Our Team

Eileen Unger has more than 32 years experience in the engineering, construction and utility industries. As president of EPP (and the EPP team), Eileen provides not only the leadership and strategic direction for the company, but also uses her expertise in project management, emergency preparedness process analyzation and practical plan development for client projects. Prior to co-founding EPP, Eileen worked in a variety of capacities with Conectiv, Bechtel Construction Co. at the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station; and United Engineers and Constructors.  She has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University’s College of Engineering, and an M.S. in Engineering Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Mike Caffrey has more than 43 years experience in the utility industry. His area of specialization for EPP includes managing response and restoration events, conducting physical security assessments and planning for critical infrastructure protection.
Prior to joining EPP, Mike spent 37 years with Atlantic Electric, Conectiv, and Pepco Holdings Inc., a Fortune 500 electric and gas utility now based in Washington, D.C. There he had managerial responsibility for Emergency Preparedness, Restoration, Fleet Services, Operations, Labor Relations and Project Management. Mike is the Vice President of the New Jersey Emergency Management Association and is on the Board of Directors of the Atlantic/Cumberland Red Cross.

Matt Custer has more than 38 years experience in the communications and utility fields. His primary role in EPP is to use best practices to facilitate, coordinate and manage internal and external communications during an emergency. He also serves as a process improvement expert, to identify, analyze and improve organizational processes as they relate to emergency preparedness. Prior to co-founding Emergency Preparedness Partnerships, Matt spent 23 years in the electric utility business working for Conectiv, successfully planning for and managing a variety of business crises and emergencies. Matt has a B.A. from West Chester University, PA and an M.A. in Public Communications from Syracuse University.

Mike D’Auria has 38 years experience in the electric and gas utility industry. His area of specialization for EPP includes managing response and restoration events, conducting physical security assessments and planning for critical infrastructure protection. Prior to joining EPP, he spent his career with Orange and Rockland Utilities, a subsidiary of Con Edison. There he had managerial responsibility for Systems Distribution and Restoration and Emergency Preparedness. He has received certification as an Incident Command Trainer from the New York State Emergency Management Office (NYSEMO) and holds numerous certifications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute (EMI).

Richard Hobson has over 40 years of experience in the utility industry. Prior to working with EPP, Richard worked for Baltimore Gas and Electric, a Fortune 500 electric and gas utility based in Baltimore, MD. He joined BGE in December 1970 as a meter reader and worked as a drafter and a computer programmer until completing his studies in engineering. From 1981 to 2000 he served in various engineering and leadership capacities in energy engineering and conservation research project management. From November 2000 until his retirement in June 2011 he was responsible for all aspects associated with the design, planning and implementation of storm restoration, emergency response preparedness, plans, drills and training.

Tom Langley has more than 40 years experience in the utility industry, which includes more than 20 years as a corporate director or manager. His expertise for Emergency Preparedness Partnerships includes analyzing and developing emergency plans from an overall strategic perspective, as well as managing field restoration events, process improvement and change management. Prior to joining the EPP team, he worked for Atlantic Electric, Conectiv, and Pepco Holdings Inc., a Fortune 500 electric and gas utility now based in Washington, D.C. Tom has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University, and has done graduate studies at Duke University, University of Michigan, University of Idaho and Drexel University.

John Thompson has more than 40 years experience in the law enforcement and emergency management fields. Within EPP, John uses his expertise to manage the interdependencies between law enforcement and security professionals with emergency preparedness personnel to ensure needs are met on all sides. Prior to joining EPP, John worked for Kroll, The Risk Consulting Company, the Office of Emergency Management for Atlantic County, New Jersey, and the New Jersey State Police. He has a long list of certifications, including the FEMA Professional Series, Certified Public Managers Course, Underwater Recovery, Colorado Hazardous Material Institute, and is a certified EPA HAZMAT Technician.

Alan Kappauf has more than 20 years of experience in the utility & financial services industries. He has also launched and sold several entrepreneurial ventures. For EPP, Alan works with electric & gas utilities to optimize their emergency preparedness and response plans, and facilitate emergency training, exercises and drills. He also manages the company website, social media activity, and content marketing. Aside from EPP, Alan has worked in various capacities within the electric, gas and water utility sectors, including various roles at Conectiv, a Fortune 500 electric and gas utility based in Wilmington, DE, as well as project management & product development roles at American Water, the largest public water utility in the U.S.

Howard Solganick has been actively engaged in the utility industry for over 40 years, with substantial experience ranging from consulting engagements to business development to utility operations.  This includes over 12 years of direct utility experience spanning generation, power purchasing, planning, performance optimization, customer service, and regulatory functions, and over 20 years as an independent consultant.  Howard’s primary role at EPP includes anticipating the storm-related needs of regulators and other external stakeholders as it relates to developing emergency plans, conducting drills and exercises, and facilitating post-event reviews.  He also performs post-storm investigations.