Environmental Planning and Management; Air Quality Management and Air Pollution Control; Infrastructure Engineering and Design; Facility Hazard Definition and Risk Management; Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG); Energy Transition; Environmental Permitting and Compliance; Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels; Facility Risk Management; ESG Strategy and Reporting; Stakeholder Engagement 

MS, Industrial Hygiene, Texas A&M University, College Station, 1981; BS, Public Health, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1979 

Susan helps organizations build confidence in major capital and energy transition investments by developing permitting, governance, and risk management strategies that help anticipate challenges before they affect cost, schedule, or execution. She brings structure to regulatory approvals across federal, state, and local jurisdictions; identifies permitting and delivery risks early; and establishes clear accountability among owners, engineers, and contractors as projects move from concept to operation. 

On behalf of energy, industrial, manufacturing, and technology clients, Susan offers advice on the development and delivery of complex capital projects. Her experience includes permitting strategy, project governance, environmental compliance, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration, stakeholder engagement, and risk management for infrastructure, energy transition, industrial gas, hydrogen, manufacturing, and other large-scale development projects. With her help, clients navigate regulatory complexity while aligning project objectives, schedule, workforce considerations, environmental performance, and long-term operational goals. 

Using a systems-thinking approach, Susan aligns safety, environmental performance, workforce well-being, regulatory compliance, and business objectives throughout projects. Drawing on decades of experience as an EHS leader, she champions a Total Worker Health approach by viewing employees as both workers and members of their communities. In partnership with clients, she creates sustainable strategies that support business success while strengthening employee well-being, environmental outcomes, stakeholder trust, and effective board and executive oversight of enterprise risk. 

Susan’s perspective is shaped by decades of leadership establishing governance principles and global standards for capital projects and leading ESG strategy for Air Liquide’s multi-billion-dollar multinational energy and energy transition portfolio. As senior director of EHS, she was responsible for authorizing the compliance report presented to the firm’s United States Board of Directors. In this role, she translated operational, regulatory, and business risks into board-level oversight and decision-making. She also advised the United States Department of Energy on streamlining hydrogen safety codes and federal permitting pathways for emerging energy technologies.  

In service to her field, Susan supports climate resilience initiatives through the Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER). She has held leadership and advisory roles with several prominent industry organizations, including the American Chemistry Council, the Louisiana Chemical Association, the Texas Chemistry Council, and the Compressed Gas Association.

Contact Susan at Susan.Cathey@Geosyntec.com. 

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