Board Members

Suzanne Karapashev is an environmental complex claims specialist at Westfield Insurance. In her role, she handles and supervises environmental and toxic tort claims nationally. Prior to her current position, Suzanne was an attorney at Roetzel & Andress, LLC, handling insurance defense and environmental matters. Before that, she managed claims legal research for Progressive Insurance for the East Coast and was a judicial attorney for the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. 

Suzanne’s degrees include a Bachelor of Arts in History with honors at the College of Wooster (1988) and a J.D. from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (1991). She received the Journal of Dispute Resolution Past Editors’ Award for significant and lasting contribution to the publication in 1991. 

Suzanne enjoys music, art, books, films, unusual food, Marathon Bars (aka Curly Wurlys), and travel. 

Ryan is an Assistant Vice President in the Environmental Claim Unit at Chubb Insurance. In his role, Ryan manages a team of claim professionals responsible for handling environmental claims arising from pollution liability policies nationwide. Before accepting his current position at Chubb, Ryan spent over 10 years with Nationwide Insurance as a Technical Director in its Environmental Claims Unit. He also previously worked with other insurers in Specialty E&S, Environmental & Health Hazard Claims, and the Specialty Liability Group, where he served as the lead insurer representative for several Fortune 500 companies, handling their asbestos litigation. In addition, Ryan has managed or directly handled a diverse set of claims, including traditional environmental, PFAS, benzene, silica, welding-rod, lead, diacetyl, mold, agribusiness, product liability, premises liability, contingent liability, and food-borne illness matters.

Ryan holds a Master of Science in Management from The American College and a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University. Ryan also holds the Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist designation from the National Underwriter Company. He currently serves as the Conference Co-Chair for the National Forum for Environmental and Toxic Tort Issues (FETTI). In addition, he has been a presenter and panelist at several industry seminars (Perrin Conferences, CLM, ACI, etc.), speaking on a wide array of relevant insurance topics.

Personally, Ryan enjoys playing golf, attending sporting events, and spending time with his family.

Sharlene Thomason is a seasoned Environmental Claims Specialist with a decade of experience in Nationwide’s Environmental Claims Unit. She handles and consults on complex environmental claims across the United States, providing expertise, guidance, and strategic solutions in a specialized and evolving field.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Sharlene has been deeply engaged in public service. She previously served as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for the Village of Hinckley, Illinois, contributing to responsible community development. She is also an active member of the Lion’s Club, where she supports a variety of local service initiatives.

Outside of work and community involvement, Sharlene is an avid hiker who enjoys spending her free time exploring nature and making memories with her grandson.

Yvette Nadgir is Senior Claims Manager for Westfield Specialty’s Environmental business. She has 20 years of Environmental claims experience and has handled significant exposures arising from environmental contamination from polluted sites and releases during transport; contractor’s pollution and professional liability losses; releases from underground storage tanks; mold and toxic exposure (including COVID-19, lead, and asbestos); and all associated business interruption claims. Prior to joining Westfield Specialty, Yvette was a Senior Claim Director for Chubb in their environmental claims department. Yvette was also a Unit Manager at North American Risk Services and an Assistant Vice President at AIG where she supervised a team of up to 8 claims adjusters. Yvette received both a Master of Engineering and Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Engineering degrees from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Scott D. Pfeiffer serves as the FETTI board’s editor. In this capacity, he is responsible for FETTI’s periodic newsletter, including article solicitation, editing, and publishing. Scott also coordinates the annual “Call for Speakers” application process and works with the board to screen the applications for the annual conference. 

Scott is a partner with extensive experience in state and federal courts and has been admitted pro hac vice in over 13 separate jurisdictions. He received his Juris Doctorate from the John Marshall Law School.  

Scott is the editor of FETTI’s newsletter and has participated in speaking engagements on the topics of the coal workers’ pneumoconiosis and diacetyl litigation. He is a member of the Elite Defense Network – Berkley Life Sciences and has also served as a panelist at The Chicago Bar Association’s program on mastering Section 2-615 Motions to Dismiss. 

​​Chris is the Director of Litigation Services at August Mack Environmental, Inc. with more than thirty years of experience in environmental engineering, chemistry, and project management. In his role, he is responsible for leading a group that provides litigation support and serves as consulting or expert witnesses on numerous litigation matters in state and federal court. During his career Chris has performed or managed hundreds of residential, commercial, and industrial site assessments, site investigations, and remediation projects involving a wide range of environmental contaminants.

Chis is a certified hazardous materials manager (CHMM).  He received his M.S. in Environmental Science and Engineer from the Colorado School of Mines (1997) and B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Environmental Science from Butler University (1991). 

Michael DiSantis serves as the Secretary of FETTI. Michael is a partner in the Insurance and Litigation Practice Groups and practices in Tressler’s Pittsburgh office, which he opened in 2016. Michael focuses his practice in the areas of insurance coverage analysis and insurance coverage litigation, assisting insurance companies in resolving complex disputes. He has represented insurance companies in litigated coverage and bad faith cases in federal and state courts throughout the country. Michael has experience in evaluating coverage in claims arising out of environmental risks, toxic torts, and asbestos, and has spoken about modern environmental impairment insurance at the FETTI Conference.

Jack McCants serves as FETTI’s sponsorship coordinator. In this capacity, he is the corporate sponsorship liaison to the FETTI board, advising the board on sponsorship participation, attendance, and funding for the annual conference.

Jack is a partner at MG+M The Law Firm, based out of the firm’s Jackson, Mississippi, office. He has nearly 25 years of experience defending corporations and businesses in premises liability, personal injury, and product liability claims arising from exposure to toxins, transportation accidents, and construction defect and construction site incidents. His client base ranges from regional enterprises to insurance carriers to Fortune 500 companies working in industries such as pharmaceutical, industrial manufacturing, insurance, hospitality, construction, and real estate development. A studied toxicologist, Jack has successfully litigated thousands of claims alleging asbestos, PCB and welding rod fume exposure in some of the most high-risk jurisdictions in the country.

Jack is admitted to practice in Mississippi, Illinois, and Tennessee, as well as before the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the US Supreme Court.

In addition to FETTI, Jack is or has been actively involved as a presenter and panelist with the Perrin Conferences and Defense Research Institution. Jack has also participated in the American Bar Association, Mississippi Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Capital Area Bar Association, Charles Clark Chapter of American Inns of Court, Society of Toxicology, and Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. He maintains his status as an adjunct professor at the Mississippi College School of Law.

James P. Hogan has been FETTI’s webmaster since 2015, overseeing the organization’s website, annual conference promotions, and social media content. As the President and CEO of The Environmental Liability & Asset Management Group, LLC (The ELAM Group), he drives the company’s mission to provide top-tier solutions in reserve cost estimating, litigation support, pollution claim oversight, and environmental contracting. With a focus on expansion, he is leading efforts to broaden the company’s reach, enhancing service delivery nationwide. Over the years, James has guided complex remediation projects for Fortune 500 companies and municipalities, while offering expert testimony on issues such as soil and groundwater pollution, vapor intrusion, and regulatory compliance.

A recognized expert on emerging contaminants, including PFAS, paraquat, glyphosates, and microplastics, James helps organizations navigate the intricacies of risk assessment and litigation. He advises clients on regulatory and financial hurdles under federal laws like TSCA, CERCLA, and RCRA. Leading The ELAM Group’s Environmental Provision Practice, he provides clients with strategic environmental forecasting, preparing them to face future challenges. Licensed in Indiana, Oregon, and Washington, James specializes in advanced remediation systems and groundwater modeling.

Beyond his professional life, James is deeply involved in the development of environmental standards through his work with ASTM International Workgroups, where he helps shape key guidelines such as Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and climate-related financial disclosures. His commitment to service extends to his community, where he leads a local Catholic Jail Ministry group, supporting inmates in their personal and spiritual growth. When he’s not working or volunteering, James enjoys spending quality time with his family—he’s a devoted husband, father of four, and lifelong boater. A music enthusiast, he explores passionately-driven fusion, from jazz to classical and the softer side of rock & roll, and loves tinkering with instruments like drums, acoustic guitar, and harmonica. He holds a B.S. in Geology from the University of Dayton and an M.S. in Structural Geology from the University of Tennessee.