Technical Specialist Spotlight: A Leader in the Environmental Industry
Sue Courtemanche, LSP, CHMM has been providing outstanding professional environmental consulting throughout New England and New York for 36 years. As a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) and Massachusetts Licensed Site Professional (LSP), she specializes in environmental site investigations and remediation projects, and environmental regulatory compliance and permitting.
Sue joined Tighe & Bond in 2018 with the opening of the Providence Office as a Senior Project Manager and has recently been appointed to the position of Technical Director for the company’s Environmental Consulting Business Line. As a Senior Project Manager, Sue manages complex, multi-discipline, and highly visible projects. She is responsible for client satisfaction, overall technical project quality, and sound business management. In her corporate role as a Technical Director, Sue sets standards for quality deliverables and ensures the business line is conforming to industry regulations. The Technical Director has a significant presence, both internally and externally, and communicates technical trends and developments impacting the business line. Sue hosts company-wide educational workshops that provide learning opportunities; for example, her first well-attended workshop was about topics such as environmental permitting constraints and identifying hazardous waste in fill soils.
Sue has a deep interest in the professional development of staff, leveraging her knowledge to become a mentor to young environmental scientists and engineers – especially fellow women entering a STEM field.
“Sue encouraged me to sit in on phone calls or attend site walks that provided me face time with clients and gave me early insight into client-relationship and management skills. She is frequently encouraging me to explore my career path, pointing out the benefits of various licenses that could be available to me now or in the future. Sue continues to be an excellent role model and mentor for me,” said Environmental Scientist Shelby Marokhovsky.
Sue is continuously contributing to the field of environmental science through her leadership in many industry-focused organizations. As a member of the ACEC/RI Environmental Subcommittee and the Leadership Team for the Rhode Island Chapter of the Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC), Sue develops programming that educates other professionals on legislative and regulatory issues in the state.
Most recently, Sue was co-chair for planning and presenting an EBC Rhode Island webinar and panel discussion titled “Stormwater Management Updates from RIDEM, RIDOT and NBC and COVID-19 Monitoring in Wastewater, New Shoreham Sewer Commission.” The webinar provided a snapshot for attendees about how stormwater is being managed in the state including a general assessment of the quality of Rhode Island waters, and the latest regulatory requirements. An update was also presented about Block Island’s testing for COVID-19 in wastewater. Block Island was the first town in the state to test wastewater streams for the presence of COVID-19.
Although Sue works for clients across the Northeast, her roots remain in Rhode Island, and she leverages her expertise through her volunteerism to help communities and non-profits in her home state. She is a Board Member and current Vice Chair of the Pawtucket Foundation, where she contributes to the redevelopment of city infrastructure. In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Pawtucket Foundation made grants available to Pawtucket establishments to apply for free grant funding to create or expand outdoor seating or dining and handed out facemasks to the general public.