Rick Beach became the National Sediment Practice Leader with GZA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2017. From 2015-2017, Rick was the Sediment Practice Leader at Langan in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Previously, he worked for Amec Foster Wheeler for 5 years and in the environmental sector since 1974 on aquatic and sediment issues. In recent years, his projects have focused on evaluating upland sources of contamination, assessing potential contributions to water bodies, and developing scientifically-based advocacy positions used for allocation of the related liabilities. His projects have included environmental concerns related to multi-party river-sediment Superfund sites, nutrients/sewage releases; underground storage tanks (USTs), ambient and indoor air quality, petroleum hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, methyl mercury, and solvents. Rick has extensive experience in contaminated sediments, chemical oceanography, marine biology, analytical chemistry, nutrient geochemistry, spill response, and hazardous materials. His experience includes sediment projects and programs where he has managed, directed, and implemented site investigations, data gap evaluations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, remediation services, project optimizations, third-party reviews, potentially responsible party (PRP) identification, litigation support, and expert testimony. He was a member of ITRC's Contaminated Sediments Remediation team from 2012 to 2013. Rick earned a bachelor's degree in Biology (Marine Emphasis) from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina in 1974 and a master's degree in Chemical Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island in 1981.