connect meaningfully with diverse audiences.

Angela holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from Kutztown University and a Master of Fine Arts in Advertising Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design.