Program Director
Hazardous Materials Training Program
Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota

I grew up in the agricultural belt of Central California. I worked in our local agricultural industry through high school and college and saw firsthand the occupational hazards (lack of PPE, multiple chemical exposures, absence of safety training) that agricultural workers address each day. My first job post college was working in a municipal utility with electrical line workers exposed to creosote.

These early work experiences shaped my strong interest in selecting worker health and safety as a career. A graduate public health internship at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown, West Virginia confirmed my desire to address workplace hazard training.

I have worked in public health for the last twenty-eight years, with occupational health and safety as a focus area. Since 2001, I have been employed at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Hazardous Materials Training Program (Midwest Consortium for Hazardous Waste Worker Training). My work focuses on building the skills of community members and professionals to address hazardous materials exposures. My commitment to worker safety and health is enhanced through numerous personal relationships with diverse community members including Native American/American Indian Tribal members, East African and Hispanic workers, and local rail safety community advocates within the Upper Midwest.

I believe in using new technologies and opportunities to increase the skills of trainees in the NIEHS Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program. As a local program director within the Midwest Consortium, I look forward to working with you.