Executive Team
K. Dawn Blackledge, P.G. – Company Founder & Principal
Ms. Blackledge graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree in geological engineering in 1982. After earning her “dirty boots” in the Gulf Coast petroleum industry, Ms. Blackledge relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, to enter public service with the City of Jacksonville’s new Department of Environmental Resources. After ten years of private and public experience along with encouragement from valued mentors, Ms. Blackledge founded AEROSTAR in 1992. Under her leadership, AEROSTAR has grown to a business of over 80 employees located in 11 offices throughout 7 states. Ms. Blackledge is a well respected environmental professional and business owner. She was appointed by the governor of Florida to the State of Florida Board of Professional Geologists in 2000 and served as Board Chairman during her second term ending in 2007. Ms. Blackledge serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of American Military Engineers Jacksonville Post. She is an appointed member of the University of North Florida’s Dean Advisory Board, a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, a founding associate of the First Coast Manufacturers Association, and mentor to new women-owned businesses. Ms. Blackledge is a certified Construction Quality Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Navy. At the state level, Ms. Blackledge is an expert at stormwater permitting and has taught classes throughout the state. Ms. Blackledge remains a “hands on” Principal-in-Charge for AEROSTAR’s clients and gives her personal attention to a wide range of routine and special projects.
Leon J. Carrero, P.G., Principal
Mr. Carrero obtained a Masters of Science degree in geology from Wright State University in 1989 and joined AEROSTAR after its first year of business in 1993. Mr. Carrero is a certified Construction Quality Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and has over 20 years of specialized experience in the field of hydrogeological investigations, remediation system design, and remedial construction. Mr. Carrero serves as Principal-in-Charge for many of AEROSTAR’s remediation and construction projects and is an expert in the use of proven remediation techniques such as source removal, vapor extraction, air sparging, air stripping, carbon absorption, and biological degradation. Mr. Carrero is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and has served his community in various capacities including Chairman of the Mayor’s Hispanic American Advisory Board and President of the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Philip E. Elson, Principal
Mr. Elson obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Illinois State University in 1982 and offers 25 years of environmental industry experience. Mr. Elson joined the AEROSTAR Team 15 years ago and presently serves as Principal-in-Charge and QA/QC Officer for the majority of AEROSTAR’s federal agency contracts. This includes over $100 million in contract capacity under vehicles with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE), Naval Facilities Engineering Command, General Service Administration, and Department of Homeland Security. At the state agency level, Mr. Elson is well known for his experience with environmental impact studies involving large-scale land acquisition and Brownfields redevelopment projects. Mr. Elson is an experienced client liaison with federal, state, and local environmental regulatory agencies and, prior to joining AEROSTAR, worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on hazardous waste enforcement issues. Mr. Elson is an active member of the Society of American Military Engineers and has served on the Board of Directors for the International Right of Way Association, North Florida Land Trust, the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, the Jacksonville Brownfields Coalition, and the Jacksonville Empowerment/ Enterprise Zone Advisory Board.
Tiffany Seibt, Principal
Ms. Seibt obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in natural resources from North Carolina State University in 1994 and has 17 years of industry experience managing environmental conservation and natural resource services projects. Ms. Seibt is the Principal-in-Charge of AEROSTAR’s Mobile, Alabama office and specializes in the area of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) projects. She is an expert in conducting watershed assessments, wetland delineations, forest inventories, wildlife management and monitoring, wildfire management plans, cultural assessments, and Phase I ESAs. Ms Seibt has worked directly with various City leaders managing federal grant and matching fund tracking systems for environmental conservation projects and is heavily involved in the New Orleans U.S. Army Corps of Engineers levee reconstruction projects providing dredge material classification, debris disposal management, and NEPA documentation. She also manages health and safety personnel providing oversight of construction firms rebuilding the levees and pump stations. Ms. Seibt will be the first female President of the Society of Military Engineers, Mobile District, a former Board Advisor to the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, and a two-year Chair of the American Cancer Society Chili cook-off.
M. Chris McNees, Principal
Mr. McNees obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of North Florida in 1997 and has over 13 years of professional experience in the industry. Mr. McNees serves as AEROSTAR’s Principal-in-Charge of quality assurance and quality control for a wide range of technical deliverables produced by the firm. Mr. McNees has a thorough understanding of environmental reporting standards including those applicable to risk management, Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), due diligence related assessments, contamination screening evaluations, state agency site assessment reports, Brownfields investigations, environmental compliance audits, industrial hygiene related investigations, NPDES permitting and stormwater management, and water quality monitoring plans. He regularly serves as Quality Control Manager for AEROSTAR’s larger scale remedial investigation and feasibility studies and is frequently called upon to perform technical review on reports prepared by third party professionals. Mr. McNees was recognized as a “Top 40 under 40 Business Professional” by the Jacksonville Business Journal in 2009 and is an active member of the Environmental Banker’s Association and National Association of Office & Industrial Properties. He is a past Chairman of the Clay County Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) Economic Development Advisory Board and currently serves on the CCCC Board of Directors.
Kevin Seaway, P.G., Principal
Mr. Seaway obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in geology from the University of Florida in 1994 and has 16 years of experience managing environmental site assessments and remediation and construction projects. Mr. Seaway is the Principal-in-Charge of AEROSTAR’s Atlanta, Georgia office and provides advanced expertise with projects requiring risk based corrective action activities, multi-phase extraction systems, bioremediation, multi-dimensional fate transport models, and data visualization applications. He has extensive knowledge of the regulations governing leaking underground storage tanks, and hazardous and non-hazardous wastes; and is experienced with procedures relating to emergency response situations. Mr. Seaway has extensive public and private sector experience along with professional accreditations to provide services in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, and Alabama.
Frank Redway, Principal
Mr. Redway obtained a Masters of Science degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida in 1993 and serves as the Principal-in-Charge of AEROSTAR’s environmental site assessment and industrial hygiene services. Mr. Redway has over 18 years of experience delivering Phase I/II ESAs, HUD assessments, asbestos and lead-based paint surveys, indoor air quality surveys, site assessment reports, remedial action plans, and associated cost estimates. Mr. Redway has a thorough understanding of the environmental risk underwriting standards applicable to private sector financial institutions as well as those of federal, state, and local agency programs involving land acquisition, access, disposal, and interagency transfers. Mr. Redway has supported large scale land acquisition programs for private and public sector clients by providing environmental expertise as well as other support including lease validation, database management, and verification of licenses, permits, and property surveys.
