Ms. Nelson is currently the Supervisor of the Planning & State Development Office for Region 9 of the US Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco. Her office is primarily responsible for grant funding and oversight of RCRA Hazardous Waste Programs for EPA Region 9's States and Territories including California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, and the outer Pacific Islands. Additionally her office provides internal operations support (budget, human resources, and administrative functions) to the entire Land Division.

Ms Nelson has thirty years' experience as an environmental scientist specializing in knowledge and implementation of hazardous waste regulations in both the private sector and the federal government. Her experience encompasses local, State and Federal regulations for handling, storage, treatment, transportation, recycling, permitting, corrective action, and disposal of hazardous waste.

Ms. Nelson began her career as a project manager for a national environmental consulting firm working for a wide variety of clients. Ms Nelson came to EPA in 1998 as a senior regulatory advisor and technical lead for the RCRA hazardous waste regulations and their implementation. She subsequently managed EPA's RCRA permitting program and also worked in EPA's Air permitting program.

Throughout her career Ms Nelson has presented at numerous workshops, conferences, trainings, and public meetings, and is a nationally recognized trainer and expert in the hazardous waste regulations.

Ms. Nelson graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo, NY with a Bachelor's degree in Geology and from San Jose State University, CA with a Master's degree in Geology.