Lucas M. Watkins, MS
President

Lucas Watkins, President and founding Principal of ELOS, has over 23 years of experience as a professional consultant. He earned his B.S. in Forest Management from Louisiana State University and his M.S. in Biology in Wetland Ecology from Southeastern Louisiana University. His experience covers environmental regulatory compliance as well as program and project management.

James M. Prather, III
Vice President

James “Jay” Prather, III, Vice President and co-founding Principal of ELOS, has over 22 years of experience as a professional consultant. He earned his B.S. in Biology from Southeastern Louisiana University. Since founding ELOS, Mr. Prather has worked with clients at every level of government, as well as large and small private sector clients, meeting their goals and earning a reputation for providing excellent services.

Brittany Berthelot, MS
Chief Operating Officer

Brittany Berthelot, who serves as the Chief Operating Officer of ELOS, earned her B.S. in Biology from Southeastern Louisiana University and her M.S. in Environmental Science from Louisiana State University. She is an experienced environmental regulatory specialist who also serves as the lead on all ELOS wetland mitigation projects.

Ronald J. Ventola, ME
Director of Regulatory Affairs

With over 30 years of experience in regulation and management, Ronald Ventola advises clients on various regulatory matters. Mr. Ventola earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University and his Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Tulane University. He served as the Chief of the Regulatory Branch in the New Orleans District for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Brian Fortson, JD
Senior Ecologist/Permitting Specialist

Brian Fortson serves as the Senior Environmental Scientist at ELOS, providing technical expertise for regulatory permitting, agency consultation, wetland delineations, and other environmental services. Mr. Fortson earned a B.S. in Wetland Ecology from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Juris Doctor in Civil Law from Loyola University.

Michael Bellone, PG, CHMM
Director of Environmental Services

Michael Bellone has directed multidisciplinary environmental projects for over 1,200 sites throughout the United States. Mr. Bellone is experienced in conducting and managing multimedia environmental audits; Phase I, II, and III Environmental Site Assessments; contamination assessments; and remedial actions (soil, groundwater, and surface water). He earned an M.S. in Environmental Sciences from Louisiana State University.

Stehle Harris
Vice President of Project Delivery

Stehle Harris earned his Environmental Management Systems B.S. degree from Louisiana State University. He excels in the development, management, and continual improvement of interdisciplinary teams. He has proven project management skills that have resulted in the creation of repeatable, auditable, production-oriented processes that reduce time and enhance efficiency for clients.

Karim Belhadjali, MS
Vice President of Coastal Resilience

Karim Belhadjali has over 20 years of experience in ecosystem restoration and storm and flood risk reduction. Along with his vast experience and knowledge, Mr. Belhadjali earned an M.S. in Fisheries from Louisiana State University and a B.S. in Marine Biology from Long Island University. Prior to joining ELOS, he worked for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources.

Christopher Wilson, RPA, MA
DirectorofCulturalResources

Christopher Wilson is a Registered Professional Archaeologist with experience in archaeological management, excavation, and processing of artifacts. He is also a certified open-water diver. Mr. Wilson earned his M.A. in Archaeology from Yale University and has worked on excavation projects in Greece, Poland, and Portugal. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

J.J. Pearsall
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Manager

J.J. Pearsall brings nearly 20 years of GIS experience to ELOS, having served as the GIS Manager for the City of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Mr. Pearsall earned a B.A. degree in Geography from the University of South Carolina and is an FAA-licensed remote pilot. He leads ELOS' team of GIS Specialists and Analysts and oversees all GIS projects.

Lacy Landrum, PhD
Grant Writing and Administration

Lacy Landrum, PhD brings over 18 years of experience in grant writing and administration to ELOS, where she serves as a Senior Project Manager. Prior to joining ELOS, Ms. Landrum served as the Director of Administration for the City of Hammond, Louisiana. She has significant experience in and a deep understanding of management, budgeting, permitting, compliance, emergency response, and technical communication.

Basile Dardar
Project Manager

Basile Dardar is an environmental scientist with a wide range of experience, including inspections, permitting, environmental surveying, developing reports, research, sampling, testing, and coordinating with agencies and clients. He is also a certified oyster biologist and a certified diver. Mr. Dardar earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Louisiana Lafayette.

Cory Ricks, CFM
President of Business Development

Cory Ricks served as an Environmental Scientist and Project Manager for seven years, leading ELOS’ field team in wetland delineation efforts for development, mitigation banking, and infrastructure projects. He is also a Certified Floodplain Manager. As President of Business Development, some of his duties include overseeing the Business Development team, managing client relations, and coordinating project personnel and logistics.

Dale Holley
Business Development Associate

With over 15 years of experience in professional office management and a track record of strong performance in business development, Dale Holley skillfully manages client relations at ELOS. Ms. Holley uses her management skills and industry knowledge to engage ELOS’ project teams and key personnel and ensure the client’s project-specific needs are met in a timely and professional manner.

Jerry Hall
Business Development Associate

Jerry Hall served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and has been a part of the ELOS team for five years. Before joining ELOS, Mr. Hall worked as a District Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for more than 36 years. With ELOS, he uses his government expertise to assist in the coordination of large-scale conservation and restoration projects.

Danielle Triche
Business Development Associate

A licensed real estate agent, Danielle Triche brings to ELOS a wealth of customer service skills, helping her communicate with clients in an efficient and effective manner. She also has extensive experience with contracts, negotiations, and the legal issues that can often accompany property and property development.

Our Team