Department leadership.
Accountable for cross-division delivery, safety culture, and client relationships across the SWS portfolio.
SWS · Executive
Zach Venable
Vice President, Solid Waste Services
Two decades of leadership across landfill, RNG, and environmental services — spanning Fortune 500 national waste operators, RNG portfolio development and management at the largest utility operator in the US, and top-ranked ENR environmental engineering firms. Responsible for leading the department in operations, business development, and project execution. Vice Chair, SWANA Extract & Control Committee. PMP · HAZWOPER · CESSWI · CPESC.
Engineering leadership.
Technical leadership for design, permitting, master planning, and independent peer review across landfill and RNG projects.
SWE · Division Lead
Shashi Kothary, PE, CPP
Director, Solid Waste Engineering
Forty-five years designing landfill gas collection systems, leachate handling, and methane mitigation across the western United States. Engineer of record on hundreds of LFG systems and dozens of school-district methane mitigation projects. Registered California PE #C45891 · SCAQMD Certified Permitting Professional #A1710. BE, University of Poona.
SWE · Technical Peer Review
Mario Castillo
Technical Director, Solid Waste Engineering
Joined BGE in 2024 with 25+ years of public-sector landfill engineering — most recently running an LFGTE program and leading GCCS master planning for a regional landfill portfolio. Owns preliminary design reports, conceptual collection-system layouts, and independent peer review of third-party designs. BS Industrial Engineering, University of Santo Tomas; Project Management, UC Irvine.
Construction leadership.
Field leadership who mobilize crews, self-perform the high-risk scopes, and translate design into finished infrastructure on active sites.
SWC · Division Lead
Jeff Ramos
Manager, Solid Waste Construction
Twenty-seven years in western U.S. solid waste construction, most recently as a senior superintendent leading landfill gas system builds for a national environmental services firm. Leads multi-crew builds of GCCS wellfields, flare and blower stations, sumps, and HDPE piping to 36 inches. Hands-on expertise in fusion welding, drilling atop lined landfills, and translating engineering plans into field-ready execution. HAZWOPER · Certified Polyethylene Fabrication Specialist · Geosynthetic Welding.