Camille Ott

Cami Otto has over 27 years of experience advancing NEPA practice and environmental stewardship in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic. A Penn State biology graduate and former PAEP student member, she began her career in environmental consulting before joining FHWA in 2010. She has since held key leadership roles, including Deputy Division Administrator and now Division Administrator for the Delaware Division, while also serving as Acting Director for the New Jersey Division.

Cami is a dedicated PAEP volunteer, having served two terms on the Board—including as Treasurer—and contributing to conference planning and scholarship programs. She continues to champion strong environmental practices and community-focused transportation solutions.

 PennDOT Bureau of Operations

PAEP is proud to present the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Bureau of Operations – Roadway/Environmental Programs Section’s Environmental Management System (EMS) Third-Party Audit Program with the 2025 Walter Lyon Award, in recognition of its substantial and measurable impact on protecting Pennsylvania’s environmental quality.

PAEP proudly honors PennDOT’s EMS Third-Party Audit Program with the 2025 Walter Lyon Award for its outstanding contributions to protecting Pennsylvania’s environmental quality. Through comprehensive audits of more than 470 facilities and 40,000 miles of roadways, the program drives compliance, identifies improvements, and promotes best practices. Its data-driven approach has led to significant reductions in spills, stormwater issues, and other environmental risks—showcasing true leadership in statewide environmental stewardship.

      Karl Mason

History – Karl Mason served as Pennsylvania’s first State Environmental Administrator from 1952 to 1966. Karl’s holistic vision of environmental management embraced essential, but conflicting, needs associated with waste disposal and community environmental protection. The general framework established by Karl serves as the foundation for Pennsylvania’s environmental protection programs to this day. Karl believed and put into practice the notion that environmental protection is primarily the business of professionals who have the skills, by virtue of their scientific training, to manage the technical and scientific complexities of maintaining a safe, healthy and clean environment. He was committed to the belief that continuing education was an essential part of the career of every environmental professional.

     Walter Lyon

History – Walter Lyon began his professional career as a sanitary engineer at the U.S. Public Health Service in Washington D.C. serving as Assistant Chief of the Planning and Development Branch, Division of Engineering Resources from 1950-1954. He then served for three-years as the Assistant Chief of the Environmental Health Section, Philadelphia Department of Public Health. From 1983 to 2013, Walter went on to teach and consult in the areas of environmental engineering and water policy. For many years, Walter participated in the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals (PAEP) conferences and special events and generously shared his knowledge and experience. He was a strong advocate for employing highly educated, qualified, and experienced environmental professionals in the public and private sectors and serves as a role model for the environmental professionals of today and tomorrow.

Awards Structure – PAEP is pleased to honor their contributions to environmental professionalism and commemorate the vision of both of these pioneers. The awards are presented to professionals who made a unique and creative contribution to the field of environmental management in Pennsylvania with preference given to the fields of administration, law, regulation and community organization. The Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals (PAEP) is the steward of the Karl Mason and Walter Lyon Awards.

Each year, the Karl Mason Award is presented to meritorious nominees selected by the PAEP Board of Directors. The Walter Lyon Award is selected in the same manner. One nominee will be chosen for the two categories as follows:

• An individual who demonstrated exemplary leadership in the field of environmental management. (the Karl Mason Award)
• An organization, project or program that made a unique, creative, or significant contribution toward maintenance or restoration of Pennsylvania’s environmental quality or to the field of environmental management. (the Walter Lyon Award)