ELLIS ENVIRONMENTAL - Key Persons


Duane Behrens - President

Job Titles:
  • President
Duane formed Ellis Env. Mgmt. in 1994. Duane has 20 years' experience in the administration of construction and abatement contracts. Prior to founding the company, Duane was employed as an inspector and construction manager for Versar, Inc. His philosophy and his ultimate goal are simple: By combining his own construction management experience with the technical knowledge offered by degreed industrial hygienists Ellis will assist property managers and owners in completing their hazmat projects safely and efficiently.

Jane Cornish

Job Titles:
  • Office Manager
In addition to managing Ellis' AP and AR efforts, Jane administers or reviews the preparation of all completed reports, invoices and correspondence.

Ryan Davidson

Job Titles:
  • Senior Project and Operations Manager
Ryan joined Ellis in 2012 and is a Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC #15-5395) and Lead Inspector/Risk Assessor (CDPH #0368). He earned his B.S. degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Cal. State Long Beach and worked as a Product Safety Coordinator for one of the nation's 10 largest sporting goods companies prior to transitioning into the environmental consulting industry. At Ellis, Ryan has managed and administered hundreds of asbestos, lead, and soil-related sampling and abatement projects, and currently manages the activities and operations of all of Ellis' field technicians and Project Managers. In addition, Ryan's experience and expertise are deployed on specification preparation and report drafting for hazardous material testing and remedial projects, including soils, groundwater, asbestos, lead, PCBs, and hydrogen sulfide.

Sarah Covert

Job Titles:
  • Manager - Industrial Hygienist
Sarah Covert first joined Ellis Environmental in April 2016. Now self-employed, she continues to assist Ellis in the performance of Phase 1 and 2 ESAs, where her experience and attention to detail continue to provide unsurpassed value to Ellis' corporate clients. While employed by Ellis, Sarah gained her Certified Asbestos Consultant and Lead inspector/Assessor licenses. Sarah has performed hundreds of asbestos and lead related inspections, and has also monitored, inspected and cleared dozens of asbestos and lead abatement projects during that period. With her chemical engineering degree and background in site assessments, Ms. Covert is often brought in to take the lead in special research efforts, even as her own business serves private homeowners (a service Ellis does not provide).

Shawn Sokolsky

Job Titles:
  • Industrial Hygienist - Field Technician
Shawn Sokolsky joined the company in April 2017. He is a Certified Site Surveillance Technician (CSST #18-6177), certified building inspector, and a certified Lead Inspector/Risk Assessor (CDPH #4975). Mr. Sokolsky also assists in preparation of reports and is a trained Auto-CAD drafter.

Sonny Baramy

Job Titles:
  • Industrial Hygienist - Field Technician
Sonny joined the company in October 2016 and has played a key role as a field technician for all hazardous materials sampling projects; lead, asbestos, formaldehyde. He is a Certified Site Surveillance Technician (CSST #18-6178), certified building inspector, and a certified Lead Inspector/Risk Assessor (CDPH #8436). In addition to field services, Sonny is also well versed in drafting client cost proposals, reports and CAD drawings; his specialty. With his training as a drafter in AutoCAD, he has taken the lead in providing clients with clear and comprehensive drawings.