Founders
Lucas M. Watkins, MS
President
Lucas Watkins, President and founding Principal of ELOS, has over 21 years of experience as a professional consultant. He received 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 20 years of experience as a professional consultant. He received 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.
senior leadership
Brittany Berthelot, MS
Chief Operating Officer
Brittany Berthelot, who serves as the Operating Manager of ELOS, received her B.S. in Biology from Southeastern Louisiana University and her M. S. in Environmental Science from Louisiana State University. Her technical skills support all ELOS service lines, working closely with ELOS staff and clients to ensure projects are completed in an effective and efficient manner.
Michael Bellone, PG, CHMM
Director of Environmental Services
Michael Bellone has directed multidisciplinary environmental projects at over 1,200 sites throughout the United States. Mr. Bellone provides senior oversight and assists ELOS with fieldwork, report writing, data processing, and file organization to complete projects concerning Phase I, II and III ESAs and other NEPA environmental assessment documentation.
Christopher Wilson, RPA, MA
Director of Cultural Resources
Christopher Wilson is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) with experience in archaeological management, excavation, and processing of artifacts. He is also a certified open-water diver. Mr. Wilson earned his Master of Arts 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.
Ronald J. Ventola, ME
Director of Regulatory Affairs
With over 30 years of experience in regulation and management, Ronald Ventola advises clients in various regulatory matters. Mr. Ventola received 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.
Stehle Harris
Vice President of Project Delivery
Stehle Harris received 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.
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 holds a Bachelor of Science in Wetland Ecology from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Juris Doctor in Civil Law from Loyola University
Karim Belhadjali, MS
Senior Project Manager
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 holds a M.S. in Fisheries from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Long Island University.
project managers
Cory Ricks, CFM
Project Manager / Wetland Delineation Specialist
Cory Ricks serves as an Environmental Scientist leading ELOS’ field team in wetland delineation efforts for development, mitigation banking, and infrastructure projects. He also acts as the field team lead for biological surveys for threatened and endangered (T&E) species, migratory and colonial wading birds, and bald eagles while supporting field surveys for cultural resource investigations.
Hunter Perrilloux
Project Manager / Environmental Scientist
Hunter Perrilloux received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southeastern Louisiana University and joined the ELOS team in 2019. His duties throughout his time at ELOS have included endangered species monitoring, performing wetland delineations, mitigation bank monitoring, and assisting in Phase I and Phase II cultural resource investigations. Mr. Perrilloux regularly performs wetland delineations by conducting field investigations and processing data.
Josh Macheca
Industrial Hygiene Project Manager
Josh Macheca began his career at ELOS as a GIS specialist. Soon after, he began working as a licensed Louisiana Lead Paint Inspector and Lead Hazard Risk Assessor as part of the Restore Louisiana Program. Mr. Macheca continues to lead ELOS’ team of industrial hygiene staff and serves as the project manager for ongoing industrial hygiene projects.
Basile Dardar
Project Manager / Environmental Scientist
Basile Dardar graduated from the University of Louisiana Lafayette with a B.S. in Biology. He has experience with Phase I ESAs including site investigations, soil and water sampling, and technical reports. His experience also includes leading wetland delineations, endangered species surveys, and bald eagle monitoring. Mr. Dardar also has experience writing Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans and conducting SWPPP inspections for construction sites.
Business Development
Drake Arnone
President of Business Development
Drake Arnone graduated from Southeastern Louisiana with a B.S. Degree in Biology. He served as an Environmental Scientist at ELOS when he began in 2017. Since then, he has worked in a variety of positions at ELOS and is now President of Business Development. Some of his duties include overseeing the Business Development team, managing client relations, and coordinating project personnel and logistics.
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.
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 since February of 2020. Before joining ELOS, Jerry 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.