SKS Team
Experienced. Motivated.
Capable.
SKS is driven by leadership with decades of experience in oil and gas, agriculture, environmental services, logistics, development, finance, and investing.
This core team with extensive knowledge of dairy, livestock, agriculture, and industrial food waste is positioned to deliver results while balancing the goals of all project stakeholders.
Scott Stepenoff
President
Scott leads our overall efforts to source and develop projects, working closely with our strategic partners throughout each project’s lifecycle. He has developed multiple anaerobic digestion facilities and is well versed in all aspects of project development.
Scott is a planner and a big picture thinker who gets to know your situation intimately to best determine the efficacy and potential of a biogas project. His solutions often go beyond RNG outputs, creating other opportunities to monetize the full value of the system’s outputs. Scott’s extensive track record of developing successful waste-to-energy facilities is in his blood, having worked side-by-side with his father for over two decades in the energy, environmental, and agricultural industries.
Dana Kirk, Ph.D., P.E.
Chief Executive Officer
As a highly respected authority in manure management, carbon intensity evaluations, and anaerobic digestion technology, Dana works to optimize the performance of each SKS facility. Prior to joining SKS, Dana was instrumental in establishing the Anaerobic Digester Research Center at Michigan State University and led the engineering effort to build and operate the school’s South Campus Anaerobic Digester. Dana is also a sought after consultant for anaerobic digestion projects around the globe, mentoring many who are making their mark in the waste-to-energy marketplace.
Dana’s agricultural foundation allows him to holistically consider how SKS facilities integrate with all aspects of the dairy’s operational program, from bedding and nutrients to permitting and growth potential. The result is a comprehensive project design that optimizes operational efficiency and profitability.
Jesse Neilson, M.S., P.E.
Chief of Engineering & Construction
As an experienced engineer and project manager, Jesse has a 360 degree perspective on every project. His extensive portfolio of anaerobic digester to RNG projects have included some of the largest and most complex facilities in the U.S. Whether he’s designing a 28 million gallon, multi-staged low-rate anaerobic digester or optimizing the use of separators and pumps, Jesse engineers for performance.
Nathan Kennedy
Chief Operating Officer
Nathan maintains relationships with capital providers and keeps a pulse on federal and state incentive programs, providing insight for determining each project’s preferred financing strategy. From structuring transactions and raising capital to determining the optimal strategy for monetizing environmental attributes, Nathan works to ensure SKS projects deliver attractive returns to project owners and partners.
Maria Barrios Arosemena, M.S.
Vice President of Engineering
Leveraging her academic background and experience working with project development firms, Maria develops strategies for building and operating successful anaerobic digestion-to-RNG facilities throughout their full project lifecycle. By design, her role overlaps both the construction and operations phases of the project. This way she is able to ensure the operations team has complete knowledge of every aspect of the project while projects are built with operational efficiency in mind.
Sergio Zepeda
Vice President of Operations
With a diverse background in multiple disciplines, Sergio is a true utility player who brings a can-do attitude to the SKS team. Building and managing operations teams is foundational for Sergio, and his hands-on approach to problem solving makes him invaluable to ensuring SKS projects are successful.
Kevin Kirk
Construction Supervisor
Working with both small and large clients throughout the United States, Kevin has earned a strong reputation for his expertise in construction and safety. He holds the esteemed Certified Safety Professional certification from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, demonstrating his commitment to ensuring safe work environments.
As a team leader responsible for overseeing construction management and project delivery at SKS, Kevin plays a vital role in ensuring the efficient execution of projects and the successful attainment of stakeholder goals. He provides effective team leadership and coaching to maximize productivity and streamline operations while creating a positive and cooperative work environment. With a strong attention to detail and a goal-oriented mindset, Kevin is a valuable asset for any construction team.
Matt Angers
Construction Manager
Throughout his career, Matt has always been both a top individual performer and a successful team player. As a recovering Fortune 100 power player, he has translated his nationally recognized account management skillset into a dirty fingernails role at SKS that involves coordinating the construction, installation, and commissioning of manure management, anaerobic digestion, and gas conditioning equipment.
Joe Tesar, M.S.E.E., B.S.M.E
Consulting Engineer
Joe supports the SKS team during the entire development process. This includes the initial development of carbon intensity models for each RNG project, followed by validation that the facility design will meet the requirements set forth by the purchasers of renewable fuels. During construction, Joe provides engineering support to the SKS team, working with subcontractors and vendors to meet budget and schedule goals.