Who We Are

Mike Blankinship

President

Since the time he used a Hach test kit during high school, Mike was hooked on the science of water.  His fascination with agriculture during Picnic Day at UC Davis sealed the deal.  He’s combined these passions into solutions for his agricultural, municipal, and water and industry clients.  When not traveling too far off locations with his wife, Mike remains amazed by gravity and enjoys skiing and mountain biking any chance he gets.

Education

• M.S., Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, UC Davis
• B.A., Chemistry, Saint Michael's College

Registrations and Licenses

• Registered Professional Civil Engineer, California (# C 64112)
• DPR Pest Control Adviser (#75890)
• Stormwater Industrial General Permit (IGP) Trainer of Record (ToR) (#00137)
• Stormwater IGP Qualified Industrial Stormwater Practitioner (QISP) (#00137)
• Construction General Permit Qualified SWPPP Practitioner & Developer (QSP/D)

Stephen Burkholder

Senior Biologist

Stephen is a Senior Biologist, Pest Control Adviser, and Certified Crop Adviser with over 16 years of experience supporting clients with water quality and regulatory needs. From making his first casts into the trout streams of Montana with his family, he has been drawn to study and learn about the ecology and dynamic nature of waterbodies. Stephen uses his experience and knowledge of regulations, and long-standing relationships in the community of his clients to help translate regulatory requirements to on-the-ground actions. He concentrates on implementing practical solutions to issues associated with vegetation management, water resources management, storm and surface water quality, and natural resource protection in and near streams, lakes, water conveyance, and storage facilities. During his time off, Stephen loves going on adventures with his children and cooking.

Education

• B.S., Environmental Biology, UC Davis

Certifications

• Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) (#330116)
• DPR Qualified Applicator License (QAL) (#123500)
• DPR Pest Control Adviser (PCA) (#153644)

S. Nikki Slade

Project Scientist

Nikki’s professional experience has focused on human health and ecological risk assessment, including modeling and predicting the environmental fate of a variety of contaminants, review of the scientific literature for suitable toxicological endpoint selection, and drafting transparent deliverables directed towards the public and regulatory agencies. However, one of her favorite aspects of working at Blankinship is the vast array of projects she’s involved with, including identification and evaluation of potentially contaminated sites, development of BMP/IPM and MS4 facility guidance documents, and hosting online and in-person courses on water quality and other environmental topics. She graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a B.S. in Environmental Toxicology and M.S. in Forensic Science. Her thesis focused on investigating the mechanism of action behind the neurobehavioral deficits associated with subchronic organophosphorus pesticide exposure. When she has hypothetical free time, she likes PC gaming, “running”, writing, and participating in the three-color challenge/tinkering on the piano with her whimsical daughter.

Education

• M.S., Forensic Science, UC Davis
• B.S., Environmental Toxicology, UC Davis

Certifications

• DPR Qualified Applicator License (#161893)
• OSHA 24-Hour HAZWOPER Certification

Alyssa Nagai

Project Scientist

Alyssa’s background touches on a variety of fields pertaining to environmental toxicology including human health and ecological risk assessment, integrated pest management (IPM), water quality, industrial air emissions and monitoring, and hazardous waste management. In her role as a Staff Scientist, she has worked with numerous government and private organizations, cities, counties, and municipalities to find solutions for their daily operations, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance needs. Prior to her time at Blankinship, Alyssa worked for the California Environmental Protection Agency’s (CalEPA) Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). When out of the office, she can often be found outdoors enjoying nature, cheering on her favorite sports teams, or indulging her sweet tooth.

Education

• B.S., Environmental Toxicology, UC Davis

Certifications

• DPR Qualified Applicator License (#156881)
• OSHA 24-Hour HAZWOPER Certification

James Lem

Staff Environmental Scientist

James’ background in science is centered around agricultural sciences and aquatic toxicology. James has performed many projects as a staff scientist at Blankinship & Associates, with his technical work focused on herbicide monitoring, water quality testing, and performing biological assessments on riparian habitats. Through his previous work as an aquatic toxicologist James is proficient in NPDES methods for both fresh and salt water chronic and acute toxicology testing, along with providing extensive experience in field sampling for ambient water and sediment coring. He enjoys being in the field, and much of his work revolves around sampling and monitoring in outdoor settings. In his spare time, James enjoys hiking, pressing plants, or playing video games with his two young children.

Education

• B.S., Aquatic Animal Science, UC Davis

Certifications

• DPR Pest Control Adviser (PCA) (#166599)