​Erik has over 30 years of experience in the HSE profession and previously held positions as the Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Director of EHS for Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences, both in New York City. In these positions, he oversaw all aspects of safety and environmental management for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Services included fire and life safety, health physics, occupational safety, laboratory safety, emergency management and business continuity, environment of care, and hazardous material management. Erik has extensive experience planning for and responding to crisis situations, including hurricanes, power outages, fires, pandemics and hazardous material incidents. Erik has a BSc in Zoology and MSc in Curriculum and Instruction, both from the Southern Illinois University.

At KAUST, Erik is responsible for developing and implementing the HSE strategy and administration of comprehensive HSE programs and policies for the university campus, research park, and city of KAUST. Program areas of responsibility include emergency preparedness and response, fire department, fire and loss prevention, hazardous material management, community and road safety, laboratory safety, health and safety, construction safety, occupational health, biodiversity, and environmental protection.